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.
Choosing the right role shapes your entire experience. This guide breaks down every option — what they're good at, what they struggle with, and which one matches your playstyle. For optimized builds with full gear sets, see our builds guide.
Quick Comparison
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Best Weapons | Beginner Friendly? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dexterity Build | S | Stay aggressive with fast weapon combos, dodge rather than Perfect Guard, and use electric damage to exploit puppet enemies' weakness. | Puppet Ripper | Moderate |
| 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. | Electric Coil Stick | Yes |
| 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. | Etiquette | Moderate |
| 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. | Two Dragons Sword | No |
| Balanced Build | A | Use the rapier's fast thrusts for safe poke damage, Perfect Guard everything, and rely on consistent damage rather than burst. | Proof of Humanity | Yes |
New player? Start with Strength Build — see our beginner's guide for why.
Dexterity Build
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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Playstyle | Stay aggressive with fast weapon combos, dodge rather than Perfect Guard, and use electric damage to exploit puppet enemies' weakness. |
| Best Weapons | Puppet Ripper |
| Stat Priority | Technique 40+, Vigor 25+, Stamina 20+ |
| Core Gear | Electric Coil Stick (or Puppet Ripper blade + technique handle), Flamberge Legion Arm, throwable items |
| Key Mechanic | perfect guard |
Strengths
- Highest overall performance across all content types
- Stay aggressive with fast weapon combos, dodge rather than Perfect Guard, and use electric damage to exploit puppet enemies' weakness.
- Pairs well with Puppet Ripper
Weaknesses
- Popular choice, competition for resources
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
Recommended Progression
- Start in Krat Central Station to learn Dexterity Build-specific mechanics
- Focus on perfect guard — it's this role's primary system
- Prioritize Puppet Ripper as your first major upgrade
- See our full Dexterity Build build guide for the optimal gear progression
Strength Build
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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Playstyle | 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. |
| Best Weapons | Electric Coil Stick |
| Stat Priority | Motivity 40+, Vigor 30+, Stamina 25+ |
| Core Gear | Two Dragons Sword, Aegis Legion Arm (shield for trading), heavy armor |
| Key Mechanic | weapon assembly |
Strengths
- Most versatile — adapts to any situation
- 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.
- Pairs well with Electric Coil Stick
Weaknesses
- Lower peak damage than S-tier options
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
Recommended Progression
- Start in Krat Central Station to learn Strength Build-specific mechanics
- Focus on weapon assembly — it's this role's primary system
- Prioritize Electric Coil Stick as your first major upgrade
- See our full Strength Build build guide for the optimal gear progression
Motivity/Technique Hybrid
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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Playstyle | 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. |
| Best Weapons | Etiquette |
| Stat Priority | Motivity 30, Technique 30, Vigor 25+, Stamina 20+ |
| Core Gear | Mixed assembly weapons (heavy blade + fast handle), versatile Legion Arm |
| Key Mechanic | legion arm abilities |
Strengths
- Best survivability for learning hard content
- 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.
- Pairs well with Etiquette
Weaknesses
- Slower progression speed
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
Recommended Progression
- Start in Krat Central Station to learn Motivity/Technique Hybrid-specific mechanics
- Focus on legion arm abilities — it's this role's primary system
- Prioritize Etiquette as your first major upgrade
- See our full Motivity/Technique Hybrid build guide for the optimal gear progression
Legion Arm Focus
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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Playstyle | Use Legion Arms to open fights (Puppet String pull, Flamberge fire) then follow up with weapon combos. Swap arms based on enemy type. |
| Best Weapons | Two Dragons Sword |
| Stat Priority | Capacity 25+, primary combat stat 30+, Vigor 25+ |
| Core Gear | Multiple Legion Arms (swap for situations), Capacity-boosting amulets |
| Key Mechanic | P-Organ upgrades |
Strengths
- Excellent in group and cooperative content
- Use Legion Arms to open fights (Puppet String pull, Flamberge fire) then follow up with weapon combos. Swap arms based on enemy type.
- Pairs well with Two Dragons Sword
Weaknesses
- Less effective solo
- Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively
Recommended Progression
- Start in Krat Central Station to learn Legion Arm Focus-specific mechanics
- Focus on P-Organ upgrades — it's this role's primary system
- Prioritize Two Dragons Sword as your first major upgrade
- See our full Legion Arm Focus build guide for the optimal gear progression
Balanced Build
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.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Playstyle | Use the rapier's fast thrusts for safe poke damage, Perfect Guard everything, and rely on consistent damage rather than burst. |
| Best Weapons | Proof of Humanity |
| Stat Priority | Motivity 25, Technique 25, Vigor 25, Stamina 20 |
| Core Gear | Etiquette rapier, balanced stat amulets, utility Legion Arms |
| Key Mechanic | lie/truth system |
Strengths
- Highest skill ceiling with unique mechanics
- Use the rapier's fast thrusts for safe poke damage, Perfect Guard everything, and rely on consistent damage rather than burst.
- Pairs well with Proof of Humanity
Weaknesses
- Steep learning curve, punishing mistakes
- Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively
Recommended Progression
- Start in Krat Central Station to learn Balanced Build-specific mechanics
- Focus on lie/truth system — it's this role's primary system
- Prioritize Proof of Humanity as your first major upgrade
- See our full Balanced Build build guide for the optimal gear progression
Which Role Should You Pick?
For Beginners
Strength Build is the clear winner. It's forgiving, teaches core mechanics, and remains competitive into endgame. Follow our beginner's guide for the best first-session experience.
For Maximum Performance
Dexterity Build is the top pick once you understand the game's mechanics. Pair it with Puppet Ripper for the strongest overall setup.
For a Challenge
Balanced Build offers the highest skill ceiling. It's punishing when misplayed but incredibly rewarding when mastered. Only recommended after you've completed the game with another role.
For Group Play
Legion Arm Focus shines in cooperative content with utility and team support capabilities.
More Lies of P Guides
- Lies of P Lies of P Overview
- Lies of P Best Builds
- Lies of P Tier List
- Lies of P Walkthrough
- Lies of P Beginner's Guide
- Lies of P Tips & Tricks
- Lies of P Weapons Guide
- Lies of P Combat Guide
- Lies of P Boss Guide
- Lies of P Maps & Locations
- Lies of P Crafting Guide
Similar Games
If you enjoy Lies of P, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Classes Guide — action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Classes Guide — action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Classes Guide — action game with similar mechanics
