Bloodborne (Dark Souls 2 successor (Dark Souls successor (Demon's Souls successor)))

[Korax]

I'm sure I've missed something, but I'm not initially seeing good ways to sequence break for later playthroughs?  DS2 was designed to be sequence broken, you could do some really neat shit out of order. 

 

I've glanced at a couple guides, and they have this order in mind (boss names only):

 

1 - Cleric Beast

2 - Father Gasciogne

3 - Blood-starved Beast

4 - Vicar Amelia

5 - Witch of Hemwick

 

From what I can tell, 1 & 2 are set, but then things are more or less open. I opened the door to boss 4 next, and left because it was obvious that there was a boss fight and I didn't feel ready. I then beat 5 (just needs an item to access its area, Crest-of-Artorias-style), beat 3, and made my way back to 4.

 

Also, out of those 5 story bosses, and the 3 Chalice Dungeon bosses I've fought so far (Chalice Dungeons have multiple floors, and a boss in each floor), the first one has been the hardest by far. It's like they want you to prove that you want to play the game in order to get anywhere.

[Bjorn]

I think what's most exciting for me (aside from everything) is how the stat system has been simplified to the point that it's actually understandable again. DS2 was incredibly obtuse with how it split stats up, and I never really knew what to put points in to. 

 

I, so far, am pretty happy with the simplification that has gone on.  A lot of previous stat systems were just kind of pointless cruft, this seems to have really boiled it down a bunch. 

 

 

I've glanced at a couple guides, and they have this order in mind (names only):

 

Yeah, I'm sure I'm being overly nitpicky for as early on as I am.  In DS2, I spent my entire first evening just exploring the Forest of the Fallen Giants, but on subsequent playthroughs I was able to kill four bosses in under an hour at the start of the game. 

 

For people a bit further on, what are upgrade material supplies like?  As I understand it, there is only a single material?  If these are buyable or relatively plentiful, I'll just go ahead and pump what I have into my axe. 

[Korax]

So far I've found Blood Stone Shards and Twin Blood Stone Shards. It's like Titanite Shards & Titanite fragments. You can get a weapon up to +3 or +4 on basic shards, and then you need Twin shards to continue. Basic shards have been plentiful, and I think there might be enemies that drop them for potential farming. Twin shards are a bit more rare, but I've still found a decent amount of them. There is also an analog to the Crystal Lizards - a small mandragora/plant root creature thing that runs away from you, drops Shards, and doesn't respawn if killed. I saw my first one in Old Yharnam, and have found two or three more since then.

 

I haven't been able to buy any yet, but since basic shards are so plentiful and there are so few weapons, I've just started upgrading stuff that I'm probably never going to use. I have something like 6 trick weapons and 4 guns, and except for starting gear, only one of them was loot. All the others came from the shop in the Dream. Oh, and I found a shitty wooden shield. It's shitty.

[JonCole]

Still slumming it in the first zone. In Dark Souls I found that as I learned a zone, I could go a little faster as I repeatedly went through it. Not so with Bloodborne, as I am just getting repeatedly shredded as I try to go any faster than a turtle's pace. It's starting to frustrate me, but maybe I should just put it down and try again later. It's hard not to just keep bashing my head against it as it's so new and I really want to progress with the community, but I also am very wary about burning out.

[Bjorn]

So far I've found Blood Stone Shards and Twin Blood Stone Shards. It's like Titanite Shards & Titanite fragments. You can get a weapon up to +3 or +4 on basic shards, and then you need Twin shards to continue. Basic shards have been plentiful, and I think there might be enemies that drop them for potential farming. Twin shards are a bit more rare, but I've still found a decent amount of them. There is also an analog to the Crystal Lizards - a small mandragora/plant root creature thing that runs away from you, drops Shards, and doesn't respawn if killed. I saw my first one in Old Yharnam, and have found two or three more since then.

 

I haven't been able to buy any yet, but since basic shards are so plentiful and there are so few weapons, I've just started upgrading stuff that I'm probably never going to use. I have something like 6 trick weapons and 4 guns, and except for starting gear, only one of them was loot. All the others came from the shop in the Dream. Oh, and I found a shitty wooden shield. It's shitty.

 

Thanks!  I wasn't really thinking about the much more limited weapon range in this game, thus eliminating some of the supply issues.

