Bloodborne has maintained its place as one of FromSoftware’s most iconic releases after nearly a decade, with echoes of the action RPG found in many modern releases today. Bloodborne’s base game was a classic title of the PS4 era, but its Old Hunters DLC expansion for it that followed elevated the game to masterpiece status for many.
While the horror-themed Soulslike offered less overall options of equipment for its players compared to its predecessors, Bloodborne also featured unprecedented depth to each of its weapons in terms of both gameplay and design. When The Old Hunters added several new Trick Weapons and Firearms for players to use in their battles, however, the best of these proved to be some of the most memorable and prolific weapon concepts in FromSoftware's history.
The Old Hunters’ Firearms Ranked
Bloodborne's DLC expansion brought some experimental concepts to its new sidearm offerings, but most of them were unable to match the sheer effectiveness of the base game options that players were already dominating with. Mostly consisting of more niche weapons, the rankings for Bloodborne's firearms in the DLC are generous without the iconic vanilla guns to outshine them.
C Tier
- Loch Shield: A variation of the base game’s Wooden Shield geared towards magical defense, the invaluable shield equipment of Souls games tends to merely engender passivity in Yharnam. A rare non-gun taking up a sidearm slot in Bloodborne, these gimmicky pieces of equipment take a lot more effort than the average pistol. It would be rated a few tiers lower in a list of all of Bloodborne's best weapons.
- Fist of Gratia: It’s rare that fist weapons in Soulslike games don’t underwhelm relative to their cool concept, and this is no exception. These fists are outperformed by guns that do their job better at a longer range, an unfortunate truth that restricts the serious use of these to only advanced players wishing for a challenge.
B Tier
- Church Cannon: Essentially a weaker version of the Bloodborne's powerful Cannon, this weapon's damage makes it usage harder to justify. It makes up for the lack of power with a greater speed and lesser Quicksilver Bullet consumption, but it's still considered to be inferior to its original.
A Tier
- Piercing Rifle: Following the DLC’s trend of being a variation of a base game weapon, this stronger version of the Hunter Pistol can be great if the player chooses a Bloodtinge build. For most playthroughs using typical builds, however, sticking to the basic option will work just as well. While it’s not as useful as other sidearms in the base game for most players, it’s only surpassed by one other gun introduced in The Old Hunters.
S Tier
- Gatling Gun: While it requires a heavy stat investment from the player to effectively operate, this beast of a gun can take down enemies with Quicksilver Bullets alone. Able to shred through Bloodborne's tough NPC hunters and bosses alike, this monstrous firearm is well worth its huge resource consumption. This iconic weapon would rank high even among the firearm and Trick Weapon options of the base game, and is easily the most powerful and memorable gun addition of the DLC.
The Old Hunters’ Trick Weapons Ranked
The firearms introduced in Bloodborne's DLC showcase a large disparity between their strength in some cases, but the actual Trick Weapons don't. For the most part, The Old Hunters' added weapons bring entirely new depth to the game with their diversity. It's uncanny to realize that some of Bloodborne's most recognizable arms weren't even in the base game, but it only goes to show FromSoftware's skill at completing its titles with expansions.
D Tier
- Boom Hammer: One of the coolest concepts is also one the biggest disappointments and worst weapons in Bloodborne, as this heavy hammer fails to deliver damage worthy of its slow speed. Forgoing an actual transformation in favor of a charged up elemental fire attack, this would be one of the most impressive weapons in the game if it actually performed well as much as it looked cool. The base game's Kirkhammer is not only much more accessible, but its better speed and actual transformation form make it a much more viable option over the derivative Boom Hammer. Fortunately, the rest of the weapons in the DLC are nothing like the Boom Hammer.
C Tier
- Beast Cutter: This heavier version of the base game's classic Threaded Cane features solid range in a similar vein to the original serrated trick weapon. Unfortunately, it's bad stat scaling makes it just mediocre in terms of damage when stacked up against the top tiers of the game. The more low-key Trick Weapons like the Beast Cutter shouldn't ever be underestimated, however, as veteran hunters are known to make any weapon work in the right circumstances.
