Upgrading Weapons Guide: Lords Of The Fallen

Learn how to upgrade your weapons in Lords of the Fallen (2023). Find Blacksmith Gerlinde, gather Deralium, and boost your gear's Attack Power and scaling.

Alright, let's talk about making your weapons hit harder in Lords of the Fallen! Upgrading is key to progressing through Mournstead, and it's not too complicated once you know who to talk to and what you need.

First things first: you need a blacksmith. The main NPC for this is Gerlinde. You'll find her chilling (well, not really) at the bottom of the Bellroom in Pilgrim’s Perch. To get there, head through the big archway in Pilgrim's Perch, not too far from where you start. She's locked up, so you'll need to free her first. If you want the full rundown on her questline and how to find the rune tablets that upgrade her shop, check out our Gerlinde Quest Page.

Once you've got Gerlinde freed and ready to work, you can start upgrading. You'll need a couple of things:

• Upgrade Materials: These are scattered all over Mournstead. You can also buy some basic ones from Gerlinde herself, or from Thehk-Ihir once he joins you.
• Vigor: This is your in-game currency, used for pretty much everything, including upgrades.

To actually upgrade, head to Gerlinde in Skyrest. She's up the stairs opposite the Vestige. Talk to her and select “Upgrade Equipment”. Then, pick the weapon you want to give a boost. You'll see the Vigor cost right there, and the next screen will show you the material requirements, usually as icons in the bottom left. It'll also show you the upgrade level, like +1.

What happens when you upgrade? Primarily, your weapon's Attack Power goes up. It also increases the weapon's scaling, though sometimes you'll need to upgrade it a few times before you see that scaling bonus kick in. For more on scaling, our Weapon Scaling and Soft Cap guide has the details.

Heads up: This isn't just for swords and axes! You can upgrade Shields, Catalysts, and Ranged Weapons (like bows and crossbows) too. Here's how it affects them:

• Shields: Upgrading improves their Block Protection and can even add Rune Slots.
• Catalysts: Expect increased Spell Power and better Scaling.
• Ranged Weapons: Their Attack Power and Scaling will get a nice bump.

Keep an eye out for “Rune Slots” on your gear as you upgrade; these are indicated by small squares and are crucial for adding powerful Runes.

All Upgrade Materials in Lords of the Fallen

There are four tiers of upgrade materials you'll find as you progress. The further you get, the better stuff you'll find:

So, keep an eye out for these Deralium materials as you explore Mournstead. Happy upgrading!