Bloodborne General Progression Guide

Finding Your Way Through Yharnam and Beyond

Bloodborne isn't exactly a huge game, especially when compared to some of From Software's other titles like Elden Ring. However, progressing through the game can sometimes be a little difficult or confusing for those who aren't completely familiar with the level design and layout of the points of interest. In this guide, I'll be presenting a general overview of the intended progression through Bloodborne's main, story-critical areas. Each section will discuss a different area, including important or highly useful items or NPCs, general tips, and a short discussion of the final boss in an area.

1. Central Yharnam

Central Yharnam is the very first area you have access to in Bloodborne. It's where you die for the first time, find your first lantern, and learn the games mechanics. It's also one of the more straightforward areas to navigate, and the fact that there's only one way out of Central Yharnma (at first) takes a lot of navigational overhead off the player's mind. There are a couple of important places and NPCs in Central Yharnam that may interest players. The most vital, especially for new players, is the location of the first Madman's Knowledge you have access to. About halfway through Central Yharnam, you descend some stairs into a large building that leads you into the sewers. This is an area you have to explore to gain access to the boss area and the rest of the game, so you're rather unlikely to miss it. In the building, before exiting into the sewers, is a trench in the ground that looks like a canal with a dead end and several busted up boats. At the end of the canal are two rat enemies, and behind them lies a pickup that nets you your first madman's knowledge. Using this gains you your first insight, allowing you to finally unlock to ability to level up via The Doll in the Hunter's Dream.

In addition to the critical first insight, there are two NPCs that are of particular interest in Central Yharnam. The first is Eileen the Crow. Her storyline is rather interesting and allows the player to unlock some pretty cool equipment later in the game, but like most Souls-like NPCs, it's completely optional. That said, you can find Eileen just outside the building that leads to the sewers. In the large room between the small first staircase and the second larger one, there are a bunch of boxes and barrels to the right side. Breaking these opens up an exit onto a walkway that allows you to access the rafters (with a couple of items to knock down for later), and along this walkway is another opening that leads to a small balcony area. Eileen can be found at the far end of this balcony overlooking the city. The second NPC is found by going up a ladder in the middle of the sewer area. At one point in the sewers, you'll approach the edge of the canal-like sections and there will be a drop down into a bunch of standing water. Towards the right side of this area is a platform you can land on with a ladder leading up. Taking this ladder leads to a gate that can be opened, unlocking a shortcut between this part of the sewers and the plaza area from the beginning of Central Yharnam. Next to this gate is a window through which you can speak to a young girl who talks about her mother leaving in search of her father. At the end of the conversation, she gives the player a music box, an item that is largely useless except during the boss fight at the end of the area. Optional bosses: - Cleric Beast (found at the end of the bridge above the area)

Central Yharnam Boss Fight - Father Gascoigne

The final boss for Central Yharnam is also many players first, with the occasional exception of the Cleric Beast. He's a hunter-type enemy, meaning he has all the same moves as the player - at least until he transforms into a beast part way through the fight. He's fast and aggressive, requiring the player to fight the same way if they want to beat him without too much trouble. Unlocking the elevator at the end of the bridge right after you leave the sewers provides a much-needed shortcut for accessing Gascoigne's fight after death. If you encountered the little girl NPC mentioned earlier, the music box she gave you can provide a bit of an edge during this fight. Playing the music box (by equipping it to one of your item slots and activating it like most consumables) will cause Father Gascoigne to falter for a few moments, grabbing his head and shaking around. This leaves him open to a few easy hits, or even provides an opportunity to heal and reorient yourself for the fight. However, be careful with this strategy. The music box only works twice, and only during the first phase of the fight when Gascoigne is still human. In addition, his transformation usually occurs after taking a certain amount of damage, but if you trigger the music box twice during the fight, he'll transform right after the second use, regardless of how much health he has. Misusing this item can actually make the fight harder in the long run if you trigger the transformation too early. Defeating Gascoigne in the Tomb of Oeden unlocks the path to the next major area - the Cathedral Ward.

