Shambling Civilians Enemy type 12 of 15 · first met in Fallen Village
- Health
- 80
- Catalysts
- 120
- Placements
- 162
- Methodology
- Data Methodology
- Author
- Dakota Chinnick
Shambling Civilians is an enemy type in Valor Mortis, first met in Fallen Village and placed 162 times across 7 regions. At level 1 it has 80 HP and gives 120 Catalysts; its strongest placements (level 6) have 320 HP and hit ×2.7 harder. It uses 18 attacks, none of them unblockable. No damage type does extra damage to it.
- Health
- 80Level 1 · #13 of 15 by HP
- Catalysts (level 1)
- 120170 Catalysts at level 6
- Weak to
- No weakness
- Placements
- 1627 regions · #2 most common
- Amber from elites
- DominatusCaverns
- Can be backstabbed
- YesNever blocks
How to beat Shambling Civilians
Game dataCounterplay for Shambling Civilians, written from its move list, resistances, variants and drops.
Shambling Civilians are the game's crowd: 162 spawners, 63 of them in the Fallen Village. None of their 18 attacks is red, so a raised guard handles every swing (30 to 50 Endurance per block), and a backstab kills one outright at every level.
They are fragile (80 HP at level 1, head 1.8x, no posture bar on the basic variants) but scale hard: their damage multiplier reaches 2.7x at level 6. Sickle carriers move at 5 m/s while torch carriers crawl at 1.15 m/s but Ignite you with every poke, and the Exploding variant (60 HP) has a -1,000% Ignite build-up resistance in the data, so any fire Ignites it almost at once.
Hunt the elite scythe Civilians: in the Caverns one drops the Dominatus Amber and a Pure Blade Material, and in Cursed Hollow another carries the Headman's Key.
How to fight Shambling Civilians
Game dataTips built from its data: what it resists, what it is weak to, which attacks to dodge and how to open it up.
- None of its 18 attacks are flagged unblockable, so a raised guard or a parry handles everything it throws.
- Its head takes ×1.8 damage, so aim firearm shots at the head.
- It never blocks, so a full light-attack chain always lands.
- Sneak up on it: a backstab deals a fixed 80 damage at level 1, 100% of its health (1 backstab kills it).
- Some attacks build up Ignite on you; back off and let the meter drain.
- Its toughest variant, Elite Scythe*, starts at 700 HP, far more than the 80 of a level-1 placement.
Shambling Civilians variants
Game dataThe game defines 9 versions of this enemy. Each has its own health, posture and defensive behaviour; elites are tougher one-off placements, summoned ones appear mid-fight.
| Variant | Role | Health (lowest → highest level) | Catalysts | Posture | Stasis segments | Block chance | Parry chance | Backstab | Placed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Sickle* | Regular | 80 → 320 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | Yes | 47 |
| Tier 2 Torch* | Regular | 60 → 240 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | Yes | 15 |
| Tier 3 Axe* | Regular | 80 → 320 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | Yes | 27 |
| Tier 4 Fork* | Regular | 80 → 320 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | Yes | 33 |
| Tier 5 Scythe* | Regular | 80 → 320 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | Yes | 12 |
| Exploding* | Summoned | 60 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | No | 23 |
| Elite Sickle* | Elite | 500 → 850 | 500 | 350 | 4 | No | — | Yes | — |
| Sleeping Beauty* | Regular | 80 → 360 | 120 | — | 2 | No | — | No | 1 |
| Elite Scythe* | Elite | 700 → 700 | 3,000 | 350 | 2 | No | — | Yes | 2 |
* Variant names are built from the game's internal tier tags (the game shows no name for them). Block and parry chances are listed in the order the game stores them. Placed = how many level spawners use that variant.
