Bloodborne Best Weapons: A Complete Ranking, Build Guide, and Tier List

Our guide to the Bloodborne best weapons ranks trick weapons and firearms by build, scaling, and playstyle so you invest your Blood Stone Shards wisely.

Picking the wrong trick weapon can turn Bloodborne's opening hours into a grind, which is why so many hunters eventually go hunting for a ranked list. The Bloodborne best weapons aren't simply the ones with the biggest attack rating — moveset, stamina cost, scaling, and gem slots matter just as much as raw damage. This guide breaks down the Bloodborne best weapons by build, playstyle, and progression stage, so you can commit your Blood Stone Shards with confidence instead of second-guessing every upgrade.

How We Ranked the Bloodborne Best Weapons

Ranking trick weapons is never purely a numbers game. A weapon with a massive attack rating can still feel miserable if its swings empty your stamina bar or its hitboxes whiff on tall bosses. Our shortlist weighs five factors:

Moveset flexibility — how well the tricked and untricked forms handle crowds, single targets, and tight corridors
Scaling and build fit — whether a weapon rewards Strength, Skill, Bloodtinge, Arcane, or a quality split
Stamina economy — how many swings you get per bar at base Endurance
Gem potential — how much damage a weapon gains from a well-rolled set of blood gems
Accessibility — when you can actually obtain it, and how much of the early game it carries you through

Community reports and years of accumulated player experience line up closely with these criteria, which is why the same handful of names keeps resurfacing in every discussion thread. That consensus is a useful starting point, but the honest answer is that the best weapon is the one whose rhythm matches your dodges.

The Bloodborne Best Weapons at a Glance

Here's the short version for anyone who wants a target to aim for before diving into detail.

Rank	Weapon	Scaling focus	Signature strength	Best for
1	Saw Cleaver	Strength-leaning quality	Serrated bonus vs. beasts, fast transform attacks	First playthroughs
2	Ludwig's Holy Blade	Quality (STR/SKL)	Huge attack rating, long reach, versatile two-hander	Mid-game all-rounder
3	Whirligig Saw	Strength	L2 shreds staggered bosses, serrated damage	Burst damage on big targets
4	Chikage	Bloodtinge	Blood damage in tricked form	Dedicated Bloodtinge builds
5	Rakuyo	Skill	Endless combo chains and fluid trick attacks	Skill builds and PvP
6	Holy Moonlight Sword	Quality/Arcane	Ranged moonlight projectiles	Arcane hybrids
7	Church Pick	Skill/quality	Serrated and righteous bonuses, strong thrust	Kin and Cainhurst enemies
8	Simon's Bowblade	Skill/Bloodtinge	Charged ranged shots	Safe boss damage
9	Blade of Mercy	Skill	Bonus damage on quickstep attacks	Aggressive dodge-heavy play
10	Hunter Axe	Strength	Charged R2 spin, high rally	Beginners and crowd control

The Saw Cleaver takes the top spot largely because of how early it arrives and how little it asks of you. Its transform attack — the L1 that swings through an enemy as the blade extends — deals heavy damage and stagger for almost no stamina, and its serrated property gives it extra bite against beast-type enemies. Player experience consistently backs this up: it stays viable from Central Yharnam to the final boss.

Starting Weapons: Saw Cleaver vs. Hunter Axe vs. Threaded Cane

Your first choice matters more than it looks, because all three starter weapons can carry a full playthrough if you build around them.

Weapon	Trick form	Key perk	Watch out for
Saw Cleaver	Folding saw	Serrated bonus, cheap transform attacks	Short reach in close quarters
Hunter Axe	Two-handed halberd	Charged R2 spin, excellent rally	Slow swings against fast enemies
Threaded Cane	Bladed whip	Serrated whip form, righteous cane form	Low base damage early on

Saw Cleaver

The safest recommendation for a newcomer. Fast light attacks, low stamina costs, and a beast-killing serrated edge make it forgiving without being weak. It rewards aggressive play and pairs naturally with Fire Paper against furry nightmares.

Hunter Axe

The axe trades speed for reach and stagger. Its charged two-handed R2 spins through groups, and its high rally potential means you can trade hits and heal much of the damage back. It's also one of the strongest Strength weapons available before the mid-game.

Threaded Cane

The cane is the connoisseur's pick. The whip form adds serrated damage against beasts and covers a wide arc, while the cane form carries a righteous bonus that helps against certain corrupted enemies. It scales with Skill, so it suits players who prefer mobility and precise spacing over brute force.

Late-Game and DLC Standouts

Several of the Bloodborne best weapons live behind the Old Hunters expansion, and they're worth the trip.

Ludwig's Holy Blade

Available once you've picked up the Radiant Sword Hunter Badge, this is the classic quality weapon: a straightforward longsword that becomes a massive greatsword. It scales well with both Strength and Skill, hits like a truck, and has one of the most reliable movesets in the game.

Whirligig Saw

A Strength monster from the DLC. Its L2 revs the saw and melts the health bars of large, slow bosses, especially once you've staggered them. Add serrated damage and it becomes a beast-killer with few equals.

Chikage

The signature Bloodtinge weapon. In its tricked form it deals blood damage that scales purely off Bloodtinge, at the cost of draining your own health. It's a high-risk, high-reward pick that demands a committed build.

