There are four difficulties: Wayfarer (easy), Pathbreaker (normal), Hellwalker (hard) and 66 Days, which unlocks when you finish the game. The first three can be changed at any time outside combat and don’t affect trophies.
Boss damage and Sha-Chi by difficulty
Relative index: Wayfarer = 100
Boss damage
Boss Sha-Chi
Boss health is the same on every difficulty. Hellwalker adds new attacks.
| Difficulty | Spanish name | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Wayfarer | Viajero (Caminante) | Enemies apply less pressure and their guard breaks sooner. Bosses have the same health, but they hit less hard and have half the Sha-Chi. |
| Pathbreaker | Pionero | The experience as designed. Bosses hit 43% harder and have twice the Sha-Chi they have on Wayfarer. |
| Hellwalker | Indómito (Caminante del Infierno) | More aggressive enemies that adapt to your style and bosses with new attacks. |
| 66 Days | 66 Días | Hellwalker as a base with a day limit: each death takes one away. If they run out, the playthrough ends. |
The names in parentheses are the ones other Spanish guides use. You change the difficulty from Pause › System, except 66 Days, which is locked from the start.
Which difficulty should I choose?
- If you’re coming from soulslikes: Pathbreaker.
- If you want to enjoy the story or go for the platinum without suffering: Wayfarer. It works for every trophy.
- If you’re looking for a challenge: Hellwalker, and then 66 Days.
66 Days mode
You start with 66 days. Each death takes one away, and so do 14 fixed story moments, so you have a margin of about 52 deaths. Reloading a save resets the counter to that point. If they run out, you see the Undying Grudge ending and the playthrough ends. No trophy requires this mode.
What do I do if I’m stuck on a boss?
- Drop to WayfarerFrom Pause › System, outside combat. It doesn’t cost you any trophy: the game has no difficulty trophies (on the Steam forum there are players asking for them to be added). You can raise it again later.
- Upgrade your two weapons and your medicinesEach completed Memory Flower raises your max health.
- Come back laterMany optional bosses can be left for later, so you return stronger.
- Switch weapons oftenSwitching restores all your Sha-Chi; also exploit the boss’s elemental weakness.
Does Hellwalker get easy toward the end?
Opinions differ. According to player reports on the Steam forum, those who explore everything and max out their gear feel that Hellwalker loses its challenge in the second half; some say it already happens after Bai Chilian. Others reply that enemies do gain health and that their hits are still lethal. S-GAME hasn’t published how enemies scale. If you want a challenge, don’t complete everything before each story boss, or try 66 Days.
Frequently asked questions
Can you change the difficulty mid-playthrough?
Yes, on Wayfarer, Pathbreaker and Hellwalker, from the system menu and outside combat. 66 Days can’t be changed.
What is the easiest difficulty?
Wayfarer. It reduces boss damage and Sha-Chi, although they keep the same health.
Does lowering the difficulty cost trophies?
No. No trophy depends on difficulty, so you can drop to Wayfarer to get past a boss and raise it again afterwards.
