Valor Mortis Pistol Gun Guide – How to Get, Use, Upgrade, and Build

TL;DR

• The Pistol is found in Chapter 2 inside a suspended carriage after crossing the broken bridge.
• It starts at 30 damage and can be fully upgraded using materials found in the world.
• Use it to shoot enemy weak points (lambent blisters) to deal bonus damage and refill Nephtoglobin.
• It also destroys glowing red Nephtoglobin barriers that block shortcuts and side areas.
• Best Ambers: Lucky Shot, Sixth Sense, Sleight of Hand.
• Best upgrade path depends on your build — Tactical Reload + Ingenious Engineering for damage, Ruthlessness for critical hits.
• Pairs best with the Saber (fire/AOE build) or the Rapier (posture-breaking build).

What Is the Pistol in Valor Mortis?

The Pistol is your first firearm in Valor Mortis. It sits in William’s left hand and works as a secondary weapon alongside your melee blade. Think of it less like a main weapon and more like a tool that opens up the whole game — both literally and in terms of combat options.

On paper it seems simple. Point and shoot. But once you understand what it actually does in this game, you’ll realise it’s one of the most useful things in your arsenal. It destroys environmental barriers, breaks enemy posture, hits weak points, refills your Nephtoglobin, and — with the right upgrades — can absolutely chunk bosses.

Its description in-game says it all: “A versatile, well-rounded firearm with a generous ammunition capacity.” That versatility is the whole point.

Where to Find the Pistol in Valor Mortis (Chapter 2 Location)

You get the Pistol in Chapter 2: Regroup. After resting at the Demolished Path Lantern, you’ll need to make your way across a broken bridge that’s been overrun by that eerie purple substance. Use the platforms to jump across, do a couple of swinging movements, and eventually you’ll land inside an ornate carriage suspended in the air.

The Pistol is sitting right there in a fancy gun holder on your left. You can’t miss it. Just interact with it and it’s yours.

From this point on, you’ll also be able to destroy those glowing red orbs that have been blocking side areas since the start of the game. A lot of shortcuts and secrets open up once you have the gun. Worth backtracking to explore them.

For a full list of every weapon location in the game, check out our Valor Mortis all swords and guns weapons list.

How to Use the Pistol in Valor Mortis

The Pistol occupies your left-hand slot, the same slot used by Transmutations. You can switch between the two whenever needed, so get comfortable swapping on the fly.

Here are the main ways to use it:

• Shoot enemy weak points — Every enemy has glowing pustules called lambent blisters. Shooting these deals massive bonus damage and, critically, restores your Nephtoglobin. This creates the core combat loop: your sword breaks posture, your Pistol hits weak points, weak points refill your Nephtoglobin, Nephtoglobin powers your Transmutations.
• Destroy red Nephtoglobin barriers — Aim at the glowing red-orange orbs scattered across the world to open blocked paths and shortcuts.
• Break enemy posture — You can spend Nephtoglobin to load a special posture-breaking bullet. Alternatively, use the Mighty Rounds item to load 10 of them at once.
• Chip damage at range — Against tough enemies or bosses you can’t read yet, the Pistol is a safe way to chip damage without closing the gap.

One important note: ammo is scarce. Don’t just spray bullets. Aim down sights, find the glow, and shoot it. Every shot should mean something.

pistol in valor mortis

Pistol Stats — Base Damage and Starting Numbers

When you first pick up the Pistol, it deals 30 damage per shot. That’s not going to carry you through the game on its own, but it’s a solid starting point for a support weapon. As you find upgrade materials in the world and invest in the Pistol’s upgrade tree, those numbers climb meaningfully.

The key stats to watch when building around the Pistol are:

• Headshot Damage — Increases the payoff every time you nail a weak point or headshot.
• Ammo Restock — Helps you stay topped up so you’re not running dry mid-fight.
• Status Buildup — Important if you’re running a fire or ignite build alongside the Pistol.

All Pistol Upgrades in Valor Mortis

The Pistol has a branching upgrade tree. Some of these upgrades are automatic as you level the weapon. Others are choices you make at key milestones. Here are the most important ones:

Ruthlessness vs. Resourcefulness (Level 5 Branch)

Ruthlessness makes your critical attacks — triggered after breaking enemy posture — hit significantly harder. This is the better pick for most builds and is especially strong in a Rapier/Pistol combo where you’re regularly landing criticals.

