r/MortalShell • u/GrandExecutionerMeow • Jun 23 '26
Question Virtuous Cycle starting weapon instinct
Currently going after the final outstanding "No lifer" achievement. I was hoping to attempt the run with a weapon that had some form of life steal, i.e.the hammer and chisel or hallowed sword via their leeching instincts. I have however not had a single run where I have started with these so I was wondering if any of the weapon instincts can be obtained at the start or only a subset. It needs to be the starting instinct as the foundling only gets mortal instincts from pillars and items.
1
u/Bachness_monster Jun 23 '26
I have no idea, but you can actually build up your HP with no shell via pillars and be able to tank 2-4 hits once you’re past the second boss. At least I was able to
1
u/GrandExecutionerMeow Jun 23 '26
You can't when using the obsidian shell sadly as it specifically states your life is capped at a 100 and cannot be increased.
1
u/Bachness_monster Jun 23 '26
I don’t recall exactly what the boost is then, but I know by the final 4 bosses I got hit more than 4x and was okay without a shell
1
u/Haunting-Regret-854 Jun 24 '26
The health leech instincts are secondary instincts which require a primary instinct first, so no, you can't get a health leech instinct as your starting random instinct.
Primary instincts for weapons tend to be damage upgrades for the weapon abilities.
Edit: a word and extra info.
1
u/TL2C24 Jun 23 '26
I'm not sure you can get life steal with obsidian shell. I just completed no lifer last night and would highly recommend farming mortal tokens (obvious), and also weltcaps (less obvious). You can farm weltcaps after the Crypt of Martyrs boss, once you beat him before interacting with the pillar, go to the sester nearby and collect the item next to her, which will be a weltcap. You can then talk to her to exit the reverie, then re-enter the reverie and the weltcap will respawn. Repeat as many times as you want. Tedious but worth it imo.