Health of every variant by level
| Variant | Lv 1 | Lv 2 | Lv 3 | Lv 4 | Lv 5 | Lv 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Sickle* | 80 | 112 | 144 | 192 | 256 | 320 |
| Tier 2 Torch* | 60 | 84 | 108 | 144 | 192 | 240 |
| Tier 3 Axe* | 80 | 112 | 144 | 192 | 256 | 320 |
| Tier 4 Fork* | 80 | 112 | 144 | 192 | 256 | 320 |
| Tier 5 Scythe* | 80 | 112 | 144 | 192 | 256 | 320 |
| Elite Sickle* | 500 | 700 | 850 | — | — | — |
| Sleeping Beauty* | 80 | 128 | 200 | 256 | 312 | 360 |
| Elite Scythe* | 700 | 800 | 700 | — | — | — |
Speed and posture by variant
Game dataHow fast each variant closes the distance, and how quickly its posture comes back once you stop pressuring it.
Its fastest variant moves at 5.1 m/s; your walk speed is 4 m/s.
| Variant | Role | Move speed | Sprint | Posture recovery | Recovery delay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 Sickle* | Regular | 5 m/s | 5 m/s | — | 1 s |
| Tier 2 Torch* | Regular | 1.15 m/s | — | — | 1 s |
| Tier 3 Axe* | Regular | 2 m/s | — | — | 1 s |
| Tier 4 Fork* | Regular | 1.8 m/s | — | — | 1 s |
| Tier 5 Scythe* | Regular | 1.88 m/s | — | — | 1 s |
| Exploding* | Summoned | 5.1 m/s | — | — | 1 s |
| Elite Sickle* | Elite | 5 m/s | 5 m/s | — | 1 s |
| Sleeping Beauty* | Regular | 5 m/s | 5 m/s | — | 1 s |
| Elite Scythe* | Elite | 1.88 m/s | — | — | 1 s |
Speeds are the AI's movement settings in metres per second. Posture recovery is the posture regained per second, and the delay is the wait before recovery begins (game fields posture_recovery_per_sec and posture_reset_delay). — = not set for that variant.
Shambling Civilians level scaling
Game dataEnemy levels in Valor Mortis are set per placement, not by a difficulty setting (the game has a single difficulty): the same enemy is level 1 in one spot and level 6 in another, usually higher later in the campaign. This is the main variant from level 1 to 6.
| Level | Health | Catalysts | Damage dealt | Critical attack damage taken | Backstab damage taken | Backstab share of HP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lv 1 | 80 | 120 | ×1 | 80 | 80 | 100% |
| Lv 2 | 112 | 130 | ×1.4 | 112 | 112 | 100% |
| Lv 3 | 144 | 140 | ×1.7 | 144 | 144 | 100% |
| Lv 4 | 192 | 150 | ×2 | 192 | 192 | 100% |
| Lv 5 | 256 | 160 | ×2.3 | 256 | 256 | 100% |
| Lv 6 | 320 | 170 | ×2.7 | 320 | 320 | 100% |
Damage dealt multiplies every attack's base damage. Critical attacks (after a posture break) and backstabs deal the fixed amounts shown, whatever your weapon; the share column is our arithmetic.
Shambling Civilians attacks
Game dataEvery damaging attack across its variants, grouped into moves, with base damage per hit, wind-up and whether you can block it.
| Move | Type | Hits | Damage per hit | Wind-up | Block / parry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axe Slash (right)* | Melee | 1 | 30 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Axe Slash (left)* | Melee | 1 | 30 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Sickle Slash (right)* | Melee | 1 | 25 | 0.8 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Sickle Slash (left)* | Melee | 1 | 25 | 0.6 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Sickle Jump Attack* | Melee | 1 | 25 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Scythe Slash (left)* | Melee | 1 | 25 | 0.6 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Scythe Slash (right)* | Melee | 1 | 25 | 0.6 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Scythe Double Slash* | Melee | 1 | 22 | 0.4 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Fork Slash (left)* | Melee | 1 | 20 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Fork Slash (right)* | Melee | 1 | 20 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Scythe Upper Slash* | Melee | 1 | 20 | 0.6 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Fork Double Stab* | Melee | 1 | 17 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Sickle Triple Slash* | Melee | 1 | 15 | 0.6 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Scythe Charge* | Melee | 1 | 12 | — | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Torch Sway*Ignite | Melee | 1 | 10 | 0.4 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Torch Poke*Ignite | Melee | 1 | 10 | 0.3 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Fork Charge* | Melee | 1 | 10 | 1 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
| Fork Charge Cut Windup* | Melee | 1 | 10 | 1.4 s | Blockableparry window 0.2 s |
* Attack names are built from the game's internal tags. Damage is the level-1 base; multiply by the placement's damage multiplier (up to ×2.7 at level 6), so Axe Slash (right) goes from 30 to about 81.
