Enemy Weak Points Bloodborne Wiki » Game Mechanics » Enemy Weak Points

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Basic Information

Many enemies have specific weak points that can be struck for bonus damage. For example, striking the Cleric Beast in his head will deal additional damage and can even temporarily stagger it. Hitting enemy weak points combines with other damage multipliers, so study each enemy and strike their vulnerable points. This system existed in previous Fromsoft titles, but it is greatly expanded in Bloodborne. It rewards you for understanding your enemy and knowing your weapon's moveset perfectly.

Headshot [Players & Hunters]

Headshot, for player character models, is a mechanic in Bloodborne exclusive to projectile attacks. Performing these is easiest with a monocular because of the first-person mode that is available, but it is also possible to achieve by manually aiming in third-person view. A target who's been hit on their head will take additional damage and stagger. Player will receive around 40% more damage from a headshot. Unlike in previous Souls games there are no tiers and 40% is default value for all head pieces and no head piece as well. Being hit to the body will stagger player for 13 frames, headshot will double the value and stagger player for 26 frames as shown in "Testing Headshot Mechanic" video. Manual aiming without first-person view may take some practice. Your character throws directly ahead, regardless of the direction the camera is facing. However, the camera angle does affect the vertical axis of the projectile. As such, manual aiming is a two-step process. Face your character in the direction you want to shoot or throw, then angle the camera to aim up or down.

Enemy Weak Points

Enemy	Head / Limbs / Special			Notes
Church Giant (Axe) Church Giant (W. Ball) Church Giant (Bare Fists)	-	-	X	There is one move that can be used by all Church Giants, and while they rarely use it, you should always be on the lookout for it. If you're standing reasonably close in front of them they'll sometimes raise their leg up and use a powerful stamp, so powerful that it actually breaks their leg. When that happens you'll be able to see the bone sticking out of their knee, and if you attack it you'll do considerably more damage than normal and have the ability to stagger them. Unlike armed Church Giants both fist versions have also powerful slam attacks with their left or right arm where they break them and you can hit the bone that sticks out of them to make them stagger for a moment, with no visceral opportunity though.
Church Giant (Flame Fist)	X	-	X	This Church giant is the only one of his kind that can be staggered without having to wait for it break its leg, and there are a couple of ways you can go about it. The first method is to attack his head when he lowers it during or after one of his attacks. Bait him into using an attack that causes him to lower his head so that you can strike it and stagger him; overhead or jumping attacks will generally give you the best chance of hitting his head. Unlike armed Church Giants both fist versions have also powerful slam attacks with their left or right arm where they break them and you can hit the bone that sticks out of them to make them stagger for a moment, with no visceral opportunity though.
Lost Child of Antiquity	-	-	X	While these enemies can be interrupted and staggered, shooting them during any of their attacks (but outside of the interrupt timing window) will knock them onto their backs, where they'll flail about helplessly on the ground for several seconds before getting back up; this offers a prime opportunity to hit them with your strongest attacks at no risk to yourself.
Fluorescent Flower	-	-	X	If you have even one Poison Knife, you can throw it at the dangling flower to poison the entire enemy. This shining flower takes additional damage making it prime target.
Undead Giant (Hatchet and Cannon)	-	X	-	They can be staggered by attacking their legs, which will open them to visceral attacks to their head. This can only be done once, and then you'll need to wait until after they have used their limb recovery, indicated by a swirling red particle effect, in order to do it again.

