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Bloodborne guide: statistics explanations

Guide by Staff Contributor
Published on

Bloodborne presents players a baffling array of statistics.

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Bloodborne guide: statistics explanations

Bloodborne is an old school RPG, in that it fills the screens with statistics and expects you to cope with them right off the bat. None of this soft "let's boil everything down to three bars" nonsense form From Software; just endless screens of badly explained details.

Happily, we're here for you. Enjoy.

Character attributes

These attributes refer to your character, and are derived both from your levelling choices and your equipment. To view them, open the menu with the Options key and use the D-pad to select the second tab.

    Primary attributes
  • Level
    Your character's current level. You level up by purchasing attribute points from the Doll in Hunter's Dream, after obtaining at least one Insight point.
  • Blood Echoes
    The amount of Blood Echoes you currently have. Blood Echoes are Bloodborne's primary currency, used in shops and to buy attribute points from the Doll. Can be lost on death if not successfully retrieved from environment or enemy.
  • Insight
    Secondary currency. Gained from entering boss areas, defeating bosses and using items like Madman's Skulls. Expended to use the Beckoning Bell to summon players to your world. One required to purchase Attributes from the Doll. World may change in response to higher Insight levels. Can be spent, but apparently not lost.
  • Vitality
    Used to calculate your maximum hit points; the higher the better.
  • Endurance
    Used to calculate your maximum stamina.
  • Strength
    Damage output of strength-based weapons scales with this attribute. Some weapons require minimum Strength levels.
  • Skill
    Damage output of skill-based weapons scales with this attribute. Some weapons require minimum Skill levels.
  • Bloodtinge
    Damage output of firearms scales with this attribute. Some firearms require minimum Bloodtinge levels.
  • Arcane
    Damage output of Arcane abilities scales with this attribute. Some equipment require minimum Arcane levels.
    Derived attributes
  • HP
    Your health or hit points. How much damage you can take. It must be replenished with Blood Vials.
  • Stamina
    Stamina is required to perform attacks, sprint and dodge. It recharges over time.
  • Discovery
    Determines drop rate. The higher the better.
  • Defense
    - Physical Defense: reduces damage taken from Physical type attacks.
    - Slow Poison Resistance: increases resistance to and decreases damage taken from Slow Poison.
    - Rapid Poison Resistance: increases resistance to and decreases damage taken from Rapid Poison.
    - Frenzy Resistance: resistance to Frenzy status effect.
  • Beasthood
    Honestly? We don't know yet.
  • Damage Reduction
    How much of the following damage types you'll resist.
    - Physical: Blunt
    - Physical: Thrust
    - Blood
    - Arcane
    - Fire
    - Bolt
  • Offense Stats
    How much of the following elemental damage types your attacks do.
    - Physical Attack
    - Blood Attack
    - Arcane Attack
    - Fire Attack
    - Bolt Attack
  • Special Offense Stat
    - Slow Poison Attack: chance of inflicting status effect.
    - Rapid Poison Attack: chance of inflicting status effect.
    - Vs. Kin: damage versus Kin type enemies.
    - Vs. Beasts: damage versus Beast type enemies.
    Equipment attributes
  • Quicksilver Bullet Use
    How many pieces of ammunition used with each shot.
  • Durability
    This total decreases with use. At zero, the equipment becomes completely useless and must be repaired at Hunter's Dream.

You can press R3 in any menu for a help overlay. Use the D-pad or analog stick to navigate around the menu. Press Circle to close the overlay.

When choosing which stats to upgrade, note that one of the key factors in determining your final damage output is scaling. Each weapon increases damage to a greater or lesser degree based on one or more Attributes. Check your favourite weapon to see which Attribute it best scales with, and pump that one up. Note that scaling drops off dramatically after you reach 25 points.

In general, greater Vitality (health) and Endurance (Stamina) never go astray, and will help you survive until you decide which Attributers to commit to for increased damage output.

Back to Bloodborne guide.

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