The air hung thick with the stench of decay as I stood before the altar, the fate of my flock resting on a single choice. Sariel’s spectral form shimmered, awaiting my decree: embrace the Rot, or purge it from Woolhaven forever. The weight of leadership, the desperate hope in my followers’ eyes—it all came down to this moment.
The finale of Cult of the Lamb‘s Woolhaven DLC presents a moral quandary with far-reaching implications. Your decision to either embrace or purge the Rot will shape the destiny of your cult. Consider this your intelligence briefing before you make that final, fateful call.
A Choice of Two Evils? Understanding the Rot in Cult of the Lamb
I was talking with a friend last week about tough choices in games, and he brought up Woolhaven. To get to this pivotal moment, you’ll need to complete the main Woolhaven questline, culminating in the return of Sariel’s spirit. This unlocks the choice: welcome the Rot, or eradicate it.
Choosing to embrace the Rot transforms your followers, granting them extended lifespans. If you opt for this path, you’ll receive a daily Faith bonus as long as you have at least one Rotten Follower in your cult. It is like planting a strange, gnarled tree in your garden; it bears unusual fruit.
What are the benefits of having Rotten followers in Cult of the Lamb?
Rotten followers offer a unique advantage: they don’t consume precious resources. This can be a game-changer, especially in the early to mid-game when resource management is tight. Think of them as self-sufficient, albeit slightly unsettling, members of your flock.
The Purge: A Cleanse or a Catastrophe?
My grandfather always said, “Sometimes you have to burn the weeds to save the garden.” Selecting the purge option in Cult of the Lamb has a similar effect. Choosing to purge the Rot awards you Faith each time you eliminate a Rotten follower.
Is it better to kill off Rotten followers in Cult of the Lamb?
The advantage here is a consistent, albeit morbid, stream of Faith. However, you are intentionally sacrificing followers for this benefit. The morality of this decision is one players will have to make for themselves.
There’s no objectively “wrong” choice. The game continues regardless. I chose to embrace the Rot, and here’s why:
- Rotten followers are self-sufficient. When they die, they drop Rotburn, helpful for base warmth during winter.
- The Woolhaven DLC leans into the Rot storyline. Lore-wise, it felt right. Late-game Faith is easy enough to come by anyway.
For me, embracing the Rot felt like acknowledging the grim realities of leadership, the compromise between idealism and practicality. Like a politician making deals with unsavory characters to achieve a greater good, the decision to embrace the Rot is a nuanced balancing act. Is maintaining the status quo by purging the Rot a failure to accept change?