Lies of P is a Soulslike set in a Belle Epoque city overrun by murderous puppets, reimagining Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio as a dark action RPG. The perfect guard system rewards aggressive parrying — successfully timing blocks chips away at enemy weapon durability, eventually breaking their weapon and leaving them open for a Fatal Attack. The weapon assembly system lets you mix and match blades and handles from any two weapons, creating hybrid combinations with mixed movesets and scaling. The lie/truth moral choice system across dozens of NPC encounters determines which of three endings you receive. Lies of P stands alongside Elden Ring and Bloodborne as one of the best non-FromSoftware Soulslikes.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best characters, weapons worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
perfect guard
Pressing block at the exact moment an attack connects triggers a Perfect Guard — absorbing the hit with zero stamina loss and chipping the enemy's weapon durability. When enemy weapon durability depletes, their weapon breaks and they stagger for a Fatal Attack (massive damage riposte). Perfect Guard is more important than dodging in Lies of P, especially against bosses whose multi-hit combos are designed for parry timing.
weapon assembly
Every weapon separates into a Blade (determines damage type and base moves) and Handle (determines scaling stats and charged attack). You can combine any blade with any handle. A Greatsword blade on a rapier handle creates a heavy weapon with technique scaling. This system enables hundreds of weapon combinations, each with unique properties.
legion arm abilities
Your left arm is a prosthetic Legion Arm with interchangeable modules. Puppet String (grappling hook), Flamberge (fire blade), Aegis (shield), Deus Ex Machina (explosive projectile), and others each provide unique combat tools. Legion Arms have limited charges that regenerate from a resource, adding resource management to combat.
P-Organ upgrades
The P-Organ system (available at Hotel Krat) uses Quartz (found throughout the game) to unlock permanent passive abilities. Abilities are arranged in a tree with branches for combat, survival, and utility. Key upgrades include extra dodge rolls, increased stamina recovery, and Perfect Guard windows. Quartz is limited, so planning your upgrade path matters.
lie/truth system
Throughout the game, NPCs ask questions where you can choose to Lie or Tell the Truth. Lies make you more human (Pinocchio's dream), while truths keep you puppet-like. The cumulative lie/truth balance determines your ending: Lie-heavy gives the 'real boy' ending, Truth-heavy gives the puppet ending, and balanced gives a third option. Records (music boxes) also influence humanity.
Characters Overview
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dexterity Build | S | Stay aggressive with fast weapon combos, dodge rather than Perfect Guard, and use electric damage to exploit puppet enemies' weakness. | Technique 40+, Vigor 25+, Stamina 20+ |
| Strength Build | A | Commit to heavy charged attacks during openings, Perfect Guard multi-hit combos to create stagger, and use the Aegis arm for extra blocking in emergencies. | Motivity 40+, Vigor 30+, Stamina 25+ |
| Motivity/Technique Hybrid | S | Use the mixed weapon to adapt between fast pokes and heavy charged attacks based on enemy openings. The hybrid scaling keeps damage competitive with pure builds. | Motivity 30, Technique 30, Vigor 25+, Stamina 20+ |
| Legion Arm Focus | B | Use Legion Arms to open fights (Puppet String pull, Flamberge fire) then follow up with weapon combos. Swap arms based on enemy type. | Capacity 25+, primary combat stat 30+, Vigor 25+ |
| Balanced Build | A | Use the rapier's fast thrusts for safe poke damage, Perfect Guard everything, and rely on consistent damage rather than burst. | Motivity 25, Technique 25, Vigor 25, Stamina 20 |
Dexterity Build (S-Tier): Technique scaling builds use fast weapons with rapid combos. The Electric Coil Stick with a technique handle deals fast electric damage with excellent stagger. The Puppet Ripper's technique blade has a fast slash combo. Dex builds excel at building stagger through rapid hit chains and dodging between combos.
Strength Build (A-Tier): Motivity scaling builds use heavy weapons that deal massive per-hit damage. The Two Dragons Sword (greatsword) has wide sweeps and a powerful charged R2. Heavy weapons stagger most enemies in 2-3 hits. The tradeoff is slower attack speed making Perfect Guard timing more important.
