The six documented Valor Mortis weapons covered here are the Saber, Pistol, Rapier, Blunderbuss, Musket, and Claymore. They are split evenly between melee weapons and firearms, but they do not all support the same combat rhythm. The Saber is the flexible starting choice, the Rapier favors fast attacks and parries, and the Claymore trades speed and stamina efficiency for heavy attacks. The Pistol handles enemy weak points and certain exploration barriers, the Blunderbuss is suited to close-range groups, and the Musket provides long-range pressure.
The routes below cover these six documented weapons; this list does not establish that the game has no others.
Weapon roster at a glance
| Weapon | Type | How it is obtained | Main role | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saber | Melee | Equipped when William wakes up | General-purpose melee with blocking and parrying | Less specialized than the Rapier or Claymore |
| Pistol | Firearm | Found inside a carriage reached after crossing the ruined bridge near the Demolished Path Lantern | Weak-point shots, exploration barriers, and ranged support | Ammunition must be managed |
| Rapier | Melee | Pulled from an impaled corpse beyond the church after General Lothaire | Fast attacks, parries, and pressure on weak points | Not as dependable for blocking as the Saber |
| Blunderbuss | Firearm | Taken from a table inside a guarded carriage in the Fields and Fallen Village area | Close-range damage against clustered enemies | Its role becomes less effective when fighting at distance |
| Musket | Firearm | Recovered from a locked wagon in the Poisoned Camp after obtaining the Wagon's Key | Long-range attacks and ranged-enemy control | Two-handed use prevents simultaneous melee use |
| Claymore | Melee | Pulled from a corpse inside a late-game village church | Heavy melee attacks and powerful special options | Two-handed attacks demand more stamina |
How to get each documented weapon
Saber: the starting melee weapon
William begins with the Saber when he wakes up, so there is no pickup route or prerequisite to miss. It establishes the basic melee pattern: attack when an opening appears, block attacks that are safer to absorb, and parry when you are confident in the timing.
The starting Saber and surrounding early-game area.
Pistol: the first exploration firearm
Start from the Demolished Path Lantern and continue toward the destroyed bridge. Cross the broken section by using the available platforms. The route eventually drops William into a carriage, where the Pistol can be collected.
The Pistol has two connected purposes. In combat, it can target glowing Nephtoglobin weak points on enemies. During exploration, it can break Nephtoglobin barriers by shooting their glowing red orbs. If a red-orb mechanism is blocking a route or shortcut, aim at the visible targets rather than searching for a melee interaction.
The carriage containing the Pistol pickup.
Rapier: the fast parry-focused alternative
Defeat General Lothaire, the Eagle-Bearer, and enter the church where William meets James. Leave through the door beside James, turn right, and follow the path to its end. A corpse there is impaled by the Rapier; approach the body and remove the weapon to unlock it.
The Rapier is a fast melee weapon suited to players who actively parry and attack enemy weak points. Its speed makes it easier to work short attacks into limited openings, but it is not the strongest choice for a player who depends on conventional blocking. Switching from the Saber therefore changes more than attack feel: it changes which defensive response is most comfortable.
The corpse and Rapier pickup outside the church.
Blunderbuss: close-range crowd control
In the Fields and Fallen Village portion of the journey, look for a carriage guarded by a Volunteer carrying a large sword. Defeat that enemy to open access to the carriage, enter it, and take the Blunderbuss from the table.
The Blunderbuss is designed for close-range fighting and is particularly useful when several enemies compress into the same area. Its spread-oriented role makes it a different tool from the Pistol rather than a simple upgrade. Close the distance enough to use that role effectively, but avoid treating it as the answer to every ranged target.
The guarded carriage containing the Blunderbuss.
Musket: the long-range two-handed firearm
Travel from the Poisoned Camp Lantern into the camp and defeat the Volunteer who carries the Wagon's Key. Use that key to enter the wagon and collect the Musket inside. The key is the essential step: reaching the correct wagon without defeating its holder will not complete the route.
The Musket targets distant threats such as Risen Musketeers and can gain a scope upgrade. It is two-handed, preventing simultaneous melee use.
The locked wagon where the Musket is collected.
Claymore: the heavy two-handed melee option
Later in the journey, the village contains toxic swamps and dangerous enemies. Near the end of this section, progress until William can enter the church and open the shortcut leading back toward the Lantern near Anna's boss encounter. Inside the church, pull the Claymore from the corpse and deal with the enemies around the pickup area.
The Claymore is a two-handed melee weapon built around heavy attacks. Those attacks can deliver substantial impact, but they require more stamina than lighter alternatives. Do not apply a Saber rhythm to it. Leave enough stamina to respond after attacking, especially until you understand how long the enemy's opening actually lasts.
Its documented special options include a fire shot and a Stasis area attack that can freeze weaker enemies. These tools broaden the weapon beyond basic heavy swings, but its central commitment remains the same: you give up the sword-and-firearm pairing for a dedicated melee setup. Choose it when you are comfortable managing stamina and creating deliberate attack windows.
The church corpse containing the Claymore.
Contextual weapon upgrade directions
Upgrade branches should reinforce the weapon's job instead of being treated as universal best-in-slot answers. The choices below are alternatives at upgrade forks, not steps to purchase in sequence:
| Weapon | Alternative upgrade branches |
|---|---|
| Saber | Pursuit or Careful Preparations; Second Wind or Adrenaline Flourish |
| Pistol | Ruthlessness or Resourcefulness; Robust Chamber or Ingenious Engineering; Tactical Reload or Automatic Mayhem |
| Rapier | Astute Quarta or Invigorating Seconda |
| Blunderbuss | Collateral Damage or Iron Shower |
| Musket | Scope or Bayonet |
| Claymore | Willpower or Bulwark |
James and Louis sell weapon parts and Transmutation Materials for Catalysts when you are short of upgrade materials.