During this past week as gamers have awaited the release of Bloodborne, many have already begun strategizing their plan of attack. That means not only deciding on what starting class to choose, but also how to build the character as they level up.
We have a special build we would like to recommend that is particularly potent. Although there are many assortments of equipment and stats that can be effective, this one has already been proven on the battlefield.
Our Suggested Starting Build for Bloodborne:
The DMC Build
I call this the DMC build because its speed and finesse coupled with Bloodborne‘s gothic theme are reminiscent of Devil May Cry. The build focuses on Skill, which is similar to Dexterity in the Souls games. It is a build that strives for speed, agility, and lightning fast attacks. Fleet-footed enemies hate it, and large enemies don’t know how to counter it.
Starting Origin: Lone Survivor
The reason for this choice is it has the lowest priority stats, Bloodtinge and Arcane, at 7. It starts with a healthy amount of Vitality giving you room to take damage as you level up and increase Skill, the build’s primary stat. You may also choose Milquetoast if you would like your firearm to hit a little harder.
Related: A Guide to Choosing Your Starting Class and Weapons in Bloodborne
Stats to aim for at level 30…
Vitality: 18
Vitality is a safety stat. Though you can earn back your health if you attack quickly after being hit, there are many attacks in the game that can take a huge chunk of your health away. Having a buffer is important during your first playthrough of the game when you’re still learning enemy patterns.
Endurance: 16
Attacking and dodging drain your stamina quickly. 16 is a sweet spot for Endurance for the first portion of the game as it allows you to swing about five times with several of the starting weapons, just enough to pummel enemies such as the Werewolf to death without needing to pause.
Strength: 12
With this build we’re aiming to prioritize Skill. That said, virtually every Skill bonus weapon also relies slightly on Strength for its multiplier. So, you’ll want to place a point or two in this.
Skill: 20
This is your primary damage stat. The important thing to drive home here is that since you’re a Skill focused character. Therefore, you want to equip weapons that have a high bonus in Skill. Early on you’ll have trouble finding anything better than a C value (i.e. Threaded Cane), but later on you’ll find solid options.
Bloodtinge: 7
The firearms in Bloodborne are best used for stunning enemies mid-attack. There’s little benefit to be had from placing points into Bloodtinge unless you’re willing to farm for ammunition. It’s too scarce to be used frequently for killing enemies.
Arcane: 7
Same as Strength, but even less beneficial with most of the Skill-oriented weapons.
After level 30…
Continue to focus on Skill and Vitality. You will want to raise Endurance every 5 or so levels. If you find yourself enjoying weapons that get a healthy bonus from Strength and Skill, you may decide to balance your points between the two. Or, if you end up wanting to use your firearm for damage, you can place a few points in Bloodtinge.
Starting Weapons
Threaded Cane
The only starting weapon that gets a decent bonus from Skill is the Threaded Cane with its C rating. I recommend beginning with this weapon. Short into the adventure you can purchase the Saw Spear from the vendor in Hunter’s Dream. It has a D rating in Skill, but you may prefer its attack pattern.
Hunter Blunderbuss
You’re going to be weaving side to side in melee range, and the Hunter Blunderbuss is simply more dependable for stun hits than the Hunter Pistol due to its spread.
Style of Play
Skill bonus weapons tend to be lighter hitting, but quicker than their Strength counterparts. So, playing a build with a focus in Skill is all about being light on your feet and aggressive. Although it can be terrifying to stand in melee range against foes, you’ll learn to become comfortable with it, or at least to an extent.
The key here is to attack quickly and dodge side-to-side (unless an attack type warrants a back-step). Always be cautious of your Stamina, as running out at the wrong time can mean eating a dangerous blow.
Related: A Guide to Choosing Your Starting Class and Race in Blade and Soul
Due to your speed, using a combo attack is very effective for chipping chunks of health off an enemy. To do this, attack using R1 a couple times in the base form of your weapon and then tap L1. Your character will quickly transform the equipped weapon into its stronger form and perform an attack.
Since you will be in close proximity to your foes, the Hunter Blunderbuss will be very effective in stunning them mid-attack. Early on in your experience spend some time becoming familiar with tapping L2 to shoot an enemy when they’re mid-swing. It functions very similarly to parry in the Souls games, meaning that it takes a lot of practice to pull off, but is rewarding. Learning to not miss with your stuns to open up opportunity for big burst damage means the difference between a good and a great player, and more importantly life or death.
Why It’s Effective
Bloodborne is a faster-paced game than its Souls counterparts. Enemies are quicker. The playable character is more mobile. You can earn health back if you attack quickly after losing life. Most importantly, shields are irrelevant, meaning you’re going to need to use positioning and dodges to avoid life-threatening attacks.
Because of Bloodborne‘s gameplay attributes, playing to the strength of the main character is the best way to handle the many threats of the game. That strength is mobility and aggressive harassment of enemies.
Heavy weapons are fun to use, but timings sometimes don’t allow for large attacks. The firearm is great for stunning enemies, but ammunition is so scarce that it can’t carry you. So, running around with a quick weapon and the speed of a cheetah is your best bet.
This Skill build is made with that information in mind. You’ll equip yourself with lighter weapons that are easier to land at moments of opportunity. You can move quickly, dodge and attack several times without running out of Stamina, and have a health pool that keeps you alive when you make the occasional mistake.
One Final Note
If you focus on Strength instead of Skill but stick to the above outline you can make a build that is based in Strength and plays quite a bit differently. In that case you would wield larger, slower-hitting weapons which can be more difficult to land, but punish enemies in a brutal manner.
