Aiming to move the needle of soulslike games, HexWorks' 2023 Lords of the Fallen adds itself to the stacked roster of genre additions for the year. The game features 30+ bosses, which all come with a guarantee to make you pull out your hair, including the first boss of the game. Here are some tips on how to beat Pieta, She of Blessed Renewal, in Lords of the Fallen!
Pieta is the first of a great many bosses in Lords of the Fallen, and is the first major test of your skills in the game. It'll also give you an opportunity to determine if you've chosen the right starting class before getting too deep into the game, as you'll need to be familiar with your strengths and weaknesses against this tough opponent.
We've got a dedicated Lords of the Fallen walkthrough hub for you that includes everything you need to know about the game! We've got some pre-download info that might help you determine if you'll get the game, such as how long it takes to beat, if there is New Game Plus, and what trophies and achievements you can unlock. We'll also cover you for fundamentals such as how to level up and how to heal!
How to beat Pieta in Lords of the Fallen
Pieta is a tough introduction to Lords of the Fallen, to say the least, but she's certainly not unbeatable. Here are some tips on how to come out victorious.
Study your opponent
It seems like the most basic advice, but it really is an important thing to engrain into your mind as you progress through the story of Lords of the Fallen. Your enemies will have a number of attacking sequences that they will unleash, so understanding how many strikes these entail and the timing of them will help you to counter-attack efficiently.
It's important to note that Pieta will change up her routine at the halfway mark once she gets airborne, and will give you a completely different set of attacks to keep you on your toes. It's important to maintain your distance and be patient until you're confident that you've got a read on her next combination of strikes.
Practice your parry and dodge
One thing that makes Pieta such a difficult challenge in Lords of the Fallen is how early she comes in your path. You're still very much still getting familiar with the controls and combat mechanics of the game, and she will most definitely test your skills.
Parrying and dodging will need to become your bread and butter in Lords of the Fallen, so this is the perfect place to start practising. Don't be put off by being beaten a few times if it means getting to know the timing of her strikes. If you can put up your block at the time of impact from her attacks, she'll be left vulnerable to a devastating Grievous Strike. Similarly, timing your dodge will leave her open to a few cheeky strikes of your own.
Beckon an ally
By all means, try your hand at beating Pieta solo, especially given it's your only option when you first encounter the boss. However, if you're finding the task to be too much to tackle alone then you can always seek the help of the Iron Wayfarer, if you don't have a co-op partner in crime, that is.
Before re-entering the battle zone, you will see the Wayfarer's silhouette to the left of the entry. Simply walk up to the silhouette, interact with it, and select Beckon Ally. This will trigger the Iron Wayfarer's arrival when you cross the threshold into Pieta's arena.
Maximise your ally's potential
Allies in boss battles serve two primary functions: they distract the boss, and they deliver damage of their own. If you want to get the most out of the Iron Wayfarer, then make sure you're helping him do the heavy work. It is easy to fall into the trap of stepping in after the Wayfarer has done as much damage to Pieta as possible, but it'll end up hurting you more in the long run.
The toughest part of the Pieta fight is when she sprouts her wings, so keeping the Wayfarer alive until this part will give you the best chance of winning. Be sure to get in close and attack Pieta early in the battle to deliver extra damage and steer her attention from your ally from time to time.
Use a Holy ward
This may not be in your inventory coming into the battle, but it is certainly worth checking. Pieta uses Holy powers to fuel her offence against you - it's what gives her sword the golden glow and what allows her to summon the decoys of herself to attack you. If you have a Holy ward, use it to dull some of her attacks.
A Holy ward is one of the many consumables in Lords of the Fallen you can use to enhance your offence or defence. You may find it on your travels as loot from a fallen adversary or by breaking wooden objects. Check your Inventory before the battle and make sure you add it to your Quick Access items.
Save your arrows
For those with a bow or crossbow, it can be tempting to fall into the trap of using up your arrows early to get some quick and easy damage at the start of the fight. Don't give into temptation here, as it'll be much more beneficial to you later in the fight.
Once Pieta sprouts her wings, it'll be a little tougher to close the distance between you and her unless she comes to you with an attacking sequence. The opportune time to launch your ranged offence will be at this point in the fight, especially when she isn't close to you, so save your arrows until she's in the air.
That's all you need to know to kick Pieta's ass! For more tips and tricks for the Lords of the Fallen, take a look at our guides to understanding Lords of the Fallen's PvP features and the different Magic types in Mournstead!