Given how unabashedly difficult the rest of the game is, Sekiro’s Dragonrot system is surprisingly user friendly. However, such wasn’t always the case. Intrepid Dark Souls content archaeologist Lance McDonald recently turned his sights over to Sekiro. Already, McDonald has discovered a very different sort of Dragonrot system that was removed from the final game.
Sekiro Unused Dragonrot Pellet System
As dedicated Sekiro players already know, curing NPC’s of Dragonrot is a surprisingly straightforward process. Once the right item is obtained, all afflicted NPC’s can be cured from any Sculptor’s Idol. However, as McDonald explains in his latest video, the process wasn’t always so simple and straightforward.
After digging around in Sekiro’s code, McDonald uncovered an unused ‘Dragonrot Pellet’ system which involved a different Dragonrot healing process. The old system required the player to trade a portion of their resurrective power for a Dragonrot Pellet item. This was done by visiting Lady Emma at the Dilapidated Temple. The player would then have to track down and find an afflicted NPC and give them the Dragonrot Pellet directly.
McDonald also discovered that curing each NPC would trigger a unique dialogue exchange. Naturally that dialogue was scrapped alongside the Dragonrot Pellet system, but McDonald was able to restore bits and pieces.
A lore tip which McDonald also unearthed reveals a startling element about the unused Dragonrot Pellet system. If left untreated, afflicted NPC’s could actually die of Dragonrot, potentially closing off certain quest routes. From Software likely felt this system was too punishing, hence why the final game’s Dragonrot system is so different.
Digging up cut Sekiro content is just the latest in McDonald’s unique digital archaeology quest. The dedicated YouTuber has also made similar discoveries in games like Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne. Through his videos, McDonald shows viewers what From Software’s games might have looked like under different circumstances. The cut features McDonald has uncovered range from bits of dialogue to entire unused enemy types and game modes. It turns out there’s a surprising amount of game content that ends up on the cutting room floor.