Lords of the Fallen isn't here to hold your hand. It's a brutal ballet of steel, timing, and grit set in a world where light and darkness are more than just aesthetics—they're survival. Whether you're a newcomer trying to break through the game's punishing pace or a returning veteran of soulslike titles like Dark Souls or Lords of the Fallen (2014), this full walkthrough will be your torch through the gloom.

The game opens with a choice that might seem cosmetic but actually defines your first 10 hours: your class. You can pick from nine starting archetypes like Hallowed Knight, Udirangr Warwolf, and Orian Preacher. Each one comes with a distinct weapon set, stat allocation, and spell access.

Here’s a full breakdown of each class and what they bring to the table:

• Hallowed Knight
  A sturdy all-rounder with well-balanced stats and a reliable sword-and-shield setup. Great for new players.
  Pros: Balanced stats, early-game survivability, solid block and parry potential.
  Cons: Lacks early access to powerful magic or specialty builds.

• Udirangr Warwolf
  Strength-focused and ferocious, this class is all about raw melee damage. Perfect if you want to demolish enemies up close.
  Pros: High Strength, great early damage output, excels in stamina-heavy melee fights.
  Cons: Limited magic, lower defense, poor ranged options.

• Orian Preacher
  A Radiance-focused caster who starts with healing and light-based spells. Great for support play and sustainability.
  Pros: Early access to healing, strong against Umbral enemies, great for beacon fights.
  Cons: Weak in melee, requires good spell timing.

• Partisan
  A dexterity-based hybrid with balanced combat stats and utility. Effective with faster weapons and dodging tactics.
  Pros: Agile, solid stamina, good for dual-wield or light armor playstyles.
  Cons: Lower defense, requires skillful positioning.

• Mournstead Infantry
  Designed for crowd control and versatility. Starts with a halberd and useful armor.
  Pros: Good reach, strong poise, decent armor for early encounters.
  Cons: Jack of all trades, master of none.

• Blackfeather Ranger
  Ranged-focused with bows and fast movement. Ideal for players who like tactical distance fighting.
  Pros: Stealth opportunities, powerful from afar, nimble in exploration.
  Cons: Struggles in close combat, arrows can be limited.

• Exiled Stalker
  Dual-wield expert built for aggressive offense and crits.
  Pros: High DPS, flashy attacks, excellent with fast weapons.
  Cons: Low poise and armor, punishing if caught.

• Pyric Cultist
  Pyromancer with early access to fire spells. Can clear mobs and pressure bosses.
  Pros: AoE damage, solid for Umbral enemies, good at controlling groups.
  Cons: Mana management needed, squishy.

• Dark Crusader
  Late unlock or Deluxe Edition bonus class. Starts strong with balanced gear and Radiance/Strength scaling.
  Pros: High survivability, strong scaling, built for NG+.
  Cons: Not accessible at the start unless preordered.

Don’t overthink it too much. You’ll be able to branch out with your stats and equipment later on. But for the early game, your starting class sets the tone.

Your first steps are in a foggy, crumbling region filled with low-tier enemies designed to teach you spacing, parries, and death mechanics. Yes, you will die. But every loss is a lesson.

• Explore thoroughly : Look for Umbral Flowerbeds (save points) and Vigor (XP) pickups.

• Use your lamp often : You can shift between the Axiom (living world) and Umbral (spirit realm). Some areas and loot are only visible in Umbral.

Also, early Umbral exploration will help you identify realm-locked puzzles—paths that are only traversable when viewed in the opposite realm. This mechanic is crucial for mid and late game navigation.

Found in the Forsaken Fen after navigating the Redcopse, Pieta is a high-speed Radiance wielder. Her first phase is sword-focused, but once phase two hits, she calls in celestial swords and turns the field into a dance of light and death.

Tips to Survive:

• Use ranged Umbral magic if you’re struggling in melee.

• Time your dodges; her windups are deceptive.

• Defeat her for the Radiant magic pathway and unlock a new checkpoint.

This swampy nightmare introduces poison hazards and enemies that love ambushes. Keep antidotes ready. Use ranged spells or bows to take out lurking threats.

Key landmarks:

• Bellroom Checkpoint : Crucial for fast travel.