2. Cathedral Ward

The Cathedral Ward is the second main area of the base game and the world really opens up here. There are loads of paths that branch off from this area, only a few of which are available right when you get there. Part of the reason for this is because the main portion of the area is blocked off by two different gates, each with their own method of opening. If you leave the chapel with the lantern through the main entrance across from where you entered, you'll find a small area with a staircase to the right. At the top of the staircase are two church servant enemies and the first of the locked gates. This gate can only be opened by the lever on the other side. If instead you exit through a small side door to the left of the lantern (looking out towards the large front doors of the chapel), you'll find yourself in a small courtyard. One the other side, again past some church servants, is a smaller set of stairs that circles around past a church giant and leads to the second locked gate. This gate can be opened either via the lever, like the first, or by acquiring a certain item; the Hunter Chief Emblem. The second gate is perhaps the easier of the two to get open. The Hunter Chief Emblem is available for purchase from the bath messengers in the Hunter's Dream for 10,000 blood echoes so long as you've defeated both the Cleric Beast and Father Gascoigne in Central Yharnam. The first gate is a bit harder, much more time consuming, and makes one of the optional areas of the game required if you don't intend to buy the Emblem. In the same courtyard that led to the second locked gate, just to the left of the first staircase is another path that leads to an area called Old Yharnam. This area is technically optional, as is the boss at the end, the Blood-starved Beast. However, it is usually recommended anyway because of the benefits of clearing the area and killing the boss. One of these benefits includes opening another door in the Chapel across from the side door you took before. This door leads to the Healing Church Workshop, and it is through a deep pit at the bottom of this area that you an eventually access a lift that takes you to an overhang just on the other side of the first locked gate. To be clear, in order to progress into the majority of the Cathedral Ward, you will have to defeat either the Cleric Beast in Central Yharnam, or the Blood-starved Beast in Old Yharnam. Since the choice of which to fight is up to the player, and both can technically be skipped as long as the other is beaten, they are both being considered optional bosses for the purposes of this guide. Whichever method you choose, one of the gates will need to be opened to progress. Once you've done so, you'll have access to the rest of Cathedral Ward and the boss for the area. While you're here, and before we discuss the boss fight, there are a few NPCs and other optional paths worth mentioning. NPCs: - The Chapel Dweller; A mysterious figure near the lantern who offers refuge to any who need it. Talking to them allows you to tell various citizens about the chapel when asked for a safe place to wait out the night. - Eileen; If you spoke to Eileen in Central Yharnam, she should be here just outside the main exit of the chapel around the left side by the railing. Her questline is a bit finicky at times, so if you're interested in following it make sure to look up a guide for her. - Alfred; A young man who identifies as a "hunter of vilebloods". Found around the far side of the building that leads to Old Yharnam, he offers the player cooperation and their first few Fire Papers. - Ariana; A prostitute who is found behind a window in a small side alley at the far end of Cathedral Ward. Sending her to the Chapel is necessary to complete her questline, which can be vital to the player's ability to achieve one of the three endings of the game. Side Areas: - Old Yharnam; A city beneath the city. Guarded by the hunter Djura and houses the Blood-starved Beast in a chapel at the end. Technically optional, highly recommended, especially if you wish to access the Healing Church Workshop or chalice dungeons. - The Healing Workshop; A tower next to the Chapel, this area is necessary for circumventing the first locked gate if you don't intend to buy the Hunter Chief Emblem. Also leads to the Old Abandoned Workshop, accessed through a door partway down the chasm beneath the tower, and the Upper Cathedral Ward through a door at the top, an area only unlocked with an item obtained later in the game. - The Nightmare Frontier; Accessed by going around the cathedral to the right (as looking at it from the stairs), but only after acquiring a certain item some time after beating the Cathedral Ward boss. Completely optional and technically accessible later through other means. - Hemwick Charnel Lane; Accessed by going around the left side of the cathedral (as looking at it from the stairs). Houses the technically optional boss The Witch of Hemwick. It is actually mandatory for anyone wishing to utilize Caryll runes (i.e., pretty much everyone). Also provides access to Cainhurst Castle after a certain item is acquired later on. - Hypogean Gaol; A completely optional and entirely missable side area, the Hypogean Gaol is actually an altered version of a future main area. It's useful for farming blood echoes and weapon upgrade materials, as well as unlocking an alternate path into Old Yharnam by defeating the optional boss here, Darkbeast Paarl. Accessed by being killed by a Snatcher enemy, a tall humanoid with a large sack. The snatcher will take you to a jail cell in Hypogean Gaol in a short cutscene after killing you. Optional Bosses: - Darkbeast Paarl; Resembling a large canine skeleton of some kind, Darkbeast Paarl is a fast and heavy hitter who uses bolt damage to great affect. This boss can be staggered and visceraled; a good strategy for doing so involves moving your lock-on to his head and firing your gun or throwing damaging items. Do enough damage and he'll not only be open to a visceral, it will also "deactivate" his bolt powers temporarily until he turns them back on. Defeating Paarl unlocks a back entrance into Old Yharnam and the ability to buy bolt papers from the Insight shop in the Hunter's Dream.

Cathedral Ward Boss Fight - Vicar Amelia

Vicar Amelia is a leading figure of the Healing Church (the last, in fact). When you first encounter her, she is found kneeling and praying to a skull on an altar at the far end of the cathedral. Before the fight begins, she transforms into a large beast (we've seen that trick before!). Unlike other transformed humans thus far, Vicar Amelia is a variation on the much larger Cleric Beast. She has a unique look and move set, but is still fairly similar to the Cleric Beast found in Central Yharnam. With this in mind, if you've defeated the Cleric Beast previously, this fight should feel somewhat familiar. Don't let your guard down, though. Vicar Amelia is a main boss for a few reasons, and one of those is her special ability: healing. In phase 2 of her fight, she gains the ability to heal herself through prayer. If you're not careful, this ability can make the fight much harder and last much longer than necessary.

However you intend to deal with Vicar Amelia's healing ability, when you finally defeat her you can walk up to the skull on the altar and activate it for a special cutscene. This cutscene is required for progression, and once you've watched it you can access the next main area - the Forbidden Woods.

3. Forbidden Woods

The third main area of the game is called the Forbidden Woods, and most people agree that it is by far the most confusing area to navigate until you become familiar with it. It's dark, spooky, and a lot of the path winds through twists and turns that are hard to keep straight for a first time visitor.

