Ambers in Valor Mortis let you change your combat style without replacing your weapon. One restores Health after a Critical Attack, another slows time while aiming, and a third turns healing flasks into a source of energy for supernatural abilities. Simply picking up an Amber and opening your inventory is not enough, however. To equip one, you need to return to a Lantern and work with the upgrade slots. Below, we explain the entire process, from finding your first Amber to combining several of them in one build.
Ambers are special items with permanent or conditional effects. They work much like talismans in other soulslikes, occupying dedicated slots and changing William's abilities while equipped. Some strengthen a specific move, others help with recovery, and several offer a powerful advantage in exchange for a serious drawback, essentially creating a berserker-style tradeoff. For that reason, do not look only at the bonus. Pay attention to what you have to give up in return.For example, an Amber that restores Health through melee hits can support an aggressive playstyle. The downside is that you lose normal healing from Ferrofluid Flasks. If you do not know a boss's attacks well yet or are still learning to parry consistently, that kind of bonus can make the fight much harder instead of easier. For a first attempt, passive Health regeneration or another bonus that does not disable your main healing method is usually safer.
Where to find Ambers
Valor MortisValor MortisExplore side paths, rooms away from the main route, and areas containing loot. Ambers are found in the game world, so it is worth checking dead ends and accessible branches before moving into the next area. Do not expect ordinary enemies to constantly drop them. Building a full setup requires exploration.Whenever you find a new Amber, read its description immediately. Pay particular attention to the second part of the effect. A healing restriction, increased incoming damage, or faster Endurance drain can completely change how you normally fight. Even if you do not have a free slot yet, keep the Amber for another build.
How to equip or change an Amber at a Lantern
A common mistake is trying to equip Ambers through the normal inventory. These items are managed at Lanterns, where William rests, upgrades his attributes, and establishes respawn points. If you find a useful Amber, do not look for a Use button among your consumables. Return to the nearest activated Lantern.The process works roughly like this:
Reach an activated Lantern and interact with it.
Open the leveling and upgrade menu. Do not stop at Rest or Fast Travel.
Find the Amber node or slot in the progression system. If the slot is still locked, unlock it with Catalysts first.
Select an available slot and equip the Amber you found.
Read the equipped effect, return to the game, and test it in a situation where its condition can trigger.
It is easiest to adjust your setup before difficult fights. If the next enemy uses long combos, keep effects that help you survive a mistake. If you already know the attack patterns well, you can switch toward damage, Critical Attacks, or faster resource recovery. Most importantly, do not walk into a boss fight with a setup that disables normal healing unless you have prepared an alternative.
Why is the Amber in your inventory but impossible to equip?
If the Lantern only seems to offer resting, leveling, and fast travel, open the character progression section first. Amber equipment is tied to slots in the progression system, so there may not be a separate Amber option on the first Lantern screen. Then check the following:
The slot is still locked. Find the corresponding progression node and unlock it if the purchase is available.
You do not have enough Catalysts. Earn the required amount and return to the same Lantern.
The unlock requirement has not been met. Keep leveling William and check the neighboring progression nodes.
All available slots are occupied. Replace one of your equipped Ambers instead of trying to exceed your current slot limit.
Do not spend everything just because a new node becomes available. If the next boss is only a few steps away, it can be more useful to increase Health or Endurance first and expand your passive setup afterward.
How to unlock additional Amber slots
At the beginning, you can use only one Amber slot at a time. As William develops, you can unlock more and eventually reach five slots. That means new Ambers do not have to permanently replace old ones. Later, you can combine Health recovery, Transmutation support, and bonuses for your main weapon in the same build.New slots are tied to William's progression. Level up at Lanterns, inspect the available nodes in the progression tree, and unlock Amber slots as they become accessible. Every level requires Catalysts, and later upgrades cost more, so do not expect to fill all five positions at the beginning of the game.For the first few hours, this order works well:
First slot - a survivability effect that does not require risky actions.
Second slot - support for your main damage source, whether that is melee combat, firearms, or Transmutations.
Third slot and beyond - effects that reinforce one another instead of a random collection of bonuses.
What Catalysts are for and how to earn them
Valor MortisValor MortisCatalysts are the main currency for permanent character progression. You spend them to level up, improve attributes, and unlock progression nodes, including those tied to Amber slots. Do not confuse Catalysts with Nephtoglobin. Nephtoglobin is spent on Transmutations during combat, while Catalysts are used for permanent upgrades at Lanterns.There are two main sources of Catalysts: defeating enemies and Catalyst Clots found while exploring. Stronger enemies and bosses can be riskier sources, while ordinary enemies along a familiar route are better for safe early farming.
