Best combat style in Lies of P

In every Souls-like, players are required to come up with the best build and strategies, and master the core combat mechanics to survive each punishing encounter. But the choice between speed, power, and balance is one that few Dark Souls veterans know their way around. This is our guide on the best combat style to use in Lies of P.

Combat styles act as your starting class in Lies of P. Similar to Dark Souls, these classes point you towards a specific playstyle you invest in as you progress through this Souls-like. With three starting classes to choose from, which is the best to use in your adventure as Pinocchio?

All Combat Styles in Lies of P

The three combat styles act as starting points to your build. For this Souls-like, perfect blocking is at the forefront, but this doesn’t mean you should ignore other combat fundamentals like dodge rolling. Depending on the build you are going for (Strength or Dexterity) will determine which starting combat style you choose. Each combat style available in Lies of P has its own strengths and designated weaknesses, which we will outline below.

For those who focus on Motivity (Strength), the priority is to wield heavy weapons with a slower playstyle but more precision and purpose placed into every swing of your blade. The Motivity combat style is the Path of the Sweeper. While those (like myself) who opt to dodge rolls regardless of the type of enemy in front of them will choose Technique (Dexterity) weapons for the Path of the Bastard. To encompass both worlds, or if you are unsure which route you want to go down at the beginning of the game, the Path of the Cricket is available.

Path of the Sweeper

The Path of the Sweeper combat style focusses on heavy weapons. You’ll find a lot of success in the early game with weapons like the Police Baton. Sweeper weapons also have more flexibility when it comes to weapon assembly at the beginning of Lies of P, where I found far more options for Motivity builds than Bastard. Many Amulets also favor the Sweeper build, because of the health regain feature used after blocking an enemy’s attack.

The con of the Sweeper is it’s slower move set. Some bosses easily punish charge attacks and combos. This is where the Sweeper can take a pummeling. The Sweeper is about timing more than anything.

Path of the Cricket

The Path of the Cricket is the most balanced class in Lies of P. It offers decent stats throughout, making it a blank canvas when it comes to your specific build. The Cricket allows you to adapt to the bosses in Lies of P and change playstyle depending on each boss’s move set. You also have easy access to begin and invest in an Advance (Faith) build. If you decide that Motivity or Technique is not for you, a simple switch in the early game can be done without wasting any Ergo with Sophia.

Path of the Bastard

The Path of the Bastard focusses on light weapons. Unlike the Sweeper combat style, the Bastard has greater strengths in the mid-to-late portion of the game. In my playthrough, I found myself holding onto weapons such as the Puppet’s Saber and Wintry Rapier until I obtained stronger weapons in the later stages of Lies of P like Puppet Ripper, Trident of the Covenant, and Two Dragons Sword (all special weapons). The downside is you are placing more resources, which you cannot get back, into levelling up the weapon rather than investing in a stronger blade.

The Path of the Bastard is great against other Technique bosses in Lies of P, such as Survivor and White Lady. It does, however, come with a heavy cost in your Vigor (Stamina). Because of this, the Bastard combat style focusses on levelling up Vigor while Sweeper requires high Vitality for health regain.

Best Combat Style in Lies of P: Which Path should you pick?

Out of the three combat styles in Lies of P, the best to choose is the Path of the Cricket. This is because of its overall balance and versatility to switch between builds as you progress through the game. As the weapon grade increases however, you must decide at this point which route you want to go down. The Cricket offers a choice between Motivity, Technique, and Advance at the beginning of the game, so you don’t need to be restricted to one route.

Factors affecting your combat style pick

Some Lies of P bosses are best beaten with Motivity weapons using the health regain through blocking, while others can be defeated through effective dodge rolls and fatal attack executions. Both builds require patience, resilience, and adaptability to get through the game. There are, however, other factors to keep in mind when deciding which combat style to choose:

• The use of the Specter: A Technique build is much more effective when paired with the Specter. The Specter can lure in the enemy’s moves, allowing you to reposition safely, replenish health and stamina, and stack damage to a boss’s weakspots.
•  Amulet picks: Depending on which Amulet you equip can massively impact both your defensive and offensive capibilities. Impregnable Fortress and Conquering are best for Motivity, while Extreme Modifications, Dancing One’s, Piercing Hatred, and Awakened God’s are best for Technique.
•  Legion Arm: Certain Legion Arms work best for different builds. The Aegis, Deus Ex Machina, and Left Arm of Steel are great for added defence on Motivity builds. The Falcon Eyes and Puppet String are great for entry damage and repositioning on Technique builds. Finally, the Fulminis, Flamberge, and Pandemonium are great for elemental damage on Advance builds.

With these factors in mind, each part of your equipment or decision to include the Specter in every boss fight will impact which build you choose. For first-timers, all of this information is new and therefore, the balanced starting combat style of the Cricket means that you can decide which route you want to go down.