The primary hazard of the Forbidden Woods in addition to getting lost is poison. While most of the enemies you encounter during the first half or so of this area are pretty standard, as you continue to progress you starting running into new ones: snakes. There are basically three variants; humanoid huntsman enemies with snakes that replace their heads, small snake balls, and large snake balls. The humanoid enemies typically start out looking human and will transform when they notice you or are attacked. After transforming, they technically have lower health, but they are also twice as dangerous since they can attack with both their axe and the snake heads (which are also capable of attacking in a full 360 degrees around the enemy, so no attacking from behind without repercussions here!). The small snake balls are usually pretty easy to take care of; unless your damage is particularly low, you should be able to beat them in a couple of hits, and most attacks stagger them. The large snake balls, on the other hand, are a frequent cause of death for players who are unprepared. Not only do they hit hard when you're close, if they notice you from a distance, they'll start hurling high-speed balls of poison at you. The poison does decent damage on its own and build poison status pretty quickly, so if you're unsure about how to handle these guys, it's best to avoid them when possible. For those unfamiliar with the forbidden woods, the best strategy is to just take it slow, keep an eye out for enemies around every corner, and try to keep track of where the path is. There are two elevator shortcuts you can open throughout this level that will make the trip from the first lantern to the very end of the area much quicker. The first is around where you encounter your first snake huntsman, and the second is a little off the beaten path shortly before the boss fight. You'll know you're close to the end when you end up in a large, shallow pool of water and start having to deal with more giant pigs. NPCs: - Valtr; Valtr is a member of The League, one of several covenants the player can join in Bloodborne. Like other covenants, he gives you an Oath rune, one which can affect PvP or general multiplayer if you equip it. He's set up in the small hut next to the lantern at the beginning of the area, very hard to miss. - Suspicious Beggar; A strange man found on a platform around the outside of the large windmill structure halfway through the woods. Very easy to miss if you aren't prone to exploration, and fortunately not a very important NPC for most purposes. Will ask for a safe place if you encounter him, but be cautious - not everyone in Bloodborne is simply looking for a haven in which to wait out the hunt... - Unknown NPC; The first person you speak to at a red lantern window in Forbidden Woods will be replaced by this NPC. Their identity is unknown, as are their motives, but speaking to them nets you the Tonsil Stone item, a unique item necessary for being able to enter the Nightmare Frontier early. Side Areas: - Iosefka's Clinic, Rear; Hidden within the Forbidden Woods near the caged dogs is a path that takes you through a cave and eventually to a tall ladder. Climbing this ladder leads you to an area in Central Yharnam behind the clinic you start the game in. If you take this route, you are able to unlock the side gate by the entrance to the clinic, as well as access the remainder of the clinic building. Doing this (at the right time!) is vital for accessing one of the three game endings, and it's also possible to gain the Cainhurst Summons item here. - Cainhurst Castle; While technically an area that branches off Hemwick Charnel Lane, the player can't access the castle until acquiring the Cainhurst Summons from Iosefka's Clinic, which is impossible to do without first entering the Forbidden Woods (or glitching the game, but that's a topic for a different guide).

Forbidden Woods Boss Fight - Shadow of Yharnam

This boss fight actually consists of three separate enemies that all engage you in combat at the same time. It is one of the only times the player will likely want to fight defensively, and will provide a harsh test of their ability to remain aware of their surroundings during a fight (which the Forbidden Woods in general should have given you some practice in). The three enemies here each have their own weapons and fighting styles. One wields nothing but a scimitar, another has a scimitar and a magic candle that acts similarly to the Flamesprayer, and the third is more of a "mage" type enemy, holding a flame similar to the pyromancy flame from Dark Souls that allows them to shoot fireballs from a distance. Typically, their aggression towards the player is proportional to how much they rely on melee, meaning the scimitar-only enemy will usually charge the player the most and the pyromancer will keep his distance, with the final enemy somewhere in between. In addition to their mix of fighting styles, this fight has three separate stages, and each is naturally more difficult than the last. The second stage causes all three enemies to "transform", granting them further abilities. The pyromancer will sometimes lob the fireballs into the air instead of firing them at you in a wave, creating pools of fire on the ground. The most frustrating addition to stage 2 is the ability of all enemies to suddenly be able to stretch to seemingly unlimited lengths. This means the first two enemies, who before could only attack at relatively close range, can now reach out from just about anywhere with their blades, taking a significant chunk of your health if they catch you unaware. The third and final phase provides the surviving enemies with the ability to summon large snakes that shoot up through the ground at random positions in the arena. There is usually a pretty clear - though quick - indication of when and where this will happen, so stay sharp and be prepared to keep dodging. If you do get hit by this attack, you'll almost certainly die, if not from the snakes themselves then from a follow-up by one of the boss enemies.

If you find yourself having trouble with this fight, there are some general strategies to make it a bit easier. Make sure you have plenty of stamina since you'll be doing a lot of dodging and running around. If you find yourself frequently running out, it might not be a bad idea to get a few more levels in Endurance before trying again. This boss is also weak to Bolt damage, so if you can acquire some bolt paper and apply it to your weapon, it'll noticeably boost the amount of damage you do. Finally, there is a consumable in Bloodborne called the Shaman Bone Blade. When hit by this throwing knife, enemies become frenzied and begin to attack each other. The Shadow of Yharnam enemies are susceptible to this, so if you have enough of them and use them wisely, you can defeat this boss without having to do most of the work yourself. However you decide to proceed, when you finally defeat the three of them, it unlocks the exit to the arena, leading you on to the next area - Byrgenwerth.

