Godfall Beginner Guide

Welcome to Godfall, the new loot slasher from Gearbox. While we first heard about Godfall almost a year ago at 2019's Game Awards, it's now finally in our hands. Just like with any new AAA game, there's plenty of mechanics and descriptions to learn, so we've collected together some of the Godfall Beginner tips we can. In this Godfall Beginner Guide, we'll go over your character, some interesting tidbits about combat, and talk about some things to keep an eye out for in the world.

Godfall Character Guide

Godfall Loadouts

In any good looter, it's all about your gear and what you can do with it. Immediately from the equipment screen, there's an easy to interpret list of your strengths, weaknesses, and a bar showing you what type of fighter you have. Main character attributes are broken up into Might (how hard you can physically hit), Spirit (how hard your abilities hit), and Vitality (how much you can stand to be hit). In Godfall the gear that you can acquire is broken out into the following categories.

• Weapon: You can have two weapons to freely swap between, there doesn't seem to be any restriction other than it obviously can't be the same weapon twice
• Amulet, Charm, Ring x2, Banner: General stat and ability boosting items
• Life Stone: This is the Godfall equivalent of a Health Pack. After using them collecting health pickups will slowly replenish them.

The Amulet, Charm, Rings, and Banner can all provide all kinds of stat and ability boosts to your character so be sure to play around with a lot of the equipment that you come across. 

Godfall Skills

The Godfall Skill tree is a five-by-five grid of abilities. Starting in each of the corners, you can make your way through the grid with each skill point learned. Each skill also has five different levels to it, if you find a skill on the tree that you're looking to invest more into, then you can level it up all the way to Level 5. A skill like Sundering Slam is a single powerful attack, but as you level it up, it can become more powerful or inflict status ailments like Blinding. 

The most important thing to know about the skill tree is that at any point you can reclaim all of your skill points for free. This freedom to change and reallocate gives you an added flexibility with your armor and accessory skills. You don't need to be worried about a good piece of equipment that boosts and skill and not being able to reap the benefits. It's in this way that you can either find the skills that match your playstyle the best or equip your strongest gear and pick the skills that work best with it. There are almost too many combinations...

Godfall Valorplates

The Valorplates are not only the cosmetic look of the armor that you're wearing, but it's also the equipment that determines your passive trait, Archon Fury (Super) Ability, and what Augments you can get. There are 12 in total in the game that you can work your way through unlocking. After completing the first mission of the game, you'll be able to create the Phoenix Valorplate. This gives you a 10% chance to ignite enemies and has an explosive Archon Fury attack.

Godfall Combat Guide

Slow Down Your Slashes

Godfall might be a self-described Slasher Looter, but there are plenty of times that less slashing will do more for you. It isn't easy to cancel out of a big swing by sprinting or quickly dashing to the side. This means that if you realize you're about to get stabbed and you've already pressed to attack, chances are you're about to take a big hit. While it might take longer, you can hang back and wait until an enemy telegraphs their move, like a polearm enemy drawing back their weapon, and be ready to quickly dodge by them before turning around and getting a few hits in.

This type of gameplay might be slower and more boring, but it will save you from a lot of near-death experiences. Depending on the weapon you use knowing when to attack and when to wait might have an even bigger impact on gameplay. Hammer users will need all the time they can to swing the weight of it, and it will pay off with big damage and even knockback, but a few quick licks of the dual blades will have more opportunity.

Use the Shield Strategically

Early on in the game, you learn that you can throw your shield, as well as use it to parry melee attacks when timed correctly. What Godfall doesn't tell you is other ways that you can capitalize on the Shield throw's effectiveness. Much like timing your parry to a melee attack if you block at just the right time, you can also fire back ranged attacks. This is particularly helpful when taking on a number of enemies at once, you can stand back and pick off ranged fighters instead of getting caught up in a sword fight while also dodging bullets.

Protector enemies will use their ability to make other characters in battle invulnerable to damage. You can easily spot them by noticing you're not doing any damage to an enemy, and there's a blue line leading from the Protector to who they're protecting. The Shield Throw being your only ranged move allows you to deal damage to the Protector even if others are between you, but it will also knock them over ending the invulnerability effect. You can capitalize on the opportunity even further by running over to the downed Protector and using a finishing move to make sure you don't need to worry about him anymore. 

Reading Enemy Movement and HP

Each enemy will have their health displayed above them as you sink your sword into them. While no one needs to have a red health bar explained to them, it's the white outline on an enemies health that you'll want to watch as you're fighting. This is known as SoulShatter, at any point doing a light attack combo if you hit your enemy with a heavy attack, that entire outlined area will be taken off. If you manage to kill an enemy by "SoulShattering" them, then you'll also regain some health. SoulShattering is an extremely helpful tool for quick kills and something you should always be watching health bars for.

While we already know that you can use your shield to parry and block physical attacks there's also different times that your enemy will shine red or blue before an attack. When an enemy is red that mean you aren't able to parry or block their attack and you should start getting out of the way. When an enemy is blue it means that you can parry if you get your timing right, but if you just try to block then you'll take massive damage.

World of Godfall

Explore Everywhere

Just like any ARPG, you should be exploring EVERYWHERE! It's that same logic of entering a new room and searching every corner, or when coming to a split path go the way the game DOESN'T want you to go for the story. Even early on there have been a number of chests and enemy encounters that I've stumbled across. It's most likely going to be extra loot or experience so you might as well take in the scenery. 

Use Jars/Breakables for Extra Money and HP

There are many jars and other breakable items around the world. Breaking them will sometimes net you some additional HP or even a bit of extra cash. While the cash amount isn't that impressive if you go around destroying all the jars you see, it will all begin to add up in a pretty significant way. HP restoration items are also great to stock up on as the overflow from your health will start to recharge your Life Stone. Even getting enough for one more charge could make or break your next encounter.

What did you think of our tips? Is there anything you'd want to recommend a new player look out for? Are you excited to finally have your hands on Godfall?