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.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough.
Essential Tips
1. Perfect Guard is more important than dodging
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.
2. Weapon assembly lets you separate any weapon into blade + handle at the assembly bench
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.
3. Grindstones (consumable items) add temporary elemental damage to your weapon
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.
4. The lies you tell affect your Humanity stat, which determines your ending
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.
5. Dodge forward THROUGH attacks rather than backward away from them
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.
6. Legion Arms have different effectiveness against different enemy types
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.
7. P-Organ upgrades persist into NG+
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.
8. Boss weapons (created from Boss Ergo at the weapon merchant) have unique movesets and abilities
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.
9. Explore thoroughly — Quartz (P-Organ upgrade material) is hidden in optional areas, behind illusory walls, and rewarded from mini-boss encounters
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.
10. Records (music boxes) found throughout the game add music to Hotel Krat's jukebox
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.
Advanced Strategies
Role Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive:
For 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.
- Core gear: Electric Coil Stick (or Puppet Ripper blade + technique handle), Flamberge Legion Arm, throwable items
- Stat priority: Technique 40+, Vigor 25+, Stamina 20+
For 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.
- Core gear: Two Dragons Sword, Aegis Legion Arm (shield for trading), heavy armor
- Stat priority: Motivity 40+, Vigor 30+, Stamina 25+
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how Lies of P's systems interact is where the real optimization lives:
perfect guard + weapon assembly: 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. Combined with weapon assembly, every weapon separates into a blade (determines damage type and base moves) and handle (determines scaling stats and charged attack).
legion arm abilities + P-Organ upgrades: Your left arm is a prosthetic Legion Arm with interchangeable modules. When paired with P-Organ upgrades, the p-organ system (available at hotel krat) uses quartz (found throughout the game) to unlock permanent passive abilities.
lie/truth system scaling: 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.
Weapons Efficiency
| Weapon | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Puppet Ripper | Dexterity Build | A technique-scaling weapon with a serrated blade that deals extra damage to puppet-type enemies. |
| Electric Coil Stick | Dexterity Build | A technique weapon that deals electric damage, exploiting the weakness of puppet-type enemies (the majority of enemies in the game). |
| Etiquette | Balanced Build | A rapier with balanced Motivity/Technique scaling and a fast thrusting moveset. |
| Two Dragons Sword | Strength Build | A heavy greatsword with Motivity scaling and wide sweeping attacks. |
| Proof of Humanity | Balanced Build | An endgame weapon obtained through the true ending path. |
Location Efficiency
Krat Central Station (Character level 1-15): 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 (Hub (all game)): 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 (Mid-game (level 40-55)): 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 (Mid-late game (level 50-65)): 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 (Endgame (level 70+)): 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.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- 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.
Efficiency Quick Reference
| Aspect | Optimal Choice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Dexterity Build | S-tier, best overall |
| Starter | Strength Build | Most forgiving for learning |
| Weapons | Puppet Ripper | Best resource-to-power ratio |
| First area | Krat Central Station | Parade Master Ergo (boss currency), basic weapon blueprints, introduction to combat systems |
| Priority mechanic | perfect guard | Everything else builds on this |
Pro Quick Tips
- 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.
- Start with Strength Build, switch to Dexterity Build when ready
- Invest in Puppet Ripper above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Krat Central Station → Hotel Krat → Estella Opera House → Lorenzini Arcade → Arche Abbey
- perfect guard + weapon assembly together are stronger than either alone
For full build details, check builds. For progression path, see the walkthrough.
