Lords of the Fallen: Starting Strong - 10 Tips & Tricks for Beginners

Lords of the Fallen immerses players in a world filled with fresh mechanics, yet its essence remains true to the Souls like genre. If you're already familiar with the staples of this genre, you'll find some elements reassuringly familiar. However, underestimate the game's challenges, and hubris will be swiftly met with punishment.

CI Games has meticulously sculpted an experience that sets itself apart from the competition. At every twist and turn, it demands that you reevaluate your expectations, making your journey through this unique realm an exciting and unpredictable adventure. But worry not, as we will provide you with the best tips and tricks in this beginner’s guide. 

Let’s get started!

1. Explore Every Place

In Lords of the Fallen, effective exploration is key to success. The game's intricately interconnected world hides valuable treasures, crucial Vestiges, and powerful secrets. To help you navigate this vast and captivating landscape, here are the best tips:

Embrace a Seamless World 

One of the game's standout features is its seamless, interconnected world. You can move from one region to another without encountering loading screens, creating a captivating and immersive experience. As you explore, you'll uncover diverse environments, from ancient ruins to imposing fortresses, each brimming with lore and mystery.

Seek Hidden Treasures

Lords of the Fallen is notorious for hiding treasures in plain sight. Valuable Vestiges and items can be concealed behind unassuming terrain features. That hill you dismissed as uninteresting or that seemingly ordinary cracked wall might harbor essential resources. To thrive in the game, thorough exploration is crucial.

Stray from the Beaten Path

Success often requires breaking away from the predefined path. Don't hesitate to explore less-traveled routes. These deviations can lead to unique encounters, potent equipment, and unexpected revelations. The game's true allure lies in uncovering the unknown.

Vigilance and Perseverance

When you explore, remain vigilant. Pay attention to environmental cues, such as irregularities in the scenery, as they may indicate hidden areas or secrets. Persistence is your ally, and patience will be rewarded. Take your time, scrutinize your surroundings, and be prepared to backtrack if needed.

Utilize Vestiges and Abilities

Vestiges you discover through exploration can be instrumental in your journey. These items grant you unique abilities and can unlock new paths or reveal hidden secrets. Always be on the lookout for Vestiges and experiment with their powers to maximize your exploration potential.

2. Navigate the Vendors

In Lords of the Fallen, identifying and establishing a connection with vendors is one of the initial tasks you should prioritize. Vendors such as Exacter Dunmire and Molhu can be easily overlooked, potentially making your journey more challenging.  These vendors regularly update their inventory when you bring them esoteric items, some of which may not have their purposes explicitly explained in the game. 

Be Attentive to NPCs

As you embark on your quest, pay close attention to the NPCs you encounter. Characters like Exacter Dunmire and Molhu may not be immediately obvious, and their presence can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. Engage in conversations with them, as they often serve as vendors, offering essential items and upgrades.

Frequent Visits to Skyrest

Skyrest is a hub of activity in Lords of the Fallen. Make it a habit to return to this central location periodically. When you do, take the time to interact with all the NPCs. They may express interest in specific esoteric items that you've collected during your adventures. 

These items often have hidden uses that aren't explicitly explained in the game. When you find an NPC who shows interest in an item you possess, it's a prime opportunity to expand your inventory and acquire valuable resources.

Regular Inventory Updates

Vendors in Lords of the Fallen aren't static; they frequently update their inventory. By returning to Skyrest and speaking with the various vendors there, you can access new and improved gear, items, and abilities. This is particularly useful as you progress through the game and require better equipment to face increasingly formidable challenges.

3. Be Patient in Fights

Exercising patience during combat is a fundamental rule for survival. The game is known for its punishing encounters, and when you venture into a new area, it's crucial to adopt a measured approach. These are some key insights on why it pays to take your time in fights:

Beware the Hidden Threats

As you explore the game world, you'll often spot enemies in the distance. However, what might initially seem like a straightforward confrontation can quickly turn into a perilous situation. Many foes are strategically positioned, with reinforcements lurking behind crates, walls, or other cover. Rushing in recklessly can lead to being outnumbered and overwhelmed.

The Weight of Your Weapon

If you're wielding a heavy weapon, your attacks may be slower but more powerful. However, this slower pace demands even greater caution in your approach. Swinging your weapon without thought can leave you vulnerable to counterattacks. Taking your time allows you to assess your enemy's movements, find openings, and strike when the opportunity presents itself.

Preserve Your Sanity

Lords of the Fallen is a challenging game, and hasty decisions can lead to unnecessary frustration. Engaging enemies with a measured, methodical strategy can help you maintain your composure and keep your sanity intact. Each encounter is a tactical puzzle, and solving it with patience and precision is the key to victory.