Resourcefulness leans into sustainability and ammo management. It’s viable but generally less impactful than the raw damage of Ruthlessness.

Recommendation: Go Ruthlessness first.

Robust Chamber vs. Ingenious Engineering

Robust Chamber increases your magazine size, giving you more shots before you need to reload.

Ingenious Engineering does the opposite — it reduces your magazine down to just three bullets. That sounds awful, but it only makes sense when paired with Tactical Reload (see below). The smaller magazine means you hit empty faster, which means you reload more often, which means you trigger Tactical Reload’s amplified shot more often.

For a Tactical Reload build, go Ingenious Engineering. For a general/beginner build, go Robust Chamber.

Tactical Reload vs. Automatic Mayhem

This is the headline upgrade for Pistol damage builds. Tactical Reload means every time you fully reload your Pistol, the first shot is greatly amplified — it hits much harder than a standard bullet. Combined with Ingenious Engineering’s three-bullet mag, you’re effectively always one quick reload away from a massive hit.

Automatic Mayhem takes things in a different direction, focusing on sustained fire rather than burst damage spikes.

If you want big damage numbers, Tactical Reload is the pick.

Want to see how the Pistol’s upgrade path compares to other weapons? Check our complete Valor Mortis weapons list.

Best Ambers for the Pistol in Valor Mortis

Ambers are the accessories you slot in at a Lantern to tailor your build. You can only equip two at lower levels, so pick carefully. Here are the best ones for Pistol-focused play:

Lucky Shot

This one gives you a chance to not consume a bullet when you fire. That might sound minor, but in a game where ammo is scarce, it’s a genuine lifesaver. It also synergises beautifully with Tactical Reload — the less ammo you spend per magazine, the more you need to think about when to trigger that amplified first shot.

Sixth Sense

Every time you perform a perfect dodge, Sixth Sense increases your Pistol’s damage for a short window. If you’re a confident dodger, this can deliver some scary burst damage when you follow up a dodge roll with a well-timed shot.

Sleight of Hand

If your build relies on constantly reloading (especially with Tactical Reload), Sleight of Hand speeds up your reload animation. Less time reloading means more time shooting and fighting.

Volatile End

Particularly strong for boss fights. Volatile End makes your firearms more powerful and rewards hitting weak points. Swap this in when you know you’re heading into a boss encounter and want to maximise the damage you’re doing to those glowing pustules.

Lunatic’s Grasp

Only relevant if you’re running a fire build. This Amber helps build up Ignite faster on enemies, which is exactly what you want when pairing the Pistol with the Saber and Fire-Clad Rounds.

There are 28 unique Ambers in total and 55 pickups across the game. Some can even be upgraded up to level 3 by finding duplicates. For general exploration, Lucky Shot and Tomorrow’s Promise are a solid starter combo. For boss fights, swap to Volatile End and Dominatus.

Best Pistol Builds in Valor Mortis

The Pistol isn’t a standalone weapon — it’s a force multiplier. Its best builds come from combining it with a melee weapon and taking advantage of how each weapon feeds into the other. Here are the two strongest combos.

Pistol and Saber Build (Fire/AOE Damage)

This is the offensive glass cannon build. The idea is to stack Ignite on enemies using the Saber and Fire-Clad Rounds, then hit them with a fully amplified Pistol shot from Tactical Reload to trigger an explosion. That explosion consumes the Ignite status and deals massive area-of-effect damage.

To make this work you’ll need:

• Pistol upgrades: Tactical Reload + Ingenious Engineering
• Fire Transmutation final upgrade: Unstable Blaze
• Ambers: Lucky Shot, Sixth Sense, Lunatic’s Grasp
• Items: Flaming Whetstone, Fire-Clad Rounds

The trick in practice: shoot an enemy once with the Pistol, then slash with the Saber. If your upgrades are right, you’ll recover that bullet on the melee hit. Then fully reload, wait for the Ignite to build, and release the amplified shot for the explosion.

It takes a little practice to get the rhythm down, but once it clicks it feels excellent. Read our Valor Mortis Saber guide for more detail on the melee side of this build.

Pistol and Rapier Build (Posture/Critical Hit)

This is a more methodical build centred around posture damage and critical hits. The Rapier is one of the best parrying weapons in the game, and its parry mechanics are designed to break enemy posture quickly. Once posture is broken, you land a critical hit.

