When one talks about some of the greatest video games on the PlayStation 4, it goes without saying that Bloodborne would definitely be mentioned in this conversation. Miyazaki's foray into the realm of Gothic and Lovecraftian themes has brought forth an absolute gem of a title, with a fittingly oppressive atmosphere and some of the most intense gaming moments of all time. One truly needs to figure out a proper build to opt for, so that they can take care of the horrors in the dream with little to no issues.
Most people can choose to opt for a Quality build, which can make the most of two unique stats to optimize the damage that can be dealt. While most people consider only Skill and Strength to be leveled up for a Quality build, the fact of the matter is that a Quality build can be a mix of any two stats that improve the offensive capabilities of a character. So, a person opting for a Quality build would do well to keep the following weapons in mind if they wish to make the most of their Bloodborne experience.
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Updated on February 6, 2021, by Reyadh Rahaman: Besides Strength and Skill, one can also level up Bloodtinge, which is primarily used for firearms, and Arcane, which is mostly for more ethereal attacks. These are the four main offensive stats to consider when planning a build, especially a Quality build, for optimizing one's character is essential for success. Out of the many unique and fascinating trick weapons in the game, there are a few that achieve greater damage from having high numbers in multiple stats. These are the weapons to keep an eye out for during one's next Quality build playthrough of Bloodborne.
10 Tonitrus
The Tonitrus is the only weapon in the game with innate Bolt damage — a boon in a game where many bosses and enemies are quite weak to Bolt damage.
However, the Tonitrus isn't the fastest weapon, nor is it the most interesting to use. People going for a Strength and Arcane build are better off using this weapon as a backup instead of mowing through the entire game with it.
When fully upgraded, this electric mace gets B-tier scaling in Strength and D-tier in Arcane. This clearly shows that it favors bulkier builds, though can be a great secondary weapon for Quality builds who need to bring the thunder. It should be noted that the Tonitrus' Bolt damage is not a flat-buff, but scales with one's Arcane stat, meaning that despite the low scaling, this aspect of one's character should not be ignored in favor of investing mostly in Strength.
9 Stake Driver
The Stake Driver makes this list simply because of the massive damage it can dish out with a transformed R2 charge attack.
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While this might technically be the only reason to even think about using this weapon, a relatively fast moveset and the versatility of this weapon certainly makes it an interesting tool in any hunter's arsenal.
As the Stake Driver gets C-tier scaling in Strength, Skill, and Arcane, it can be a great weapon for a multitude of different Quality builds. The moveset includes a variety of slashing attacks intermixed with thrusting ones and even a deadly overhand smash with its charged attack. The latter is so powerful that its damage output is comparable to a visceral attack.
8 Hunter Axe
The Hunter Axe might favor Strength over everything else, but there's no denying that the only way to maximize the damage of this weapon is to dump some points into other stats as well.
The end result is a reliable weapon that has a pretty versatile moveset and can absolutely decimate foes if used correctly.
When fully upgraded, this axe-turned-halberd gets B-tier scaling in Strength as well as D-tier in Skill. However, players are usually surprised to find that it gains C-tier scaling in Arcane, meaning that it is much better to put points into Arcane over Skill for a quality build utilizing this weapon. The versatile combos and long reach make this a deadly ally against beasts, Kin, and even other hunters.
7 Beast Claw
The Beast Claw is easily the most entertaining weapon to use on this entire list, ramping up the tension of every combat encounter while making the player feel like a damage-dishing machine at the same time.
Coupling this weapon with the Beast's Embrace rune will completely change the appearance of the player and give them a permanent Beasthood meter. A buffed offense at the cost of a reduced defense with every hit can completely change the play-style of the hunter.
As one would expect, the moveset of this claw weapon, both with and without Beast's Embrace, is savage and primal. Players can unleash a flurry of strikes that can easily stagger many enemies before they have a chance to dodge or counterattack. Although the Beast Claw favors Strength, gaining C-tier scaling in this stat, it also gets D-tier in both Skill and Arcane when fully upgraded.
6 Saw Cleaver
There's a reason why most Bloodborne players absolutely love the Saw Cleaver and its not-too-distant cousin.
The weapon was featured heavily in the game's marketing, and players who decided to stick with this weapon for their playthrough enjoyed the benefits of swift and damaging attacks that decimate most foes with ease. This was especially true for Beasts, who would receive 20% more damage due to the weapon's Serrated nature.