Motivity/Technique Hybrid (S-Tier): Hybrid builds use weapon assembly to create weapons that scale with both stats. A Motivity blade on a Technique handle (or vice versa) gets partial scaling from both. This build has more flexibility in weapon choices and doesn't suffer from diminishing returns on a single stat.
Legion Arm Focus (B-Tier): Legion Arm builds invest in Capacity stat to increase Legion Arm charges and damage. The Flamberge arm adds fire damage to combos, Puppet String grapples enemies from range, and Deus Ex Machina fires explosives. While Legion Arms alone can't carry fights, they add significant burst damage and utility.
Balanced Build (A-Tier): Balanced builds invest evenly across stats, using weapons with quality scaling (C/C in both Motivity and Technique). The Etiquette rapier is a popular balanced weapon with fast thrusts and good scaling. This build sacrifices peak damage for consistency across all situations.
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Lies of P builds guide.
Weapons Guide
| Weapon | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Puppet Ripper | A technique-scaling weapon with a serrated blade that deals extra damage to puppet-type enemies. | Dexterity Build |
| Electric Coil Stick | A technique weapon that deals electric damage, exploiting the weakness of puppet-type enemies (the majority of enemies in the game). | Dexterity Build |
| Etiquette | A rapier with balanced Motivity/Technique scaling and a fast thrusting moveset. | Balanced Build |
| Two Dragons Sword | A heavy greatsword with Motivity scaling and wide sweeping attacks. | Strength Build |
| Proof of Humanity | An endgame weapon obtained through the true ending path. | Balanced Build |
Puppet Ripper: A technique-scaling weapon with a serrated blade that deals extra damage to puppet-type enemies. The blade can be combined with various handles for different playstyles. The Puppet Ripper's charged attack rips into enemies for multi-hit damage.
Electric Coil Stick: A technique weapon that deals electric damage, exploiting the weakness of puppet-type enemies (the majority of enemies in the game). Fast attack speed builds stagger quickly. One of the best weapons for the first playthrough due to its effectiveness against most enemies.
Etiquette: A rapier with balanced Motivity/Technique scaling and a fast thrusting moveset. The weapon art is a powerful lunging thrust that covers distance. Etiquette is the safest weapon due to its minimal commitment per attack, allowing quick recovery for Perfect Guards.
Two Dragons Sword: A heavy greatsword with Motivity scaling and wide sweeping attacks. The charged R2 deals massive damage in a large arc. Best against groups of enemies and bosses with large windows between attacks. Found in the mid-game.
Proof of Humanity: An endgame weapon obtained through the true ending path. It has excellent scaling and unique moveset. The weapon represents Pinocchio's transformation and deals extra damage to final-act enemies. It's the reward for a lie-heavy playthrough.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Krat Central Station | Character level 1-15 | Parade Master Ergo (boss currency), basic weapon blueprints, introduction to combat systems |
| Hotel Krat | Hub (all game) | Level up, weapon assembly, P-Organ upgrades, NPC quests, jukebox records |
| Estella Opera House | Mid-game (level 40-55) | King of Puppets Ergo, unique weapon materials, story revelations |
| Lorenzini Arcade | Mid-late game (level 50-65) | Stalker enemy loot, Quartz for P-Organ, optional boss rewards |
| Arche Abbey | Endgame (level 70+) | Final boss Ergo, ending determination, Proof of Humanity weapon, NG+ access |
Krat Central Station: The opening area of the game, a train station overrun by malfunctioning puppets. Teaches basic combat mechanics including Perfect Guard timing. The Parade Master boss guards the exit — a large puppet boss with wide swings that teach dodge timing.
Hotel Krat: The main hub area equivalent to Firelink Shrine. Contains the level-up NPC (Sophia), weapon assembly bench, P-Organ upgrade station, and NPC merchants. Return between areas to spend Ergo, upgrade equipment, and advance NPC sidequests through dialogue.
Estella Opera House: A grand opera house filled with puppet performers and the King of Puppets boss — a two-phase fight that's one of the best in the game. Phase 1 is a massive puppet, phase 2 reveals the puppeteer controlling it. The Opera House has excellent environmental storytelling.
Lorenzini Arcade: A arcade and entertainment district with more aggressive enemy varieties including human-type Stalkers. The area introduces enemies that fight more unpredictably than puppets, requiring different timing for Perfect Guards. Contains hidden pathways and optional bosses.
