Soulslike games are no stranger to unique types of magic: the father of the genre Dark Souls introduced Sorceries, Pyromancies, and Miracles. Lords of the Fallen copies Dark Souls’ homework rather closely here with Inferno and Radiance magic replacing Pyromancies and Miracles; however, Wither magic is unique with some nuances you’ll need to know if you want to invest in forbidden Umbral spellcasting.
How Wither Magic Works
Wither magic is a combination of both Inferno and Radiance magic, not in terms of what the spells are like but rather in terms of stats required. You can purchase many Wither spells from Molhu in Skyrest Bridge, though many more are hidden throughout Mournstead. All Wither spells require the same amount of Inferno and Radiance and so do Wither-themed weapons and shields. For example, the powerful Latimer’s Javelin requires18 Inferno and 18 Radiance to cast. This makes Wither a huge stat sink if you want to invest in it.
Wither magic covers a bunch of different status effects as well. Many spells cause Wither buildup, which is denoted by a white chunk on an enemy’s health bar, and will completely disappear if hit again. Wither also dabbles in poison spells and frost spells, though these are few and far between. Most importantly, Wither magic does massive damage against fleshy opponents, but it struggles against heavily armored opponents.
The Benefits of Wither Magic
Because Wither scales off two stats, investment into both Inferno and Radiance will power up spells and weapons that use both twice as much. You can also use the Inferno and Radiance spells you find or purchase, given you have a Catalyst for them or one of three rings that let you cast spells with any Catalyst: the Ring of Radiant Preeminence, the Charred Root, and the Unblinking Root.
Best Wither Magic Spells and Weapons
Not all magic spells were created equal. The best Wither magic spell is Latimer’s Javelin. Not only does it do massive damage, it also makes a small explosion, meaning it can hit multiple enemies at once. It can carry almost any build through to the final areas of the game. You can obtain this spell after defeating The Hushed Saint and purchasing it from Molhu with his Remembrance.
Barrage of Echoes is also quite powerful, spawning several orbs that deal damage when enemies walk into them; however, this spell requires rather stationary enemies to make use of. As you’ll face bosses that are quite large in size, this spell works great against them.
Last, Graveyard Fog spreads a mist that slowly deals Wither damage to any enemies standing within. It’s a great supplement to fights with a massive amount of enemies, helping you stack Wither build up before whacking them and taking away all their health in a single blow
For weapons, you’ll find a powerful longsword called Rosamund’s Sword in Lower Calrath; however, it requires a bit of investment into Strength and Agility to wield. The Putrid Child’s Sword does not require significant investment. That said, you cannot get it until late in the Fief of the Chill Curse.
While Inferno Magic and Radiance Magic are quite powerful on their own, they serve more as supplements to other styles of play. Wither magic, as you can see, facilitates a pure magic build quite well, especially when you can add mana regeneration to your build and Wither-based weapons that require little Strength and Agility.
That’s an overview of how Wither magic works in Lords of the Fallen. No matter which way you build your character, however, your journey through Mournstead will be a difficult one.