 

 

Still slumming it in the first zone. In Dark Souls I found that as I learned a zone, I could go a little faster as I repeatedly went through it. Not so with Bloodborne, as I am just getting repeatedly shredded as I try to go any faster than a turtle's pace. It's starting to frustrate me, but maybe I should just put it down and try again later. It's hard not to just keep bashing my head against it as it's so new and I really want to progress with the community, but I also am very wary about burning out.

 

Have you said what your starting build was?  I didn't see where you did.  With the cane I felt like I was struggling, but when I restarted with the Axe, I felt like I started booking it through areas I was familiar with.  Also, use your consumables!  Molotovs are cheap.  Bullets are plentiful.  As I started going back through areas, there were some easy spots to take out 2-3 enemies with a single molotov, speeding my time up a bunch.  I also think the L1 combo is probably one of the stronger moves in the game (if you aren't already using it).  From any other melee attack, you can hit L1, and you'll do a special attack as your weapon changes to its other form.  Plus once you know for sure where an enemy is, a dashing attack will one shot a lot of enemies, or a jumping R2 if a weapon supports that move (not sure all forms do).

[JonCole]

I did Military Veteran, Axe, Pistol. Maybe I need to experiment more with the items, I've been trying to conserve Molotovs as I heard they are quite useful on the first boss but maybe I need to focus right now on just mastering the mechanics.

[Korax]

Oh yeah, use Molotovs all the time. Fire in Bloodborne is like lightning in Dark Souls - the thing you hit is probably going to be weak to it, and if not, at least not resistant. You can buy them in the Dream for fairly cheap, so I always make sure I have a full stack (10) when I'm heading out. Once you've found the first boss, you'll have enough shortcuts opened that getting to the fight won't be a big chore, so returning after stocking up won't be a huge hassle.

 

Another thing that's not immediately apparent is the stash in the Dream. There is one, in case you didn't know, but anything you pick up that exceeds your personal inventory is automatically sent to it. It's indicated by a green stash icon next to the item icon when you get the pickup message. And anytime you die or travel back to the Dream, your Blood Vials and Bullets are automatically filled from the stash.

[Mangela Lansbury]

I got a coupon I could use for 10% off a PS4 at Best Buy, and this thread is making it really hard to be responsible with my money.

[JonCole]

Alternately, Amazon has a Bloodborne console bundle that saves you $24 (which might be a better deal if you don't get taxed by Amazon) - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00UZGQ3G4/12-230c-20/

[Bjorn]

Another thing that's not immediately apparent is the stash in the Dream. There is one, in case you didn't know, but anything you pick up that exceeds your personal inventory is automatically sent to it. It's indicated by a green stash icon next to the item icon when you get the pickup message. And anytime you die or travel back to the Dream, your Blood Vials and Bullets are automatically filled from the stash.

Oh yeah, this is soooooo nice. It's just one of those little touches that completely eliminates a minor annoyance that exists in so many games. It's one of those ideas where once you see it, you wonder why ever game with a stash doesn't do it the same way.

Also, I'm freaking shocked that you can sell items right from the beginning. It's also nice, a couple of times when I've died, I've sold all my extra bullets to afford a an extra molotov or two.

Also, also, Oil Flasks! You only find a few of these, but they are buyable after the first boss. These might as well be a second stack of molotovs. They seem to more than double the damage of a molotov, or you can keep the torch in your off hand and switch to it to light someone up (I assume, I haven't actually tried this yet, I burned through all my found flasks on the dreaded twin bridge beasts and the first boss).

Something I forgot to mention last night, the dearth of lamps/bonfires is actually a welcome change from DS2. The devs just threw bonfires at you in DS2, in some areas it had hardly seemed like you had explored at all and you found another one. So far I've found two, and tension building as you move further and further away from one is incredible.

[JonCole]

So I just had a really good run, still in the first zone, where I really felt like I made serious progress. Take everyone's advice and use molotovs, bullets, and vials relatively liberally. I'm usually an item hoarder in games, but the relief you can feel if you just decide to not care so much about that is immense.

[kickinthehead]

I had a pretty good 1-2 hours last night where I've reached the point where I can fairly competently dispatch the human characters, and I'm starting to get a bit more comfortable with the more grotesque and large enemies. Before I quit for the night I had 3000+ blood echoes, had found a new area (still no lantern though) and something snuck up behind me and killed me.

