Bloodborne

Tips

• Start here

  Rally is the heal

  Damage you take can be recovered by attacking within a few seconds. The Saw Cleaver's transforming R1 string is the best rally tool in Central Yharnam because it keeps you on the enemy instead of retreating to a blood vial.

• Start here

  Pistol parries, not the blunderbuss

  The Hunter Pistol's bullet arrives fast enough to learn viscerals. Charged R2s into a backstab visceral are the same punish if you cannot yet time a gun parry.

• Advanced

  Transform attacks reset the string

  L1 transforming hits do huge posture and let you continue a combo that would otherwise bounce. Beast Blood Pellets plus a fast weapon turn a long rally window into a damage multiplier.

• Advanced

  Flat arcane gems on bolt

  Tonitrus, Bolt Paper, and later the Holy Moonlight Sword all love flat arcane gems more than a pure Skill scaling spread. Farm the Hintertomb and Isz chalices once you can survive a Hintertomb root.

• Secrets

  The music box for Gascoigne

  The window NPC past the first brick troll in Central Yharnam gives a Tiny Music Box. Use it in Father Gascoigne's second phase to force a stagger, then molotov him as he transforms.

• Secrets

  Cainhurst is a summons letter

  After Vicar Amelia, the Cainhurst Summons in the back of Iosefka's Clinic takes you to the castle. The Queen’s Bloodtinge runes there are the actual Bloodtinge endgame, not the Chikage alone.

• Bosses

  Orphan of Kos hip lock

  Stay on his right hip in phase one and keep Lightning Paper up. In phase two, run toward the placenta slam instead of away from it; the landing is the only honest punish.