How to farm Catalysts quickly early in the game
Choose a Lantern with several nearby enemies whose attacks you already know how to parry. Kill them, collect the Catalysts, and return to rest. Resting respawns the enemies, letting you repeat the same short route without carrying a large amount into an unfamiliar area.The Trenches Lantern works well for early farming. Turn around from the rest point, defeat the three nearby enemies, and return to the Lantern. If you can clear the route without using Ferrofluid Flasks, repeat it until you can afford your next level. Once those enemies start giving too few Catalysts, move to a later area with a convenient farming loop.
How to avoid losing Catalysts after death
When William dies, he leaves his unspent Catalysts at the place of death. Return and retrieve them before taking another major risk. If you die again without recovering the previous amount, those Catalysts are lost permanently. Levels and upgrades you already purchased remain intact.Before entering a new area or boss arena, visit a Lantern and spend what you have. If you are only slightly short of the next level, clear a familiar safe route first. That is better than losing a large amount while trying to rush through an unknown corridor full of enemies.
Which Ambers to choose for different combat styles
A good setup starts with a clear combination rather than the rarest Amber you own. Health recovery is useful during exploration, aiming effects support precise firearm shots, and Transmutation bonuses let you rely more heavily on William's supernatural powers. Here are several setups you can build around.
For beginners: Health recovery
Start with Wound that Heals. It slowly regenerates lost Health, helping you conserve Ferrofluid Flasks during long stretches between Lanterns. The effect will not save you from a heavy combo immediately, but it helps you recover between smaller encounters.Once you unlock a second slot, add Dominatus. This Amber restores Health after Critical Attacks. The pair works especially well once you have learned to parry consistently, break enemy Posture, and perform finishers. One Amber covers attrition between fights, while the other rewards good execution.
For melee combat: Healing through hits and high damage
Butcher's Carnage restores Health when you hit enemies with melee attacks. The drawback is substantial: Ferrofluid Flasks can no longer heal William. This Amber is designed for confident, aggressive combat rather than learning a new boss.If you want more damage, consider Glass Soldier. It increases melee damage but also increases the damage you receive. Together, these Ambers create a risky setup where you need to keep attacking to sustain Health and cannot afford prolonged mistakes. Against unfamiliar enemies, it is safer to use only one of the two.
For firearms: Slow time and destroy Weak Points
Dilated Moment slows the perception of time while aiming a firearm. The convenience comes at the cost of Endurance drain and reduced firearm damage. Do not keep Aim held constantly. Pick your moment, line up a Weak Point quickly, and fire while keeping enough Endurance for a dodge.Volatile End can complement this style. Destroying an enemy Weak Point causes an explosion. The combination makes precise shots more valuable than ordinary body damage. Against targets without accessible Weak Points, replace one of the Ambers with a more universal effect.
For Transmutations: More energy and healing through abilities
Life Diverted changes how Ferrofluid Flasks work. They restore Nephtoglobin instead of Health, while part of the damage dealt by Transmutations is siphoned back to replenish Health. The result is an unusual loop: use the flask to restore ability fuel, then heal by landing Transmutations on enemies.Bottomless Well supports this build by slowly regenerating lost Nephtoglobin. Before equipping both, make sure you can reliably land your Transmutations and maintain safe spacing. If you miss repeatedly, William is left without normal flask healing, while a full supernatural resource bar will not restore Health by itself.
How to combine Ambers without ruining your build
Before a difficult fight, check three things: how you heal, what deals most of your damage, and whether you still have enough Endurance for defense. If an Amber disables normal healing, you need a reliable way to recover Health through melee hits, Critical Attacks, or Transmutations. If an effect increases incoming damage, avoid stacking it with other risky drawbacks until you know the boss's attack patterns.Be especially careful when combining Butcher's Carnage and Life Diverted. Both change how healing works. One disables Health recovery from Ferrofluid Flasks, while the other converts those flasks into a source of Nephtoglobin. Start with one of these effects, learn the new combat loop, and only then experiment with running both.
Which Amber setup should you build first?
For a comfortable introduction to Valor Mortis, equip an Amber that gradually restores Health and spend your early Catalysts on survivability and your main damage method. After unlocking the second slot, add a bonus for Critical Attacks or an effect that supports your chosen weapon. Do not rush into replacing normal flask healing with life steal. That style becomes much more useful once you can consistently handle enemy combos.A simple and comfortable foundation for later progression looks like this:
One unlocked slot with an Amber that restores Health.
Higher maximum Health and Endurance.
A second slot for a bonus tied to your chosen weapon or abilities.
A build with a clearly defined way to recover Health during combat.
