Top 10 Hardest Bloodborne Bosses
Here is a list of Bloodborne bosses ranked from hardest to easiest. Keep in mind, this is completely subjective and open for debate. Note that this ranking is based on the difficulty of these bosses during my first playthrough. Some of these bosses become significantly easier once you learn their attack patterns.Additionally, Chalice Dungeon bosses are not included here, but feel free to add them in the comments if you'd like.
I didn't expect an overgrown fetus to destroy me for 2 days straight. He is the fastest humanoid boss in the game in his first phase alone and the hardest to parry. His attacks are unpredictable, and require you to either know his attacks perfectly in order to not take damage or rely on rally.
His second phase is the fastest boss in the entire series. Some of his attacks are incredibly difficult to dodge even if you are an expert at this fight, forcing you to rely on rally and blood vials. He is the boss equivalent of your character, in a mechanical sense. He can dodge attacks whenever he wants, move at incredible speed, exploit openings, and he can do it as fast if not faster than you can. Beating this boss is one of the best moments in all of Bloodborne.
If you do not consume the three parts of the umbilical cord (ew), and choose not to let him kill you, this will be the final boss of the game, and unlike all other games from FromSoftware, this final boss is no walk in the park. By now, the game has expected you to have mastered parrying and visceral attacks, and if you haven't, you're screwed. He is extremely unrelenting and can take you down in a few hits. You MUST dodge to avoid his attacks, and the easiest way to take him down is with visceral attacks. Even with a cooperator, this boss is not to be underestimated.
Admittedly, I've only beaten 15 of the 22 bosses in the main game and DLC, so I haven't faced Gehrman or Kos yet. But my God, how is Laurence not #1, or at least a lot closer? I beat Ludwig in 2 tries. Laurence has beaten me 17 times and counting. Before him, I thought Ebrietas, Logarius, and Shadow were the hardest.
I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever beat this guy. Seriously thinking about bypassing him for the moment or taking a break from this game altogether. One thing is for sure, I'll never play another Souls game.
Hardest boss in the game. Don't let his appearance fool you. He may just be the Cleric Beast on fire, but he hits like a truck filled with nuclear explosives being thrown at you by Godzilla, even if your fire damage reduction is high like mine. His swing and slash attacks are a death sentence.
When he reaches about half HP, he'll lose his legs and vomit lava all over the room, and will also bleed lava out of his anus. He'll also try to chase you by slamming his hand on the ground. Just try not to step into any of his lava!
Second best boss music in all Souls games for me. Makes me on fire every time.
The reason he is so hard is that he has two very different phases. The first phase is not hard but one-shot kills a lot. When he turns into the second phase, you have to quickly adjust your strategy, which can be really awkward if you haven't beaten him more than 20 times.
His second phase is actually well balanced, the camera is not bad, and one-shot kill moveset has a very long windup. The trick is: NEVER HEAL when you are hit, EVER. It's a bad decision, only heal when you were supposed to attack. The safest way to attack is when he finishes smash combos, you can also hit him when double rolling into his badass two-handed swing. A lot of challenge, a lot of fun, my favorite DLC boss.
Although he is an optional boss, if you attempt to defeat him, you will realize that he is much harder than almost every other main boss. Personally, I find him to be easier than some of the bosses in Dark Souls 3, but in Bloodborne, he is the hardest boss in my opinion.
The reason is that even though he starts off relatively easy, once he loses some HP, he becomes enraged and incredibly fast. He wields two melee weapons, casts spells, and launches flying swords from every direction simultaneously. Additionally, he is unpredictable and can deliver devastating blows with his axe. If someone tries to face him at very high levels, they might find him easy, but if attempted at low levels, he becomes one of the most challenging bosses in all of FromSoftware's games.
For me, the hardest thing about Ebrietas is her charge attack, which could sometimes one-hit you if you don't have enough HP. However, her attacks are predictable and very slow. I used "Ludwig's Holy Blade" against her. Dash + R1 or R2 (I forgot which is the slam attack) in the head a couple of times after she does her slam attack will stun her, then follow with a visceral attack, then repeat.
Her "Disco Lights" (as I call it) is hard-hitting when it hits you since it will hit you a couple of times, but it's very easy to dodge. Just walk sideways and it will not be a problem.
The first two phases here are extremely easy, but during the final phase is when this becomes my worst nightmare. First of all, the boss seems to get an extended attack range which was the cause of many, many deaths. You get poisoned for standing near it, (horrible Smelter Demon flashbacks) and the grab attack will kill you instantly, (for most players). The pungent blood tactic is certainly the safest, but it can be expensive. Visceral attacks can work well here. Best of all, if you want that Ludwig Holy Blade, you have to kill this boss.
I find that if you go behind a group of tombstones and use the cane, it helps out during the first phase because the cane has the longest range compared to the axe and the saw. (You can buy the cane at the shop if you didn't start the game with it.)
Use the music box in the second phase. (I think you can only use the music box three times before he goes into beast mode.)
My only advice for the third phase is to time your dodges.