Shambling Civilians resistances and weak points
Game dataIt has no special resistances or weaknesses: every damage type works the same.
Red = takes extra damage of that type; filled to the right = resists it (100% = immune).
Weak points
| Body part | Damage taken | Posture damage taken |
|---|---|---|
| Head | ×1.8 | ×1 |
| Chest | ×1 | ×1 |
| Hands | ×0.8 | ×1 |
| Legs | ×0.8 | ×1 |
Shambling Civilians drops
Game dataRandom drops on every kill, with the chance the game rolls for each.
| Item | Type | Chance | Amount | On average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Refreshing Vial | Consumable | 3% | 1 | 1 in 33 kills |
 Crude Blade Material | Upgrade material | 1% | 1 | 1 in 100 kills |
"On average" is 1 ÷ chance (calculated): the expected number of kills per drop, not a guarantee.
Elite drops: Ambers and keys
Game data3 placed spawners carry a scripted reward that always drops on the kill: Pure Blade Material (Caverns), Dominatus (Caverns), Headman's Key (Cursed Hollow).
| Reward | Type | Location | Carried by | Nearest Lantern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pure Blade Material | Upgrade material | Caverns | Elite Scythe* · Elite | Last Sunlight · about 44 m away |
 Dominatus | Amber | Caverns | Elite Scythe* · Elite | Last Sunlight · about 44 m away |
 Headman's Key | Key | Cursed Hollow | Elite Scythe* · Elite | Eerie View · about 69 m away |
These are one-time rewards from specific spawners. The Lantern distance is a straight line from the spawner (calculated).
Where to find Shambling Civilians
Game dataPlaced spawners per region in campaign order: 162 in total, the most in Fallen Village (63).
| Location | Region | Placed | Enemy level | Health | Share of placements | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallen Village | III | 63 | 1 | 80 | 39% | Show on map |
| Caverns | IV | 12 | 1 | 80 | 7% | Show on map |
| Vale of Wrath | V | 8 | 1–2 | 80–112 | 5% | Show on map |
| Cursed Hollow | VI | 32 | 1–2 | 80–112 | 20% | Show on map |
| The Outskirts | VII | 27 | 1–3 | 80–144 | 17% | Show on map |
| City of Orphans | VIII | 17 | 1–4 | 80–192 | 10% | Show on map |
| Fortress | X | 3 | 4 | 192 | 2% | Show on map |
Counts are the game's placed spawners; scripted waves and summons during fights are not included.
Data: Steam build 25907482 (1.0 launch). How we source this
Everything placed in Fallen Village
Ability altars: 2
Bosses: 1 (The Iron Marshall)
Chests: 9 (Glass Soldier, Pure Transmutation Material, Volatile End, Warrior's Fury, Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade, Distilled Blade Material, Pure Blade Material, Empty Ferrofluid Flask)
Keys: 2 (Weathered Key, Storage Key)
Lanterns: 4 (Orchard, Marketplace, Fields, Path of Fire)
Letters: 5 (Love Letter, Arrest Warrant, Louis Journal — Medical Procedure, Quartermaster Letter, Letter with a Drawing)
Hits to kill Shambling Civilians
CalculatedBasic hits needed to kill a level-1 Shambling Civilians (80 HP) with every blade and firearm at weapon levels 1, 5 and 10.
| Weapon | Weapon level 1 | Weapon level 5 | Weapon level 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Pistol | 330 per hit2 to the head | 242 per hit | 260 per hit1 to the head |
 Musket | 1150 per hit | 1210 per hit | 1300 per hit |
 Blunderbuss | 1150 per hit | 1230 per hit | 1350 per hit |
 Saber | 420 per hit | 240 per hit | 260 per hit |
 Rapier | 425 per hit | 335 per hit | 245 per hit |
 Claymore | 250 per hit | 180 per hit | 1100 per hit |
Calculated from weapon damage × the first light attack's multiplier × (1 − resistance); firearms also show head hits. Upgrades, Ambers, coatings and the stat board are not included, and higher-level placements need proportionally more hits.