 

I think all I have to show for it are some items, a weapon upgrade, and the real life experience of getting a bit further and fighting new enemy types. Also I'm pretty sure I was thinking about Bloodborne when I woke up this morning

 

But I'm still having fun and it's definitely scratching that Spelunky itch of "ONE more time..."

[Cyborg771]

Also, also, Oil Flasks! You only find a few of these, but they are buyable after the first boss. These might as well be a second stack of molotovs. They seem to more than double the damage of a molotov, or you can keep the torch in your off hand and switch to it to light someone up (I assume, I haven't actually tried this yet, I burned through all my found flasks on the dreaded twin bridge beasts and the first boss).

Can you use the oil flasks in conjunction with the molotovs? I tried this on the Cleric Beast but then BOTH my molotovs missed so I couldn't tell.

If anyone is looking for an oil flask in the first area btw there's one being guarded by some crows in the courtyard where you fight the big guy banging on the door (if I remember correctly).

 

[Bjorn]

Can you use the oil flasks in conjunction with the molotovs? I tried this on the Cleric Beast but then BOTH my molotovs missed so I couldn't tell.

If anyone is looking for an oil flask in the first area btw there's one being guarded by some crows in the courtyard where you fight the big guy banging on the door (if I remember correctly).

 

Sorry, yes, that is exactly what I meant!  Throw an oil flask, then throw a molotov, and BOOM!  The base molotov was doing 160 for me on the boss, and the Oil Flask boosted molotov was doing closer to...350?  I think.  It was definitely in the 300s.  You do have to throw a fresh oil flask each time though. 

[Cyborg771]

Also, the Cleric Beast dropped some kind of badge or emblem, I forget the exact name, does anybody know what it's for?

[Bjorn]

Also, the Cleric Beast dropped some kind of badge or emblem, I forget the exact name, does anybody know what it's for?

 

That's the one thing I cheated and looked up, because I couldn't figure out what it did.  Picking up a badge unlocks new items in the store.  Bosses drop them, and there are some hidden around the game.

[Cyborg771]

Is that the only way to get new weapons? It's streamlined, which is nice, but I like the mystery of picking up gear off a dead enemy, especially unique weapons or armor.

[Korax]

Is that the only way to get new weapons? It's streamlined, which is nice, but I like the mystery of picking up gear off a dead enemy, especially unique weapons or armor.

 

It's where the vast majority of weapons will come from. It makes sense in the setting; only Hunters use trick weapons, and almost all the enemies are beasts or other monsters, so they all have regular swords and such.

[JonCole]

So, I just completed the loop in the first zone that takes me back to the original bonfire/lamp. I have 8000 blood, I've already bought the Hunter gear, I've already buffed my weapon, what do I do with all this currency? I guess I could just buy enough molotovs to last me practically forever, but maybe I'm missing something?

[Korax]

The bridge with the bastard beasts leads to the first boss fight, and you won't be able to level until you meet it for the first time. So, yeah, you should probably buy a bunch of Molotovs so you don't lose all your blood when it kills you (and you have backup stock for repeat fights).

[JonCole]

I BEAT IT ON MY FIRST TRY, I AM THE LORD OF BLOOD

[Gormongous]

I BEAT IT ON MY FIRST TRY, I AM THE LORD OF BLOOD

 

Born into blood, lord of blood.

[Bjorn]

Father Gascoigne can burn in hell.  That fight should not have taken me as many times as it did.  Fuck that guy. 

[Griddlelol]

Father Gascoigne can burn in hell.  That fight should not have taken me as many times as it did.  Fuck that guy. 

Father Gascoigne? What an awesome name. Does he look anything like this?

[Korax]

I've glanced at a couple guides, and they have this order in mind (boss names only):

 

1 - Cleric Beast

2 - Father Gasciogne

3 - Blood-starved Beast

4 - Vicar Amelia

5 - Witch of Hemwick

 

From what I can tell, 1 & 2 are set, but then things are more or less open. I opened the door to boss 4 next, and left because it was obvious that there was a boss fight and I didn't feel ready. I then beat 5 (just needs an item to access its area, Crest-of-Artorias-style), beat 3, and made my way back to 4.

 

I've thought a little more about what each of these bosses gives you access to, and I think only two of them are required for story progression. 2 is the only thing directly blocking the exit from Central Yharnam, and you need something you get from 4 to get to another area outside the city. 1, 3, and 5 are only guarding/keeping items that, while useful, haven't had any significance to progression through the narrative. At least, not yet.