Bloodborne
Bloodborne

Materials & Upgrade System — Bloodborne Guide

Master Bloodborne's weapon upgrade system in the Hunter's Dream workshop. Learn how to enhance Trick Weapons and Firearms with Blood Echoes.

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Materials & Upgrade System

The hunt for blood echoes is only half the battle, good hunter. To truly stand a chance against Yharnam's horrors, you'll need to master the art of weapon upgrades. This system, accessed at the Workshop in the Hunter's Dream, allows you to enhance your trusty Trick Weapons and Firearms, increasing their damage output and unlocking their full potential.

Understanding the Workshop

Upon arriving in the Hunter's Dream, you'll find the Workshop, a crucial hub for all your weapon maintenance and enhancement needs. Interact with the workbench inside to access the upgrade menu. Here, you can:

  • Fortify Weapon: Increase a weapon's base attack power using Blood Stone Shards, Twin Blood Stone Shards, Blood Stone Chunks, and Blood Rocks.
  • Weapon Reinforcement: This refers to the overall upgrade level of your weapon, indicated by a +number (e.g., Saw Cleaver +3).
  • Blood Gem Imprints: Slot Blood Gems into your weapons to grant various bonuses, such as increased attack, elemental damage, or stamina regeneration.
  • Repair Weapon: Maintain your weapons' durability to prevent them from breaking in combat.

Upgrade Materials and Where to Find Them

Upgrading your weapons requires specific Blood Stone materials, each corresponding to a different tier of enhancement. Knowing where to farm these is key to staying ahead of the curve.

Blood Stone Shards

These are the most common upgrade material, used for fortifying weapons from +1 to +3.

  • Location: Abundant in early game areas like Central Yharnam and the Cathedral Ward.
  • Strategy:
    • Central Yharnam: Many Yharnamites and various beasts drop these. Explore thoroughly, especially around the Great Bridge and the sewers.
    • Cathedral Ward: Enemies here, particularly the Church Giants, have a good chance to drop them.
    • Hunter's Dream (Insight Bath Messengers): Once you've acquired your first point of Insight, you can purchase Blood Stone Shards from the Insight Bath Messengers for 200 Blood Echoes each. This is a reliable source if you're short on drops.

Twin Blood Stone Shards

Used for fortifying weapons from +4 to +6, these are a step up in rarity.

  • Location: Found in mid-game areas such as Old Yharnam, Hemwick Charnel Lane, and the Forbidden Woods.
  • Strategy:
    • Old Yharnam: The Scourge Beasts and the taller, cloaked enemies often drop these. Be wary of Djura's Gatling Gun.
    • Hemwick Charnel Lane: The Witches of Hemwick's minions and the executioners are good sources.
    • Forbidden Woods: Many of the snake-headed enemies and larger beasts in this area will drop Twin Blood Stone Shards.
    • Hunter's Dream (Insight Bath Messengers): Available for purchase after defeating the Blood-starved Beast, costing 800 Blood Echoes each.

Blood Stone Chunks

These rare materials are essential for upgrading weapons from +7 to +9, significantly boosting their power.

  • Location: Primarily found in late-game areas like Cainhurst Castle, Nightmare of Mensis, and the Upper Cathedral Ward.
  • Strategy:
    • Cainhurst Castle: The Bloodlickers and the gargoyles are excellent sources.
    • Nightmare of Mensis: The Winter Lanterns (beware of Frenzy!) and the various creatures in the Micolash boss arena can drop these.
    • Upper Cathedral Ward: The Celestial Emissaries and Brainsuckers are good targets.
    • Chalice Dungeons: Certain FRC (Fetid, Rotted, Cursed) Root Chalice Dungeons, particularly Depth 4 and 5, offer reliable farming opportunities for Blood Stone Chunks.
    • Hunter's Dream (Insight Bath Messengers): Become available for purchase after defeating Rom, the Vacuous Spider, for 20,000 Blood Echoes each.

Blood Rock

The rarest and most powerful upgrade material, a single Blood Rock is required to take a weapon from +9 to its maximum potential, +10. There are very few available per playthrough.

  • Location:
    • Main Game: One Blood Rock can be found in the Nightmare of Mensis. After defeating Micolash, Host of the Nightmare, proceed through the area. You'll find it on a corpse in a hidden path near the Mergo's Wet Nurse lamp, often guarded by Winter Lanterns.
    • The Old Hunters DLC: One Blood Rock can be found in the Fishing Hamlet.
    • Chalice Dungeons: A Blood Rock is guaranteed as a reward for completing a Depth 5 FRC Pthumeru Ihyll Root Chalice Dungeon. This is often the most reliable way to acquire additional Blood Rocks in a single playthrough.
  • Strategy: Due to their extreme rarity, choose which weapon you wish to take to +10 very carefully. Consider your build and playstyle before committing.

Blood Gem Imprints

Beyond raw fortification, Blood Gems offer a layer of customization and specialization for your weapons. Each weapon has a set number and shape of Blood Gem Imprints (Radial, Triangle, Waning, or Circular).

  • Acquisition: Blood Gems are dropped by various enemies, especially larger beasts and bosses, and are frequently found in Chalice Dungeons. Higher-tier Chalice Dungeons yield more potent Blood Gems.
  • Types: Gems can boost physical attack, add elemental damage (Fire, Bolt, Arcane), increase charge attack damage, improve stamina regeneration, and much more.
  • Strategy: Experiment with different Blood Gem combinations to find what best suits your weapon and combat style. For example, a Saw Cleaver benefits greatly from physical attack up gems, while an Arcane build might prefer elemental gems.

Mastering the upgrade system is paramount to your survival in Bloodborne. Prioritize upgrading your primary weapons, and don't be afraid to experiment with different Blood Gem setups to tailor your arsenal to the challenges ahead.