Cult of the Lamb is an odd mix of genres. At its core, it is a roguelike, allowing players to jump into a dungeon, fight monsters, collect resources, die, and repeat the process over again. The twist here is that as they do all of this, players are simultaneously building a cult to take on a rival one that is trying to kill its followers with wanton abandon.
Cult of the Lamb is also like Animal Crossing. Players have to build up the town hub area and fill it with followers to level up in a way. The combination of genres works well but this is only the surface level. There’s a lot more that players should know before jumping into the game, as these Cult of the Lamb beginner tips and tricks will look to highlight.
8 The Difficulties
There are four difficulties in the game that players can change at a moment’s notice. The choices include Easy, Medium, Hard, and Extra Hard, the former of which can make even the toughest runs an absolute cinch for beginners.
Modern roguelikes have started to add difficulty options or assist features but they are not a given. This is a hard medium in general which is why it’s good to know the challenge balance is there. It might make those who usually shy away from roguelikes jump right into Cult of the Lamb.
7 Don’t Quit On A Run
A typical run in Cult of the Lamb should take about ten minutes depending on the paths chosen. Even though these are bite-sized experiences, some players may wish to put it down in the middle of a run. Some roguelike games save right where players leave off but that is not the case here.
If players quit in the middle of a dungeon then absolutely no progress will be saved. It’s a shame, and, hopefully, the developers can fix it with a patch. For now, though, players should be sure to quit in the hub world so as to avoid losing any progress.
6 It’s Okay To Die
Death is unavoidable in the game even on the easiest settings. It comes with the nature of roguelikes as this is a challenging genre. The good news is that the death penalty is not that severe in Cult of the Lamb.
Resources gathered will be saved even in death except for a few getting subtracted from the lot. The amount is never the same so it is a coin toss. However, it is safe to say that about 90% of loot will carry over into the cult grounds including items like wood and even money.
5 Smash Everything
This should go without saying in a roguelike with resource management but players should make sure to smash everything in a room. The further players get then the more things unlock. For example, defeating enemies will turn them into skeletons. Smashing them at the start will result in nothing.
Eventually, players will be able to perform rituals using the bones of enemies. Once this unlocks then the skeletons will become useful. Other examples include cutting weeds to get grass to craft things like beds and campfires to grab meat for cooking.
4 Take Branching Paths Toward Followers
Cult of the Lamb is not a linear roguelike wherein players go from one randomized area to another. Completing a floor will allow players to choose from a variety of paths and most of the rooms are labeled ahead. Some paths are littered with enemies while others may contain more crafting resources.
With this in mind, during the early stages of the game, players should be sure to head down paths with guaranteed followers. The more followers they acquire, the stronger they will become. It’s a good way to power level like in an RPG.
3 Train Your Followers To Pray, Do Manual Labor Yourself
Players can assign followers a variety of jobs including chopping wood or breaking rocks. However, manual tasks like that should be handled by players themselves. Players should instead have all followers focus on praying to their leader.
Prayers will be converted into orbs that can then be used to upgrade one of several skill trees. This is how players can power level through the early stages of Cult of the Lamb with an ample amount of followers. They'll just need to make sure to tend to their needs as well to avoid a revolt.
2 Your Dailies
There is a day-to-night cycle in the game. Each day renews a certain set of mechanics for players to use. Sermons, for example, gather another experience-like currency to divulge into another skill tree. Sermons can be held once a day, so players should not miss the opportunity to do so.
Another skill that unlocks early on is the ability to bless followers. Blessing indivisible followers will level them up which can strengthen the group as a whole. Players should pay attention to other mechanics and resources that renew daily and make sure not to miss anything.
1 What To Upgrade First
The Divine Inspiration and Sermon skill trees start out small but get bigger as the game goes on. A good Divine Inspiration ability to unlock right away is the idea to make beds. Tired followers will result in poor health, so beds are a must for every head.
The ability to create soil for crops is also a good idea and food resources should be prioritized. As for the Sermon skill tree, the left path focuses on weapons. The left path then is good for those that favor the action gameplay of roguelikes like a trait that gives weapons a way to drain health out of enemies.
Cult of the Lamb was released on August 11, 2022 and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.