Summary
FromSoftware’sBloodborneremains one of the greatest PlayStation exclusives of all time and one of the better entries in theSoulsfranchise. Where it lacks in weapon and build variety compared to other titles by FromSoftware, it more than makes up for this with rich mechanical depth, great boss fights, and some of the coolestweaponsin any action RPG.
Bloodborne’s Trick Weaponsare fiendishly creative, allowing players to utilize two weapons in one. With the tap of a button, any Trick Weapon can completely change, offering the player an incredible amount of moment-to-moment variety that very few action games can pull off. Naturally, not every weapon is worth using, so seek out the one that feels the best to slay foes with.
Updated On December 1st, 2024 By Joshua Leeds:Your main-hand weapons are only half of your build in Bloodborne. This list has been updated to include more precise locations to help you find the weapon you want, along with ideal options of firearms that pair well with that weapon to help you maximize that weapon’s potential with your build.
Dropped By The Orphan Of Kos
Best Firearms
Rosmarinus or Flamesprayer - Both of these firearms also scale from Arcane.
The Kos Parasite is too slow for its good and doesn’t shine when it comes to range, but these flaws are necessary to not make the Kos Parasite too overwhelming. In terms of damage, the Kos Parasite may not hit as hard as it could, but it hasamazing stagger potential. With the right tactics, it’s possible to comfortably chip enemies to death.
This is to say nothing of the fact that the Kos Parasite is just a fun weapon to use. Slow, it may be, but it has agreat move set and a super creative design. There’s nothing else like it inBloodborne,which is what gives it so much value as a weapon.
14 Strength, 12 Skill
Location
Take a right before the final staircase leading the Laurence, The First Vicar. Run past the turrets and stick to the left wall and into the building directly ahead. Go down the stairs in the back right before turning and finding the Boom Hammer in the back of the lower floor.
Canon or Church Canon - Both require high Strength to use and can stagger enemies to land hits with the hammer.
The Boom Hammer is a weapon that not many people talk about, given how the DLC was littered with so many remarkable weapons. However, players who decided to maximize the Boom Hammer’s potential would realize how amazing this weapon is.
The regular moveset of this weapon is decent, but it’s when players use theexplosive powerof this weapon that they realize how much destructive potential it has. The Boom Hammer can inflict serious damage if players ignite the weapon before bringing it down in a massive blast that can hit for serious damage.
In a layer 2 treasure room chest in a Chalice Dungeon made with an Ailing Loran Chalice
Best Firearm
Hunter’s Blunderbuss - This firearm matches the Beast Claw’s close-range fighting style.
The Beast Claw isn’t the most popular ofBloodborne’s weapons. It’s not found during the main story, for one thing, and isn’t very well renowned in terms of attack speed or power.
The saving grace of the weapon, however, arrived withThe Old Huntersexpansion.
In the DLC, Hunters canacquire the Beast’s Embrace Rune, which transforms the player’s appearance and gives them a new moveset to employ with the Beast Claw, including leaping attacks and frantic flails. With a build that takes advantage of its strengths, it’s both very powerful and a lot of fun. It’s also guarded by one of the most infamous bosses in the game: Laurence, the First Vicar.
7 Strength, 9 Skill
One of the three starting weapons players can Obtain, or purchased after getting the Saw Hunter badge from the Messengers.
Hunter Pistol or Ludwig’s Rifle - Both prioritize precise shots from a distance, ideal for the Threaded Cane’s reach.
The Threaded Cane is one of thetoughest weapons to use inBloodborneand not one that’s recommended for beginners. Unless players want to challenge themselves, they’re better off sticking with either the Saw Cleaver or the Hunter Axe in the initial phases of the game.
In fact, the Threaded Cane can be so weak that most people consider it the weakest weapon inBloodborne. Only pros who want to make the beginning of the game as interesting as possible and understand how the game works should think about starting with this weapon before eventually replacing it.
10 Strength, 20 Skill
Dropped by the shark giant enemies at the bottom of The Fishing Hamlet Well
Hunter Blunderbuss or Piercing Rifle - Both are good with dealing with multiple enemies at once, setting up powerful combos when you switch to two-handed mode.
The Rakuyo uses a similar move set to the Chikage. That said, it isn’t entirely identical to the Chikage and the Rakuyo has its own set of strengths and weaknesses to balance things out.
