Highlights

• Bloodborne's weapons allow for incredible moment-to-moment variety, offering a unique gameplay experience.
• Each weapon in Bloodborne has its own strengths and weaknesses, requiring players to carefully choose the best tool for the job.
• The mechanical depth of Bloodborne's weapons, coupled with rich boss fights, make it one of the best action RPGs to date.

FromSoftware's Bloodborne remains one of the greatest PlayStation exclusives of all time and one of the better entries in the Souls franchise. Where it lacks in weapon and build variety compared to other titles by FromSoftware, it more than makes up for this with rich mechanical depth, great boss fights, and some of the coolest weapons in any action RPG.

Bloodborne’s Trick Weapons are fiendishly creative, allowing players to utilize two weapons in one. With the tap of a button, any Trick Weapon can completely change, offering the player an incredible amount of moment-to-moment variety that very few action games can pull off. Naturally, not every weapon is worth using, so seek out the one that feels the best to slay foes with.

Updated April 14, 2024 by Ritwik Mitra: Bloodborne is one of the best action RPGs players can check out. The focus on aggression in this game wowed many people at the time, with the Gothic and Lovecraftian influences that are rife throughout this title making it even more fun.

Given how challenging the combat in this game is, it's important to select the best weapon that players want to use to get through these many challenges without feeling completely overwhelmed.

26 Kos Parasite

Max Damage: 60 Arcane

• Scaling: Arcane (S)
• Stat Requirements: 20 Arcane
• Location: Dropped By The Orphan Of Kos

The Kos Parasite is too slow for its good and doesn’t shine when it comes to range, but these flaws are necessary to not make the Kos Parasite too overwhelming. In terms of damage, the Kos Parasite may not hit as hard as it could, but it has amazing stagger potential. With the right tactics, it’s possible to comfortably chip enemies to death.

This is to say nothing of the fact that the Kos Parasite is just a fun weapon to use. Slow it may be, but it has a great move set and a super creative design. There’s nothing else like it in Bloodborne, which is what gives it so much value as a weapon.

25 Boom Hammer

Max Damage: 150 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (C), Skill (D)
• Stat Requirements: 14 Strength, 12 Skill
• Location: In A House In The Hunter's Nightmare

The Boom Hammer is a weapon that not many people talk about, given how the DLC was littered with so many remarkable weapons. However, players who decided to maximize the Boom Hammer's potential would realize how amazing this weapon is.

The regular moveset of this weapon is decent, but it's when players use the explosive power of this weapon that they realize how much destructive potential it has. The Boom Hammer can inflict serious damage if players ignite the weapon before bringing it down in a massive blast that can hit for serious damage.

24 Beast Claw

Max Damage: 150 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (C), Skill (D)
• Stat Requirements: 14 Strength, 12 Skill
• Location: In A Layer 2 Treasure Room Chest In A Dungeon Made With An Ailing Loran Chalice

The Beast Claw isn’t the most popular of Bloodborne’s weapons. It’s not found during the main story, for one thing, and isn’t very well renowned in terms of attack speed or power.

The saving grace of the weapon, however, arrived with The Old Hunters expansion. In the DLC, Hunters can acquire the Beast’s Embrace Rune, which transforms the player’s appearance and gives them a new moveset to employ with the Beast Claw, including leaping attacks and frantic flails. With a build that takes advantage of its strengths, it’s both very powerful and a lot of fun. It's also guarded by one of the most infamous bosses in the game: Laurence, the First Vicar.

23 Threaded Cane

Max Damage: 156 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (E), Skill (A)
• Stat Requirements: 7 Strength, 9 Skill
• Location: One Of The Three Starting Weapons Players Can Obtain

The Threaded Cane is one of the toughest weapons to use in Bloodborne and not one that's recommended for beginners. Unless players want to challenge themselves, they're better off sticking with either the Saw Cleaver or the Hunter Axe in the initial phases of the game.

