How to Destroy Glowing Red Orbs in Valor Mortis

Early in Valor Mortis, you’ll run into large glowing red-orange orbs blocking side rooms, shortcuts, and optional passages. You’ll try your sword on them. Nothing. You’ll try Fire Transmutation. Still nothing. These aren’t fleshy barriers — they’re a completely different obstacle type, and they need a specific tool to clear.

The good news: the answer is simple, and you’ll get it automatically through the story.

Key Takeaways

• Glowing red orbs are Nephtoglobin growths — they cannot be destroyed with melee or Fire Transmutation
• You need the Pistol to shoot them — equip it, aim at the glowing node, and fire once
• The Pistol is found in Chapter 2: Regroup, inside a toppled luxury carriage in the Valley of Ashes
• You cannot miss the Pistol — it is a mandatory story pickup
• The Rapier can also destroy red orbs, but only when you’re close enough to hit them in melee
• After getting the Pistol, go back to any orbs you passed earlier — they can all be cleared retroactively
• The same Pistol also destroys enemy weak points, which drop Nephtoglobin Remnants to refuel your Transmutations

What Are the Glowing Red Orbs?

The red orbs are Nephtoglobin growths — nodes of the mysterious plague substance that spreads across the world of Valor Mortis. They appear as glowing red-orange pulsing objects blocking passages, doorways, and side routes throughout the game.

Don’t confuse them with the fleshy barriers you’ll also encounter. Those are a separate type of obstacle that can be burned away with Fire Transmutation. Red orbs are completely different — they require a ranged shot, not fire. If your Fire Transmutation isn’t working on a blockage, you’re looking at a red orb, not a flesh wall.

How to Destroy the Glowing Red Orbs

To destroy a glowing red orb:

1. Equip the Pistol from your weapon wheel.
2. Aim directly at the glowing node — the bright red-orange centre of the orb, not the surrounding material.
3. Fire once. The barrier disappears instantly.

That’s it. One shot, one clear. If the orb doesn’t break, your shot hit the surrounding rock or material instead of the glowing node itself. Adjust your aim slightly and try again.

The Rapier can also destroy red orbs if you’re standing close enough to hit them in melee. But some orbs are placed far away or in elevated positions — the Pistol is the reliable choice for every situation throughout the game.

Where to Get the Pistol in Valor Mortis

The Pistol is found in Chapter 2: Regroup, in the Valley of Ashes. You pick it up inside a toppled luxury rail carriage that has fallen beneath the broken bridge, tangled in the red plague growth below.

Here’s how to reach it:

1. Progress through Chapter 2 until you reach a broken bridge covered in a purple substance.
2. Use the platforms and handholds to cross the gap — jump, platform, and swing across to the other side.
3. Once across, locate the overturned ornate carriage sitting in the Nephtoglobin growths below.
4. Enter the carriage. The Pistol sits in an engraved gun-holder on your left. Pick it up.
5. A brief cutscene plays as William examines the weapon.

You cannot miss the Pistol. It is a mandatory story pickup — the game’s main path runs directly through the carriage. As long as you’re progressing through Chapter 2, you will find it automatically.

Once you have the Pistol, the tutorial explains its purpose: “The Pistol is a trusty sidearm, perfect for destroying Nephtoglobin Weak Spots.” That applies to both the environmental red orbs and the glowing weak points on enemies.

Going Back for Red Orbs You Already Passed

If you encountered red orbs in Chapter 1 before getting the Pistol — which almost every player does — don’t worry. You can go back and clear them any time after obtaining the weapon.

Valor Mortis has a connected world structure, and many earlier areas remain accessible throughout the game. Simply fast travel or retrace your steps to any Lantern near the orb you want to clear, then shoot it. The paths and side rooms behind those orbs often contain chests, Ambers, and optional content worth revisiting.

For a full list of every chapter and location, see the Valor Mortis all chapters list. To unlock fast travel quickly, check the fast travel guide.

What Else the Pistol Does

Clearing red orbs is just one of the Pistol’s jobs. It’s also your primary tool for dealing with enemy weak points — the glowing pustules and growths on infected enemies and bosses. Shooting a weak point deals bonus damage, sometimes severs a limb or staggers the enemy, and always drops Nephtoglobin Remnants that you can pick up to refuel your Transmutation abilities.

This ties your gunplay and your powers together. Shoot weak points, pick up Remnants, cast Fire or Stasis Transmutation. In boss fights especially, targeting the glowing growths is often the most efficient damage source available.

The Pistol deals 30 damage per shot at level 1 and scales up to 60 at level 10. It carries 5 rounds per magazine and has full damage out to 20 metres. It also unlocks a Nephtoglobin Infusion bullet at level 2 — hold the Reload button to load a special round that deals heavy posture damage, which is core to the Parry Build.

For more on the Pistol’s full upgrade path and how to build around it, see the best Pistol build guide and the Pistol gun guide.

Red Orbs on Bosses

Red Nephtoglobin orbs don’t just appear on the environment — some bosses are covered in them. The most notable is Slaughtermill, the Chapter 5 boss, which is entirely a puzzle fight built around shooting red orbs on its body. You cannot damage it with normal attacks — only by targeting and shooting the glowing red Nephtoglobin nodes it exposes across its three phases.

In the General Lothaire fight, the glowing growths on his body function the same way — shoot them for posture damage and Nephtoglobin drops. For the Slaughtermill fight specifically, see the Slaughtermill guide.

Red Orbs vs Fleshy Barriers — Quick Reference

• Glowing red orbs (Nephtoglobin nodes) — Round, pulsing red-orange growths. Destroy with Pistol (any range) or Rapier (close range only).
• Fleshy barriers (flesh walls / vines) — Organic-looking walls or golden vines. Destroy with Fire Transmutation.

If one method isn’t working, try the other — you’re looking at a different type of obstacle.

More Valor Mortis Guides

• Best Builds in Valor Mortis — All Playstyles Ranked
• Best Pistol Build
• Tips and Tricks for Getting Started
• All Transmutation Abilities Location Guide
• All Chapters List
• PC System Requirements

Get Valor Mortis on Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox.

Frequently Asked Questions