• Revelation Depths : Hidden beneath the Fen, packed with loot and Umbral secrets.

As you explore, pay attention to terrain. Certain enemies will try to force you into waterlogged traps or poison puddles. Consider equipping gear with high poison resistance.

A grotesque abomination that looks like it crawled straight from a fever dream. Heavy hits, but slow movements.

• Stick close to avoid his ranged AoEs.

• Attack after each slam or bite.

• Fire-based magic shreds his massive health pool.

This boss also teaches you positioning. Don’t get greedy—land hits and roll out.

One of Lords of the Fallen’s signature features is the dual-realm system. Dying sends you into Umbral, a parallel dimension full of new enemies, puzzles, and loot. You’re not safe here, but you do get a second chance—if you can survive long enough to find a flowerbed.

• Watch your Umbral Parasite level (visual HUD cue).

• Stay too long and you'll trigger a powerful enemy spawn.

• Use your lamp to phase into Umbral manually when you're stuck or want to explore hidden paths.

There are Umbral platforms and doors that can only be accessed in the spirit realm. Some of the game’s most potent weapons and armor sets are locked behind these secrets.

An urban warzone littered with ash, fire, and undead soldiers. It’s dense and multi-layered.

What to look for:

• Vestiges hidden in side alleys .

• The Smelter Throne : Your next big goal.

• Blacksmith Gerlinde : Unlocks key upgrade pathways.

As you explore, look for hidden alcoves with crafting materials. Gerlinde's forge unlocks advanced weapon mods using rare Umbral materials.

High-speed fire magic and dual-wield daggers make this fight chaotic.

• Equip fire-resistant armor.

• Use interrupting spells or heavy weapons to stagger.

• Roll diagonally, not backward.

Winning unlocks access to crafting embers and some late-game armor blueprints.

You’ll collect beacons as you progress, which must be cleansed of corruption. Each beacon area is guarded by powerful foes and twisted Umbral invaders.

To cleanse a beacon:

1. Defeat the area boss.

2. Enter Umbral and purify the corrupted heart.

3. Use the restored beacon to unlock new zones.

The beacon cleanse system also rewards you with memory echoes—fragments of lore that expand on Adyr's banishment and the fall of the Radiant Order.

These regions shift from gothic ruin to cult-like monasteries. Expect:

• Tight corridors.

• Traps galore.

• Religious zealots that chain-stun.

Don’t forget to:

• Upgrade your Sanguinarix (healing item).

• Find rune slots for weapon enhancement.

Also, keep an eye out for hidden walls and Umbral bridges to shortcut routes.

Ice and blood. These final zones are packed with elite enemies and multiple boss fights in succession.

• Frostbite is lethal; stack resistances.

• Keep your Sanguinarix maxed.

• Bramis Castle ends with a double-boss gauntlet, so save resources.

Explore thoroughly—these areas contain Umbral armor sets that offer both resistances and magic buffs.

Adyr combines Radiant and Umbral attacks, forcing you to switch strategies mid-fight. His arena is drenched in lore, and the battle feels like a culmination of everything you've learned.

• Use Radiance resistance.

• Summon an NPC companion if needed.

• Stay aggressive in phase one; defensive in phase two.

Killing Adyr unlocks a New Game+ variant where beacons behave differently and enemy placements shift.

• Drustan : Questline leads to Umbral upgrades.

• Gerlinde : Weapon crafting.

• Molhu : Umbral merchant with rare loot.

• Exacter Dunmire : Radiant Order questline—ties into alternate endings.

• Always bank your Vigor before exploring new zones.

• Don’t ignore Umbral Eyes—they unlock powerful passive abilities.

• Look up when stuck. Many secrets are vertical.

• Farm weaker zones for upgrade materials if stuck.

• Visit shrines to reallocate stats as needed—respecs are rare but essential.

Lords of the Fallen doesn’t reward hesitation—it rewards commitment. With its intricate realm-shifting mechanics, layered combat, and dense world-building, it turns every death into a decision and every victory into a statement.

Whether you're coming from Dark Souls or returning from the original Lords of the Fallen (2014), this reboot demands more, but offers so much more in return.

So if you’re ready to carve your path through darkness, light your lamp and step into Axiom. Or Umbral. Or both. The choice—and the consequence—is yours.