In fact, the Threaded Cane can be so weak that most people consider it to be the weakest weapon in Bloodborne. Only pros who want to make the beginning of the game as interesting as possible and understand how the game works should think about starting with this weapon before eventually replacing it.

22 Rakuyo

Max Damage: 164 Physical

• Scaling: Skill (A)
• Stat Requirements: 10 Strength, 20 Skill
• Location: Dropped By The Shark Giant Enemies At The Bottom Of The Fishing Hamlet Well

The Rakuyo uses a similar move set to the Chikage. That said, it isn’t entirely identical to the Chikage and the Rakuyo has its own set of strengths and weaknesses to balance things out.

The Rakuyo is technically a dual-wield weapon, changing up the control scheme on the player. At the same time, mastering this control scheme leads to Rakuyo turning into one of the best weapons in Bloodborne.

21 Stake Driver

Max Damage: 170 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (C), Skill (C)
• Stat Requirements: 18 Strength, 9 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Powder Keg Hunter Badge

The Stake Driver is a deceptively weak-looking weapon in the game. Acquired after beating Djura, this weapon hits fast but the lack of range means that many people may not even check this weapon out.

It's a shame since this weapon's charge damage hits for massive damage if players prime the stake beforehand. Finding a great opening and using this weapon to deal incredible charged damage is easily one of the most satisfying moments experienced with proper use of the Stake Driver.

20 Saw Spear

Max Damage: 170 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (D), Skill (C)
• Stat Requirements: 7 Strength, 8 Skill
• Location: In Central Yharnam, Or Purchased from The Messengers After Getting The Saw Hunter Badge

The Saw Spear and Saw Cleaver are pretty much two sides of the same coin, and it's up to the player and their preferred build to determine which variation best suits their playstyle. Regardless of the choice, the simple yet effective moveset of this weapon makes it fun to use.

Of course, the moveset may seem rather rudimentary compared to some of the fancier weapons in the game. However, the extra damage to Beasts inflicted by this weapon more than makes up for its simple array of moves.

19 Church Pick

Max Damage: 176 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (D), Skill (B)
• Stat Requirements: 9 Strength, 14 Skill
• Location: Dropped By The Hunter Wearing The Yahar'Gul Set In The Hunter's Nightmare

From a giant sword to a war pick, the Church Pick doesn’t stand out as one of the better weapons in the game on a surface level. Its transformed variation also does shockingly little damage, a rarity for the Trick Weapons. That said, the Church Pick’s transformed state also allows the player to make use of very reliable stunlocks.

When properly stunlocking, the Church Pick becomes one of the best weapons in Bloodborne as far as combo potential goes. The transformed Church Pick’s amazing range also ensures that stunlocking an enemy isn’t particularly difficult. A little bit of damage tradeoff is simply the price to pay for trying to land combos.

18 Beasthunter Saif

Max Damage: 180 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (D), Skill (B)
• Stat Requirements: 9 Strength, 11 Skill
• Location: Found In The Hunter's Nightmare After The Blood River

The Old Hunters DLC is one of the best expansion packs ever released for a video game. The sheer amount of love and effort put into expanding the lore of the game while also adding a wealth of amazing bosses should definitely be commended.

The DLC also adds its fair share of unique weapons that are a joy to mess around with, with the Beasthunter Saif being a relatively unremarkable addition when compared to the rest of the new weapons. Still, it's a pretty useful weapon to get one's hands on, but the fact that it can only be obtained in this high-level area means that players may prefer to use more powerful weapons instead.

17 Saw Cleaver

Max Damage: 180 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (C), Skill (D)
• Stat Requirements: 8 Strength, 7 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Saw Hunter Badge

The Saw Cleaver may be one of the game’s starting weapons, but Bloodborne doesn’t discriminate when it comes to the Cane, Hunter Axe, and Saw Cleaver. While the Saw Cleaver may not be the strongest of the bunch, it’s usable for the entire game, even the DLC.