One of the hardest boss fights in the game for me. If you are starting Bloodborne, he will be a pain and start thinking to rage quit after a couple of times.
The trick against him is to perfectly time your dodges in his beast form since this will be the form that you will have a hard time beating. His beast form is fast, but once you perfect your dodge, you could kill him with minimum to no hits at all. What I did was forward-dodge his attacks so that I would be behind him. When you get behind him, attack at least 2-3 times (don't button mash), then dodge if he attacks again, and repeat the process. If you are hit, just back up and heal (if needed). Use your surroundings as much as possible (it will be a big help). Matching his speed will most likely be a big advantage for you but it will be a hard/fulfilling task.
This is the only boss in the game where I had to come back to because I kept getting my ass handed to me. Vicar hits VERY hard, and this beast's attacks are very unpredictable. Luckily, it's weak to fire, so Molotovs and fire enchanted weapons are very helpful.
Vicar has a TON of HP, and your best bet is to dodge behind it and hit fast without depleting your stamina. Trust me, you will need your stamina. Oh yeah, and Vicar cannot be parried, and guns aren't very useful in this battle.
Amelia made me quit the game for two months before I came back with a vengeance. She's the hardest boss in the early section of the game and the most memorable for me. The terrifying sounds she makes, mixed with the furious swipes that leave no room for error, make this boss the embodiment of Bloodborne in my eyes.
If the fight is 1-on-1 it will be a piece of cake. But the most annoying thing about the fight is his minions, not him. If you get stuck in the mob you're dead for sure. What I did was dodge the spiders and go straight to him. Use a hard-hitting weapon or an electric weapon. Hit him at least 2 times then dodge since the spiders will surely hit you when you do 3 hits (based on experience). Then repeat the process until he is dead. Just don't forget he has a deadly meteor strike that could possibly kill you if you are not careful.
The Newcomers
I would like to pay special mention to this boss, for being hard for all the wrong reasons. It's the camera. This boss destroys your camera.
Are you kidding me? This guy should be next to Martyr Logarius. He's quick and aggressive. If you let him reach his second phase in the dungeon where you fight Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen, you're as good as dead. This guy deserves to be on the top ten.
Nobody really talks about this boss. If you're going in solo, be ready for serious R1 spamming. This thing hits really hard and can combo you to oblivion.
I defeated the Orphan in less than 10 tries, but it took me much more than 50 tries for this dude. I am disappointed. I managed to defeat him in solo mode.
This fight can be tough if you aren't careful. You have to effectively use the arena for crowd control in order to win. I like to kill the shadow with a katana (not to be mistaken with the firebreather) first. He is pretty easy to stagger with a gun, so you shouldn't have trouble dealing with him unless you don't have a gun equipped or you run out of bullets. After you take one of the shadows to low HP, they will get tougher patterns. Finish off the first shadow and quickly go for the pyros. They become much easier after you kill one of them.
Okay, I understand that Lady Maria can be parried throughout the fight, which makes it somewhat easier for those who are good at parrying. However, this fight can still be a significant challenge. Placing her lower than the Amygdala seems ridiculous. I'm not trying to be rude, but I think someone needs to get their facts straight. The fact that you can't basically one-shot her should score her above that stupid thing. I'd say she deserves to be at least in the top 10, maybe even higher on a good day.
Easily one of the best fights in all of gaming. That said, it's no cakewalk. Maria's first phase is easy with a strafe to the left. Then, at 70%, she forsakes her hatred of the blood arts to try to stop you. Once she reaches 30%, she adds fire attacks to her arsenal. Her attacks have insane reach during these two phases and can absolutely destroy you.
If you get to his area early in the game, it will be a very hard boss fight. I returned to him when I got Ludwig's Holy Blade and made the fight really easy. He is big, and that's his weakness. Just attack his legs or face, and he will go down after a couple of hits. Then, you can perform a visceral attack. His lightning burst needs charging, so you can get out of the blast radius in time if you are outside.
Just be patient while fighting him, and you will beat him in no time.
The worst part about this boss is that you can't lock on to it, but he jumps around so quickly it is hard to keep up with it. He is a skeleton so you have a good chance to miss your precious hits. He spams the charged blast in Chalice, so you have to learn to roll into that blast, giving you way more chances to hit it.
Yet, you receive at least 30% more damage when caught in a roll. It could be a one-shot kill. You might have to roll into that blast at least 4 times in the Chalice, so keep practicing.
Amygdala has low health but hits pretty hard. Only its legs and head are vulnerable. For the most part, he doesn't hit hard, and he's a fairly easy boss. However, during his third phase, he becomes much more aggressive. Keep swinging at his legs because the damage increases until he heals them. Go for visceral attacks as well when the chance is given.
Even the chalice version is easy. Let me give you a step-by-step guide on how to beat the defiled Amygdala:
1. DO NOT SUMMON THE QUEEN KILLER.
2. Contrary to popular belief, attacking the tail in the first phase is a terrible idea. What you should do is bait its attacks and wait for the head to drop to get a couple of swings in, and then get some distance. Repeat until it rips its arms off.