4. Byrgenwerth

The College of Byrgenwerth is an incredibly important location within the lore of Bloodborne. Despite this fact, it is almost a disappointingly small area compared to much of the game that's available to you up to this point. After a short path through the trees, you'll find the only lantern in Byrgenwerth. From here, you can see pretty much all of the area you'll be exploring. There really isn't much here, and there are no side areas directly accessible via this location either. If you can handle the sparse enemies in the area easily enough, it's almost a straight shot to the next boss fight. That said, there are still one or two points of interest worth bringing up here. Most of the enemies in the area are humanoid fly-like creatures. They're usually pretty simple to deal with, though if you're not paying attention they can ambush you for a decent chunk of damage. There's also a strangely alien looking giant centipede enemy on the far side of the college building. The fireballs it shoots at you can hurt, but if you get up close to it's legs, it's mostly just a damage sponge. The really worrisome enemy in this area is the hunter NPC chilling on the second floor of the college. When you first enter the building, she'll start walking down the stairs until you're close enough to trigger her full aggro. This hunter is a difficult fight, even for experienced players. She wields a threaded cane and a Rosmarinus. While both can hurt quite a bit if you get hit, the real danger comes from the hunter's ability to use two of Bloodborne's "spells" with items known as the Augur of Ebrietas and A Call Beyond. The Augur, when activated, causes a mass of tentacles to shoot forward from the user and flail around for a second. This attack hurts quite a bit, but if you're paying attention enough to notice the brief indicator for when she uses the attack, it's usually pretty easy to dodge either to the side or backwards to avoid it, depending on your distance from her. A Call Beyond is on another level entirely. It fires multiple bright lights into the air, which proceed to track towards the player in a staggered fashion. Each one does a decent bit of damage, and getting hit by more than a couple at a time pretty much guarantees you'll die. There are two schools of thought, so to speak, when it comes to dealing with this hunter. Some people prefer to rush the far door of the college and pull her outside, providing more room to maneuver as it can be easy to get stuck and cornered if fighting her inside. In this situation, sticking close to her while taking advantage of the open ground to dodge when necessary tends to discourage the magic attacks a bit, though it's still possible for her to use them. The other method of dealing with her involves staying inside and using the tight quarters to your advantage. By far the easiest way to avoid A Call Beyond is to put some kind of obstacle between you and the balls of light. They'll burn themselves out on contact with a wall or the curved staircase, protecting you entirely. However, keep in mind that this strategy leaves you open to other attacks, especially as her threaded cane can hit you through obstacles when in it's transformed whip-like shape. Fortunately, this fight is a one-off deal. Once you defeat her, she'll never return, so you don't have to worry about fighting her again if you fail in the upcoming boss fight. After killing her, all that's left is finding the key to open the large door on the second floor. This door leads to a balcony with a very old man in a rocking chair; Master Willem, a character vital to the lore of the game and completely useless in regards to the gameplay. Killing Willem does net you a pretty useful Caryll rune, and there are no consequences to doing it, so feel free. At the end of the balcony where the railing is missing, you'll find yourself overlooking the water. Your next step here, inexplicably, is to run off the balcony into the water. Doing so will land you in a liminal space that serves as the arena for the boss fight with Rom, the Vacuous Spider

Byrgenwerth Boss Fight - Rom, the Vacuous Spider

The boss fight with Rom is an interesting one, and for many people it can be quite difficult. Most of the fight isn't actually spent dealing with Rom herself; she has the ability to spawn hordes of spider enemies that can hit like a tank and take damage like one, too, without specific strategies. There's also a big danger later in the fight of dying to her magic attacks. Maxing out Arcane resistance as much as feasibly possible before the fight certainly wouldn't hurt. This fight has three possible phases. During the first, Rom does pretty much nothing. This gives you a good opportunity to learn how to deal with the spider enemies. During the second and third, she gains the ability to use her Arcane attacks, meaning battle awareness will be key to avoiding a sudden death. Each phase is clearly indicated by Rom teleporting away to a new location after taking a certain amount of health, spawning a new horde of spider protectors as she does so. The spiders, like Rom, have hard, stone-line heads. Attacking them directly does almost no damage and leaves you open to their own attacks, which commonly deal enough damage to one- or two-shot many players. The best way to deal with these spiders is to attack from behind. Depending on your build an weapon, attacking their rear can kill them in as little as a single hit. Be careful, though. The spiders are opportunistic, and while they mainly focus on presenting a barrier between the player and Rom, they will strike you in the back given the opportunity. Deal with the spiders carefully, focusing on one at a time when possible, and typically by baiting one of them to attack before countering for the kill. One attack in particular you should watch for is the head slam. If you see a spider leap high in to the air, dodge away quickly. If the spider lands on you after this jump, it wouldn't be unusual to die immediately. If you dodge it correctly, though, it does leave that particular spider stuck head first in the ground for a few seconds; the perfect opportunity to kill them instead. After clearing all of the spiders, it's time to deal with Rom. During the first phase, this means running up and dealing as much damage as quickly as possible. Her head is incredibly resistant to damage, just like the spiders, but her body is not. In addition, Rom is incredibly susceptible to Bolt damage, so make sure to bring along a few bolt papers and apply them right before beginning your assault to get a big boost to DPS. During Rom's second phase, you'll have to start contending with her Arcane meteors, both while dealing with the spiders and while attacking her. The best way to deal with them is to run towards Rom with a slight slant to your left. Starting this run soon enough should see you safely avoid all of the missiles, but it does also mean running through the spiders in some cases. If you're quick enough, you can sometimes get away with just circling Rom counterclockwise, moving entirely to the left without getting any closer. She also gains a close-range attack that causes an arcane explosion when you get close. This is usually easy enough to avoid by running away as soon as she starts telegraphing the move. Rom's third phase is even more dangerous, as she now gains two new moves for dealing with players that are closer to her. The first summons chunks of arcane ice from the ground, causing them to shoot upwards before disappearing. When she rolls onto her back, the ground will glow in several spots for a second before the attack actually happens. As soon as you see her roll over, run directly away from her. This attack is a medium-range one, so it only triggers as you get closer and can be easily avoided if you notice it in time. The second is a purely physical attack; when you're within melee distance of Rom, she sometimes flail her head and body around, striking at you with both. A small amount of distance between you and her should be enough to avoid this, or sometimes if you stay right around her midpoint you may avoid damage as well. Most of the difficulty in this fight comes from a combination of having to deal with the spider enemies before doing any damage to Rom and the high arcane damage her second and third phase attacks can deal. This is on instance where aggression is actually more detrimental, a complete 180 from the rest of the game so far. Take your time with this fight, dodge as necessary, and seize any opportunity that presents itself. As long as you pay attention to your surroundings and you're careful to avoid damage, it's just a matter of wearing the fight down until you win. Killing Rom will cause a strange woman to appear in the arena. Approaching her triggers a cutscene, propelling you past a large turning point in the game and directly into the next main area - Yahar'gul, Unseen Village.

