Sacrifice: the cult classic
When you hear about a game where you get to play as a cult leader, the natural next question is whether you get to sacrifice any of your followers to the old gods. The good news is that sacrifices are can be a big part in making you a lot stronger in Cult of the Lamb, especially in the early-to-mid game; not only do you get the fun of the sacrificial ritual itself, but you also reap some extra benefits from it as well. There are a few steps to take care of before you can start those sacrifices, but don’t worry — we’ll have you offing your most devout followers soon enough.
The first step in your journey toward the cold-blooded murder of those who trust you most will be to find and defeat the second mini-boss in the Darkwood biome. Upon your subsequent victory, you will be summoned to another meeting with your divine patron, The One Who Waits, and they’ll reward you with a new Ritual called The Sacrifice of the Flesh. To practice the Ritual at the Church Altar, all you’ll need are 75 bones (which should be easy enough to gather through your crusades), and of course a follower you’ll want to off.
It’s a give and take
Sacrificing a follower will net you a good-sized chunk of EXP, which goes into leveling up the Red Crown. This is why unlocking this Ritual is better sooner rather than later — sacrificing followers early on means that you’ll power up your health, Fervor, and abilities faster, which will make you stronger for the tough road ahead. I can say from personal experience that I waited too long to start utilizing this Ritual, and by the time I wanted to sacrifice my followers, I was pretty much maxed out on Red Crown upgrades, so it wasn’t any use to me.
It’s also worth noting that how much EXP you’ll get from sacrificing a follower corresponds to their Loyalty Level, so if you can part with them, your most devout followers will give you your biggest payout. Keep in mind too that The Sacrifice of the Flesh has a -10 deduction on your Faith, so make sure you’re in good standing with your followers before partaking. You can access Divine Inspiration through the large Lamb statue at your cult’s home base to unlock a Cheaper Rituals mechanic, which will allow you do perform your Rituals for half of the required elements (in this case, you’d be able to perform Sacrifice of the Flesh using only 37 bones — you still need a whole follower, though).
