Realms in Lords of the Fallen (LotF) are the planes of existence in which gameplay occurs. All Locations in the game have both an Axiom (The world of the living) and Umbral (The domain of the death) layout that will have different open paths and Items as well as different Enemies. Making use of the Umbral to traverse levels is vital to advancing through the game and can even act as a form of difficulty personalization, given that the death realm's enemies are harder to defeat. When you die you will be automatically transported to Umbral, giving you a last chance in any fight.
Lords of the Fallen Realms Guide
Axiom in Lords of the Fallen
Axiom is the world of the living, the default realm where the player spawns and plays. Here enemies will have a normal difficulty, and the world will be far less grimdark than its counterpart. Umbral entities can still interact with the player though, enemies such as the Umbral Parasite will empower foes and if you use the Umbral Lamp to peek into the other world enemies can pull you in when attacking you.
Axiom is teeming with life, from the rustle of leaves underfoot to the distant calls of wild beasts. However, the influence of Adyr grew stronger and his resurrection threatened the land. As a Lampbearer, you will be facing demons and the typical inhabitants of Mournestead, including enemy soldiers, cultists, and dangerous predators, making it a perilous place to navigate. The very air is thick with danger, and one must always be on high alert to survive the treacherous landscape of Axiom.
Umbral in Lords of the Fallen
Umbral is the realm of the dead, a nasty and unforgiving version of the Axiom that will feature stronger enemies and different pathways. During your stay in this plane, the difficulty will increase periodically, and your character will start seeing hallucinations, making gameplay far more challenging. When using your Lantern you will see a part of this realm as long as you keep it up. This way you can interact with the realm while staying in the Axiom, though, as enemies hitting you when doing this will pull you in.
In Umbral, the land of the dead, unimaginable horrors and uncanny demons reign supreme. Only Lampbearers can witness the true nature of this realm and the inhabitants of Axiom know little about this realm however, one thing is for certain. Treasure awaits for those who dare. Even the mightiest of Lampbearers is not safe once they set foot in Umbral. Even the very air is detrimental to them causing them to wither.
Traversing the Realms in Lords of the Fallen
To travel across planes or specifically from Axiom to Umbral, players need to engage in Umbral Rifting. This process will transfer the Lampbearer's physical coil directly to Umbral. You can also be pulled into the Umbral when using your light if an enemy hits you from the other side. Death is another surefire way to visit the realm of the deceased but one you will probably be trying to avoid. When inside the Umbral you can exit it via Emergency Effigies or access Vestige Seedlings.
Lords of the Fallen Interactive Environment
When traveling through the Umbral you will find certain objects in the terrain that can be soulflayed by your Umbral Lamp. You can find things such as bridges that can be activated through a lost soul or items unique to this realm that can only be obtained in this way. Some pathways in the Axiom will need a quick travel to the death realm to continue exploring, and there are puzzles that require the traversal of both planes.
Emergency Effigies in Lords of the Fallen
Umbral is no doubt a difficult realm to traverse. By just stepping on it, unknown perils await. Lampbearers are expected to be extremely careful when traversing this dreaded realm. It is advisable to understand how to enter and exit the realm to be prepared. Because of the unimaginable power of the Umbral Lamp, it provides the Lampbearer the ability to enter the Umbral by materializing his or her body through the realm. This process is called Umbral Rifting. Once the Lampbearer is within the realm, note that returning to Axiom anytime he or she desires would not be possible.
This is where Emergency Effigies come into play. Emergency Effigies are mysterious stones that let the Lampbearer return to Axiom. Think of it as a doorway out of the dreaded realm of Umbral. By understanding this feature, players should be able to carefully plan their Umbral Rifting attempts and assess first if they can traverse and return safely to the land of the living.
Vestige Seedlings in Lords of the Fallen
The Umbral Realm is filled with unknown elements that are yet to be discovered. The realm of the undead is filled with nothing but perils thus, Lampbearers should be prepared to understand the elements that can advantage of to survive. Vestige Seedlings and Umbral Flower Beds are two key features to understand when Umbral Rifting.
Vestige Seedlings serves as a checkpoint to recuperate. Just like how the Vestiges works, players can rest, level up, warp to their activated checkpoints, and even access multiplayer sessions. Aside from Emergency Effigies, Vestige Seedlings can also let players return to Axiom by resting on it. This is crucial information that Lampbearers should note.