5. Yahar'gul, Unseen Village

Technically, after beating Rom you're actually teleported to an area that was already accessible from the Cathedral Ward. However, until now the door at the other end of the building you find yourself in was locked. Defeating Rom opens the door and allows you to access Yahar'gul properly. In addition to unlocking Yahar'gul, killing Rom reveals the cause of the occasional large blue spheres that could appear in certain places before (including the entrance to Yahar'gul): Lesser Amygdala's. Giant alien-like creatures clinging to the sides of buildings that will reach out and grab you if you stand too long in the wrong spot. They are also fairly common in Yahar'gul, though these ones won't just grab you. They have the ability to fire massive, fast-moving lasers that can deal an incredible amount of damage if not avoided. Fortunately, every amygdala laser follows a set path, and most can be avoided entirely before even being fired, or avoided by simply staying away from the set path and staying in safe spots. Another new enemy you'll have to deal with in Yahar'gul are Chime Maidens. During your time here, you may occasionally hear the sound of a bell ringing out somewhere in the distance. These are the chime maidens, and their bells are anything but good for the player. Chime maidens in Yahar'gul buff certain enemies in the area around them, as well as respawning them when the bell is rung. This means a never-ending flood of more difficult enemies so long as the maidens are around. Fortunately for you, most of them are rather easy to find and kill, especially because while they technically wield a dagger and will attack the enemy, they're slow to respond and don't have much for health or defense. Killing a chime maiden will prevent her from respawning other enemies, and any enemies that were buffed by her bell will stagger for a few moments as the buff wears off.

Making your way through Yahar'gul, you'll eventually enter a large cathedral-like building with the second lantern for the area inside on an upper balcony. If you entered the Hypogean Gaol earlier in the game by dying to a snatcher, you may recognize this area; nearly everything after this second lamp is in fact the Hypogean Gaol itself, though having defeated Rom and made your way here the "right" way through Yahar'gul means things are a bit different. You'll need to make your way around the outside of this building to get to the area where the Hypogean Gaol lantern used to be. Be careful here, because you'll find yourself sharing the room with three hunter NPCs that are, frankly, a pain in the ass to deal with. Two hunters are on the floor in the main area with the third hiding just outside, down one of the curved staircases under the lantern area. You don't have to deal with these enemies. If you want to avoid them, you can go to the door opposite where you entered the building and access the side alley, allowing you to skip the encounter. However, they are guarding a rather useful Caryll run in the middle of the floor, making it worthwhile for many to deal with what is a rather painful fight with three strong enemies at the same time. You'll eventually make your way outside to an area with a large double door that was locked in the Hypogean Gaol version of this area. The door is now open, leading to a continuation of the large main street area. There are quite a few hidden secrets in Yahar'gul in general, one of which is in this last section. Discussion of most of these secrets is the realm of a more detailed guide, but know that there is lots to explore if you're interested. At the end of the long road you'll find an opening into a large courtyard, which serves as the arena for the boss fight of Yahar'gul - The One Reborn. Side Areas: - Upper Cathedral Ward; Somewhere in Yahar'gul you will find the Upper Cathedral Key. This key unlocks the door at the top of the Healing Workshop tower back in Cathedral Ward. This area is entirely optional and contains two optional bosses as well, so feel free to skip it if you're not interested. However, the Upper Cathedral Ward is the only location where you can obtain a particular gesture that is the first step necessary for gaining one of the best Caryll runes in the game. Optional Bosses: - Darkbeast Paarl; If you didn't go to the Hypogean Gaol earlier in the game, or if you did but fight and defeat Darkbeast Paarl, you have another opportunity to do so here. The path to his arena is the same, and you can get there while avoiding the three hunter enemies on the ground floor if necessary. Killing Paarl provides the same benefits now as it would have if you did the fight before.

Yahar'gul Boss Fight - The One Reborn

The One Reborn is an oddity, an amalgamation of corpses that can hit hard and be quite dangerous to those unprepared for the fight. There are plenty of strategies for dealing with it, and after Rom he's definitely a return to form as far as the benefits of being aggressive are concerned. However, before dealing with The One Reborn, there are other concerns to take care of. Above the arena, on either side of it are two walls that can be accessed via towers with curved staircases on the far side of the area from where you enter. Perched on these walls are six chime maidens, three on each side, that can make the fight much more difficult if left alone. Rushing for one of these towers at the start of the fight is a good idea so that you can dispatch these annoying maidens first. Not doing so means dealing with fireballs shot from their bells during the whole fight, and they even have the ability to heal The One Reborn. Safe to say, anybody who isn't looking for a much harder challenge than the boss fight already provides should make killing them a high priority.

