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Highlights

  • Bloodborne's firearms play a crucial role in player agency and build variety, with a focus on quality over quantity of weapons.
  • The Evelyn stands out as one of the most unique and powerful firearms, particularly for Bloodtinge-focused builds.
  • The Repeating Pistol, Ludwig's Rifle, Hunter Blunderbuss, and Piercing Rifle offer different offensive options for players who prefer an aggressive playstyle.

Bloodborne has remained one of the most relevant Soulslike experiences years after its release, and its emphasis on player agency through build variety is an important part of its legacy. While Bloodborne may not feature the highest number of weapons in its arsenal, it's known for having some of the strongest focus on quality over quantity of any title released by FromSoftware. When it comes to the game's signature firearms and their differing ability to parry and damage enemies, however, some options ultimately come out on top in the eyes of many players.

It may be an extremely unique released when compared to the likes of Dark Souls due to the guns present in its Victorian era setting, but Bloodborne's firearms don't exactly just break the game. They are integrated primarily as a parrying tool that stuns enemies and opens them up to Visceral Attacks, but some are still able to deal some heavy damage in certain situations.

RELATED: Bloodborne: 10 Hardest Weapons To Master

Best Firearms in Bloodborne

S Tier

  • Evelyn
  • Hunter Pistol

Few of Bloodborne's firearms truly stand above the rest at the top, but this is only a testament to their effectiveness. Evelyn is one of the most unique ranged weapons in the game, but it is also ultimately a relatively simple variation of the default Hunter Pistol. While the starting firearm can remain strong while equipped throughout the entire length of Bloodborne, Evelyn requires a bit more effort. Found in Cainhurt Castle, the Evelyn is capable of dishing out more damage than the Hunter Pistol at the cost of its Bloodtinge requirement. For players running a Bloodtinge-focused build, which requires investing in the stat most closely associated with firearm usage, running the Evelyn is almost always the best choice. Otherwise, the Hunter Pistol is more than enough to parry even late-game enemies, making it a top pick by virtue of its easy accessibility.

A Tier

  • Repeating Pistol
  • Ludwig's Rifle
  • Hunter Blunderbuss
  • Piercing Rifle

Still powerful in the right hands, the more aggressively oriented firearms of Bloodborne require a different approach than the typical parrying shot. The Repeating Pistol echoes the default Hunter Pistol yet again, but its cost of two Quicksilver Bullets per shot demands careful planning at times. The stunning spray of the Hunter Blunderbuss and its variants makes for a potentially great offensive option, especially for players who may struggle with the timing parries. Iterating on the spread fire concept, the Piercing Rifle features a much more narrow shot, while Ludwig's Rifle balances the two into a heavier option.

Niche Firearms in Bloodborne

B Tier

  • Flamesprayer
  • Gatling Gun
  • Rosmarinus
  • Church Cannon
  • Cannon

Much like Bloodborne's Trick Weapons, its firearms are technically all viable with the correct build, but this doesn't mean they are all easy to use. The Flamesprayer may be able to deliver devastating damage with the correct gems and stat distribution, but it lacks any sense of immediacy found in the traditional gun options. The Rosmarinus occupies a similar space with its focus on pure Arcane damage, while the other picks of this tier share the flaw of being costly to shoot. The Cannon and Church Cannon both consume so many Quicksilver Bullets that their shots need to be carefully planned, while the Gatling Gun consumes ammo aggressively once it gets started.

C Tier

  • Hunter’s Torch
  • Fist of Gratia
  • Loch Shield
  • Torch
  • Wooden Shield

Some of the more unconventional options found in the game, the most challenging of Bloodborne's firearms are not even guns at all. While they occupy the firearm slot, these weapons are more experimental approaches to the off-hand equipment of the game. The Wooden Shield and Torch are not recommended by the majority of players, but the Hunter's Torch and Loch Shield both have potential in the right hands. Similarly, the Fist of Gratia can be a formidable back-up slot pick due to its stun-locking potential that can come in handy when all Quicksilver Bullets have been spent.