A beginners’ guide to Bloodborne – tips and tricks

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Bloodborne Cover Art and Hunter fighting a boss
Image via FromSoft

Bloodborne is part of the illustrious library of PlayStation exclusives. Most praise for the title went to the gameplay, audio design, plot, and especially the difficulty. If you are a newcomer to Bloodborne, you would most likely be confused about how everything works. Below are some beginner tips to help you get started in Bloodborne.

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Bloodborne beginner combat tips

Image via FromSoft
  • Guns or Firearms are mainly for parrying. Although there are Bloodtinge builds for weapons like Evelyn, we consider it an advanced build, and you should only try those once you have completed the game.
  • You can regain health after taking damage by directly attacking the enemy. You can quickly notice an orange bar (slowly closes in on the red bar) after taking a hit from an enemy, and that is the amount of HP you can recover if you attack them while it is still available.
  • You can dodge most enemy attacks by utilizing “I-Frames.” I-Frames or Invincibility frames are the frames in which you are invulnerable, meaning you can dodge an enemy’s attack without taking a hit. Utilizing I-frames is the key to punishing enemy attacks by dodging while staying within range to counterattack.
  • Although there are shields in the game, we do not recommend using them, as parrying is a much better option in Bloodborne’s combat mechanics. Unlike Dark Souls, where shields are very effective, Bloodborne rewards you for being aggressive and parrying rather than sitting and waiting behind a shield.
  • There is no best starting weapon for beginners. It’s up to personal preference. Choose whatever you like. You can always save and reload before the weapon selection.

Bloodborne beginners general beginner tips

Image via FromSoft
  • Try to do each and every quest line and talk to NPCs until you’ve exhausted their dialogues. Doing this will open up many exciting storylines and rewards you can’t obtain elsewhere.
  • Gaining Insight reduces the chances of becoming a beast or inflicting Frenzy on your character.
  • Don’t worry about dying in the game. It’s an integral part of the gameplay. But in all seriousness, dying in-game helps you learn from your mistakes throughout your last run. Bloodborne is a game of trial and error, so keep your cool and collect yourself if you’re frustrated.
  • Keep your stamina in check all the time. One of the biggest limitations in Bloodborne and other Souls games is the stamina bar. It severely hinders your actions as you must adequately conserve it throughout a run.
  • If you’re feeling stuck at a boss or lost, don’t be afraid to consult guides or walkthroughs. There’s no shame in following walkthroughs while playing Bloodborne. We sometimes do that throughout our playthrough, which helped us greatly defeat Souls games.

Those are some tips we can provide if you’re a beginner or newbie in Bloodborne. Although the game is difficult, it is delightful, even if you’re new to the Soulsborne series. 


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Author
Sehran Shaikh
Sehran is the Associate Editor and one of the co-founders of Gamepur. He has been in the industry for over a decade now, experienced in team management. When not on his Editor's hot seat, you'll find him playing Cricket or watching Thriller Movies and TV Shows.