Once the maidens are dealt with, you can focus on the boss proper. While being aggressive is a good idea for this fight as opposed to Rom, you must do so carefully. Sticking to the boss's torso between his legs on either side is a good strategy, but he has a handful of attacks that can cause a great deal of damage to anyone too close when they trigger. Unless you're familiar with his move set (or look up a more detailed guide), using a hit-and-run style of aggression is likely your best best. Keep some distance until an opportunity presents itself and run in for a quick attack or two before backing off again. You may also notice a single corpse sticking out of the top of the boss's main body. This corpse is sort of The One Reborn's "brain", so to speak, and if you can hit it - either by staggering the boss and causing the body to drop, or by using ranged attacks - it does take more damage than the main body. However, it's not necessary to focus on it, as it's not so much a gimmick as it is a simple weak spot. You can kill this boss perfectly fine by just attacking the body and wearing him down. When you kill the one reborn, the arena opens up again, letting you access a small building on the far side of the area. Inside, you'll find a bunch of corpses with cages on their heads, with one corpse in particular resting on a chair in the center of the room. Activating this corpse will teleport you to a place called the Lecture Building on the second floor, which leads you on to the next - and last! - main area of the game: the Nightmare of Mensis.

6. The Nightmare of Mensis

The Nightmare of Mensis is a rather terrifying place, filled with twisted landscapes and horrid creatures. It's also a rather large area with a whole two bosses all to itself, and an environmental danger present in the first part of the area that can spell doom for anyone not prepared. There's a lot that could be discussed about exploring the Nightmare of Mensis, so this section will likely be the longest of all in this guide. However, most of the details of the area would be best left to a more detailed guide specific to that purpose. As such, I'll be glossing over quite a bit in favor of focusing on general progress and the boss fights, with only short mentions of important side objectives in the area. As you follow the path into the Nightmare, you'll encounter wolf-like enemies reminiscent of the wolves from the earlier parts of the game. These ones are a bit different, however; they can stand on two legs and usually carry a torch. Fortunately they have a lot of the same weakness. The biggest danger of these enemies, though, is that when they die, two parasitic worm enemies will leap from the body and beginning attacking you in earnest. These parasites are a pain to deal with as they're small and fast when attacking, making them hard to hit while dealing a decent amount of damage to you themselves. The parasites can be avoided by simply running away if you wish, or they can be prevented from spawning at all if you kill the wolf they came from with fire or a visceral attack. A short ways into the area you'll discover a large castle in the distance. This is your goal, but beware. At the top of a tower in the middle of the castle is a giant creature known as the Mensis Brain. If at any point you enter into the Brain's line of sight (which happens to be much of the open area around the base of the castle here), it will light up. Being exposed to this light causes damage and a very quick build-up of frenzy. When the frenzy bar fills all the way, it will cause a massive amount of damage, enough that unless you have a high enough vitality stat and are at 100% health when it triggers, you're pretty much guaranteed to die. Even if you don't, the Brain's frenzy will continue to harm you, meaning any remaining health you do manage to hold onto will likely be drained in quick order. This frenzy build up can be avoided by staying out of the sight line of the Brain. There are many outcroppings of twisted rock-like formations sticking up from the ground that provide cover for you to hide behind, and dashing from one to the next should allow you to avoid most of the damage from the Brain's frenzy until you reach an area where it can't see you at all. There is also an item that can help, called Sedatives. You'll likely have picked some up by this point, but they can can also be purchased in the Hunter's Dream if necessary. Using a sedative clears all build up of frenzy, setting the bar back to empty. The timing it critical, though. The use of a sedative takes a second or two, and it's entirely possible to die to a full bar of frenzy while within the animation for using the sedative. Make sure to trigger the use early enough to avoid that fate. To enter the castle you'll end up going past a few wolves and several yetis, enemies that like to throw large boulders at you from a distance and hit like a train at close range. Fortunately, the boulders are usually easy to avoid if you notice them in time, and the yetis themselves are slow with a rather small radius for triggering their melee combat. It's pretty trivial once you're close to manage a few hits before backing off far enough to trigger them to pick up another boulder, leaving you plenty of time to finish them off. In the castle, you'll make your way past a multitude of enemies, from a host of large spiders at the entrance to humanoid Attendants that are pretty easy to deal with one at a time (easy enough to manage considering they aren't super aggressive most of the time). Going down some stairs and up an elevator or two will eventually lead you to a mist-filled library, which hosts your first boss fight for the area - Micolash, Host of the Nightmare.