The Power of Observation

By taking your time in fights, you have the opportunity to observe your surroundings and enemies more thoroughly. This can reveal hidden items, traps, or other useful information that may aid you in your battles. Every moment spent carefully assessing your situation can be an investment in your success.

4. Master the Soulflay

Lords of the Fallen introduces a distinctive mechanic known as Soulflay, a powerful ability that allows players to extract the soul essence from enemies, causing them to suffer wither damage for a brief period, typically 2-3 seconds. While the chaos of combat can make using Soulflay seem like a secondary concern when facing a horde of foes, it's a mechanic well worth incorporating into your strategy. Here's why mastering Soulflay is more than just a gimmick:

Unleash Withering Power

Soulflay is more than a mere novelty; it's a formidable tool in your arsenal. When applied to strong enemies, it can tip the scales in your favor by gradually weakening them over time. By consistently using Soulflay on formidable adversaries, you can make your battles more manageable and increase your odds of survival.

Tactical Advantage

Timing is everything in Lords of the Fallen. Utilizing Soulflay strategically can disrupt your enemies' attacks and potentially create openings for your own strikes. It's not just about dealing damage but also about gaining a tactical advantage in the heat of combat.

Environmental Exploits

A unique aspect of Soulflay is its potential for environmental manipulation. By skillfully timing your Soulflay ability, you can send enemies hurtling off cliffs or into hazardous terrain. This not only dispatches foes efficiently but also adds an element of creativity to your battles.

Learning Curve

Adopting Soulflay as part of your combat strategy may take practice, as it can be challenging to incorporate into the midst of intense battles. However, as you become more accustomed to the game's mechanics and enemy behaviors, you'll find that Soulflay becomes a valuable asset in your fight for survival.

5. Visit the Umbral Realm

In Lords of the Fallen, the game actively encourages players to explore the Umbral Realm whenever possible, and it's not without good reason. The level design in the game is intricately woven, ensuring that the overlap between the Umbral and Axiom realms goes beyond mere superficiality. Here's why entering the Umbral Realm is vital and how it can uncover both progression paths and hidden secrets:

A Seamless Integration of Realms

The Umbral Realm and Axiom Realm aren't just separate dimensions; they're interconnected parts of the game world. The level design is crafted to ensure that the transition between these realms is seamlessly integrated into the gameplay. Many areas in the game cannot be fully navigated without venturing into the Umbral Realm, making it an essential element for progression.

Optional Areas and Hidden Treasures

While some areas are mandatory to enter the Umbral Realm, others are optional but rich with potential rewards. Returning to these optional areas in the Umbral Realm unveils a treasure trove of secrets. From hidden items to alternate pathways, these areas are teeming with more than meets the eye.

Seek Out the Unseen

The Umbral Realm's distinct visual cues and unique environmental elements make it an ideal hunting ground for concealed secrets. Keep a keen eye out for hidden passages, unobvious platforms, or objects that only appear in this ethereal realm. Exploring in the Umbral Realm can lead to discoveries that may aid your character's growth or unlock new facets of the game's lore.

Experiment and Revisit

Don't be afraid to experiment in the Umbral Realm. Different situations may call for varying approaches and exploration techniques. Furthermore, revisiting previously explored areas in the Umbral Realm can often yield fresh insights and unveil additional secrets that were overlooked during your first encounter.

6. Don’t Forget to Upgrade Your Weapons

The Blacksmith, Gerlinde, stands as the sole NPC who can enhance your weapons and catalysts, transforming them into formidable tools of destruction. Her importance in the game cannot be overstated, but her presence is often easy to overlook. 

Unveiling Gerlinde's Expertise

Gerlinde, the Blacksmith, possesses the unique ability to enhance your weapons, making them more potent and effective. To harness this power, you must recruit her when the opportunity arises. Her expertise in crafting and upgrading weapons is a game-changer.

Necessity of Upgrades

As you progress through the game, you'll encounter increasingly challenging enemies, some of which may seem nearly invulnerable without the right weapon enhancements. Upgrading your weapons is not just a luxury; it's a necessity to overcome these damage-sponge adversaries. Without the means to deal sufficient damage, you'll find yourself in an uphill battle.

Starting Weapon Enhancements

Even your starting weapons can become formidable tools when upgraded. To ensure you're adequately prepared for the trials ahead, consider upgrading them to at least +2. Small Deralium Fragments, the essential currency for upgrades, are relatively easy to acquire, and they offer a substantial boost to your combat capabilities.

A Path to Success

Upgrading your weapons isn't just about raw damage output; it's about ensuring you have the tools necessary to overcome the game's escalating challenges. Each upgrade increases not only your damage but also your chances of success in the face of adversity.

