Look, everyone loves the boss weapons. I get it. Walking around with the Seven-Coil Spring Sword or the Holy Sword of Ark makes you feel like a god. But if you’re ignoring all normal weapons in Lies of P, you’re basically playing half the game. Honestly, the assembly system is where the real genius of Neowiz’s design shines. You aren't just picking a sword; you're building a tool.
It’s about the handles. Seriously.
The blades provide the raw damage and the reach, but the handles determine the moveset and the scaling. This is why normal weapons often outperform the flashy "Special" ones in practical, moment-to-moment gameplay. You can't put a fast dagger handle on a giant wrench head if you're using a boss weapon. But with normal gear? You absolutely can.
The Anatomy of Weapon Assembly
Basically, every normal weapon is split into two parts: the Blade and the Handle.
The Blade determines the damage type—slash or stab—and the Fable Art tied to offense. The Handle determines the scaling (Motivity, Technique, or Advance) and the moveset. It also has its own Fable Art, usually a defensive or utility move. If you take the Big Pipe Wrench Head and slap it on the Krat Police Baton Handle, you get a fast-swinging heavy hitter that scales with Motivity. It's ridiculous. It looks stupid. It also happens to delete bosses.
You have to pay attention to the attack types. If you put a stabbing blade on a slashing handle, you’ll see a downward arrow in the stats. This means your damage is getting nerfed because you're using the tool wrong. It’s a subtle detail most people miss during their first few hours in Krat.
Why Scaling Matters More Than Base Damage
In the early game, base damage is king. You just want the biggest number. But as you pump points into Motivity or Technique, the scaling on the handle becomes the only thing that matters.
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Take the Booster Glaive Handle. It has this incredible charged heavy attack that rockets you forward. It covers so much ground. If you’re a Technique build, you can use a Crank to push that scaling even higher. You’re not just hitting harder; you’re changing the fundamental way you engage with enemies like the Scrapped Watchman or those annoying puppets in the Opera House.
The Standout Blades You Shouldn't Ignore
Let's talk about the Live Puppet's Axe Blade. It’s heavy. It’s ugly. It’s also one of the highest raw damage components among all normal weapons in Lies of P. When you find this in the Barren Swamp, your first instinct might be to ignore it because it's slow. Don't.
Pair it with a long-reaching handle like the City Longsword Handle or the Pistol Rock Drill Handle. You get the reach of a spear with the crushing power of an axe. It’s a literal game-changer for clearing mobs without letting them get close enough to touch your gorgeous porcelain skin.
Then there's the Tyrant Murderer's Dagger.
Most players see the short reach and pass.
Big mistake.
The critical hit rate on this blade is disgusting. If you put it on the City Longsword Handle, you get a fast, poking moveset with a high chance to proc massive crit damage. It’s a "death by a thousand cuts" playstyle that works surprisingly well against human stalkers.
Elemental Options: The Advance Build's Bread and Butter
If you’re running an Advance build, you're looking at a different pool of toys.
- Salamander Dagger: Fast fire damage. Great for carcasses.
- Acidic Crystal Spear: Vital for the late-game puppet bosses who hate acid.
- Electric Coil Stick: Your best friend for the first three chapters.
The trick here is that elemental blades don't just do damage; they apply status effects. Overheating an enemy causes damage over time. Blitzing a puppet makes them take more stagger damage. You can swap these blades onto different handles to match your preferred speed, but the elemental property stays with the blade.
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The "Secret" Top-Tier Handles
The Krat Police Baton Handle is widely considered the best Motivity handle in the game. Why? Because the moveset is compact and fast. In a game where bosses have tiny windows for punishment, a slow, five-second swing is a death sentence. The Baton handle lets you get in, hit hard, and get out.
The Blind Man's Double-Sided Spear Handle is another weird one. It has a built-in block during its heavy attacks. It's sort of like a training wheels version of the Aegis arm, but it consumes less stamina and keeps the pressure on.
And we can't forget the Master Chef's Knife Handle. The flurry of attacks is mesmerizing. If you've got an elemental blade on there, you'll proc status effects in seconds.
Weight Management and the P-Organ
Using all normal weapons in Lies of P requires a bit of math. Not the hard kind, but you have to watch your weight limit. Heavier blades like the Mjolnir Hammer Head require a lot of Capacity. If you’re "Slightly Heavy," your stamina recovers slower. If you’re "Heavy," you’re basically a sitting duck.
I always tell people: prioritize Capacity. It's the only stat in the game that doesn't have a soft cap that makes it useless. Being able to carry a heavy blade on a versatile handle while wearing the best defensive frames is how you survive New Game Plus.
Finding Your Perfect Match
The beauty of the system is the lack of a "correct" answer.
You might love the Bone-Cutting Saw Blade for its massive reach.
Someone else might swear by the Wintry Rapier's speed.
The game encourages you to sit at the Stargazer and just... experiment. Take the head of a giant circular saw and put it on a pickaxe handle. See what happens. The Fable Arts also combine in interesting ways. You can have a "buff" Art on your handle (like a temporary damage boost) and a "strike" Art on your blade. Use the buff, then unleash the strike.
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Common Misconceptions About Normal Weapons
A lot of people think normal weapons are just "starters" until they get the boss souls. That's just wrong.
In fact, normal weapons are often easier to upgrade. You use standard Hidden Moonstones and Crescent Moonstones, which are much more abundant than the Dark Moon Moonstones needed for special weapons. This means your normal weapon will likely be at a higher "plus" level for most of your first playthrough compared to your boss weapons.
Also, the versatility of being able to change your damage type (Physical vs. Fire vs. Electric) just by swapping a blade at a Stargazer is an advantage boss weapons simply don't have. If you're stuck on the Green Monster of the Swamp, you can just slap a fire blade on your favorite handle and suddenly the fight is 30% easier.
The Durability Factor
Some blades have terrible durability. The Sawtoothed Wheel or anything with "saw" in the name tends to blunt quickly. You'll find yourself using the Grinder mid-fight more often. However, these blades usually have higher "Guard Regain." This is the amount of health you can earn back by attacking after blocking. It's a trade-off. High risk, high regain.
Actionable Strategy for Your Build
If you want to actually master the weapon system, stop looking at the "Total Attack" number and start looking at the moveset.
- Identify your scaling: If you’re Technique, look for handles like the Booster Glaive or Dancer's Curved Sword.
- Pick your reach: Do you want to be in their face or stay back? The Spear of Honor blade has incredible poke distance.
- Check the Fable Arts: Make sure your handle and blade arts don't overlap in a useless way. You generally want one utility/buff and one big damage dealer.
- Test the "Feel": Take your creation to the training dummies in Hotel Krat. If the R1-R1-R2 combo feels clunky, scrap the handle and try another.
- Don't forget Cranks: Use Motivity, Technique, or Advance cranks to tilt the scaling of a handle to match your highest stat. You can even use a Balance crank to reset it if you decide to respec later.
The game is hard. There's no getting around that. But the weapon assembly system is the most powerful tool the game gives you to level the playing field. Don't let those "Normal" labels fool you; these are the most customizable and potentially broken items in the game. Take that Big Pipe Wrench, put it on the Police Baton Handle, use the "Strengthen" Fable Art, and watch a boss's health bar vanish. It’s the most satisfying feeling in all of Krat.
Go to the Stargazer. Start mixing and matching. You’ll find a combination that feels like it was made specifically for your playstyle, and that’s when the game truly clicks.