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In Soulslikes, a Quality build is devoted to the equal pursuit of Strength and Agility. Rather than pursue power at the cost of movement or movement at the cost of power, this build aims to use both. It’s relatively simple to build a pure Strength or Agility build because doing so just requires you to min-max in the pursuit of your chosen Attribute. Making a good Quality build in the land of Mournstead is more difficult. You need to carefully consider each weapon, armor piece, and ring. The reward for doing so is a character unlike any other. Here’s the best Quality build in Lords of the Fallen.
Lords of the Fallen Quality Build Playstyle
There are several different types of Quality builds. Though each of them prioritizes Strength and Agility above other Attributes, they have very different positions on things like Encumbrance and weaponry. This build walks the middle path, using Medium armor to strike a balance between defensive stats and movement speed. Dual-wielding a pair of Grand Swords isn’t the fastest fighting style, but it’s an enormously powerful one. It’s also more fluid than it looks if you learn to stance dance and weave combos together. You can easily incorporate a variety of throwables and consumables into this build as well, adapting to each challenge as it comes.
LotF Quality Build Starting Class and Attributes
If you want complete control over your build, the Condemned is the best starting class. That said, it also starts you off at a horrible disadvantage compared to other classes due to its pitiful Attributes. For that reason, the recommended starting class for this build is the Hallowed Knight. The Hallowed Knight favors a typical sword and board fighting style, though you can put your shield away and two-hand your sword for extra damage. It’s a simple and reliable setup that can get you through the early portions of the game, giving you time to build your Agility as necessary for your first Quality weapons.
With the Hallowed Knight, Vitality, Agility, and Strength should be your first priorities. Endurance will be important if you plan on equipping heavier weapons and armor, as well. Though this build is by no means the heaviest, its swords are hefty. You’ll likely want to invest in Endurance once you’re satisfied with your Strength and Agility for the moment. It wouldn’t be the best Quality build without a good balance of those two stats, and you won’t get far in Lords of the Fallen if you try to equip weapons you don’t meet the requirements for. Play to your class’s strengths, and you’ll do just fine.
| Hallowed Knight |
| 12 Strength |
| 8 Agility |
| 15 Endurance |
| 11 Vitality |
| 9 Radiance |
| 8 Inferno |
Weapon and Armor
There’s a huge number of weapons to choose from in Lords of the Fallen, and this Quality build brings two of them to the field. The first is Resh-Mesah’s Sword. It requires 15 Strength and 25 Agility and has a Weight of 32, so you’ll need to level up quite a bit before you can equip it. Pair this weapon with the Pale Butcher’s Blade. It’s another Grand Sword, and with a Weight of 34.1, it’s even heavier than Resh-Mesah’s. It requires Strength 25 and Agility 20 to wield, but that’s not far off from the other weapon’s requirements. This build revolves around not only dual-wielding but also stance dancing, so unlike the best Umbral build, you’ll need to get comfortable with melee.
For armor, we recommend J’deyl Skull Helm, Kinrangr Hunter Armor, J’deyl Bone Gloves, and the Infernal Enchantress Skirt. Though some pieces have an outstanding Attribute or two, such as the Kinrangr Hunter Armor’s excellent Frostbite Resistance, this is not a specialist armor loadout. Rather than push too far toward any particular niche, it aims for solid all-around Damage Mitigation and Resistances. Your Grand Swords are slow, leaving you vulnerable to counterattacks. Once you master their timing, however, you won’t have to worry as much about tanking hits.
Throwables
With low Radiance and Inferno, magic isn’t an option. Bows and crossbows aren’t either, since your off-hand is devoted to a second Grand Sword. What possibilities remain for ranged combat? Throwables. Fortunately, these are far more powerful here than they are in many Souls games. The best throwables in Lords of the Fallen are capable of high DPS with the right Quality build. They can even heal you, if things get desperate. Arguably the most powerful throwable is the Lump Hammer, an exceptional though costly weapon with Quality scaling. It costs 3 Ammo, which is relatively high but unsurprising. What more can you ask of a weapon that can one or two-shot most mobs?
Other throwables worth equipping for this build include the Enhanced Radiantburst Parchment and Enhanced Banner Javelin of Protection. The former heals your allies while dealing Holy damage to your enemies. The latter provides an AoE healing effect when it’s thrown or planted in the ground. These heals can’t compete with the Sanguinarix, but they’re stronger than the heals provided by certain rings. Whether you deploy them in a desperate moment mid-boss fight or while resting between battles, they’re tremendously useful. They cost Ammunition like any other throwable, so you’ll need to use them carefully. Once you learn how to incorporate them into the natural rhythm of battle, however, you’ll be grateful for the periodic boosts to Health.
Pendant and Rings
Quality builds lend themselves to a variety of different playstyles, thanks to their diverse Attribute spread. That means many pendants and rings work well on them, so the following are suggestions more than mandatory requirements. The recommended pendant is the Pendant of Induration. To get it, you’ll need to help the petrified woman in Forsaken Fen. This pendant provides a buff to Physical Defense. It’s not the most exciting pick in the world, but it’s reliable and pays off in a huge number of situations, making it easy to recommend. Once you’ve played this Quality build for a while you’ll naturally develop your own combat preferences and can easily swap the Pendant of Induration for another you prefer.
As for rings, the selection is even better. Arguably the best are the Ring of Bones and the Cursewyrm Ring. The Ring of Bones increases your equip load, making it easier to wield heavy weapons and wear heavy armor without slowing yourself now. You’re not a fragile spellcaster, so you might not need it, but if you find yourself itching to put on some heavier armor, the Ring of Bones is a quick and easy solution. The Cursewyrm Ring, meanwhile, increases your Strength and Agility. It’s designed for Quality builds, and though you can live without it, the buff is welcome. If you’re happy with your Attributes as they are and want a more exotic option, consider the Ring of Nourishment. This ring restores health upon killing an enemy, making it much easier to cut a bloody trail through Mournstead.
Lords of the Fallen is available for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
