The multiplayer aspect of Lords of the Fallen brings a mix of seamless co-op, competitive PvP, and matchmaking features that define the online experience. Whether you’re looking to journey with a friend, face off against skilled invaders, or understand the intricacies of level scaling and crossplay, this guide has you covered.

Let’s dive into all the confirmed details about Lords of the Fallen multiplayer, including how matchmaking works, how to avoid invasions, and what happens to progression and loot in co-op play.

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Seamless Co-op Multiplayer

One of the standout features of Lords of the Fallen is its seamless drop-in/drop-out co-op system. Unlike some other Soulslike games where multiplayer is often restricted by limited summoning mechanics or item usage, Lords of the Fallenallows players to team up without requiring consumable items.

The co-op system works as follows:

• Players can invite a friend directly through the social tab or use a password system (similar to Dark Souls).
• Matchmaking is available for those looking for random partners.
• If your partner dies, they enter spectator mode until you either revive them or die yourself.
• If the entire party wipes, you respawn at the last visited Vestige.
• Only the host can transition the party between Axiom (the world of the living) and Umbral (the world of the dead).
• Co-op play is limited to two players, despite some confusion about three-player multiplayer (the third slot is reserved for potential PvP invaders).

Progression in Co-op:

• Only the host can advance the story and interact with NPCs for quest decisions.
• The guest can listen to dialogues but not make choices.
• Both players can interact with vendors.
• The guest can collect loot from enemies, including weapons, armor, consumables, and XP.
• Environmental/world loot (e.g., chest items) can only be collected by the host.
• The guest retains all XP, achievements, and loot earned during the session but their world state remains unchanged.

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Matchmaking and Online Features

For those looking to play online, Lords of the Fallen offers a flexible matchmaking system with the following key aspects:

• Players can search for co-op partners through Vestiges (both pre-made and player-created ones).
• If a player is open to both hosting and joining, they can enter the matchmaking queue as either.
• The game prioritizes low-ping connections first, gradually expanding the search range if no suitable partners are found.
• Level scaling is in place to balance co-op and PvP encounters. If a high-level player joins a lower-level game, their stats are scaled down to match the host’s level.

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PvP: Invasions and Friend Duels

If you’re a fan of PvP, Lords of the Fallen delivers an engaging invasion system, allowing players to challenge others regardless of whether they’re playing solo or in co-op. Here’s what you need to know:

How PvP Works

• Invasions can happen anytime if a player is online.
• There are two ways to avoid invasions:
  1. A consumable item (available from vendors) temporarily prevents invasions.
  2. Disabling multiplayer in the settings turns off both co-op and PvP.
• If you set up a password-protected session, invasions are temporarily disabled but will be re-enabled after a brief cooldown period.
• Friend PvP matches are possible but don’t grant the same rewards as regular invasions.

Level Scaling for PvP

To ensure fair fights, Lords of the Fallen scales invaders’ stats to match their opponent’s level:

• If an endgame player (e.g., level 90) invades a lower-level player (e.g., level 20), their damage output is adjustedaccordingly.
• This makes PvP more skill-based rather than gear-dependent.

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Crossplay: What Works and What Doesn’t

One of the most exciting aspects of Lords of the Fallen multiplayer is crossplay support, but there are some limitations:

• PC players can matchmake with console players.
• Crossplay between different console platforms (e.g., PlayStation and Xbox) is not supported.
• Unverified reports suggest that PC-console co-op may have restrictions on shared loot and XP, but this needs confirmation.

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Factions and Rewards

Like Dark Souls’ Covenants, Lords of the Fallen includes multiple factions that players can join.

• Factions offer unique rewards that can be earned by completing tasks and generating faction tokens.
• These tokens can be exchanged for faction-specific rewards at special shrines.
• While it’s unclear whether a player can join multiple factions simultaneously, faction membership may influence PvP dynamics.

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Final Thoughts: Why Multiplayer Matters

The inclusion of seamless co-op and PvP mechanics in Lords of the Fallen significantly enhances replayability. Online interaction brings longevity to the game, as evidenced by past Soulslike titles.

Some players argue that allowing invasions to be disabled undermines the tension of online play. However, balancing PvP and co-op ensures that both competitive and cooperative players can enjoy the game in their preferred way.

Ultimately, Lords of the Fallen presents a refined take on multiplayer mechanics, offering flexibility, accessibility, and fair competition for all players.