The Saw Cleaver handles crowds of enemies extremely well, something that never loses value in the game. Better yet, the Saw Cleaver’s immediate availability means that players can start upgrading their weapon right away, ensuring that their early game isn’t spent hoarding materials. The Saw Cleaver is arguably the best starting weapon in Bloodborne for players new to FromSoftware games, as it's very easy to use.

16 Blade Of Mercy

Max Damage: 120 Physical, 60 Arcane

• Scaling: Skill (S)
• Stat Requirements: 7 Strength, 11 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Crow Hunter Badge

While Skill-based weapons don’t boast the damage-per-hit that their huge, cumbersome counterparts do, they make up for it with swift, graceful attacks. The Blade of Mercy is the perfect example of this.

It's the signature weapon of Eileen the Crow, one of the mysterious Yharnam’s most intriguing denizens. The Hunter of Hunters wields this short sword and dual blade combo with dexterity and skill, and if the player can do the same, it will reward them well. The Blade of Mercy ties in perfectly with the game’s evasive combat style, dealing boosted damage from quickstep attacks and allowing the player to dodge through foes’ onslaughts while piling on the pressure. Its damage per hit is also low, though, and the player will need a lot of skill to get the best from this Bloodborne weapon.

15 Beast Cutter

Max Damage: 184 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (B), Skill (D)
• Stat Requirements: 11 Strength, 9 Skill
• Location: Near The Entrance Of The Nightmare Version Of The Grand Cathedral

A common theme that most of Bloodborne’s best weapons share is their ability to properly crowd control. Unlike Dark Souls, enemies in Bloodborne often attack players in small waves and, again unlike Dark Souls, players are expected to take down all these enemies more or less in one go.

This makes weapons like the Beast Cutter very much worth it. Better yet, when in trick mode, the Beast Cutter has whip-like properties that can make use of enemies placed closer to the ground. The Beast Cutter also scales with Strength, making it almost a beefier version of the Threaded Cane.

14 Whirligig Saw

Max Damage: 190 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (S), Skill (D)
• Stat Requirements: 18 Strength, 12 Skill
• Location: On A Small Incline On The Path Surrounding The Nightmare Church

The Whirligig Saw is one of the most simple, brutal, and horrifying weapons in the game. Part mace, part vicious, flesh-rending saw, there’s no denying that this is one of the best Strength-based weapons in Bloodborne.

When transformed, the Whirligig Saw (which has S scaling in Strength when fully upgraded) allows the player to hold L2 to continuously grind through enemies (as stamina allows). Preying on the weaknesses of beast foes, in particular, its damage output is amazing.

13 Hunter Axe

Max Damage: 196 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (B), Skill (D)
• Stat Requirements: 9 Strength, 8 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Saw Hunter Badge

The Hunter’s Axe might be a starting weapon, but it’s not only the best weapon of the bunch, it’s one of the best weapons in Bloodborne. Perfect availability, great scaling, amazing range, useful both in trick mode or otherwise, and one of the more powerful weapons in the game in terms of pure damage; there’s no reason not to use the Hunter Axe.

It fills a lot of roles as a weapon without falling into one clear archetype. It can be a great one-on-one weapon, it can crowd control easily, it’s useful for almost every boss fight, and players will never feel like they’re doing chip damage. It may not be the game’s very best weapon, but it’s close.

12 Ludwig’s Holy Blade

Max Damage: 200 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (B), Skill (B)
• Stat Requirements: 16 Strength, 12 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Radiant Sword Hunter Badge

Everything the Hunter Axe does, Ludwig’s Holy Blade does better. It doesn’t have the same range as the Hunter Axe at its best, but Ludwig’s Holy Blade is faster. It can tear enemies apart with no real effort. Its move set is also reliable--chaining into a hard-to-avoid combo. As such, Ludwig's Holy Blade is the best weapon in Bloodborne for most players.

While its availability certainly isn’t as good as the starting weapon's, Ludwig’s Holy Blade can be obtained alarmingly early if players know what they’re doing. After obtaining the sword, there’s no real reason to unequip it. Ludwig’s Holy Blade can and will carry players through the entire game and beyond.

