Introduction
The bleating of a lamb doesn’t often herald the dawn of a new religion, but in *Cult of the Lamb*, that’s precisely what happens. Rescued from a sacrificial altar by The One Who Waits, you, the titular lamb, are tasked with building a devoted following, venturing into dangerous lands, and ultimately dismantling the power of the Old Gods. While combat and dungeon crawling form a significant part of the gameplay loop, the true heart of *Cult of the Lamb* lies in managing your flock and shaping their beliefs through the game’s intricate doctrine system.
*Cult of the Lamb*, a delightfully dark blend of roguelike action-adventure and colony simulation, owes much of its charm to the player’s ability to mold their cult’s identity. These doctrines are the fundamental principles, rules, and rituals that govern your followers’ lives, influencing everything from their daily routines to their views on death and the afterlife. Choosing the right doctrines is crucial, as they directly impact follower behavior, loyalty, resource management, and, most importantly, your cult’s overall success in spreading its influence. The choices you make within these systems even contribute to the different endings available in the game.
Therefore, mastering the doctrine system in *Cult of the Lamb* is crucial for optimizing cult management, maintaining follower happiness, and ultimately defeating the Old Gods. This guide will explore each category of doctrines, their individual effects, and strategic considerations for making the best choices for your Lamb-led religion. Consider this your definitive guide to the Cult of the Lamb doctrines.
Understanding the Doctrine System
Before we delve into the specifics, let’s take a moment to understand the structure of the doctrine system itself. *Cult of the Lamb* divides its doctrines into four distinct categories: Afterlife, Work & Worship, Law & Order, and Sustenance. Each category represents a different aspect of cult life, and within each category, you’ll find four tiers. At each tier, you’re presented with a choice between two opposing doctrines, and you can only choose one. This means that for each category, you’ll ultimately establish four key beliefs, shaping the fundamental values of your cult.
Unlocking these doctrines requires Commandment Stones, earned by gaining follower loyalty. As your flock grows and their devotion to you deepens, you’ll amass these stones, allowing you to unlock new tiers and further define your cult’s identity. The game also includes a mechanic linked to “Knucklebones”, where winning these competitions allows for doctrine unlocks. This deliberate choice-driven system highlights the weight of your decisions. Each doctrine you embrace will have tangible consequences for your cult, shaping its unique characteristics and influencing its trajectory.
Afterlife Doctrines: Grappling with Mortality
The Afterlife doctrines dictate how your followers perceive death and what happens to them after they shuffle off this mortal coil. This category has a huge impact on faith generation and resource management, with each doctrine influencing how your cult grieves, remembers, and utilizes the departed.
Tier One
The choice here is between **Ascension** and **Funeral**. Ascension offers a straightforward faith boost as followers “ascend” upon death. Funeral, on the other hand, requires you to perform funeral rituals to maintain faith; skipping funerals leads to faith loss. Ascension is ideal early on when you don’t have many options for generating faith.
Tier Two
This tier pits **Return to the Earth** against **Grave Offerings**. Return to the Earth allows you to bury followers and use their remains as fertilizer for your crops, a practical approach that offers a resource boost. Grave Offerings lets followers leave offerings at graves to improve faith. Return to the Earth is a very strong choice when needing a way to bolster your gardens.
Tier Three
Brace yourself for a slightly macabre choice between **Believer’s Burial** and **Cannibalism**. Believer’s Burial focuses on creating a sacred space around graves, with followers gaining faith by visiting them; however, bodies decompose over time, requiring maintenance. Cannibalism allows you to cook follower corpses into meals, boosting hunger but significantly increasing dissent. Cannibalism is a very risky choice, only viable if you have strong systems for managing dissent.
Tier Four
The final tier offers two powerful options: **Resurrection** and **Sacrifice of the Flesh**. Resurrection allows you to bring a dead follower back to life, granting them increased loyalty, a valuable tool for strengthening your inner circle. Sacrifice of the Flesh involves sacrificing a follower to The One Who Waits, providing a massive, immediate faith boost. Sacrifices should be used as a last resort.