Umbral Flowerbeds in Lords of the Fallen
Now that we know that Vestige Seedlings play a pivotal role in Umbral, it is a must to understand how to activate them since they are not readily available firsthand. When traversing Axiom and Umbral, players will come across specific areas that situate an Umbral Flowerbed. Lampbearers will know if there's a flower bed nearby due to the fact that the Umbral Lamp will resonate with it and will emit light.
However, finding the actual spots is just the first part of the process. To erect an actual Vestige Seedling players need a Vestige Seed. An unearthly material is used to activate these checkpoints. Getting the seed is another challenging task as players can acquire this material from various sources such as NPC quests rewards, and chests or loots scattered across the realm.
Stigmas in Lords of the Fallen
Stigmas in Lords of the Fallen (LotF) are fragments of past events, often traumatic which occurred in Axiom that are trapped in the land of the dead, Umbral. Oftenly provides a harrowing experience of past tragic events or key moments that adds flavor to the game's evergrowing lore. Not only do Stigmas harbor traumatic events, but they can also serve as a tool or a source of information in revealing untold secrets that will help the Lampbearer in his or her journey.
Vestiges in Lords of the Fallen
Vestiges are a crucial element in the game as they are checkpoints that provide players a brief respite and recuperate. Finding and activating a Vestige is not an easy task as players may face challenges, such as enemies or environmental obstacles before finding and activating one. The said checkpoints were placed strategically across the realm thus it is advisable to be strategic while progressing. Upon activating a Vestige, players can take advantage of a handful of features such as fast-traveling, leveling, resting, and accessing multiplayer sessions.
Lords of the Fallen Emergency Effigy Illustration
Lords of the Fallen Vestige Illustration
Advantages & Disadvantages of Umbral Rift
The Umbral Realm is without a doubt a place of peril and untold horrors. But also it offers benefits for those who dare. In this section, we will be tackling the disadvantages and advantages of Umbral Rifting so players will have an understanding of what possible advantages they can exploit in exchange for traversing the Umbral Realm.
Advantages
Disadvantages
More Vigor Drops
The Umbral Realm is filled with powerful adversaries that players can take on and often times these enemies provide better rewards. However, one core advantage of playing in Umbral is enemies in this realm grant more Vigor than enemies in Axiom. Given the danger it accompanies, rifting can reap more Vigor, and the more Vigor a player has, the faster he or she can level up or access upgrades in a short amount of time.
Find Hidden Treasures and Rare Loot
In the Umbral Realm lies treasures that players can't find in Axiom. Since the Umbral Realm is invisible to the naked eye, there are a lot of uncharted areas filled with rare loot and treasure chests. What can the realm of the dead possibly offer? There is only one way to find out Lambearer.
Rare Enemies and Bosses
The Umbral Realm is a place with untold horrors however, for the completionist, it is a must to brave and explore this realm as new and rare enemies can be found in Umbral. Demons or adversaries that are not available in Axiom are worth checking and fate knows what could lie within.
Extensive Replayability
Axiom is already a difficult realm to progress due to its intricately designed maps or levels. Finding treasures or hunting down the beast in this realm may provide hours of an engaging experience. But remember, Lampbearers are not bound only to Axiom. The Umbral Realm is waiting for a different level of challenge.
Helps Progression
There are a lot of areas in Axiom that the Lampbearer can't reach or go to because of various reasons like level obstacles and such. While there are some enemies that can't be defeated in Axiom and their weakness lies in Umbral.
Challenging for Beginners
It is likely that newcomers will find Umbral Rifting challenging as it offers a different challenge compared to Axiom. Enemies will be harder and in most cases, they are set to hunt you while you are in Umbral. It is advisable to exemplify extreme caution when traversing the Umbral Realm.
Difficult Layout
Traversing the Umbral Ream can be a difficult feat as it can cause confusion. Compared to Axiom's distinct level designs, the Umbral have areas with monotonous tone per se. It is the land of the dead and players will be forced to remember obscure landmarks to progress.
Hunting Mechanic
In Umbral, not only does it host the hardest enemies in the game to boot. But it also hosts demons or creatures that can pinpoint your locations and hunt you. This can be an advantage for those who are looking for a challenging experience but the majority will take this mechanic negatively.