The Rakuyo is technically a dual-wield weapon, changing up the control scheme on the player. At the same time, mastering this control scheme leads toRakuyo turning into one of the best weapons inBloodborne.
18 Strength, 9 Skill
Purchased from The Messengers after getting The Powder Keg Hunter Badge for 8,000 Blood Echoes.
Hunter Blunderbuss - Good for staggering multiple enemies while you charge up the explosive special attack.
The Stake Driver is a deceptively weak-looking weapon in the game. Acquired after beating Djura, this weapon hits fast but the lack of range means that many people may not even check this weapon out.
It’s a shame since this weapon’s charge damage hits for massive damage if players prime the stake beforehand. Finding a great opening and using this weapon to deal incredible charged damage is easily one of the most satisfying moments experienced with proper use of the Stake Driver.
7 Strength, 8 Skill
When passing under the bridge the Cleric Beast is found on and through the building with the man with the Gatling gun, keep heading forward and cross the bridge but don’t enter the building with the orange light. Instead, look right and smash the barrels to enter the upper rafters of another room where the body on the right side can be knocked down and looted for the weapon. It can also be purchased from The Messengers after Getting The Saw Hunter Badge for 1,000 Blood Echoes.
Hunter Blunderbuss or Hunter Pistol - This depends on if you perfect the spear form or saw form, with the Blunderbuss being better for close range and the pistol being better for spear form.
The Saw Spear and Saw Cleaver are pretty much two sides of the same coin, and it’s up to the player and their preferred build to determinewhich variation best suits their playstyle. Regardless of the choice, the simple yet effective moveset of this weapon makes it fun to use.
Of course, themoveset may seem rather rudimentarycompared to some of the fancier weapons in the game. However, theextra damage to Beastsinflicted by this weapon more than makes up for its simple array of moves.
9 Strength, 14 Skill
Dropped by the hunter wearing the Yahar’Gul Set found in one of the cells of The Hunter’s Nightmare in the lower levels of the Research Hall.
Canon or Hunter Pistol - This weapon easily staggers enemies and can make easy targets for the canon, or use the pistol to set up the two-handed attacks.
From a giant sword to a war pick, the Church Pick doesn’t stand out as one of the better weapons in the game on a surface level. Its transformed variation also does shockingly little damage, a rarity for the Trick Weapons. That said, the Church Pick’s transformed state also allows the player to make use of veryreliable stunlocks.
When properly stunlocking,the Church Pick becomes one of the best weapons inBloodborneas far as combo potential goes. The transformed Church Pick’s amazing range also ensures that stunlocking an enemy isn’t particularly difficult. A little bit of damage tradeoff is simply the price to pay for trying to land combos.
9 Strength, 11 Skill
Found in The Hunter’s Nightmare along the River Of Blood. Follow the river under the bridge and into the cave to the left and follow the blood until you reach the ladder. Look to the left for an area to jump down to with another river of blood and the weapon on the body near the ledge.
Hunter Pistol or Evelyn - Their range helps bridge the gap from the weapon’s shorter range.
The Old HuntersDLC is one of the best expansion packs ever released for a video game. The sheer amount of love and effort put into expanding the lore of the game while also adding a wealth of amazing bosses should definitely be commended.
The DLC also adds its fair share of unique weapons that are a joy to mess around with, with the Beasthunter Saif being a relativelyunremarkable additionwhen compared to the rest of the new weapons. Still, it’s a pretty useful weapon to get one’s hands on, but the fact that it can only be obtained in this high-level area means that players may prefer to use more powerful weapons instead.
8 Strength, 7 Skill
One of the first weapons you may choose or purchased from the messengers after getting the Saw Hunter Badge.
Hunter Blunderbuss - Powerful short-range attacks that complement both forms of this weapon.
The Saw Cleaver may be one of the game’s starting weapons, butBloodbornedoesn’t discriminate when it comes to the Cane, Hunter Axe, and Saw Cleaver. While the Saw Cleaver may not be the strongest of the bunch, it’susable for the entire game, even the DLC.
The Saw Cleaverhandles crowds of enemiesextremely well, something that never loses value in the game. Better yet, the Saw Cleaver’s immediate availability means that players can start upgrading their weapon right away, ensuring that their early game isn’t spent hoarding materials.The Saw Cleaver is arguably the best-starting weapon inBloodbornefor players new to FromSoftware games, as it’s very easy to use.