The Nightmare of Mensis Boss Fight #1 - Micolash, Host of the Nightmare

Micolash's boss fight is... well, somewhat annoying, to be honest. The library he's in has multiple sets of stairs going up and down, creating a small grid-like area in which Micolash we'll goad you into chasing him through. For the most part, you can't actually do much to him here, though if you manage to catch up at one point, you're likely to be capable of getting in a hit before he teleports away to a new junction to continue the chase. The proper fighting part of this boss fight doesn't happen until you manage to chase him into a small dead-end room off one of the junctions. You can do this by chasing him to that junction and then backing off to approach him from directly opposite the room, causing him to run right in. Once he's in there, you can follow and really start wailing on the guy. It'll be fairly easy to do as he's not a very great fighter. Unfortunately, he's a much better trickster, and once you get him to 50% health or below, Micolash will disappear again and start goading you from within the mist. This is the start of the second phase. You'll now be able to exit this first library section and climb a circular staircase to another set of stairs and stacks. This one includes a pair of portal mirrors Micolash can use to avoid you during the second chase sequence, as well as another dead-end room. Getting him into this room is your goal, just like in the first phase, but there's a catch. Trying to follow him won't be possible as a large gate will bar the way after he enters. To get in there, you'll need to find your way up and around to a small area just above the room where you can jump down to initial the second proper fight. This second phase bears a much greater deal of caution. Remember the hunter in Byrgenwerth and her two arcane attacks that could easily lead to death? Yeah, Micolash can use those too now. A Call Beyond is particularly difficult to deal with because you're not only enclosed in small room but it's wide open; there are no obstacles to block the motes of light for you. Instead, you'll have to carefully run around and dodge them, which is a rather tall order even for experienced players. Staying close to Micolash will tend to discourage him from using this attack, preferring instead to use his fists or the Augur of Ebreitas, which is much easier to avoid if you react quickly enough. Once you've killed Micolash, the bridge you took earlier to enter the library will rise and provide you a path to the next lantern and the second half of the Nightmare of Mensis.

6.5 The Nightmare of Mensis, cont.

The second half of the castle is a lot of the same, though the enemies you'll be dealing with will change quite a bit. You'll now encounter a combination of dog-crow hybrids and a couple of mutated, multi-eyed pig enemies later on. Most of the enemies you'll be dealing with here are debuffed versions of the Shadow of Yharnam boss enemies from the end of the Forbidden Woods. These enemies have similar move sets but aren't nearly as strong, and they don't transform or gain new abilities as they take damage. Deal with them as you would any other enemy and you shouldn't have too much trouble. Since this section of the castle is rather short, you'll quickly find yourself approaching the second boss fight. Before discussing that, this is a good time to take a short detour and talk about the Brain of Mensis again. Since you'll be making your way up the outside of the castle now rather than the inside as before, you'll be seeing the Brain suspended in his tower a few more times. There's one part of the castle just after the lantern where you'll encounter a cage elevator. You'll likely have found another in an earlier part of the castle that provided a shortcut to a lantern at ground level. This second cage simply takes you down to the first, providing an extension of that shortcut. However, you may notice that this second cage is rather worse for wear compared to the first. In fact, it's so broken that it doesn't even properly close you in like the first. There's a reason for this, of course. About halfway between the top and bottom of the elevators path is a broken window on the side of the castle. If you time it right, you can exit the elevator as it's moving and find yourself inside the castle again through this broken window. This will lead you through a side area of the castle that can be rather difficult to get through, but it eventually leads to a lever that, when pulled, drops the Brain from its tower for good, meaning you no longer need to worry about frenzy build up from the Brain no matter where in the Nightmare you are.

Keep in mind the most difficult part of this path: the Winter Lanterns. The winter lanterns are enemies that look partly humanoid but with a large, brain-like growth on their heads. This enemy behaves similarly to the Brain of Mensis, and if you enter their line of sight, they'll start inflicting frenzy damage on you in much the same way. Some people like to hit them hard and fast to get rid of them, while others prefer to avoid them as much as possible and simply run away. Whichever method you prefer, make sure you have your sedatives at the ready because you may need them at a moments notice. While it may sound overly difficult and not at all worth taking this path if you're already close to clearing the area, there's one very big benefit to dealing with the winter lanterns and getting rid of the Brain. Once the Brain is gone, you can make your way to the tower he was hanging in and drop down to a ledge that rings the inside. On this ledge is where you will find the one and only Blood Rock available in the game without doing chalice dungeons, purchasing one from the Insight shop in the Hunter's Dream, or owning the DLC. Being able to upgrade your weapon of choice to it's highest possible level is well worth taking the risk. It's also necessary for obtaining that Caryll rune I motioned back in the small section about the Upper Cathedral Ward. For details about that, don't hesitate to look up another guide, it's well worth it too! With the Brain of Mensis out of the way (if you took the time to deal with it), your next stop is the second and final boss fight in the Nighmare - Mergo's Wet Nurse

The Nightmare of Mensis Boss Fight #2 - Mergo's Wet Nurse

Mergo's Wet Nurse is a very interesting boss, and one of many players' favorites. She's a strange, invisible humanoid creature with features reminiscent of birds (particular crows or ravens). While her visage and many of her attack patterns can seem intimidating, her fight is rather straightforward and easy to deal with using the right strategies. Upon entering the arena, it'll be empty save for a baby's crib. Approaching this crib triggers the start of the fight, at which point the Wet Nurse will slowly appear. While it is a somewhat aggressive boss with a few difficult to read moves designed to trip you up, it is also possible to stay fairly safe during the majority of the fight by sticking as closely as possible to the Nurse's back. Most of its attacks will miss you entirely there, and the one's that don't can be countered by attacking back, regaining the health lost through the rally system. The most difficult part of the fight for many is when the Nurse triggers the fog attack. This attack lowers visibility quite a bit and allows the Nurse to teleport close to the player quickly to try and catch them off guard. In addition, later activations of the fog come with a clone of the nurse that will also attack. The best way to deal with this is to keep moving. When the Nurse appears, dodge to the side to avoid its attack. When the clone starts appearing, it can actually be dealt with rather swiftly as a single attack is enough to make it disappear until the next time it's summoned. Getting rid of it quickly will allow you to close the gap with the real Nurse and deal a decent amount of damage without worrying about being attacked in kind. Without the time consuming chance and silly gimmicks of Micolash's fight, the Wet Nurse fight should go much more quickly and smoothly for most players. Once you've defeated the nurse, you'll need to be patient; there will be several moments during which the baby that's been crying during the fight will continue doing so until it finally stops. Only at that point will the kill confirmation appear, allowing you to continue.

