Bloodborne Tips and Tricks#

“The best weapon against a beast is another beast.”

Bloodborne is full of hidden techniques and strategies. Mastering them makes your hunting journey far smoother. This chapter shares a complete set of tips, from first-time hunters to veterans

Beginner Tips#

1. Survival Basics#

Tip	Notes	Importance
Don’t overextend	Watch the enemy after every attack	★★★★★
Use Rally	Counter quickly after being hit to regain HP	★★★★★
Open shortcuts first	Cuts down on backtracking time	★★★★☆
Use Blood Vials wisely	Vials are limited — don’t waste them	★★★★☆
Learn the gun parry	The most important defensive technique	★★★★★

2. Resource Management#

Blood Vial management

Strategy	Notes
Buy rather than rely on drops	Shop purchases are more reliable
Mind the storage cap	The storage cap is 500
Recover after death	Vials dropped on death can be picked back up

Bullet management

Strategy	Notes
Recycle empty vials	Press △ to recover 5 bullets
Carry cap is 99	Don’t exceed the carry limit
Prioritize defense	Bullets are mainly for gun parries

3. Combat Techniques#

Gun parry timing

Observe enemy attack windup → Judge timing → Shoot → Parry → R1 execute

Observe enemy attack windup → Judge timing → Shoot → Parry → R1 execute

Dodge techniques

Dodge	Best for
Tap dodge	Quickly evading a single attack
Hold to roll	Creating distance or escaping combos
Forward dash	Closing in on enemies quickly
Sidestep	Evading linear attacks

Intermediate Techniques#

1. Weapon Selection Strategy#

Stat build	Recommended weapons	Why
Strength	Ludwig’s Holy Blade, Hunter Axe	High Strength scaling
Skill	Hunter’s Saif, Rakuyo	High Skill scaling
Bloodtinge	Chikage, Evelyn	Bloodtinge damage scaling
Arcane	Logarius’ Wheel, Holy Moonlight Sword	Arcane damage scaling

2. Rune Pairing Suggestions#

Build	Recommended runes
General	Health rune + stamina rune + strength rune
Visceral	Clawmark + Blood Rapture + health rune
Echo farming	Blood Rapture + Eye rune + Hunter rune
Challenge	Clawmark + Blood Rapture + Eye of Fear

3. Blood Gem Optimization#

Weapon type	Priority gems
Physical	Physical attack +X%
Bloodtinge	Bloodtinge attack +X%
Arcane	Arcane attack +X%
General	Physical attack +X%, stamina cost -X%

Advanced Techniques#

1. Advanced Ammo Recovery#

Press △ with empty Blood Vials to recover 5 bullets and restore some HP. Chaining it accumulates bullets quickly, but it consumes a lot of Blood Vials

Technique	Operation
Chain recovery	Press △ rapidly in succession
Vial management	Make sure you have enough Blood Vials
Use in combat	Recover bullets when low on health

2. Transform Attack Cancel#

Press L1 immediately after a normal attack to cancel the recovery animation and keep the combo going. This is the key technique for sustaining combos

Step	Operation
1	Start a normal attack
2	Press L1 the moment the attack connects
3	The transformed attack lands
4	Continue the combo

3. Backstab Execution#

A charged attack from behind triggers an execution that deals 5-10 times normal damage. Ideal against humanoid enemies

Step	Operation
1	Get behind the enemy
2	Hold R2 to charge
3	The enemy staggers when the charged attack lands
4	Close in and press R1 to execute

4. Air Dodge#

You can also dodge in mid-air, but with fewer invincibility frames. Useful against ground-based area attacks

5. Ammo Recovery Loop#

Empty vials → Press △ to recover → Gain 5 bullets + partial HP → Parry → Consume bullets → Empty vials → Loop

Empty vials → Press △ to recover → Gain 5 bullets + partial HP → Parry → Consume bullets → Empty vials → Loop

Echo Farming Routes#

1. Central Yharnam#

Route	Echoes per run	Time
Plaza hounds	1,000-2,000	2-3 minutes
Bridge musketeers	2,000-3,000	3-4 minutes
Full area clear	5,000-8,000	8-10 minutes

2. Cathedral Ward#

Route	Echoes per run	Time
Hunter hunting	5,000-8,000	5-6 minutes
Giant hunting	8,000-12,000	6-8 minutes

3. Nightmare#

Route	Echoes per run	Time
Scholar hunting	20,000-30,000	8-10 minutes
Hunter hunting	15,000-25,000	6-8 minutes

4. Chalice Dungeon#

Route	Echoes per run	Time
First floor	30,000-50,000	10-15 minutes
Second floor	50,000-80,000	15-20 minutes
Third floor	80,000-120,000	20-25 minutes

New Playthrough Advice#

1. Stat Allocation#

Stage	VIT	END	STR	SKL	BTL	ARC
Early	20	15	15	15	8	8
Mid	30	20	25	25	10	10
Late	40	25	40	40	15	15

2. Weapon Upgrade Priority#

Priority	Goal
1	Main weapon +6
2	Main weapon +9
3	Backup weapon +6
4	Main weapon +10

3. Exploration Order#

Clinic → Central Yharnam → Great Bridge → Cathedral Ward → Forbidden Woods → Neodos City → Unseen Village → Nightmare → Hunter's Dream → Central Yharnam → Great Bridge → Cathedral Ward → Forbidden Woods → Byrgenwerth → Yahar'gul → Nightmare → Hunter's Dream

Common Mistakes#

Mistake	Consequence	Solution
Overextending	Getting punished	Watch the enemy after every attack
Ignoring stamina	Unable to dodge	Keep 1/3 of your stamina
No gun parry	Losing massive damage output	Practice on regular enemies
Heavy equipment	Clumsy rolls	Remove excess gear
Ignoring Rally	Missing HP regain chances	Counter quickly after being hit
Not opening shortcuts	Long walks back	Open shortcuts first
Not upgrading weapons	Insufficient damage	Upgrade weapons regularly

Efficiency Tips#

1. Time Management#

Analyze the cause after every death
Don’t repeat yourself blindly
Adjust your strategy before trying again

2. Maximizing Resources#

Use Rally to reduce Blood Vial consumption
Use buff papers wisely
Save visceral attack openings for when they count

3. Exploration Efficiency#

Watch for shortcuts whenever you enter a new area
Prioritize lighting lamps
Collect every glowing item

Summary#

The technique system of Bloodborne is deep and rich. From the basic gun parry to the advanced transform attack cancel, every technique raises your combat efficiency. Keep learning and keep practicing, and you will become the finest of hunters