Ready to experience the next chapter of Bloodborne? Not so fast. Before you enter its merciless grasp, check out the tips and information below to make sure you start off on the right footing.
Rating Messages Heals the Player
The Old Hunters is a step up in difficulty from a lot of the original experience. One thing you can do to help others survive is to rate their notes. When you see one on the floor, take a second to read it. If it's good, rate it as 'fine'. This will restore the player's health to full HP.
Of course, if you happen to have some good tips for others, leave a note of your own. If it's good, then maybe you'll be healed when you need it most.
Grab These Vials
Right before the first boss there are five free blood vials that you can grab just outside. You can even get some while helping other players with the boss in co-op. These will help you keep going without having to farm too much.
An Impressive Arsenal
The video above shows you all the new weapons, their transformations, and even the new spells. You may see something you like and decide to hunt down its location.
For the location of every new weapon, see this video.
Your First New Weapon
There's a new weapon that you may just want to pick up early on in your The Old Hunters career. It's called the Holy Moonlight Sword, and it's available just minutes into the expansion.
To get it, what you need to do is be wearing a chest armor from one of the Church sets (Black Church Armor, Choir Robes, Gascoigne's Garb, or White Church Armor) and then talk to the floating head that is near you immediately after the first boss battle. Yes, that means you'll have to kill the first boss to access it, but I know you can do it.
The Whirilgig Saw Has a Special Attack
Once you obtain the Whirilgig Saw, you may want to equip it to see if it's your kind of weapon. One thing you might not notice immediately is that holding L2 allows you to wield it like a chainsaw. You can even move around while holding it in front of you and destroy enemies in your path.
This chainsaw attack option makes the Whirilgig Saw particularly adept at taking down fast enemies that would usually be difficult to hit.
Level Recommendation
From Software recommends that you're level 65 or higher before entering The Old Hunters content. This is a good recommendation, because the expansion is no joke. There are players who are over level 100 having a hard time, so prepare for some challenge.
In regards to stats, you will want at least 30 Vitality and 18 Endurance for the average build. That is, unless you're a pro.
See this video to learn how to access the new areas.
A Reliable Build
Chances are you already know what type of build to aim for in Bloodborne if you're even capable of competing with The Older Hunters' enemies. In the event that you are uncertain, it's generally recommended that you focus on Skill and Vitality. You'll want a little Endurance on the side, but can ignore Strength and Bloodtinge for the most part.
Visceral attacks are a big part of the expansion, and they are only benefited by Skill.
With lots of points in these two stats you can equip most weapons and devastate the opposition.
Be Aggressive
A lot of returning players will forget to do this, but Bloodborne's combat is built to reward the aggressive player. This isn't Dark Souls. You need to be up in the enemy's face, slicing away and utilizing Regain to get back any lost health.
The best way to learn an encounter is to get right into the thick of it, and learn when and where to dodge, and when and where to strike. It takes patience, but you'll get there.