7. The Hunter's Dream

After killing Mergo's Wet Nurse, the only place left to go is back to the Hunter's Dream. When you do so, you'll notice that things don't quite look the same. The house is suddenly on fire! Talking to The Doll, you'll learn that Gehrman is waiting for you in an area that has been locked to you until now. Follow the paths around to the flower field to find him at the base of a large tree. At this point, one of three things can happen. For those who are reading ahead, this is a good place to stop if you aren't interested in spoilers for the ending. Of the three endings, each will involve either zero, one, or two additional boss fights depending on your actions both now and during the rest of the game to this point. I'll first talk about how to choose which ending you want, and then end with a brief discussion of both fights. When you talk to Gehrman, he'll go through a short conversation congratulating you for the successful hunt before essentially asking you to let him kill you. You're given a choice here; either agree to let him do it, or refuse. If you agree, that's it. Gehrman ends your life, ostensibly waking you from the nightmare of the hunt, and it's game over. However, if you refuse, this triggers a "secret" boss fight with Gehrman himself! He mentions how you must have become addicted to the hunt or some such thing and insists he'll need to put you down regardless. After you beat Gehrman, another surprise will present itself. A creature will suddenly appear, descending from the sky with the blood moon behind it. This creature is known as the Moon Presence. Lore-wide, it's implied to be the driving force behind the nightmare and the need for the hunt - basically the reason the game happens. Gameplay-wise, it offers the opportunity for your second extra boss fight. However, the choice of whether to fight it or not does not happen here and now. Rather, it's determined by your actions over the rest of the game. During your time playing Bloodborne, you will likely have come across at least one item called a One Third of an Umbilical Cord or some variation thereof. You will definitely have gained at least one from defeating Mergo's Wet Nurse, but up to three others can be obtained in other ways throughout the game - for details on this, other guides specific to the endings or for more detailed progression should be referenced. If you've obtained at least three of these items, you can use them at any point before talking to Gehrman (technically it works as long as they're used before he dies, so using them during the fight is possible, though difficult). If you'd done this, than when the Moon Presence appears, she will be pushed back by a bright light that emanates from the player. As a result, she will become hostile, triggering the final boss fight of the game.

The Hunter's Dream - Gehrman and the Moon Presence

Gehrman is a hunter - the First Hunter, to be precise - but a particularly fast and aggressive one. His weapon of choice is the Burial Blade, a curved sword that transforms into a large, two-handed scythe. He starts the fight with the weapon in scythe form, switching to the regular sword along with one of two guns during the second and third. Though there are some common strategies related to dealing with particular move sets, there isn't really an overarching tactic for this fight in general. Treat him like you have most of enemies, though keep in mind that his attacks can hit for quite a lot of damage, so full aggression while trying to tank hits and make up the damage in rally isn't really an option. Just take the fight slow at first while you pick up on his movements and attack patterns, make sure to keep healed up to avoid a frustrating one hit death, and you'll wear him down eventually. The Moon Presence is somehow unique and typical at the same time. It's a fast and agile opponent that looks intimidating, and while it does have a couple of unique attacks to watch out for, it's typically an easier fight than Gehrman is. The boss fight with the Moon Presence begins immediately after defeating Gehrman if you'd used at least three of the Third Umbilical Cords beforehand (barring a short cutscene). For the most part, you shouldn't have to worry about getting one-shot by this boss. Just pay attention to it's movements, most of it's attacks are pretty easy to dodge, giving you an opportunity to get a hit in yourself. There are two or three moves to be wary of while fighting this boss. Two of them have a similar effect; the first involves a large pale orb that pops above the Moon Presence's head, and the other involves several pale clouds floating up from the ground before bursting. Both attacks result in blood spraying at or around the player, and if this blood hits you, it acts in a similar manner to the numbing mist item recommended for use against Vicar Amelia in that you won't be able to heal with blood vials for a short time afterward. Both attacks can be avoided, or if you're hit you can simply avoid any follow up attacks until the effect wears off. The last move to watch out for is a doozy. The Moon Presence will cover its face and release a flash of light. Getting hit by this attack instantly reduces the player to 1 HP, regardless of stats, buffs, or anything else improving your health max or recovery. If the Moon Presence is below 30% health when using this attack, it will also prevent you from using blood vials for a time like the orb and cloud attacks. The good news is that using this attack exhausts the Moon Presence, leaving it open for quite some time to a counter attack. In fact, the boss is vulnerable for long enough that it is entirely possible to be hit at full health, drop to 1 HP, and then immediately recover all of that lost health via rallying by attacking the boss in return. After you've killed both Gehrman and the Moon Presence (or just Gehrman, or neither, depending on your chosen ending), you'll be given the opportunity to play through the game again on New Game +. If you're looking for every ending to earn the Platinum, it's typically easier to do this through NG+ cycles than by starting a fresh game entirely, but the choice is yours. And if there are any side areas or optional bosses you might have missed the first time around, now's your chance to find them!