11 Kirkhammer

Max Damage: 210 Physical

• Scaling: Strength (A), Skill (E)
• Stat Requirements: 16 Strength, 10 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Sword Hunter Badge

This hybrid of a sword and hammer is a great and versatile weapon. The single-handed mode allows players to sneak in quick sword strikes, while the trick mode of this weapon transforms it into a giant hammer that can crush enemies.

This weapon can be a bit slow in its transformed state, which may not be great for players who are struggling with the fast-paced combat system of Bloodborne. However, veterans can still use the Kirkhammer to bring a world of pain to their enemies.

10 Burial Blade

Max Damage: 160 Physical, 60 Arcane

• Scaling: Strength (D), Skill (B)
• Stat Requirements: 10 Strength, 12 Skill
• Location: Purchased From The Messengers After Getting The Old Hunter Badge

Gehrman’s personal weapon, the Burial Blade is easily one of the best Trick Weapons in Bloodborne. Half scythe, half sword, the Burial Blade is aesthetically appealing if nothing else. As the weapon of the game’s penultimate boss, though, it goes without saying that using the Burial Blade does have its perks.

For starters, a charged L2 attack has arguably the best reach in the game out of the many possible charged attacks, decimating pretty much everything in its path. The Burial Blade also makes use of a variety of attack animations, giving players plenty of options when it comes to combat— a necessity when tackling harder Chalice Dungeons or the DLC.

9 Amygdalan Arm

Max Damage: 160 Physical, 80 Arcane

• Scaling: Strength (A), Skill (E), Arcane (C)
• Stat Requirements: 17 Strength, 9 Skill
• Location: In A Cave In The Hunter's Nightmare, Where The Blood-Starved Beast Resides

One of the most unique weapons in Bloodborne, players who want to level up both Strength and Arcane can use this weapon to make their build as viable as possible. It helps that the Amygdalan Arm is a blast to use, and its raw damage is excellent at high levels.

There's something oddly fascinating about using the limb of an Eldritch being in battle that makes the Amygdalan Arm morbidly fascinating. The moveset is tricky and satisfying, but players who master how this weapon works will find it to be immensely powerful in both PvE and PvP.

8 Logarius' Wheel

Max Damage: 200 Physical, 50 Arcane

• Scaling: Strength (S), Arcane (C)
• Stat Requirements: 20 Strength, 12 Skill, 10 Arcane
• Location: Purchase From The Messengers After Getting The Wheel Hunter Badge

Logarius' Wheel takes the cake for being one of the weirdest weapons in the game. The idea of using a wheel to run down enemies sounds positively ridiculous, but it works.

Of course, the Logarius' Wheel pales in comparison to other strength weapons, but the sheer uniqueness of its moveset alone makes it well worth checking out. Players who love Alfred and the tale of the Executioners will gain additional enjoyment from using this weapon.

7 Holy Moonlight Sword

Max Damage: 180 Physical, 100 Arcane

• Scaling: Strength (B), Skill (C)
• Stat Requirements: 16 Strength, 12 Skill, 14 Arcane
• Location: In The Underground Corpse Pile After Defeating Ludwig, The Holy Blade

The Holy Moonlight Sword is a Dark Souls weapon slapped into Bloodborne. Theoretically, it shouldn’t work. The Wooden Shield is very much the same concept, but FromSoftware knew that fans needed a recognizable sword for The Old Hunters DLC. The result is the coolest version of the series' signature weapon: the Holy Moonlight Sword.

It’s fast, hits hard, has an incredibly fun move set, and fundamentally changes how Bloodborne’s gameplay loop feels. The Holy Moonlight Sword is one of the best Bloodborne weapons for mixed Arcane builds. The Holy Moonlight Sword scales evenly with Strength and Dexterity, so it’s a good weapon for any Melee and Arcane hybrid.