[Top 10] Bloodborne Best Weapons And How To Get Them (Early - Mid - Late Game)

Updated:

27 Oct 2021

A versatile cleaver, an exploding hammer, or maybe a giant greatsword... decisions, decisions...

When you enter the world of Bloodborne, you will face immense challenges. The only way to face these challenges is to fight, and use strategy to overcome enemies. Weapons are the best way for you to defend yourself, but you don’t have all of the weapons available at the start of the game. Some are given to you in the Hunter’s Dream, others are found in treasure chests, unlocked with special badges, or acquired after defeating NPC Hunters. This list will cover the best weapons through three stages of the game: early, middle and late. It will also cover the pros of each weapon as well as how to find it. Without further ado, let’s begin!

Early game:

10. Saw Cleaver

One of the very first choices you’re going to make when playing Bloodborne is your starting weapon. Using your fists isn’t very effective or fun, unless you like that sort of thing, so the very best weapon choice for early game is the Saw Cleaver. You can get the Saw Cleaver after visiting the Hunter’s Dream for the first time. It is located right next to the doll, offered by messengers.

What makes the Saw Cleaver great:

Highest damage per second in the game
Deals serrated damage in its untricked form, great for fighting beasts
Effective beast meter build-up with transform attacks
Classic Bloodborne experience

9. Kirkhammer

How to get the Kirkhammer

Have you ever gotten the feeling of needing to smash something? Ever wanted to wield a comically large hammer, perhaps too big for your character? Cosplay as Eustace from Courage the Cowardly Dog? Well, look no further, as the Kirkhammer fits all of those parameters! It’s easily gotten after attaining the Sword Hunter Badge.

What makes the Kirkhammer great:

Easily switch between slow and fast gameplay
Deals Righteous damage in normal form
High blunt damage and Strength scaling
High stagger potential

8. Blade of Mercy

How to get the Blade of Mercy

The Blade of Mercy is an often times underappreciated weapon, but it has many uses and is an incredibly satisfying weapon to use. Untricked, it functions as a short sword, but tricked, it splits into two, allowing you to turn into a human beyblade, slashing through enemies. Being a weapon forged from siderite, a mineral from the heavens, it cannot be buffed with fire/bolt paper, but instead it deals a small amount of Arcane damage every hit.

What makes the Blade of Mercy great:

One of the fastest weapons in the game
Low stamina consumption, allowing for a steady stream of attacks
High Skill scaling
Relatively easy to get
Great for Dirty/Murky bloodgem strats
Quick beast meter build-up

7. Ludwig’s Holy Blade

How to get Ludwig’s Holy Blade

Ludwig’s Holy Blade takes everything the Kirkhammer offers and makes it better. Untricked, it also has a Righteous bonus in the form of a longsword, but tricked, it turns into a massive greatsword, ideal for dealing high damage. It is also a quality weapon, meaning it gains damage from both Strength and Skill.

What makes Ludwig’s Holy Blade great:

Versatility between tricked and untricked forms
Extremely high damage output through Strength and Skill scaling, along with proper gems
Works well with Arcane
High stagger potential
Longsword Righteous damage

Mid Game (after Vicar Amelia):

6. Chikage

How to get the Chikage

The knights of Cainhurst favored Blood weapons above all, and the Chikage is no exception. It uses the wielder’s own blood to enhance its attacks, making the blade sing as it slashes through the air and ultimately, enemies. To acquire it, you must go to Castle Cainhurst, defeat Martyr Logarius, equip his crown and have audience with Annalise, the Vileblood Queen. She gives you the Cainhurst badge and you can purchase the weapon from the bath messengers.

What makes the Chikage great:

High Bloodtinge scaling
Rapid poison in the tricked form
Tricked version knocks down enemies that can also get knocked down with sidearms
Unique transforming attacks

5. Boom Hammer

How to get the Boom Hammer

Ah, yes. The kneecap destroyer 9000. The Boom Hammer is one of the first DLC weapons you can get, and it is simply just fun. It is an exploding hammer that deals blunt damage, has a high damage AOE and packs a punch with Strength scaling. You get it in the building near where the Cleric Beast would usually be, but it is booby trapped to explode after picking it up, so be careful!

What makes the Boom Hammer great:

Buffed attacks when transforming
Transforming the weapon buffs the next attack with fire damage
High blunt damage
Charged and jumping transformed attacks create violent explosions

Late Game (after One Reborn):

4. Church Pick

How to get the Church Pick

The Church Pick packs a punch both in PvP and PvE aspects of the game. Untricked, it is a large sword, but tricked, it turns into a large war pick, capable of long range and thrusting damage. It is acquired after obtaining the Underground Cell Key and killing an NPC hunter in one of the cells after the Underground Corpse Pile. I personally find the Church Pick to be a very reliable weapon, but tricked and untricked, as it offers smooth gameplay and strong transforming attacks.

What makes the Church Pick great:

High thrust damage along with Righteous damage, thrust damage effective against Kin enemies
Wide range on the transformed R2 attack
High stagger on the transformed L2 attack
Good PvP weapon
Overhead attack in transformed state, good for vertical reach

3. Rakuyo

How to get the Rakuyo

Oh man… this one is a tough cookie. In order to get this weapon, you need to get to the Fishing Hamlet and drop down into the well, where two sharks will be guarding it. Only by defeating them will you get the weapon. One way you could make the endeavor easier is to use Shaman Bone Blades, which cause enemies to attack each other. Beware, though! You need to get quite close to use them. When utilized properly, the Rakuyo is an elegant weapon capable of high Skill-based damage, one of my favorites.

What makes the Rakuyo great:

The transformed L2 does a spinning slash attack for AOE damage
Quick gameplay after transforming the weapon, since it goes from a single sword to a sword and dagger combo
Overall, a solid weapon choice

2. Holy Moonlight Sword

How to get the Holy Moonlight Sword

The elusive moonlight, the guiding specters that give minds reason, and Bloodborne a great Arcane build! To get it you have to kill one of the hardest bosses in the game: Ludwig the Accursed. After you kill him, his head will be waiting next to the steps toward the next area. If you hit the head, it will die and give you the Holy Moonlight Sword, a Strength/Arcane weapon that is insanely fun to use but also very effective in combat. The story behind it is nice and the way Ludwig dies is rather cruel… but hey, at least you get to shoot moonlight beams!

What makes the Holy Moonlight Sword great:

Arcane melee damage
It can shoot projectiles of concentrated moonlight from a distance with the transformed L2
Good combat move set
Innate Arcane damage in the transformed mode

1. Burial Blade

After you are done slashing, killing, dying, running and dreaming, you will finally approach the final boss, Gehrman, the First Hunter. When you talk to him in front of the giant tree, he will give you the option to let him kill you, ending the dream, or you can refuse, and that is where the boss fight starts. Upon killing him, you get the Old Hunter Badge, which unlocks the Burial Blade in the messenger shop.

What makes the Burial Blade great:

Very high crowd control
Damage boost for dodge attacks, sprinting attacks and backstep attacks
Very long range for the charged R2
Innate Arcane scaling
Different attacks depending on how long you charge R2
Hyper-armor during some attacks

That would conclude this list of good Hunter weapons for each stage of the game. As you progress through the game yourself, you will find other weapons, some good, some weaker than others, so this list serves as a guide for what I consider to be the best at these stages. Feel free to improvise and change up your strategy the way it suits you, and you will be sure to have a successful hunt!