7. Enhance Your Arsenal: The Power of Socketed Runes

In Lords of the Fallen, the Blacksmith, Gerlinde, doesn't just stop at weapon upgrades; she offers another vital service that can significantly impact your combat prowess. By providing the Cracked Rune Tablet obtained from Fitroy's Gorge, you unlock the ability to socket runes into your weapons. These runes act as powerful modifiers, altering the way you engage in battle.

The Rune Socketing Process

After acquiring the Cracked Rune Tablet and presenting it to Gerlinde, you gain access to the art of rune socketing. This process allows you to imbue your weapons with unique modifiers that can profoundly affect their performance.

Versatility in Runes

Socketed runes offer a wide range of possibilities, allowing you to tailor your weapons to your preferred playstyle. Some runes might enhance your weapon's scaling with a specific attribute, making it more efficient for your character build. Others can reduce the weight of a weapon to zero, enabling you to wield it with increased agility. The versatility of runes makes them invaluable for customizing your combat approach.

Legendary and Boss Weapons

Notably, legendary and boss weapons often have multiple rune slots available, providing you with the opportunity to add multiple modifiers to a single weapon. This opens the door to intricate combinations that can significantly impact your in-game capabilities.

Game-Changing Effects

The effects of socketed runes aren't trivial; they can transform your weapons into powerful assets. Whether you seek to boost your damage output, fine-tune your weapon for specific encounters, or improve your overall combat performance, runes can be game-changing.

8. Respec If You Feel the Need

In Lords of the Fallen, character progression and stat allocation are critical for success, but the game provides little guidance. Misplacing stat points can hinder your character's effectiveness and lead to difficulty spikes. Keep the following tips in mind:

Preventing Mistakes

Careful consideration of where you allocate your character's stats is essential. Misplacing points can disrupt your build and make the game more challenging.

Overcoming Roadblocks

In certain situations, you may find yourself struggling due to a lack of damage output or survivability, making progression difficult. A well-planned respec can help you overcome these roadblocks.

Rebirth Chrysalis Respec

To respec, purchase the Rebirth Chrysalis from Molhu at Skyrest. Then, seek out Pieta near the Vestige to initiate the respec process. This allows you to reallocate your character's stats and optimize your build as needed.

9. Summon Allies for Boss Fights

Lords of the Fallen offers a valuable lifeline in challenging boss encounters by allowing players to summon allies. This assistance can be a game-changer when you're stuck on a formidable foe. Here is how to summon allies for boss fights:

Boss Fight Allies

In select boss battles, the game provides the option to summon allies to aid you in your quest to overcome the boss. This assistance can be invaluable if you're struggling to defeat the boss despite multiple attempts.

Moth Statues - Your Summoning Portals

Look for moth statues located just outside the entrance of the boss arena. These statues serve as your summoning portals. Interact with any one of them to initiate the summoning process.

Shared Burden

By summoning an ally for the boss fight, you introduce an additional combatant who can share the burden and pressure of the battle. This added support can tip the scales in your favor and help you conquer the formidable challenges presented by the boss.

10. Focus on Your Character's Strengths

In Lords of the Fallen, creating a successful character build is often about concentrating your efforts on one primary stat. Whether you opt for Radiance, Inferno, Agility, or Strength, honing in on a single attribute can maximize your character's effectiveness. Here's a concise guide on how to build your character effectively by emphasizing one key stat:

Embrace Stat-Centric Builds

Lords of the Fallen encourages specialized character builds by linking most weapons to one or two specific stats. This connection, such as Strength and Agility, Radiance and Strength, or just Inferno, forms the core of your character's combat proficiency.

Match Your Weapon and Stat

Once you've chosen a weapon that suits your playstyle, concentrate your stat investments solely in the attribute that aligns with your weapon's scaling. For example, if your weapon scales with Strength, focus on enhancing your Strength stat. This synergy between weapon and stat ensures your character is optimized for maximum damage output.

Universally Valuable Stats

While specializing in a primary stat is crucial, don't overlook universally beneficial attributes like Vitality and Endurance. These stats augment your character's Stamina, Health, and Carryweight, making them advantageous for all builds. Balance your specialization with these fundamental attributes for a well-rounded character.

Conclusion

In Lords of the Fallen, the path to success lies in strategic choices, efficient weapon scaling, and focused character development. By following a stat-centric approach, aligning your chosen weapon with the appropriate attribute, and supplementing your build with universally valuable stats, you can create a character build that excels in combat and overcomes the game's challenges. With a clear understanding of these principles, you'll be well-prepared to carve your way through the treacherous world of Lords of the Fallen.