How to unlock Dark Crusader class in Lords of the Fallen

Souhardya Choudhury
Lords of the Fallen Dark Crusader

Lords of the Fallen is regarded as one of the best soulslike games of 2023 and fans continue to praise its beautiful gothic world of Mounstead. There are ten starting classes in the game, but the Dark Crusader is locked at the beginning. So, Here’s how to unlock the Dark Crusader class in LOTF.

Lords of the Fallen (2023) serves as the sequel to a 2014 game with the same name, and while an entirely different studio developed that title, the universe of the franchise remains the same. Being the latest soulslike game on the market, many fans had good words for this title.

Following in the footsteps of Elden Ring and other FromSoftware games, Lords of the Fallen’s class design is quite detailed. You’re given ten classes to start the game, but the Dark Crusader is locked for later.

So, here’s how to unlock the Dark Crusader class in Lords of the Fallen.

Lords of the Fallen: How to get Dark Crusader class

You can either purchase the Lords of the Fallen Deluxe Edition or go through a long route that involves finding various secrets about Paladin Issac if you want to get the Dark Crusader class in the Standard Edition.

Lords of the Fallen boss fights
The Dark Crusader is unlockable later in the game.

To get the Dark Crusader class in the Standard Edition of LOTF, follow these steps:

  1. Get the Flayed Skin: You can get this right after defeating the Holy Bulwark Otto boss, by moving to the right after leaving the area.
  2. Unlock all the memory Stigmas of Paladin Issac: You will have to move into Umbral and soulflay these memories to unlock these Stigmas. They are located in:
    • Lower Calrath, near the Depot Vestige
    • Fief of the Chill Curse, near the Fief Vestige (Will need to get the Fief key to access this area)
    • Fief of the Chill Curse, near the Nest Vestige: Defeat the boss in this area and move down to the tower with the beacon, pass through several rocky areas, and get to the memory. You might have to fight another boss here depending on your progression.
    • Path of Devotion, near the Memorial Vestige (Will need to get the Pilgrim’s Perch key to access this area)
  3. Fight Issac: You will now have to soulflay the final Stigma in the Path of Devotion and defeat Paladin Issac to get the Umbral-Tinged Flayed Skin.
  4. Retrieve Issac’s gear: Now go back to the first area where you found the Flayed skin. Go into the Umbral realm, unlock the giant door with the Umbral-Tinged Flayed Skin, and retrieve Issac’s sword, armor set, and rosary. This is the Dark Crusader gear in Lords of the Fallen.
  5. Summon Issac against the Lightreaper: Now all you have to do is to summon Issac against the Lightreaper and defeat it to unlock the Dark Crusader class in the game. Keep in mind that if you have already killed the Lightreaper, you will be locked from unlocking the class entirely until your next playthrough.
Dark Crusader Lords of the Fallen
Unlocking the Dark Crusader class involves several steps in the Standard Edition.

What is the Dark Crusader class in Lords of the Fallen?

According to the official Lords of the Fallen database, the Dark Crusader is a strength-based melee class with Radiant Powers. This means that you can use both melee and magic with this class in the game. The Dark Crusader’s starting items are Crusader Greatsword, Crusader Heavy Armor, and Rosary Catalyst.

Stats-wise, you’ll need to focus on Strength and Endurance as it is a melee class, so having high damage and stamina is the key. Since you are equipped with heavy armor and a longsword, Endurance will also help to increase your carrying capacity.

The Dark Crusader is the poster boy of Lords of the Fallen, so many fans would love to play with the lore-accurate character in the game, even if they do not want to buy the Deluxe Edition. That was everything you need to know about unlocking the Dark Crusader in the Standard Edition of Lords of the Fallen.

For more on Lords of the Fallen, check out our other guides:

Lords of the Fallen multiplayer: Co-op & PvP explained | Does Lords of the Fallen have crossplay? | Is Lords of the Fallen on Xbox Game Pass? | Best classes in Lords of the Fallen | Best early-game armor sets in Lords of the Fallen