Boss Weak Points

Boss	Head / Limbs / Special			Notes
Cleric Beast	X	X	-	The Cleric Beast's head and all four of its limbs can be injured separately, stunning it and giving you a few seconds to pile on additional attacks; its wounded limbs will also take 50% more damage. Hitting its head with gunshots, thrown weapons or melee attacks will stagger it, allowing you to inflict heavy damage with visceral attacks; it will eventually heal any damaged parts of its body, restoring their defense to normal but also allowing you to injure them again.
Darkbeast Paarl Loran Darkbeast	X	X	-	Dealing heavy damage to Paarl's head in a short period of time will stagger him and allow you to perform a frontal visceral attack; repeatedly striking his limbs knock him down and dispel his lightning aura, at which point he'll take 50% more damage until he restores it. Hitting his other limbs can keep him down, allowing for chaining it if you are doing enough damage to his limbs.
Vicar Amelia	X	X	-	You can injure her head and all four of her limbs by hitting them repeatedly; doing so will cause her to stumble, and the injured limb will take an additional 50% damage.
Amygdala	X	X	-	Its head will take tremendous damage, even from normally weak sources such as pistols. Focused attacks on its head will eventually stagger it and allow you to perform a frontal visceral attack. Two brighter limbs will take additional damage as well.
The One Reborn	-	X	X	The large corpse atop its front half, the lower central core of its body and all four of its large arms can be injured once each to knock it down for several seconds, allowing you to let loose with your strongest attacks at no risk to yourself; the large corpse receives heavily-increased damage and is your priority target once you've knocked the boss down.
Ebrietas, Daughter of the Cosmos	X	-	-	Target Ebrietas' head with your strongest attacks and do your best to stagger her. She'll expose her head after her ram attacks and Head Smash, so your goal during both Phases should be to bait these attacks from as far away as possible and quickstep in to strike before she lifts her head.
Moon Presence	X	X	-	Dealing enough damage to its head will knock it into a stagger state and enable you to follow hrough with a visceral attack; repeated blows to its arms will injure them and cause it to stumble for a few seconds, setting it up for further combos. Any injured part of its body will take drastically increased damage, including its head; it will eventually repair this damage with its Regeneration move, but this will also allow you to stagger it again with focused attacks on its face.
Ludwig the Accursed / Holy Blade	X	X	X	Ludwig's left and right sides can be injured individually and will take additional damage from all attacks thereafter; he will also be temporarily stunned when one side is injured allowing for a few more swings before he recovers. Unlike many other bosses Ludwig will not regenerate damaged limbs, so take full advantage of this and focus on one side for optimal damage or injure them sequentially to keep him immobilized, Repeated blows to the head during Phase 1 will stagger him, at which point you can perform a visceral attack on his face. If you have a Cannon, it can be used with Bone Marrow Ash to attack Ludwig's head and stagger him very quickly. During Phase 2 Ludwig will stagger after sustaining enough damage, at which point a visceral attack can be initiated from the front of his torso. His sides no longer can be injured at this point, but breaking his super armor will cause him to stumble. The transformed L2 attack of the Whirligig Saw is supremely effective for quickly injuring Ludwig's legs, especially when augmented with Fire Paper; during Phase 2 it is one of the fastest and easiest ways to stagger him.
Laurence, the First Vicar	X	X	-	Target Laurence's head with pistols or the Piercing Rifle to stagger him, then follow through with a visceral attack. Staggering him works in exactly the same manner as with the original Cleric Beast; he will eventually repair the damage to his head, allowing you to injure it and stager him again. You can also injure Laurence's limbs, but unlike most other bosses this will only stun him temporarily and does not actually increase the damage he receives.
Undead Giant (Twin Curved Blades)	X	X	-	By hitting its head and each of its limbs, you can injure these parts separately, which will cause them to take 50% more damage; after some time the specifically injured limbs will have their defenses restored by the Recovery move, though this will allow you to injure them again. You can also stagger it by hitting its left and right legs, opening it up for a visceral attack.

Boss	Head / Limbs / Special			Notes
Undead Giant (Club and Hook)	X	X	X	It has several weak points including its head, its legs and a large lump of flesh on its right hip; all of these spots can be targeted for extra damage or additional effects.
Bloodletting Beast	X	X	-	Repeated blows to its head will injure it and cause it to stagger, allowing you to perform a frontal visceral attack; all four of its limbs can be injured as well, and will receive 50% more damage afterwards. It will eventually heal any injuries to its limbs or head, but in the process it will make them vulnerable to injury again, giving you more opportunities to perform visceral attacks. During its second phase it will no longer restore its wounded extremities.
Watchdog of the Old Lords	X	X	-	By hitting its head and each of its four legs separately, these parts can be injured once per fight and will receive 50% more damage as a result. Injuring its head or any of its limbs will also cause it to stumble, opening it to your attacks. You'll need to move out again quickly, though, as it will use a medium range explosion once it has stood up.
Abhorrent Beast	X	X	-	You can injure his arms and head separately; once any of these parts have been injured, they will receive 50% more damage. By striking the head you can eventually stagger him, which will injure the head and open the beast up for a visceral attack.