Arche Abbey: The final area of the game set in a massive cathedral complex. Contains the hardest regular enemies and the final boss gauntlet. The Abbey's architecture is stunning and the final boss fights are multi-phase endurance tests. Your lie/truth choices culminate in the ending sequence here.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Perfect Guard is more important than dodging. Most boss combos have 3-5 hit chains designed for parry timing. Each successful Perfect Guard chips weapon durability, eventually breaking it for a massive Fatal Attack opening.
- Weapon assembly lets you separate any weapon into blade + handle at the assembly bench. Experiment freely — you can always reassemble weapons. A heavy blade + light handle creates surprisingly effective hybrids.
- Grindstones (consumable items) add temporary elemental damage to your weapon. Use Fire Grindstone against organic enemies and Electric Grindstone against puppets for significant bonus damage.
- The lies you tell affect your Humanity stat, which determines your ending. For the 'true' ending, lie to most NPCs — Pinocchio becomes more human through lies, which is the game's central thematic twist.
- Dodge forward THROUGH attacks rather than backward away from them. Most boss attacks track backward movement, but forward dodges pass through the hitbox and position you for counter-attacks.
- Legion Arms have different effectiveness against different enemy types. Flamberge destroys organic enemies, Puppet String is great for pulling ranged attackers, and Aegis shields against multi-hit combos.
- P-Organ upgrades persist into NG+. Prioritize extra dodge rolls, Perfect Guard damage, and HP recovery upgrades. These fundamentally improve combat effectiveness more than raw damage increases.
- Boss weapons (created from Boss Ergo at the weapon merchant) have unique movesets and abilities. Always check boss weapon options before spending Ergo on levels.
- Explore thoroughly — Quartz (P-Organ upgrade material) is hidden in optional areas, behind illusory walls, and rewarded from mini-boss encounters. Missing Quartz means missing permanent upgrades.
- Records (music boxes) found throughout the game add music to Hotel Krat's jukebox. Each record played increases your Humanity stat slightly, contributing toward the lie-heavy ending.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Dodging backward against bosses — most boss attacks track backward movement with lunging follow-ups. Dodge forward through the attack to end up behind them for safe counterattacks.
- Ignoring Perfect Guard and relying only on dodging — Perfect Guard is the primary combat mechanic in Lies of P. Boss weapon durability only depletes from Perfect Guards, not regular blocks or dodges.
- Not experimenting with weapon assembly — sticking with default weapons means missing the game's most creative system. Try combining blades and handles from different weapon types.
- Spending all Ergo on levels instead of checking boss weapons — some boss weapons are best-in-class and the Ergo spent on them is more valuable than a few levels.
- Missing Quartz by not exploring optional areas — P-Organ upgrades are permanent power boosts. Each missed Quartz is a permanent capability lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hard is Lies of P compared to Dark Souls?
Lies of P is comparable to Dark Souls III in difficulty. Some bosses (King of Puppets, final boss) rival the hardest Souls bosses. The Perfect Guard system provides a reliable defense tool, but the game expects you to master it. Players comfortable with Souls games will feel at home with a slightly steeper initial learning curve.
How long is Lies of P?
First playthrough takes 25-35 hours. NG+ with retained upgrades takes 15-20 hours. The game has three endings requiring different lie/truth choices across multiple playthroughs. Completionists exploring everything and getting all endings spend 60-80 hours.
Is Lies of P a Soulslike?
Yes, explicitly. It uses the Souls template: bonfire-equivalent checkpoints (Stargazers), Estus-equivalent healing (Pulse Cells), interconnected level design with shortcuts, boss-gated progression, and Ergo (souls currency) lost on death. The Perfect Guard and weapon assembly systems are its unique contributions to the formula.
Does Lies of P have DLC?
A major story DLC was announced and is in development. The base game's ending sets up continuation of the Pinocchio story with hints toward other fairy tale adaptations in the same universe. The developers confirmed expanded weapon assembly and new Legion Arms for the DLC.
What to Read Next
- Best Lies of P Builds — Detailed breakdowns with gear, stats, and playstyle guides
- Lies of P Tier List — Current meta rankings
- Lies of P Walkthrough — Step-by-step progression from start to endgame
- Lies of P Beginner's Guide — First session essentials
- Lies of P Tips & Tricks — Advanced strategies and hidden mechanics
