William gains five special powers over the course of Valor Mortis: three combat transmutations fuelled by Nephtoglobin and two passive skills that open up exploration. None of them sit behind optional content, so you collect each one simply by progressing through the main story. They arrive in a fixed order, from the opening battlefield in Chapter 1 to the University near the end of Chapter 8.
Quick answer: You unlock all five along the critical path. Fire comes in Chapter 1, the Grapple in Chapter 3, Stasis in Chapter 4, Platform Control in Chapter 5, and Shield in Chapter 8.
| Skill | Chapter | Type |
|---|---|---|
 Fire Transmutation | 1 | Combat transmutation |
| Nephtoglobin Grapple | 3 | Passive exploration |
 Stasis Transmutation | 4 | Combat transmutation |
| Nephtoglobin Platform Control | 5 | Passive exploration |
| Shield Transmutation | 8 | Combat transmutation |
Each transmutation is handed over when you approach a plague-infected corpse. The body latches onto William and transfers its power, after which the transmutation appears on your off-hand and can be swapped to during combat. The two Nephtoglobin abilities work differently: they never show up on the weapon wheel and are used automatically while moving through the world.
Fire Transmutation location (Chapter 1)
You pick this up shortly after lighting the Onslaught Arch lantern on The Battlefield. An enemy climbs out of the lake nearby; deal with it, then climb the slope just beyond to reach the corpse that grants the power.
Fire lets William throw flames from his left hand. Enemies caught in it keep taking damage over time once their ignite meter fills, which makes it a reliable way to break up a crowd pressing in on you. The same flames also clear the white, web-like growths that block certain paths.
Nephtoglobin Grapple location (Chapter 3)
Defeat the Iron Marshall, then head to the body he was standing guard over inside the demolished house. Interacting with it unlocks the Grapple.
This is a passive traversal skill rather than a weapon, so you will not find it on the switching wheel. With it active, William can latch onto the blue Nephtoglobin bulbs and run along blue Nephtoglobin walls, opening routes that were previously out of reach.
Stasis Transmutation location (Chapter 4)
Found while working through the Caverns. Light the Old Mine lantern and push deeper into the mine; after navigating the twisting routes you will reach the usual corpse. Approach it to take the power.
Stasis slows enemies for Nephtoglobin, and attacking a target whose stasis meter is full deals heavy damage. Tougher foes need more stasis energy before that payoff lands, so plan your resource around them. In exploration it halts certain gears and mechanisms, clearing a safe way through.
Nephtoglobin Platform Control location (Chapter 5)
As soon as you light the Ship Graveyard lantern, walk to the end of the path ahead to pick this one up.
Like the Grapple, it is used passively while exploring. It lets William pull out platforms and blue Nephtoglobin walls and gives him a pole to swing from, extending how far he can traverse.
Shield Transmutation location (Chapter 8)
The last power sits inside the University. From the Main Hall lantern, head upstairs and ride the elevator up to one of the building’s highest floors, then interact with the corpse there to claim it.
Shield raises a barrier around William for as long as he has Nephtoglobin, blocking incoming attacks outright. It also keeps him safe while crossing burning ground and toxic or poison fields.
Using any transmutation drains Nephtoglobin, the purple bar under your health. Refill it by shattering enemy weak points or landing sword hits, so keep melee in the rotation rather than leaning on magic alone.
Once you own all three transmutations you can upgrade them at Louis’s Laboratoire inside the Abandoned Church hub. Each one caps at level 5, with the final rank requiring a Quintessential Transmutation Material, so decide early which power you most want pushed to the top.
