All 15 Enemies and Where You First Meet Them in Valor Mortis

Parry what you can and dodge what glows red. The rest comes down to knowing who does what: the Risen Lancer's red attack, the Musketeer that stays back and shoots, and the Grenadier with a bucket you can shoot off.

Risen Soldier

A Risen soldier you fight from the Battlefield onward.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Risen Musketeer

A Risen soldier with a firearm that stays at range instead of closing in. Ranged enemies like this are a good reason to carry a firearm.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

Shoots from range instead of closing in.

How to Handle It

Close the distance quickly, or hit it from range with a firearm of your own.

Howler

One of the first enemies you meet on the Battlefield, and one that keeps turning up in later regions.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Risen Grenadier

A Risen soldier you meet on the Battlefield and in several regions after it. The bucket is the part to aim at.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

Single Stroke

Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

Wears a bucket that can be shot off.

How to Handle It

Shoot the bucket off.

Risen Lancer

A Risen lancer whose red attack can't be blocked. Learn that glow here, because it means the same on every enemy.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

A red attack that can't be blocked, with a wind-up you can see coming.

How to Handle It

Dodge the red attack. Blocking or parrying it won't work.

Risen Sapeur

A Risen sapper first met on the Battlefield. Its push is the move to watch.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

A push attack with a clear wind-up.

How to Handle It

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Eternal Guardsman

A guard who turns up in one region after another, starting on the Battlefield. Some Ambers sit in chests behind them.

First Met In

The Battlefield

Linked Achievement

We Wear the Same Colors

Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Risen Duelist

A Risen fighter first met in the Valley of Ashes.

First Met In

Valley of Ashes

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Carrion

An enemy first met in the Valley of Ashes that turns up again in later regions.

First Met In

Valley of Ashes

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Spewer

A spewing enemy first met in the Valley of Ashes, and one you'll see in many regions after it.

First Met In

Valley of Ashes

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Volunteer

A fighter first met in the Valley of Ashes. The large Volunteer in the second half of the Fallen Village guards the carriage with the Blunderbuss.

First Met In

Valley of Ashes

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

Fights with dual swords or a greatsword, depending on the Volunteer.

How to Handle It

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Shambling Civilian

A civilian turned hostile, first met in the Fallen Village.

First Met In

Fallen Village

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

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Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Remnant of the Iron Regiment

A leftover soldier of the Iron Regiment, first met in the Vale of Wrath.

First Met In

Vale of Wrath

Linked Achievement

Statue of Insanity

Spoiler Warning

Mid-to-late story enemy

Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

Bring the Stasis Transmutation. Locking one completely in Stasis earns the Statue of Insanity achievement.

Swarm Mother

An enemy that first shows up in the Vale of Wrath and keeps appearing in later regions.

First Met In

Vale of Wrath

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

Mid-to-late story enemy

Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Abomination

A big enemy that first shows up in Cursed Hollow.

First Met In

Cursed Hollow

Linked Achievement

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Spoiler Warning

Mid-to-late story enemy

Attacks to Watch

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How to Handle It

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Spoiler warning: The last section names enemies you don't meet until the middle of the campaign and beyond. Everything above it is safe to read at any point.

How Valor Mortis Enemies Fight: Posture, Parries and Red Attacks

Block or parry an enemy's attacks to drain its posture, and when the posture breaks, land the critical hit. Trading blows goes against that plan, so watch an enemy's first few attacks before you commit to a trade.

Attacks that glow red can't be blocked. Dodge them, and save your blocks and parries for everything else.

Firearms add range, which matters against enemies that keep their distance. Breaking a weak point or landing a melee hit refills Nephtoglobin, the resource your Transmutations spend, so weak points are worth aiming for.

Where You Meet Each Valor Mortis Enemy for the First Time

The Battlefield throws most of the Risen ranks at you first: Risen Soldiers, Musketeers, Grenadiers, Lancers and Sapeurs, plus Howlers and your first Eternal Guardsman. The Valley of Ashes adds the Risen Duelist, Carrion, Spewers and the first Volunteers, and the Fallen Village brings in the Shambling Civilians.

Get comfortable with that first group, because many of them show up again in later regions.

Enemy Attacks to Watch, From Lancers to Volunteers

The Risen Lancer's red attack is the one to learn first. Its wind-up is readable, so the glow gives you time to dodge. The Risen Sapeur's push has a clear wind-up too.

The Risen Musketeer is a different problem: it stays back and shoots. Close the distance quickly, or answer with a firearm of your own.

The Risen Grenadier carries a bucket, and shooting it off is worth an achievement. Volunteers come in dual-sword and greatsword styles, so check which one you're facing before you commit to a plan.

How Fire and Stasis Affect Enemies

Fire sets enemies alight, and burning enemies keep taking damage over time. Stasis builds a meter on the enemy, and a full meter freezes it in place. Both are Transmutations that spend Nephtoglobin, so pace them against the fight in front of you.

Enemies That Guard Weapons and Ambers

Some enemies stand between you and gear. The large Volunteer in the second half of the Fallen Village guards the carriage with the Blunderbuss, and a Volunteer guards the wagon key for the Musket in the Vale of Wrath. The weapons page covers how to get each one.

Eternal Guardsmen are worth a fight too. Some Ambers sit in chests behind them, and the We Wear the Same Colors achievement is tied to them as well.

Mistakes to Avoid Against Regular Enemies

• Blocking a red attack. The block won't stop it. Dodge as soon as you see the glow.
• Rushing back for your Catalysts. They drop where you fell, so you have to go back there. Deal with whatever killed you first.
• Spending Transmutations early. Fire and Stasis spend Nephtoglobin, so save them for the fights that need them, not the first Risen soldier you see.

Enemies From the Middle of the Campaign Onward (Spoilers)

The Remnant of the Iron Regiment is the one the game ties to Stasis. The Statue of Insanity achievement asks you to lock one completely in Stasis, so bring that Transmutation when you see one. The Swarm Mother first appears in the Vale of Wrath and the Abomination in Cursed Hollow, and both keep showing up as you push on.

FAQ