Rakuyo

A Skill weapon with almost no downtime — its combos flow into transform attacks that keep pressure on without draining stamina. Getting it means surviving a notoriously nasty DLC encounter, but the payoff is one of the smoothest movesets FromSoftware has designed.

Holy Moonlight Sword, Church Pick, Bowblade, and Blade of Mercy

Weapon	Scaling focus	Why it earns a slot
Holy Moonlight Sword	Quality/Arcane	Ranged projectiles give an Arcane build real reach
Church Pick	Skill/quality	Serrated and righteous bonuses plus thrust damage
Simon's Bowblade	Skill/Bloodtinge	Turns Bloodtinge into a safe ranged option
Blade of Mercy	Skill	Quickstep attacks hit noticeably harder

Matching the Bloodborne Best Weapons to Your Build

Because Bloodborne has no respec, your stat spread locks in your options. Plan around a target weapon before you spend echoes.

Build	Priority stats	Top picks	Notes
Strength	Strength, Vitality	Hunter Axe, Whirligig Saw, Kirkhammer	Heavy stagger, slow swings
Skill	Skill, Vitality, Endurance	Rakuyo, Blade of Mercy, Church Pick	Fast, dodge-focused
Quality	Strength + Skill	Saw Cleaver, Ludwig's Holy Blade	Most flexible for a first run
Bloodtinge	Bloodtinge, Vitality	Chikage, Simon's Bowblade, Evelyn	Expensive to build, very strong late
Arcane	Arcane, Vitality	Holy Moonlight Sword, Tonitrus, Logarius' Wheel	Tool usage matters as much as the weapon

A practical rule: pick one primary weapon and one backup that covers its weakness. A Skill build running Rakuyo, for example, benefits from a thrust-heavy option for enemies that resist slashing.

Firearms: The Other Half of the Loadout

Your left hand isn't just for parries. Firearms control spacing, interrupt attacks, and set up visceral attacks — and the right one changes your whole approach.

Firearm	Requires	Strength	Best for
Hunter's Pistol	Low Bloodtinge	Reliable, fast parry windows	Almost every build
Evelyn	High Bloodtinge	Best damage scaling of the pistols	Bloodtinge builds
Blunderbuss	Low Bloodtinge	Wide spread, easy point-blank parries	Crowd control and panic parries
Cannon	Strength	Massive burst damage	Finishing off staggered bosses
Ludwig's Rifle	Moderate Bloodtinge	Long range, tight spread	Pulling and poking

For most players, the Hunter's Pistol is the default because its parry timing is generous and its range is honest. The Evelyn becomes the clear winner once your Bloodtinge is high enough to justify it, and community reports regularly call it the strongest firearm in the game for that reason.

Upgrade Priorities, Gems, and Practical Tips

Weapon upgrades matter more than levels in the early game. Fortifying a weapon to +3 or +4 will do more for your damage than three points of Strength.

Stage	Material	Where it comes from	Priority
+1 to +3	Blood Stone Shards	Early enemies, Bath Messenger	Upgrade your main weapon first
+4 to +6	Twin Blood Stone Shards	Mid-game areas, messengers	Push to +6 before Vicar Amelia
+7 to +9	Blood Stone Chunks	Late areas, chalice dungeons	Save for your endgame weapon
+10	Blood Rock	Limited finds per playthrough	One weapon only — choose carefully

A few habits that separate smooth runs from frustrating ones:

Learn the transform attack. Pressing L1 mid-combo is free damage on almost every weapon and often staggers enemies out of their wind-up.
Match damage types to enemies. Beasts hate serrated weapons and fire; kin hate thrust and bolt. Swapping papers is cheaper than swapping weapons.
Don't neglect rally. Bloodborne rewards aggression — hitting back after taking damage recovers health, and high-rally weapons like the Hunter Axe make this a real defensive tool.
Check gem slots before you commit. Uncanny and Lost variants of the same weapon offer different slot layouts, and a good gem set can outweigh a whole upgrade level.

For a broader overview of the game and its systems, PlayStation's official Bloodborne page is a solid reference point.

FAQ

What is the best weapon in Bloodborne for a first playthrough? The Saw Cleaver. It's available at the start, cheap on stamina, strong against beasts, and it never stops being useful. If you prefer reach and stagger, the Hunter Axe is an equally valid pick.

Are the Bloodborne best weapons different for PvP and PvE? Yes. PvE favors high damage-per-swing and serrated bonuses against beasts, while PvP rewards fast weapons with unpredictable transform attacks — the Rakuyo and Blade of Mercy are far more popular in duels than their raw numbers suggest.

Do I need the Old Hunters DLC to get the strongest weapons? Not strictly, but several of the Bloodborne best weapons — the Whirligig Saw, Rakuyo, Holy Moonlight Sword, Church Pick, and Simon's Bowblade — are found in the expansion. The base game still offers Ludwig's Holy Blade, Chikage, and the Saw Cleaver.

Can I respec my stats if I change my mind? No. Bloodborne has no respec system, so decide on a build direction early and let your weapon choice guide your level-ups. A quality build using Strength and Skill is the most forgiving starting point if you're undecided.