When you arrive in Yharnam for the first time, the choice of weapon determines the next ten hours of gameplay. A bad pick at the start of the game can be a wall against the first boss. A good pick provides a moveset that you still master when facing the nightmares of the DLC. Bloodborne offers a limited arsenal compared to other FromSoftware games, but each weapon has a specific role depending on the build and the situation.
Saw Cleaver in early game Bloodborne: the most forgiving choice
You can obtain the Saw Cleaver within the first minute of gameplay, in the Messenger’s room of the Hunter’s Dream. It is the weapon that the community almost unanimously recommends for a first run, and for good reason.
Its moveset in its folded form chains quick strikes, ideal for applying stagger on the most aggressive enemies in the early areas. In its extended form, the reach increases without sacrificing too much speed. The real advantage is the active serrated bonus against beasts, which includes the majority of the early game bosses.
You can find the best weapons in Bloodborne to discover with their detailed locations, but the Saw Cleaver remains the most reliable starting point. Even in mid-game, it holds up if you regularly upgrade it with blood gems focused on physical damage.
Ludwig’s Holy Blade: quality and versatility build in PvE
The Ludwig’s Holy Blade (LHB) has dominated community polls since the game’s release. Its dual moveset, quick one-handed sword or heavy two-handed claymore, covers almost all situations encountered in PvE.
You can find it fairly early: you need to buy the radiant hunter’s badge from the messenger bath merchant after defeating Vicar Amelia in the Cathedral. From there, it becomes available for purchase.
Why the LHB remains popular despite the DLC
Recent discussions on r/bloodborne direct experienced players towards the weapons of the DLC The Old Hunters. The LHB is sometimes described as a “comfortable but predictable” choice in PvP.
In PvE, the situation is different. A quality build around 25 in Strength and 25 in Skill is enough to fully exploit its ratios. This stat threshold is less extreme than a pure Strength or pure Skill build, making it accessible to players who want to test several weapons without respec.
In claymore form, charged R2 attacks deal massive damage and stagger most humanoid bosses. The wind-up time is long, but in co-op or against a occupied boss, it’s a clear advantage.
DLC The Old Hunters weapons: the real power-up
In recent years, the community meta has shifted towards the DLC weapons, considered superior to the base weapons for advanced runs and PvP. Three weapons deserve special attention.
- Whirligig Saw: nicknamed “the pizza cutter” by the community, it applies continuous damage in held L2 mode. The serrated bonus makes it devastating against beast bosses, even in New Game+. You can find it at the beginning of the Hunter’s Nightmare, on a corpse near the first shortcut.
- Bloodletter: the weapon of choice for Bloodtinge builds. Its transformed form consumes health but deals massive area damage. Recent feedback on r/bloodborne places it as a priority choice in PvP, ahead of the Chikage which had previously set the standard for this type of build.
- Simon’s Bowblade: a bow disguised as a sword. In bow form, damage depends on Bloodtinge and allows you to manage certain bosses from a distance, a rare strategy in Bloodborne. You obtain it by following Simon the Wanderer’s quest in the DLC, or by killing him directly (which cuts off his dialogue line).
How to access the DLC
The DLC requires defeating Vicar Amelia and then interacting with a specific object. You are then teleported to the Hunter’s Nightmare from the Dream. The difficulty ramps up compared to the base game: ordinary enemies in the DLC hit as hard as some mid-game bosses.
Chikage and Burial Blade: specialist weapons with high stats
The Chikage and the Burial Blade are two weapons that appear in all rankings, but are obtained late in the game or through specific conditions.
The Chikage requires a heavy investment in Bloodtinge to shine. Its transformed form drains the player’s health in exchange for massive blood damage. You obtain it by joining the Vilebloods Covenant at Cainhurst Castle, an optional area accessible via an invitation found in the Forbidden Forest.
The Burial Blade, on the other hand, is only available in New Game+ or through Chalices. It is Gehrman’s scythe, the final boss. Its moveset in extended scythe form offers considerable reach and sweeping attacks that handle groups of enemies well. A pure Skill build brings out the best in this weapon.
Community feedback varies on the exact placement of the Chikage compared to the Bloodletter. In PvP, the Bloodletter has gained the upper hand in recent years. In solo PvE, the Chikage remains formidable for players who master health management in transformed form.
The choice of weapon in Bloodborne depends as much on the build as on the playstyle. The Saw Cleaver forgives mistakes early in the game, the LHB supports a complete first run without difficulty, and the DLC weapons renew the experience for those who want to push the game to its limits. It’s better to master the moveset of a single weapon than to upgrade three halfway.