At the maximum upgrade level, the Saw Cleaver receives C-tier scaling in both Strength and Arcane, as well as D-tier in Skill. Alongside the Hunter Axe, it is one of the strongest weapons for Quality builds that can be acquired from the start of the game due to its ease of use and damage output. It differs from its fellow starting weapon by allowing the wielder to still use a firearm even after it is transformed into its trick mode for even more options in combat.
5 Simon's Bowblade
One of the more unique weapons on this list, Simon's Bowblade is a memorable weapon mainly due to the manner in which it's received in the DLC... if the player progresses with Simon's quest, that is.
The versatility of this weapon is what makes it such a useful asset in both PvE and PvP — the untransformed state uses Skill for its damage, while the transformed bow hits foes at range using Bloodtinge. It's this versatility that makes the Bowblade such an excellent weapon indeed.
What stands out the most about this unique weapon is that it gets colossal boosts from its S-tier scaling in both Skill and Bloodtinge. This allows it to be an incredibly deadly weapon for Quality builds who have invested in these stats. Furthermore, its blade form is swift while the trick mode in the form of a greatbow can launch arrows that have a greater impact than even a literal Cannon.
4 Ludwig's Holy Blade
While it might be the most overused and boring weapon on this list, there's no denying the fact that Ludwig's Holy Blade is an excellent weapon to use, especially for beginners.
The high damage of this weapon coupled with an easy-to-handle moveset makes Ludwig's Holy Blade the easiest recommendation for any Bloodborne player that's pursuing a Quality build.
This longsword and greatsword hybrid gets satisfying B-tier scaling with three stats: Strength, Skill, and Arcane when fully upgraded. The easy to use longsword moveset allows one to get in quick hits while being able to dodge about the area to avoid enemy attacks while the hefty trick mode allows the player to almost always come out on top from a damage-trade.
3 Chikage
The Chikage is undoubtedly one of the coolest weapons to use in Bloodborne. The fact that this weapon is found in what is arguably one of the best areas of the game is enough of a plus as is, and that's just a small taste of what the weapon can afford to players with a good build.
While the blade does scale well with Skill, it's the transformed state that makes this blade such a viable weapon. Hitting L2 powers-up the weapon with the player's life essence, and deals increased damage based on how many points have been invested in Bloodtinge. A decent Skill and Bloodtinge build can use this weapon to deal some massive damage.
The aptly named Chikage, which means "blood shadow" in Japanese, is one of the very few weapons that scale with all four of the core offensive stats. However, it gains the most from its S-tier scaling in Bloodtinge and B-tier scaling in Skill. Since Bloodtinge damage in Bloodborne is neither a physical nor elemental damage type, very few enemies are resistant to it, meaning that the Chikage is a great weapon to use against almost any foe. To top it all off, it also applies the Rapid Poison effect to targets slashed by its wicked edge.
2 Holy Moonlight Sword
It was only a matter of time before this legendary weapon would appear on this list. The Holy Moonlight Sword is easily one of the best weapons in Bloodborne, and the fact that one of the best bosses in the game uses this legendary blade makes it all the more coveted in the Bloodborne fandom.
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Any player who is investing in Arcane along with either Strength or Skill will find this to be a viable option... although it's highly recommended to pursue a Strength and Arcane build to get the most out of this weapon.
With B-tier scaling in Strength and an impressive A-tier with Arcane, the Holy Moonlight Sword is appropriately powerful for being this FromSoftware game's equivalent to the Moonlight Greatsword made famous by the Dark Souls series. In its trick mode, it can launch waves of energy synonymous with its heritage by using heavy attacks, making this greatsword simultaneously capable of ranged attacks as well as devastating melee ones.
1 Burial Blade
The weapon wielded by Gerhman tops this list as one of the best weapons for a Quality build. The Burial Blade does have higher scaling with Skill rather than Strength, but investing 25 points in the latter is still highly recommended to maximize the damage of this weapon.
Investing in this weapon allows for the player to enjoy one of the most entertaining weapons in the game, coupled with massive reach and the ability to clear out mobs of enemies with the greatest of ease.
Gaining B-tier scaling with both Skill and Arcane when fully upgraded allows Quality builds to take advantage of this scythe's speed, reach, and power. Its initial form is a curved sword great for carving foes up close while its scythe form possesses the range and moveset that can let players reap the blood from their foes as easily as harvesting wheat.