Initial Setup & Character Creation
Your journey as a hunter begins with the crucial step of character creation. While Bloodborne doesn't offer extensive visual customization like some RPGs, the choices you make here have a significant impact on your starting stats and overall playstyle. Understanding the implications of each choice will set you on the right path for survival in Yharnam.
The first major decision you'll make is selecting your Hunter Origin. This choice determines your starting stats, influencing your initial strengths and weaknesses. These origins are:
- Military Veteran: Balanced stats, good for a generalist approach.
- Noble Scion: High starting Vitality and Strength, ideal for melee-focused builds.
- Professional: Focuses on Skill and Bloodtinge, suited for faster, more precise combat.
- Waste of Skin: Starts with very low stats across the board, offering the ultimate challenge for experienced players seeking a blank slate.
- Other Origins: Various other origins like Troubled Childhood, Lacking Skill, etc., offer different stat distributions, each leaning towards specific playstyles.
Next, you'll choose your Starting Weapon. These are your initial tools for combat and will influence your early game experience. The primary choices are:
- Saw Cleaver: A versatile trick weapon that transforms between a short, fast cleaver and a longer, serrated saw. Excellent against beasts.
- Saw Spear: Similar to the Saw Cleaver but with a different moveset, offering a thrusting attack in its transformed state.
- Hunter's Axe: A heavy-hitting weapon that transforms from a one-handed axe to a two-handed polearm. Good for crowd control and staggering enemies.
Finally, you'll select your Blood Echoes, which are essentially your starting currency and experience points. The amount you choose can give you a slight early advantage in leveling up or purchasing items.
Key Considerations for New Players:
- Vitality is King: For your first playthrough, prioritizing Vitality is highly recommended. More health means more room for error as you learn enemy patterns.
- Strength or Skill: Decide early if you want to focus on Strength-based weapons (heavy hitters) or Skill-based weapons (faster, more precise attacks). Your chosen Origin should al with this.
- Don't Fear the Waste of Skin: While challenging, the Waste of Skin origin allows for complete freedom in build customization later on.
Once your character is created, you'll find yourself in the Hunter's Dream, a safe haven where you can level up, manage your inventory, and prepare for the horrors that await in Yharnam.