AlthoughCult of the Lambfeatures a robust village and community management simulator, combat is a large part of the Lamb’s adventure. Players will need to dive headfirst into multiple dungeons, completing various runs through hordes of enemies if they want to collect more followers, unlock recipes, and increase their power. This can be intimidating at first, but the Lamb itself will grow stronger as they defeat their foes, giving players the edge they need to release the Old God.
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Cult of the Lambfeatures fairly straightforward combat mechanics and will drag players through a small tutorial when they start a new game, but dungeons will get progressively harder as players proceed through their adventure and grow their flock. Those struggling to make it through some of the enemy-filled rooms that flank each zone can use the following combat tips to help keep them on their feet.
Don’t Rush Ahead
Although players may be tempted to run as quickly through each zone as they can, it’s better to take the time to grind one particular area before moving to the next. Even after players defeat the first main boss, and unlock the next area, they can return to the Darkwood and take on upgraded enemies, as well as re-farm The One Who Waits for materials, recipes, and other goodies. Because each run is different and will always offer a variance of branching paths and events, players can continuously track through this area, collecting followers, upgrading equipment, and unlocking recipes, before they eventually move on to harder areas.
Always Be Dodging
Dodging is a very common mechanic in roguelike and soulslike games, giving players the freedom to dodge enemy attacks through timed dodges that usually carry immunity frames (I-Frames) which keep a player protected from damage through the dodge. Cult of the Lamb implores a similar mechanic with the Lamb’s ability to dodge, but also allows players to dodge freely and without consequence. There is no stamina associated with dodging, nor is there much of a cooldown between dodges, essentially allowing players to spam the roll to avoid enemies and projectiles.
Because of this, players should get used to dodging as much as possible. There are many encounters that require a tactical approach, forcing players to pick off enemies one by one. Dodging can be a great way to reposition toward a specific enemy without putting the Lamb in danger.
Prioritize Damage Upgrades Over Health
Although players may be tempted to grab up as many hearts as they possibly can when beginning their adventure through Cult of the Lamb, it’s a much better idea to prioritize damage over any health-related upgrades. The Lamb is rewarded with one additional heart via the tutorial, which will bring its total to four, and players will have the capabilities of finding Diseased Hearts (which will not be refillable and disappear after they take damage) during each run.
Bosses and enemies at the start of the game are not particularly difficult to navigate, but they can come with impressively large health bars. Players that opt to secure extra health may find themselves hacking away at enemies and bosses as they progress through each zone. Most of the enemies in the first two areas aren’t particularly difficult to dodge or have predictable attack patterns. Because of this, players should stack damage to take care of them faster.
Target Lesser Enemies First
At the start, players will enter rooms that contain only one or two enemies, making it easy to dispatch the group without much dodging or repositioning. That quickly changes once players defeat their first mini-boss, as a difficulty spike will see some rooms filled with enemies. Running into these encounters headfirst can spell disaster for the Lamb, especially with such a low healthpool at the start of the game.
Whenever players encounter a room with tons of enemies, they should quickly figure out which creatures have the least health and target them first. Enemies in Cult of the Lamb attack quickly, meaning a room full of enemies can quickly overwhelm players if they aren’t careful.
Unlock The Satanic Summoning Circle ASAP
Once players unlock the ability to build a Shrine and gain Devotion, they will receive access to Divine Inspirations. These unlockable building recipes can help players take care of their flock, but they’re also capable of aiding players in combat. The Satanic Summoning Circle is one such combat helper that players should unlock as soon as they can. It’s a Tier II structure, meaning players will need to unlock some other buildings before gaining access to it.
The Satanic Summoning Circle allows players to transform one of their followers into a helpful ally that can buff them during dungeons or provide them with additional combat help. Players that upgrade the circle to its Tier III variation will gain the ability to summon two followers at a time.
Defense Over Offense
Although players will be tempted to hack and slash their way through each dungeon, Cult of the Lamb can be downright punishing to those that are too aggressive. The Lamb has the capacity to stun most of their enemies via quick successive attacks, but there are some enemies that will suffer through the blows to deliver counterattacks of their own. Enemies are also extremely fast at times, attacking quickly and without much warning.
Because of the speed at which enemies move, and the amount present in some rooms, it’s much smarter for players to approach each combat encounter from a defensive standpoint first. Blinding swinging and running headfirst into battle will cause headaches for unprepared players later on in their adventure.
Learn The Weapons
This is less of a tip and more of a suggestion. Cult of the Lamb features an array of weapons for players to wield, but they won’t always have the opportunity to pick which one they get to use, especially at the start of the adventure. Because of this, players need to quickly learn and understand what each weapon is capable of and how it operates on the battlefield. Although weapons seem the same on the surface, each one is unique in its approach and play style.
For example, the straight sword is incredibly balanced, offering decent offense and attack speed. The dagger will throw out a flurry of fast strikes, but doesn’t hit nearly as hard. There are also large weapons, like the battle axe, that can dish out some serious damage but suffers from slow attack speed. It’s not just speed and damage, either. Some weapons have unique mechanics, like the Fists, which deal extra damage at the end of a combo (three attacks in succession)
Clear Mobs When Fighting Bosses
Although many mini-bosses and main bosses are powerful enough on their own, some will summon additional mobs to further complicate the battle. Although these creatures are usually a bit weaker, they can become quickly overwhelming due to the speed at which enemies attack the Lamb. Leaving too many bodies on the battlefield can make it incredibly difficult for the Lamb to dodge attacks, and players who don’t cull the summoned mobs will find themselves quickly overwhelmed.
Although it can make the fight last a bit longer, players should always focus on taking down these lesser threats to ensure they don’t accidentally dodge into a powerful attack from the boss in an attempt to escape a smaller threat.
Choose Curses That Do AOE Or Tracking Damage
Curses can be incredibly helpful depending on how lucky players get. Good curses can absolutely decimate enemies, and the best forms of them dish out damage in an AOE fashion, or hone in on enemies automatically. When players are given the opportunity to secure these curses, they should take them along for the remainder of their dungeon run. AOE curses come in handy for finishing off groups of enemies and have the capacity to eliminate smaller, faster enemies in a single use. This makes them great for thinning the herd in larger rooms.
Auto-tracking curses can be exceedingly helpful against bosses, especially the earliest batch, as they can move around a lot or use damaging ranged attacks. Players can use these curses to deal solid, additional damage, without having to get too close and risk being punished.
Poison Can Be Incredibly Helpful
As players progress further through the opening hours, they will gain access to Rituals, Commandments, and Crown Upgrades. One of these Crown add-ons will give players the ability to unlock Bane Weapons, which have a poison debuff associated with them that latches onto enemies and saps their health slowly even after the Lamb has moved away from them. This debuff seems pretty lackluster at first but can be incredibly useful in rooms with tons of enemies on screen at once, especially if players are lacking certain weapons or curses.
By simply slashing at an enemy a few times and then dodge rolling away, players can whittle their health down safely without having to engage them in groups of other enemies.
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