Poison Pin

Lore & Background

In the ash-choked streets of Krat, alchemy and puppetry are inseparable. The Poison Pin was never forged in a smithy; it was *grown*—a slender needle of tempered metal dipped in a caustic tincture brewed by the city's underground apothecaries. Those who wielded it spoke of a faint, sickly sweetness clinging to the air after a fight, and of wounds that kept weeping long after the bleeding stopped.

Puppeteers in Krat valued Pins not for their killing power but for their *conversation* with the enemy. A Poison Pin does not roar; it murmurs. Each jab, each parry-counter, each light sweep leaves a residue that seeps into the target's joints and sinews. Over time the victim slows, stumbles, and finally collapses as the toxin overwhelms their systems. It is a patient weapon, suited to a Puppet who has learned that the longest fight is often the safest one.

Fans of the game's darker corners often speculate about who first commissioned such a tool. The apothecary guilds of Krat kept their recipes locked behind iron doors, and the pins that left their workshops bore no maker's mark—only a faint greenish sheen that seemed to shift in candlelight, as though the poison were still alive and waiting.

In Their Own Story

The corridor smelled of wet plaster and old blood. She pressed her back against the cold wall, breathing through her nose, and watched the hulking Automaton shuffle forward, its single eye dimming and reigniting in a slow, arrhythmic pulse. In her right hand the greatsword rested at her hip, heavy and patient. In her left, the Poison Pin caught the torchlight—a thin, green-veined needle no longer than her thumb.

She sidestepped the first swing, let the second clip her shoulder, and drove the Pin into the gap between its cervical plates. A hiss. A faint, acidic smell. The Automaton shook its head, confused, and she was already moving, already spinning the blade in a tight arc that painted a line of emerald across its chest. Tick. Tick. Tick. The poison found purchase.

It took eleven more seconds. Eleven seconds of circling, of small jabs, of letting the heavy sword do nothing but threaten. Then the Automaton's movements stuttered, its eye flickered, and it folded to the stone like a marionette whose strings had been cut one by one. She wiped the Pin on her coat, the green stain spreading, and walked on.

Reader's Guide

Appearance: The Poison Pin is a short, slender blade with a slightly curved profile and a greenish, almost iridescent coating along its edge. The hilt is compact, designed for a one-handed grip, and the overall silhouette reads more like a long needle than a dagger.

Damage profile: Direct physical damage is modest compared to full-size weapons. The Pin's real value is its poison buildup per hit—every light attack, parry-counter, and dodge-attack applies or refreshes the toxin. Stacked over a sustained exchange, the poison ticks can outpace the Pin's raw numbers, especially against high-health bosses.

Unique moves: Like all Pins, it has its own dedicated move set distinct from main weapons. Expect a mix of quick jabs, a spinning needle thrust, and a parry-counter that hooks the enemy and delivers a concentrated poison burst. The animations are fast and tight, making it easy to chain into main-weapon combos without losing momentum.

Stance interplay: In the Light stance the Pin feels snappy and ideal for rapid poison application. In Heavy stance the same moves hit slower but with a more pronounced status hook, useful for locking down stagger-resistant foes. Pair it with a main weapon that has long recovery frames so the Pin can fill the gaps.

Where to find: The Poison Pin can be obtained as a world drop or purchased from certain vendors once you progress far enough in the main storyline. Check apothecary-themed side areas and vendor inventories in the mid-game districts.

Did You Know?

• Pins in Lies of P are a distinct weapon class from main weapons, each with its own animation set and stat scaling, making the Poison Pin a true off-hand specialist rather than a scaled-down sword.
• The poison status it applies continues to deal damage over time even after the Pin is swapped out, so it can be used to condition a boss before unleashing a heavy main-weapon burst.
• The Pin's compact size means it does not significantly alter the Puppet's movement speed or dodge roll, letting players maintain their mobility while applying status effects.
• In the game's stance system, the Poison Pin's moves animate differently under Light versus Heavy stances, subtly changing the tempo of poison application and the weight of its parry-counter.