Lords of the Fallen is a soulslike game known for its difficult enemies and punishing combat. With each new area offering stronger foes, it is essential for players to constantly improve their character’s gear to have any hope of survival. Upgrading weapons, armor, tools, and other Lords of the Fallen items allows you to match the rising difficulty curve in the game. In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about upgrading different gear types, from weapons and armor to lamps and healing items.
Unlocking the Blacksmith – Gerlinde
The first step is to unlock access to upgrading gear by freeing the imprisoned blacksmith Gerlinde. After defeating the first true boss Pieta, return to your hub area of Skyrest Bridge. Head to Pilgrim’s Perch and locate the Vestige of Blind Agatha in the cave tunnels. Drop down from the lift back to the checkpoint area below and defeat the nearby enemies. You will find Gerlinde locked in a cage here.
To free Gerlinde, you need to obtain the Prison Cell Key. This drops from an enemy called Pureblade, who wields a mace and shield near the cage area. Defeat the dogs first before taking on Pureblade. With the key in hand, unlock Gerlinde’s cell to free her. Warp back to Skyrest Bridge – Gerlinde will now be available at the smithy to upgrade weapons.
Upgrading Weapons
Visiting Gerlinde at the smithy allows you to upgrade melee weapons, ranged weapons, catalysts, and shields. Each upgrade requires Vigor as currency along with a type of Deralium ore as the refinement material. There are four sizes of Deralium that determine the maximum upgrade level:
- Small Deralium Fragment – Upgrades up to +3
- Regular Deralium Nugget – Upgrades up to +5
- Large Deralium Shard – Upgrades up to +9
- Deralium Chunk – Allows full upgrades up to +10
Higher upgrades boost damage, scaling bonuses, and unlock additional rune slots for damage-enhancing runes. Weapon upgrades also grant access to new special skills. It is worth fully upgrading your main weapons to take advantage of these benefits against late-game enemies.
Upgrading the Umbral Lamp
The Umbral Lamp is essential for traversing the shadow realm. To upgrade it, you must find Molhu – located in Skyrest after unlocking the ability to soulflay. Molhu increases the lamp’s Soulflay charges, Dread resistance, and unlocks additional sockets for Umbral Eyes. Rare Antediluvian Chisels are needed as upgrade materials, found hidden within the Umbral world.
Upgrading Armor
Unlike weapons, armor sets cannot be directly upgraded in Lords of the Fallen. However, mixing and matching armor pieces for optimal defense remains important. Each armor grants different stat bonuses and resistances against physical, magical, and environmental damage. Analyze enemy movesets to choose sets with strong protection against their damage types.
Shields also allow upgrading at the smithy. This increases block strength, reducing posture damage taken from blocking. A fully upgraded greatshield makes you nearly impervious to attacks from certain directions.
Upgrading the Sanguinarix
Your healing tool the Sanguinarix can heal more hit points when upgraded. Speak to Pieta next to Skyrest to upgrade it. Rare Saintly Quintessence is needed as payment. Upgrades boost the healing amount and use before requiring a recharge.
Improving Weapon Damage with Runes
After giving Gerlinde specific rune tablets found throughout the game, she can slot runes into upgraded weapons. Different runes provide status effects, damage bonuses, or new weapon skills. Carefully choose runes that complement your playstyle and weapon’s strengths.
Managing Upgrade Materials
As you progress, defeating enemies of increasing difficulty will reward more powerful Deralium needed for high weapon upgrades. Additional sources include scattered chest loot, quest rewards, and killer farming routes at early bonfires. Prioritize upgrades on weapons most integral to your build before spreading resources too thin.
Preparing for New Game+
Completing the game unlocks New Game+ to enjoy upgraded NG difficulty. Fully max all your weapons, armor, tools, and stock up on crafting materials beforehand. The added challenge will test your mastery of combat – with top gear, you stand a fighting chance against even tougher foes the next cycle through.
Understanding all the different upgrade systems is key to pushing your potential in Lords of the Fallen. While armor cannot level up itself, mixing sets provides tactical advantages. Weapons are your main power growth – take them to the max limits. Tools like the Umbral Lamp also gain new uses with investment. With devotion to strengthening your gear, you can overcome any enemy thrown your way in this unforgiving world.