- Bloodletter: This giant mace-like weapon has an intimidation factor that is backed up by good damage from its stat scaling. The signature weapon of Brador, an interesting part of the lore becomes relegated to a niche pick due to its requirement of a large 20% health sacrifice for effective usage. For players willing to risk it all this can wield a Bloodborne Strength build's version of the powerful and similar Chikage katana, but it's also found popularity mostly due to its surreal appearance.
B Tier
- Amgydalan Arm: While this dismembered body part from one of Bloodborne's Amygdala creatures is a dubiously constructed Trick Weapon that can be a bit clunky to use properly, its unpredictable quality can make it highly effective for those who like to fight with a tricky style or strike fear into the hearts of other players. Its transformation between the equally rare Club and Scythe weapon archetypes relegates it to being one of the most niche choices in Bloodborne. A bizarre kind of design that FromSoftware is known for, this still-living monster limb is more viable than it looks if given dedication to learning its strange moveset.
- Kos Parasite: Likely the most bizarre and unique choice available in the game is far from a traditional Bloodborne trick weapon, this strange parasite creature is powerful with Arcane builds. Completely transforming the player with an alien infection when paired with the Milkweed Rune, the confusing tendrils of this weapon can catch players and enemies alike off-guard in between deadly spell-like Hunter Tool castings. The major downside to the Kos Parasite is that its availability is limited by a late-game Rune requirement and one of the toughest bosses in FromSoftware's history.
- Rakuyo: Highly popular and stylish, the signature weapon of Lady Maria is a fan-favorite for good reason. Besides having some of the best Skill stat scaling in Bloodborne, it also has one of the coolest transformations in the game that gives this weapon a diverse moveset. Alternating from a double-bladed sword to a saber and dagger combo, any Trick Weapon that allows dual wielding was bound to become a classic.
A Tier
- Beasthunter Saif: This variation on the Saw Cleaver starting weapon offers both high speed and power to those who give it a shot. It's understandably forgettable for some as it lacks flair by featuring the traditional long and short form cleaver transformation. Initially a sleeper of the DLC's new additions, this weapon has slowly gained recognition over the years in Bloodborne's PvP as players have continued to hone their chaotic meta for over seven years now.
- Simon's Bowblade: An eccentric take on the bows that usually pop up in the Soulslike genre, the sheer utility and engaging lore of it make it a great choice. The fact that this Trick Weapon can be obtained by simply killing the NPC who drops it makes Simon's Bowblade relatively accessible as well. Even bosses can be decimated by this rule-breaker that is often considered one of Bloodborne's best weapons as it alternates between sword slashes and shooting powerful arrow projectiles.
- Church Pick: An extremely underrated and hard-hitting weapon, many players will laud this option for its simple effectiveness in even its raw, untransformed state. For players looking to keep it simple, it can be one of the best weapons for Bloodborne's PvP. It combines the Serrated property for more damage against Beast enemies, the Bloodborne's Righteous property for the same effect against certain creepy enemies, and even the Thrust property for increasing the damage of Visceral Attacks.
S Tier
- Holy Moonlight Sword: Besides the fact that this incarnation of the FromSoftware staple weapon is beautiful to look at, it also boasts massive damage potential. Appearing throughout the Soulslike genre in various forms, the cosmic magic of Bloodborne makes for the darkest and most memorable version of the Moonlight Sword. With proper stat scaling, the accursed Ludwig's guiding moonlight lives up to the hype created by Bloodborne's rich and tragic lore.
- Whirligig Saw: Widely agreed to be the most fun and brutally satisfying Trick Weapon in Yharnam for many players alike, there’s a reason an iteration of the Whirligig Saw made it into Elden Ring. Although it can be challenging to acquire within The Hunter's Nightmare, entire builds have been centered around this carnage-creating marvel. This absurd contraption's ability to make mince meat of eldritch gods and skilled enemy hunters alike solidifies Bloodborne's reputation for iconic weapons.
Bloodborne is available now on PS4.