3. When it rips its arms off, it's safe to attack the tail. Watch out for stomping, though. When it jumps, turn around, don't move, and wait for it to come down to attack its head.
Don't let this colossal beast fool you. It seems intimidating, but this boss isn't too challenging. First of all, go on the second level and kill all of the casters. This will give you a much better advantage in the long run. Plunging attacks on this boss are extremely effective, but if that doesn't work, aim for its legs, and stay close. Don't worry, this boss doesn't hit too hard and it's relatively easy to dodge. When it howls, get out of the way. That's its AOE attack. Also, steer clear of its vomit. This boss shouldn't pose too much of a challenge.
This is a boss that you should solo. He's very aggressive and hits hard at times, but doesn't have too much health. Use a weapon with good range and damage, like the Whirligig Saw.
This is a hard boss for me as his moves are unpredictable, and he does a large amount of damage. Also, he threw me off with his dialogue.
My favorite and hardest chalice dungeon fight. His fast attacks always get me.
I feel like the reason the chalice bosses are ranked lower is because fewer people have fought them.
This boss hits really hard, but once you figure out his moves, he's a complete joke.
Interestingly, Micolash is the hardest boss in NG+7, not including DLC. I basically don't die on any bosses (no DLC) beyond NG+, but he one-shot kills me with Call Beyond countless times. The trick is to stay close to him regardless of your health, even when he is about to kill you with his fists.
If you panic dodge away and heal, he might use Call Beyond and spam it multiple times. For example, he used it four times once. Yes, I perfectly dodged Call Beyond three times but got caught by the fourth. I didn't play the game for a week after that.
This boss was the easiest in the game for me, and I consider it more of a chase than a boss fight. Once you finally duel with him (twice), all you have to do is stay up close to him so he doesn't use ranged attacks, and just wail on him. He doesn't hit hard at all, and he can be taken out very easily.
I killed this guy in 3-4 attempts, and thank God it's over. This guy isn't the hardest to dodge, but Lord help you if he hits you. Don't lock on to him, as the camera will get you killed. Watch out for his smashes and stomps, as they hit really hard.
The only explanation for this boss being this low is the fact few players ever get to him.
If you're going for the third ending, this will be the final boss, right after Gehrman. This boss is a joke, considering you would've just beaten the hardest boss in the game. Its attacks are extremely predictable, and can be easily dodged for a swift victory.
It does have one attack which will always bring your HP to 1, and cannot be dodged, but with a few blood vials, you should be fine. It can also temporarily prevent you from healing, but just stay out of its way until the effect wears off.
This boss is no threat, unless you're greedy with your hits.
She hits fast and powerfully, but she's not unbeatable by any means. During the fights, there are moments where she seems to slow down. This is when you'll want to hit her. Once you learn her moveset, this boss is relatively easy.
Once you know her moves, it's pretty easy to dodge her attacks. At first, she is intimidating since she's got a lot of arms. But her attacks are very predictable.
I had more trouble than I should have since I solo'd German on the first try. She's very easy to predict, but that clone of hers is so annoying.
You can see why they are Living Failures. Basically, something to make you feel good after all you've gone through Ludwig and about to go through Lady Maria.
One of the easiest bosses in the entire game. They are incredibly slow, and the arcane attacks can be avoided by hiding behind the plant in the middle. Fun, but very easy.
The worst thing about this boss is running out of bullets. I parry every single attack so easily.
The Witch of Hemwick had a great concept and design, but terrible execution. The support these witches have is really slow and barely hits with any damage. The witches themselves have low health, and you can damage the second one before the first is even dead. There might be trouble if you're not good at dodging the second one's attacks, so be careful with that. But other than that, these witches are a complete bore.
A lot of people consider this boss to be the easiest in the game. However, if you don't know what you're doing, this boss can be tricky. There are two witches, and they're invisible until you're up close to them. Their attacks are very easy to dodge.
They have one attack that can restrain you while they perform a visceral attack on you which can take out a ton of HP. Overall, this is an easy fight, as their minions are slow, and don't pose much of a threat. However, coming into this battle blind isn't a good idea.
All of these things are annoying. It honestly appalled me how hard this thing hit when I fought the very first one in the Pthumerian Chalice Dungeon. It annoyed the hell out of me.
I was running a somewhat tanky build (Vitality, Endurance, Strength) and was level 29 when I fought it. Long story short: strafe left, learn when to dodge, get in one or two hits between attacks, and don't waste fire paper unless you're running a low-damage build.
The first Giant I fought was a piece of cake. But when I got to the one with the club and sword, the best chance I had was two cannonballs (maybe three) and hitting the pocket on his leg that does massive damage.
Easily the most annoying enemy in the game, and the boss is even worse.
Not only does he try his damnedest to grab you and drain your insight, but he also spams this arcane projectile that stuns you, leaving you open for a grab. Other than that, he's a complete pushover.
Easiest boss to deal with using bolt and thrust damage.
However, he is the second most annoying boss, spamming the arcane paralysis thing as soon as you enter. Rom and his spider minions take the #1 spot in the annoying category.