Lords of the Fallen Withered Health Effect Explained

By now, most players should be aware that Lords of the Fallen draws heavily from the mechanics and overall themes of gameplay found in the Souls-Borne series created by the renowned FromSoftware team. This influence is evident in aspects such as dodging, weapon abilities, the presence of "bonfires" (referred to as Vestiges in the game), and notably, the health/damage system, which incorporates what's referred to as Withered Health.

The Withered Health effect provides a valuable second chance in battles and offers an alternative to constantly consuming your Sanguinarix healing items. Understanding its workings in detail is crucial for your survival. So, in this guide, we will thoroughly explain how the Withered Health effect functions and how it impacts your health, damage, and healing within the context of Lords of the Fallen.

Withered Health Effect in Lords of the Fallen Explained

If you've ventured into the captivating worlds of titles like Bloodborne or the recent Souls-like masterpiece Lies of P, you're already on familiar ground with the Rally or Regain system that these games employ. These systems let you recover lost health after taking a hit by swiftly counterattacking within a narrow window of opportunity.

In the realm of Lords of the Fallen, you'll encounter a similar mechanic known as the Withered Health. When you suffer damage, it manifests as a greyed-out segment on your health bar, offering you a chance to reclaim this "withered" health by striking back against your enemies.

However, here's where the distinction arises from the previously mentioned titles: in Lords of the Fallen, the Withered Health effect etches itself permanently onto your health bar. This intriguing twist allows you to reclaim that lost health on your terms, but with a catch - a single adversary's blow will wipe away the Withered portion of your health, and once gone, it's gone for good.

The beauty of this system lies in its artful balance between combat prowess and health recovery, at least from where we stand. The Withered Health effect nudges players toward a somewhat more aggressive approach in battles, yet it also presents an opportunity to strategically eliminate weaker adversaries to regain health without the urgency of a ticking clock or being in the center of the action. However, it's far from a walk in the park due to the one-hit loss caveat.

Naturally, you can resort to a trusty Sanguinarix or another healing item to restore your regular health. But here's a crucial detail: when you decide to mend your wounds in Umbral, you're replenishing a mix of your genuine health and Withered Health. This quirk makes healing less effective during your time in Umbral.

Therefore, it's advisable to capitalize on Withered Health, especially when in Umbral, and only resort to healing in those critical moments and emergencies. It's often a smarter move to reclaim the free health offered by Withered Health in Umbral than to heal and squander some of its potential on the Withered Health segment.