You’ve finally started your journey as the fluffiest harbinger of the apocalypse. It feels great, right? You’re cleaning up follower poop one minute and sacrificing a dissenter the next. But then you hit that first Altar moment where the game forces you to choose. It’s stressful. You’re staring at two stone tablets, and you know that once you pick one, the other is basically gone for good—unless you’re playing the late-game content, but we'll get to that. Picking the right Cult of the Lamb doctrines is basically the difference between a self-sustaining utopia and a chaotic mess where everyone is starving and trying to kill you.
It's about the math of belief.
In Cult of the Lamb, Developed by Massive Monster, doctrines are the permanent laws of your society. They aren't just flavor text. They change how your followers interact with you, how they die, and most importantly, how fast you can farm Devotion. If you mess up early, you’ll spend hours trying to fix a Faith bar that just won't stay full.
The Early Game Trap: Work vs. Worship
When you first open the Afterlife or Work & Worship categories, the game tries to trick you into being "nice." Don't fall for it.
Take the Work & Worship tree. You get a choice between Faith in Service and Faith in Enlightenment. Early on, you might think, "Hey, I want my followers to work faster!" but honestly? Enlightenment is almost always the better play. It gives you a massive boost to Devotion generation for a few days. Since Devotion is what unlocks your building upgrades, rushing those early unlocks is way more valuable than a slightly faster woodcutting speed.
Why the Afterlife Doctrine Category is Basically a Cheat Code
Most players get hung up on the death mechanics. Your followers are going to die. A lot. It's just the nature of the Old Faith. You have a choice: do you want them to be sad about it, or do you want them to see death as a glorious promotion?
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The Belief in Sacrifice trait is arguably the most powerful doctrine in the entire game. If you pair this with the ritual that lets you sacrifice a follower, you gain huge amounts of Faith every time you kill someone. Contrast that with the "good guy" option where people get upset when someone dies. Why would you want that? You're a cult leader. You want them cheering while you send their best friend to the beyond.
But wait. There's a nuance here.
If you pick Grass Eater, you solve the food crisis instantly. Early game, food is a nightmare. Berries run out. Minnows are rare. If your cult can eat grass without getting sick, you’ve basically unlocked infinite stamina for your colony. It's gross. It's weird. But it's effective.
The Law and Order Dilemma
Managing dissent is where most people lose their minds. You’re out in Silk Cradle fighting a boss, and suddenly a notification pops up saying "Follower 42" is spreading lies.
This is where the Law and Order doctrines come in. You can choose to be a benevolent teacher or a terrifying tyrant.
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- Ascension: This is a clean way to get rid of old people. They float away into the sky, everyone is happy, and you don't have a body to bury.
- Ritualistic Fight Pit: If two followers are fighting, let them throw hands. It builds Faith for the onlookers. It's basically entertainment.
- Wedding: You can marry your followers. It’s a quick +30 Faith boost. You can even marry multiple followers, though they might get jealous if you aren't careful.
The Tax Enforcer vs. Loyalty Enforcer choice is another big one. Do you want money or levels? Most veteran players will tell you to go with the Loyalty Enforcer. Money becomes trivial once you start selling excess crops, but leveling up followers increases their "value" when you sacrifice them or use them in rituals. It’s about the long game.
The Weird Stuff: Ritual of Enrichment
Let's talk about the Ritual of Enrichment found in the Wealth category. It is broken. In a good way. You perform the ritual, and your followers literally throw money at you. If you have a large cult, you can walk away with thousands of gold pieces in seconds. Compare this to the Alms for the Poor option where you give them money. Why would you ever do that? You’re the one doing all the heavy lifting in the dungeons!
Sustaining the Late Game
Eventually, you’ll reach a point where you’ve unlocked everything. The "God of Death" update and subsequent patches like "Sins of the Flesh" changed the math a bit. You can now eventually unlock the doctrines you skipped by using Forgotten Commandment Stones.
This means your early choices aren't "forever" anymore, but they still dictate the first 10 to 15 hours of your playthrough. If you choose poorly, those 15 hours are going to be a slog of cleaning up vomit and dealing with strikes.
Breaking Down the Best Synergies
If you want a "Speedrun" style cult, here is the path:
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- Grass Eater (Sustenance) - Never worry about hunger again.
- Belief in Sacrifice (Afterlife) - Turn death into a celebration.
- Ritual of Enrichment (Wealth) - Solve all financial problems.
- Fire and Brimstone (Law & Order) - Make them terrified to leave.
By the time you hit the third bishop, Heket, your cult will be a well-oiled machine. You'll enter the temple, perform a quick dance, take their money, sacrifice the oldest person there, and head back into the dungeon with full hearts and a maxed-out fervor bar.
Practical Steps for Your Next Save
If you’re staring at the screen right now wondering which stone to crack, do this.
First, look at your resources. If you have zero food, take Grass Eater. It is the single biggest quality-of-life upgrade in the game.
Second, don't be afraid to be the "bad guy." The mechanics of Cult of the Lamb doctrines are heavily weighted toward the more ruthless options. Being a kind leader is a self-imposed "Hard Mode." It's possible, and it's a fun roleplay challenge, but if you want to win, lean into the dark side.
Third, save your Commandment Stones. Don't just spend them the second you get them. Sometimes it’s better to wait until you see which way your cult’s needs are trending. If you find yourself constantly short on gold, save that stone for the Wealth tree.
Finally, remember that the Loyalty Enforcer is your best friend for leveling up your favorite followers. Higher level followers mean better performance in the missionary and more powerful demons to take with you on crusades.
Stop trying to make everyone happy. Start making them useful. That’s how you actually finish the game without your temple burning down around you. Go back to your Altar, pick the "mean" option, and watch your Faith bar hit the ceiling. It’s much easier that way. Honestly.