Skip To...
Most of the living residents of Axiom never see the wretched souls trapped in Umbra, the land of the dead. The same can’t be said for the Lampbearer. Torn between holy Radiance and demonic Inferno, Umbral spellcasters wield the magic of two worlds in this challenging Soulslike. Their powers are some of the most demanding in Mournstead. Those who learn to master this unique art, however, will possess abilities available to no other character in Lords of the Fallen. The Umbral build is arguably the most difficult in the game to do right, but the rewards are delicious. Here’s the best Umbral build in Lords of the Fallen.
Lords of the Fallen Umbral Build Playstyle
Melee combat is the default for most Soulslike games, but ranged combat and magic both have an important place in LotF. The Umbral build has powerful magic that blends the best of Radiance and Inferno alike. Unfortunately, this Umbral build shares the weakness of spellcasters in most games: You become a glass cannon. Equipped with light armor, a Short Sword, and a Catalyst, keeping your distance and using the terrain to your advantage is essential. Always watch your Mana, and have Manastones at the ready if you get low. It’s important to experiment with different spell combinations as well. You have limited spell slots, and it’s not always clear which spells will work best together.
LotF Umbral Build Starting Class and Attributes
Of the default options in Lords of the Fallen, the Orian Preacher and Pyric Cultist are the ideal starting classes for the best Umbral build. The former starts with high Radiance, the latter high Inferno, so either way, you’ll need to level up whichever Attribute you didn’t devote yourself to in the beginning. The Orian Preacher is arguably the stronger option of the two, especially given the number of Rhogar enemies you’ll have to fight in Abandoned Redcopse before gaining access to Skyrest Bridge. That said, Pyric Cultist can hold its own and even make quick work of Pieta with nothing more than its default spell, so you can’t go wrong either way.
If you choose the Orian Preacher, you’ll need to level Inferno, Endurance, and Vitality. If you choose the Pyric Cultist, you’ll need to level Radiance, Endurance, and Vitality instead. To keep up with Umbral gear, you’ll want to keep Radiance and Inferno more or less even. Strength and Agility are far less important than the other Attributes, but depending upon your choice of primary weapon, you may need to put some points into them. After all, you may need a blade in a pinch, especially if your Mana runs out. Here’s how the starting Attributes of the Orian Preacher and Pyric Cultist measure up:
| Orian Preacher | Pyric Cultist |
| 10 Strength | 9 Strength |
| 8 Agility | 8 Agility |
| 9 Endurance | 11 Endurance |
| 11 Vitality | 9 Vitality |
| 18 Radiance | 8 Radiance |
| 8 Inferno | 18 Inferno |
Weapon and Armor
There are a few solid choices for Umbral weapons. It’s mostly a matter of personal preference. You will, however, need to be mindful of how much your chosen weapon weighs. This build thrives at Light Encumberance and can also handle Medium, but venturing into Heavy Encumberance is a bad idea. In Lords of the Fallen, the best Umbral build isn’t tanky enough to survive an outright brawl. A great choice for this build is the Putrid Child Sword. It scales with Strength, Radiance, and Inferno, requiring 8, 14, and 14 in those Attributes, respectively. Fast, lightweight, and capable of dealing Wither as well as Physical Damage, there’s a lot to like here.
To keep things light, you’ll keep your off-hand empty. For armor, you’ll wear the Radiant Purifier Hat, Antique Hallowed Sentinel Armor, Prole Wrappings, and Corrupted Cleric’s Skirt. The Antique Hallowed Sentinel Armor is the odd one out, as it’s the only piece of Medium Armor. Everything else is Light to keep your overall weight down. If your Endurance is too low, you can always compensate with the Ring of Bones to increase your carry limit. This combination of armor offers a solid stat spread for Light Encumbrance. Ideally, you’ll be killing everything at a distance anyway, and your armor won’t matter too much except against archers and spellcasters.
Catalyst and Spells
There are several good Umbral Catalysts to choose from, but this build favors Lost Berescu’s Catalyst. It has high requirements and, therefore, won’t be the first Catalyst you choose, but as soon as you have the 20 Radiance and 20 Inferno necessary to wield it, you should. Lost Berescu’s Catalyst scales well off Radiance and Inferno and has good spell power. It also gives you 5 spell slots, which means you won’t have to equip another item just to get more, leaving you with more room for customization. Catalysts are light by nature, and Lost Berescu’s has a Weight of just 1.8, so you can use this with any build variation without compromising your Encumbrance.
The best spells for this Umbral build include Grieving Gaze, Putrefaction, Diminishing Missile, and Pestilent Blade. Poison is a theme for many of these spells. It’s up to you whether you want to double down on Poison or let it remain a nasty secondary effect. That kind of flexibility is one of the things that makes this the best Umbral build in Lords of the Fallen. As an Umbral caster, you’ll have access to spells that aren’t available through Radiance and Inferno alone. It will take some time to learn what spells work best with your given playstyle, so feel free to experiment and try different combinations. Even once you’ve found something that appeals to you for PvE, you may need a different loadout for PvP.
Pendant and Rings
One of the major downfalls of playing a spellcaster is Mana consumption. You only have a limited amount of magical energy available. When you’ve exhausted it, you must rest, use an item to replenish it or resort to your other weapons. The Pendant of Atrophy solves that problem. This Pendant allows you to cast Umbral sorceries even if you don’t have enough Mana at the cost of Wither Damage. It’s a gamble, especially if you’re prone to getting hit, but if you’re staying away from the thick of the action, the Pendant of Atrophy will keep your spells flying.
When it comes to rings, the best options for this build are Panoptic Ring and Vessel Root. The Panoptic Ring raises your Inferno and Radiance, a straightforward buff that makes it ideal for Umbral builds. Vessel Root increases your maximum Mana. Though the Pendant of Atrophy gives you the means to continue casting after your Mana is exhausted, the price is high. Upping your maximum Mana ensures that you’ll be using the Pendant as an emergency measure. You don’t want it as your first line of defense. Used in conjunction with your other items and spells, these rings truly make this the best Umbral build in Lords of the Fallen.
Lords of the Fallen is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
