You’re staring at the floor of your temple. Your followers are hungry, the grass is overgrown, and honestly, you’re just trying to figure out how to get that extra edge before heading back into the Silk Cradle. You’ve seen the screenshots. You’ve heard the rumors about how to configure the summoning circle rings to get better demons or specific buffs. But here’s the kicker: half of what you’ve read online is either outdated or people confusing mods with the vanilla game. It’s frustrating. I get it.
The Summoning Circle is one of the most misunderstood structures in Cult of the Lamb. Massive Monster, the developers, didn’t build this as a complex puzzle where you rotate rings like a combination lock. It’s actually way simpler, yet way more nuanced depending on which follower you’re willing to sacrifice—temporarily, of course—to the cause.
The Reality of How the Circle Works
Forget the idea that you’re going to manually "spin" or "calibrate" the rings on the floor. That’s not a thing in the base game. When people talk about how to configure the summoning circle rings, what they’re actually referring to is the strategic selection of followers and the leveling of the structure itself. You don't "configure" the physical circle; you configure the output by choosing the right "vessel."
Basically, the summoning circle is a conversion engine. It takes a follower and turns them into a demon that follows you into the dungeon. The "rings" people often mention are usually the visual indicators of the circle's level. A Level 1 circle looks basic. A Level 3 circle is ornate, glowing, and frankly, a bit intimidating. To get the best results, you need to stop worrying about the floor art and start looking at your follower list.
Let’s talk level scaling.
If you’re still rocking a Level 1 Summoning Circle, you’re limited. You can only bring one demon. By the time you upgrade to Level 3, you can bring three demons. That’s a small army. But the "configuration" happens in the UI, not in the world space. You pick a follower, and their specific trait determines what kind of demon they become. Paean becomes a spirit heart. Fornax becomes an explosive melee attacker. Vane becomes a ranged projectile shooter.
Why Leveling Your Follower is the Real Configuration
You want a beefy demon? Level up your follower. It’s that simple. A Level 20 follower turned into a demon is a god-tier companion. A Level 1 follower is basically a decorative paperweight that occasionally throws a rock. When you go to configure the summoning circle rings via the upgrade menu, your goal is to unlock the capacity for more followers, but the quality of the rings' power comes entirely from the loyalty of your flock.
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I’ve seen players spend hours trying to find a "secret" interaction with the building. There isn't one. The "secret" is just the "Sermon" grind. You give sermons, you get Inspiration, you unlock the higher tiers of the circle in the Divine Inspiration tree. Once you’ve unlocked the Tier 3 Summoning Circle, you’ve reached the "max configuration" the game allows.
The Demon Types You’re Actually Configuring
Most players just grab the first three followers they see. Big mistake. Huge. If you want to actually configure the summoning circle rings for a successful run, you need to balance your demon types.
Think about it this way.
If you take three "Fornax" demons (the ones that explode), you’re playing a high-risk game. They rush in, blow up, and then they have a cooldown. If you take three "Paean" demons, you’re walking in with a massive amount of extra health, but you have no offensive support. The "pro" configuration is usually a mix.
- Paean (The Spirit Heart): Essential for bosses like Kallamar where you’re going to take chip damage.
- Vane (The Ranged Attacker): Great for clearing those annoying small mobs in Anura.
- Clauneck (The Relic/Tarot Finder): This one is a bit more niche but can be a run-saver.
Honestly, the best way to think about this is like a loadout in a shooter. You wouldn't go into a long-range fight with three shotguns. Don't go into a bullet-hell boss fight without at least one Paean to cushion the blows.
The Exhaustion Factor
Here’s something the game doesn't highlight enough: the cost of configuration. When you use a follower to power the rings, they don't just bounce back the moment you return to the cult. They get "Exhausted." They’ll wander around looking like they haven't slept in three weeks.
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If you keep using the same followers because they have the highest levels, you’re going to end up with a cult full of zombies who aren't generating Devotion or farming your crops. You have to rotate. Effective management means having a "B-team" of followers who are leveling up specifically to be your next set of demons while your "A-team" recovers.
Common Misconceptions About "Ring Patterns"
I’ve seen some wild theories on Reddit and Discord. Some people claim that the direction the followers face when they enter the circle changes the demon's behavior. It doesn’t. Others think the time of day matters. It doesn't.
The visual "rings" of the summoning circle are purely a reflection of your progression in the tech tree. If your circle looks different from a YouTuber’s, it’s because they’ve spent more Divine Inspiration points than you. There is no "hidden" configuration menu.
However, there is a legitimate "configuration" aspect when it comes to the Relics of the Old Faith update. Some relics interact with your demons. If you’re building your character around demon synergy, you’re looking for things like the Paingiver’s Throat or other items that buff your companions. This is where the deep-end strategy actually lives. You aren't just picking demons; you're building a whole ecosystem where your weapons and your summoned spirits feed into each other.
The Role of Follower Traits
Did you know certain follower traits don't matter once they become demons, but their level is the only scaling factor? It’s true. A "Jerk" follower or a "Coward" follower performs just as well in the demon realm as a "Faithful" one. The only thing the circle cares about is the raw level number.
This means you should use your "problem" followers as demons. If someone is causing trouble in the camp, shove them into the summoning circle. It gets them out of your hair for the duration of the crusade, and they’re actually doing something useful for once. It’s the ultimate management hack.
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Practical Steps for Maximum Efficiency
If you’re ready to stop messing around and actually optimize your setup, here is how you do it.
First, ignore the floor. Focus on your Divine Inspiration tree. You need to rush the Summoning Circle upgrades as soon as you have your basic survival buildings (like the farm and the lumber yard) sorted.
Second, identify your "Demon Squad." These are followers you don't necessarily care about for long-term labor but you’re going to pump full of gifts and high-quality meals to get their level up quickly.
Third, when you configure the summoning circle rings for a specific run, check your map. Are you going to a short area? Take offensive demons. Are you going for a long, multi-stage run to farm resources? Take the Paean for the health or the demon that collects extra resources for you.
- Check Follower Levels: High level = high damage/health.
- Balance the Roles: One melee, one ranged, one support.
- Manage Recovery: Build enough beds so your exhausted demons can rest immediately.
- Upgrade Early: Tier 2 is the sweet spot for the mid-game.
Don't overthink the "rings." The game is about the cult, not the geometry. The more you focus on the strength of your followers, the more the summoning circle will reward you. It’s a reflection of your leadership, not a puzzle to be solved.
Get back into the dungeon. Those bishops aren't going to defeat themselves, and your demons are waiting. The real configuration happens in the choices you make every day as the leader of the cult, from the sermons you give to the way you punish dissent. Use your followers as the tools they are, and those rings will glow brighter than ever.