Journal entry
Game dataWilliam's journal page on Shambling Civilians, as written in the game.
SpoilerShow the journal entry
I can't shake the feeling of despair that took over me when I entered the village. I met no living soul there — at least, none I would still call human. The plagued wandered the fields in a dreadful imitation of life, trapped in endless motions as though time itself had broken. I saw a man raising and lowering an axe into an already-ruined stump for hours without pause... I cannot rid myself of the thought that the plague preserves habit above mind; perhaps the body remembers its most repeated motions long after the soul has fled.
I discovered dozens of villagers hidden deep within the salt mine shafts — all plagued. How did the sickness reach them here? Did one infected soul descend among the refugees, unnoticed until too late? Or did they uncover something beneath the earth itself — some foul source sleeping in the dark? The deeper galleries reeked of decay, yet the plagued continued their labour without rest, as though commanded by memory alone.
The city turned out to be a place filled with cruelty. Those captured — both French and civilians — were burned alive, beheaded, or even impaled... I believe this fanaticism was not born purely out of devotion but rather fuelled by the Shrike. Viciousness of this magnitude feels almost personal. But why? What are the Shrike's motives?
Enemies found alongside Shambling Civilians
Enemy types that share the most regions with it.
Shambling Civilians is the #2 most common of the 15 enemy types, with 162 placements across 7 regions; you meet it first in Fallen Village and see it most in Fallen Village. All of its 18 attacks can be blocked; the hardest hitter is Axe Slash (right) at 30 base damage. No damage type does extra damage to it, so pick a weapon you like. Hunt its elite placements for Pure Blade Material (Caverns), Dominatus (Caverns), Headman's Key (Cursed Hollow). Its health runs from 80 at level 1 to 320 at level 6, paying 120 Catalysts to 170 Catalysts.
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Shambling Civilians FAQ
How do you beat Shambling Civilians in Valor Mortis?
Shambling Civilians are the game's crowd: 162 spawners, 63 of them in the Fallen Village. None of their 18 attacks is red, so a raised guard handles every swing (30 to 50 Endurance per block), and a backstab kills one outright at every level. They are fragile (80 HP at level 1, head 1.8x, no posture bar on the basic variants) but scale hard: their damage multiplier reaches 2.7x at level 6.
How much HP does Shambling Civilians have in Valor Mortis?
Shambling Civilians has 80 HP at level 1 and 320 HP at level 6, its highest placement level. Levels are set per placement, not by difficulty. Its toughest variant, Elite Scythe*, starts at 700 HP.
What is Shambling Civilians weak to?
Shambling Civilians has no elemental weakness or resistance: every damage type does normal damage. Head hits deal ×1.8 damage.
What does Shambling Civilians drop?
Random drops: Refreshing Vial (3%), Crude Blade Material (1%). Every kill also pays 120 Catalysts at level 1. Specific elite placements always drop Pure Blade Material (Caverns), Dominatus (Caverns), Headman's Key (Cursed Hollow).
Where do you find Shambling Civilians?
Shambling Civilians first appears in Fallen Village and is placed 162 times in total: Fallen Village (63), Caverns (12), Vale of Wrath (8), Cursed Hollow (32), The Outskirts (27), City of Orphans (17), Fortress (3).
Where is the best place to farm Shambling Civilians?
Fallen Village has the most Shambling Civilians placements (63 of 162), so that is where you meet it most often. Each level-1 kill pays 120 Catalysts and rolls its drop table.
Can you backstab Shambling Civilians, and does it block?
Yes: Shambling Civilians can be backstabbed, taking a fixed 80 damage at level 1 (100% of its health). It never blocks or parries.
Why does Shambling Civilians have different health in different places?
Each placement has its own enemy level from 1 to 6. Level 6 has 320 HP and deals ×2.7 damage compared with level 1. It is not a difficulty mode; Valor Mortis has a single difficulty.