Strategic consideration for the afterlife should involve early faith, resource accumulation, and end-game loyalty management.
Work & Worship Doctrines: Balancing Labor and Devotion
The Work & Worship doctrines govern how your followers spend their days and how they express their devotion to you and The One Who Waits. This category is all about striking a balance between productivity and faith generation, finding the optimal rhythm for your cult’s daily life.
Tier One
Here, you choose between **Work Rites** and **Inspire**. Work Rites provides a daily work speed boost after sermons. Inspire is the option where followers give inspiration when they work, which then boosts faith. Inspire is the best for balancing between devotion and labor.
Tier Two
The options are **Holy Day** and **Faithful Trainees**. Holy Day is a day dedicated to work, improving productivity but lowering faith; use this if needing a heavy day of labor. Faithful Trainees boosts follower recruitment. Holy Day should be used with careful planning.
Tier Three
The options are **Glorious Constructions** and **Industrious**. Glorious Constructions give faith for building, while industrious is a boost to followers who always work harder. Glorious Constructions is a good way to start a cult of builders.
Tier Four
The final options are **Enlightenment** and **Ascetic**. Enlightenment grants followers who meditate more faith, while Ascetic slows down work for less food. Enlightenment helps devotion, while Ascetic helps with resource management.
Effective use of Work and Worship requires devotion and hard labor.
Law & Order Doctrines: Establishing Rules and Maintaining Control
The Law & Order doctrines define the rules and regulations of your cult, dictating how you maintain control and address dissent. This category is crucial for ensuring stability and preventing chaos within your flock.
Tier One
Choose between **Trait Tax** and **Alms Collector**. Trait Tax grants a steady revenue stream based on follower traits, while Alms Collector allows followers to leave daily offerings for faith.
Tier Two
Choose between **Law Enforcer** and **Trait Mandate**. Law Enforcer keeps law and order, and Trait Mandate sends followers to prison for negative traits.
Tier Three
The options for this tier are **Fight Pit** and **Ritualistic Fighting**. Fight Pit grants loyalty to followers in the pit, while Ritualistic fighting provides faith and loyalty at a cost.
Tier Four
**Wedding** and **Murder** are the options. Wed a follower to boost their loyalty, or let followers murder each other, granting loyalty at the cost of dissent.
Law and Order ensures cult stability and loyalty.
Sustenance Doctrines: Managing Hunger and Resources
The Sustenance doctrines revolve around your cult’s relationship with food and resources. How will you feed your flock? What sacrifices will you make to ensure their survival? This category is essential for resource management and preventing starvation.
Tier One
Choose between **Fasting** and **Feasting**. Fasting boosts faith, while Feasting grants loyalty and stamina.
Tier Two
Choose between **Grass Eater** and **Diet**. Eating grass may cause sickness, while only cooked meals increase health.
Tier Three
**Mushroom Feast** and **Harvest** are the choices. Stamina increases when harvesting food, while eating mushrooms grants more stamina and loyalty.
Tier Four
Here, you decide on either **Devout Feast** or **Transcendence**. Devout Feast does daily rituals and increases devotion, while Transcendence grants even more devotion through rituals.
Sustenance makes sure the cult doesn’t die of hunger.
Tips for Picking Doctrines
Consider Your Playstyle: Are you a benevolent leader or a ruthless tyrant? Choose doctrines that align with your vision.
Balance Faith and Resources: Don’t prioritize faith if your followers are starving.
Adapt to Challenges: If dissent is a problem, address it with Law & Order doctrines.
Plan for the Long Term: How will your choices affect your cult in the late game?
Experiment! There’s no right way to play, try different combinations.
The Endgame
Doctrine choice can have a drastic impact on how the game ends, and what happens to The One Who Waits. Choose wisely!
Conclusion
Cult of the Lamb‘s doctrine system offers a wealth of possibilities. By considering the factors above, you can make choices that optimize your cult’s performance, maintain follower happiness, and ultimately achieve your goals. Now go forth and build your cult!
