Where to find Sekiro Prayer Beads and max out your Vitality and Posture

Finding Sekiro Prayer Beads increases your health in Sekiro, so it's a pretty vital thing to do if you want a chance against the many enemies that can one-shot you twice over at your starting level. You need to find four to increase your health, so knowing where to look can speed things up - the faster you raise your total health, the longer you can survive in Sekiro. Finding beads can involve killing specific characters and bosses and knowing who to target can make life a lot easier. We've got all the Sekiro Prayer Beads locations covered here, as well as a rough order to approach them in. 

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1. Ashina Outskirts - Gate Path idol Prayer Bead:  General Naomori Kawarada

From the Outskirts Wall: Gate Path idol go past the bridge where you got the Shuriken, go around to the left until you can sneak attack the mini-boss  General Naomori Kawarada - take him out then you will get a Prayer Bead.

2. Hirata Estate - Estate Path idol Prayer Bead: Shinobi Hunter

From the Hirata Estate Estate Path idol progress to the stairs with the shield-wielding enemies and get past them. The enemy in white with a spear you'll find is a Shinobi Hunter. Use the Mikiri counter to take him out for a Prayer Bead.

3. Hirata Estate - Main Hall Idol Prayer Bead: Audience Chamber 

From the Hirata Estate - Main Hall Idol you find a prayer bead in the building Juzou the Drunkard was/is protecting. Assuming he's dead enter the building he was guarding and head left. You should find a wall with a scroll on it. If you then hug this wall it will reveal a hidden room which contains a Prayer Bead and a few other goodies. 

4. Outskirts Wall - Stairway Idol Prayer Bead: General Tenzen Yamauchi  

The Outskirts Wall will introduce to the Chained Ogre, a not insubstantial boss fight. Once he's down. However you'll also find the General Tenzen Yamauchi mini boss before you make your way down to the left of the broken bridge to the Underbridge Valley Idol. Kill off all the nearby minions and then end him for a Prayer Bead

5. Ashina Outskirts - Ashina Castle Gate Prayer Bead: Gyoubu Oniwa 

In the Ashina Castle Gate Idol area, where you fight Gyoubu on horseback is a large set of stairs opposite the Idol. Make your way up them and into the building. If you can grapple to the top of the building and through a hole in the ceiling a Prayer Bead will await you.

6. Ashina Outskirts – Ashina Castle Gate Prayer Bead: Blazing Bull 

Keep moving forwards from the Ashina Castle Gate Idol to where you can eventually  eavesdrop on two enemies talking about a beast. Kill them to start the boss fight and then use the Firecracker Shinobi Tool to fight off the Blazing Bull for a Prayer Bead.

7. Ashina Castle Idol Prayer Bead: General

If you go up the stairs from the Ashina Castle Idol there is another General mini-boss. Cut him down for another Bead. 

8. Ashina Elite Prayer Bead: Upper Tower – Ashina Dojo

Just after the Upper Tower - Ashina Dojo Idol is a samurai sword fight with the Ashina Elite. If you can deflect your way to victory you will get a Prayer Bead. 

9. Ashina Reservoir Idol Prayer Bead: Ashina Seven Spears mini-boss

While in the Ashina Reservoir you will come across an Ashina Seven Spears mini-boss in front of the building where the Young Lord gave you your sword. Best him in a battle for a Bead.

10. Ashina Reservoir idol Prayer Bead: Lone Shadow Longswordman 

In the Ashina Reservoir area go past the house you snuck under way back at the start of the game then stick to the wall and wall hug walk your way around. Go to the end of this path then drop attack the enemy below. Kill him off for another Prayer Bead.

11. Senpou Temple - Shugendo Idol Prayer Bead: Armored Knight 

At the top of the climb from the Shugendo Idol you will fight the Armored Knight. If you can kick him to his doom you will get a Bead. You will also hear a very satisfying thud.  

12. Temple Grounds Idol Prayer Bead: Centipede Su’un 

Across from the Temple Grounds Idol is a building with a courtyard. Make your way over to this and then look to the right and down of it. If you jump down to the roof below and check the building out you should find an opening. If you carefully make your way inside you should be able to sneak attack this Centipede in order to make killing him easier and then get another Bead.

13. Sunken Valley Idol Prayer Bead: Snake Eyes 

From the Sunken Valley Idol, and as you make your way to the Gun Fort, you will come across a Snake Eyes enemy in front of a Buddha head. Take them out for a Prayer Bead. 

14. Gun Fort Idol Prayer Bead: Centipede Giraffe

From the Gun Fort Idol you can move forwards and fight Long-arm Centipede Giraffe. Beat him in a fight using firecrackers and whatever else works for another Bead.  

15. Gun Fort Idol Prayer Bead: Canyon

In the same room as the previous fight there is a hole in the floor. If you explore this you can find an exit into the caverns again. Follow it around until you see some mini centipede giraffe enemies and the bead is on the floor.

16. Poison Pool Idol Pray Bead: Snake Eyes

In the Poison Pools area is a Snake Eyes mini-boss. If you can take them out you will get this Bead as a prize. It is well worth sneaking up on them for the first lethal hit as it is a tough fight. 

17. Hidden Forest Idol Payer Bead: Glutton

If you go from the Hidden Forest Idol you can make your way past the small Buddha Statue into a second area. On the left-hand wall of this area is a tree to grapple to. On the other side of the small path that it takes you to is a mini-boss called the Glutton who is a lot like the Drunkard fought in the memory. Take him out for a Prayer Bead.

18. Water Mill Idol Prayer Bead: Mibu Village

Go up from the Water Mill Idol and past the bridge. Go towards the building ahead of you but instead drop into the rive to your right. Go to the backside of the building and look towards it, you should be able to grapple up for another Bead.

19. Underwater Temple Grounds Idol Prayer Bead

When you have gained the ability to dive underwater warp to the Underwater Temple Grounds Idol. Jump into the pool of water below you and dive under. If you look around you should find a cave with a Bead inside. 

20. Poison Pools Idol Prayer Bead 

Warp to the Poison Pools Idol. After you have killed the Snake Eyes enemy a path opens up behind them, instead of following this down look up and to your left for a grapple point. Sneak under the first low ceiling here and then jump up. Follow this up and then grapple to the Buddha’s head for this Bead. 

21 & 22 Poison Pools Idol - Guardian Ape: Revengeance 

After you defeat the Guardian Ape in Bodhisattva Valley if you warp to the Poison Pools Idol you will notice things are a bit different. Make sure you have the Mortal Blade before doing this fight though. Go into the large cavern that opened up after you killed the Snake Eyes enemy and you will find this boss ready to rumble. Defeat it for two Prayer Beads.