The Pistol slots into this build in two ways. First, you can spend Nephtoglobin to load a posture-breaking bullet — useful when you need to force a break without waiting for another parry window. Second, the Rapier can actually pierce enemy weak points directly, which works as an alternative to the Pistol on certain enemies.

• Pistol upgrade: Ruthlessness (makes critical attacks hit much harder)
• Items: Mighty Rounds (loads 10 posture-breaking bullets at once)
• Ambers: Sixth Sense, Volatile End for bosses

This is the better build for players who enjoy defensive, read-the-enemy gameplay rather than aggressive fire combos. See our full Valor Mortis Rapier guide to pair this with the right melee setup.

Pistol Tips and Tricks in Valor Mortis

A few things that don’t fit neatly into a build section but are worth knowing:

• Always aim down sights for weak points. Body shots are fine in a pinch, but the real value of the Pistol comes from hitting lambent blisters. Aim, confirm the glow, then fire.
• Don’t forget to backtrack after getting the Pistol. A lot of Nephtoglobin barriers from Chapter 1 onwards can now be broken, opening up shortcuts, Ambers, and upgrade materials you may have missed.
• Conserve ammo for important encounters. Enemies can drop ammo on death, and your Amber choices can help you stay stocked, but the Pistol is never going to be a spray-and-pray weapon. Save bullets for the fights that need them.
• The parry bullet amber is worth knowing about. There’s an Amber that lets you parry incoming bullets — and every successful bullet parry gives you a Pistol round back. If you’re fighting areas with a lot of ranged enemies, this can keep your ammo topped up.
• Use the Pistol to find hidden weak points. Some Nephtoglobin barriers have a glowing red vein that leads to the actual weak point. Follow it to find the orb, then shoot it.

Pistol Achievements and Trophies in Valor Mortis

The Pistol is tied to a couple of specific achievements/trophies worth knowing about early. Getting them during natural play is much easier than going back for them later.

Windhover

Kill 3 enemies with a Pistol while aiming mid-air. This requires the Airborne Aiming upgrade, which unlocks at level 15. Once you have it, head to a lower-level area (the starting village works well) and jump, aim, and fire at enemies below. Headshots help — they deal more damage, so you need fewer shots per enemy. Having upgraded Pistol damage and ammo upgrades gives you more leeway.

Single Stroke

Shoot a Risen Grenadier’s bucket off. This is a fun one-off challenge — Risen Grenadiers are enemies that carry a large bucket on their heads, and if you shoot it off with a single precise pistol shot, you unlock this bronze trophy. Keep your eyes open as you explore.

God’s Trigger

Land 10 consecutive headshots or weak point hits without missing. Not Pistol-exclusive, but the Pistol is the obvious tool for stringing together weak point hits against normal enemies. Find a cluster of regular enemies and take your time with each shot.

Gun of Glory

Fully upgrade a single firearm. The Pistol is the obvious candidate since you get it earliest and have the most time to gather upgrade materials. Work on this one consistently rather than leaving it until the final chapters. Check our Valor Mortis all achievements and trophy list for the full picture.

Is the Pistol the Best Firearm in Valor Mortis?

Valor Mortis has three firearms: the Pistol, the Musket, and the Blunderbuss. The Musket has more range and raw power, making it stronger in longer engagements. The Blunderbuss is better for close-range burst situations.

So why does the Pistol still rank highly? Because you get it earliest, it fills your left hand without requiring two hands, and its versatility covers almost every situation you’ll face. The Pistol hits weak points, breaks posture, opens barriers, and — with the right build — deals very respectable damage. The Musket does some of those things better, but not all of them.

For new players especially, the Pistol is the most consistently useful firearm in the game from start to finish. Don’t neglect it just because something flashier comes along later.

You can find the Pistol alongside every other weapon in our complete Valor Mortis weapons list, or grab the game on Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox.

Other Valor Mortis Guides You Might Need

• Valor Mortis Claymore Sword Guide
• Valor Mortis Rapier Sword Guide
• Valor Mortis Saber Sword Guide
• Valor Mortis Tips and Tricks for New Players
• Valor Mortis Fast Travel Guide
• Valor Mortis All Chapters List
• Valor Mortis PC System Requirements
• Valor Mortis Review
• Valor Mortis Release Date Guide

Valor Mortis Pistol FAQs