Summary
FromSoftware’s games are always known for their high difficulty and unforgiving gameplay. Most of this can be attributed to the boss fights, which always put the players' skills and gear to the test. Some ofBloodborne’stoughest bosses are just as quick (if not more) than the player. Facing off against these bosses can sometimes feel like a dance where one wrong step means players have completely lost their rhythm and they die.
It’s certainly true that difficulty is completely subjective. What one finds to be challenging, others may think it was the easiest thing they’ve ever encountered. It will be different for everyone, but certain boss fights stand out because of how grueling they are for the majority of the player base. Thetoughest bosses inBloodborne, as per popular consensus, are some of the hardest challenges in the game, and downright insurmountable because of how challenging they are.
Updated on March 2025, by Gerardo Molina:The bosses in Bloodborne can be very deceiving, as some that look really intimidating aren’t that difficult, whereas others that will put players to the test might not seem like they’re a huge threat. As players progress through the game, there will be several considerable difficulty spikes that will force them to adapt or die. Although Bloodborne is not the most difficult FromSoftware game to date, it definitely takes one of the top spots due to its high difficulty and fast-paced combat. This nightmarish world has many surprises awaiting players, who will have to hone their reflexes if they mean to survive Yharnam.
26Keeper Of The Old Lords
Pretty Fast But Can Be Staggered
The Chalice Dungeons are some of the more contentious additions inBloodborne, with the randomly generated environments of these additional dungeons forgoing a lot of what made the handcrafted environments of the game special. However, there are some positives of these Chalice Dungeons, with new and unique bosses present in these chambers for players to encounter.
One such boss is the Keeper of the Old Lords, a humanoid boss who is pretty swift and enhances her blade with fire after taking enough damage. She’s pretty fast and the arena that players fight her in is pretty tricky, making it important to land a series of combos and not be caught out by her counterattacks to beat this boss and progress further in whatever Chalice Dungeon she’s featured in.
25Darkbeast Paarl
Can Be Tricky To Deal With If Faced Early On
Depending on when players encounter Darkbeast Paarl, this boss can either be a walk in the park or an absolute nightmare to get through. If players have been kidnapped and sent to the Hypogean Gaol, then it’s only a matter of time before players encounter this lightning-infused beast.
Without high DPS, Darkbeast Paarl will run circles around the player and flatten them with its damaging moveset. If players manage to stun this beast with a flurry of attacks, then they’ll be able to deplete its health bar consistently until it’s down for the count.
24Pthumerian Elder
Deceptively Quick And Hard To Predict
The Pthumerian Elder is one of the most deceptive bosses in the game. He may look like a wizened old man well beyond his years, but it doesn’t take players too long to realize that this first impression is anything but an accurate representation of how this boss functions. From the moment they enter the arena, it won’t take long for the Pthumerian Elder to close the distance and show players just how out of their depths they really are.
Players will need to match the pace of this boss, dodging and attacking at relevant intervals to ensure that they don’t end up taking too many unnecessary hits. As long as the Hunter puts the pressure on this boss, they should be able to take him out, although this battle will be anything but easy. A healthy stock of Blood Vials will be required in case the Pthumerian Elder’s aggression becomes too much to handle.
A Chalice Dungeon Boss That Can One-Shot Low-Level Hunters
The Chalice Dungeons are a decent addition toBloodborne, even if the randomized content can feel rather lackluster at times. During their exploration of these areas, players will stumble upon the Undead Giant, a boss that can either be ridiculously easy, or hair-rippingly hard.
This depends on the player’s level, and Hunters who aren’t strong enough can be one-shot by this beast in no time. This makes it important to either gain some levels or perfect one’s offense if this boss is giving them a tough time.
22Celestial Emissary
A Slow Boss That Can Summon Minions
Located in the Upper Cathedral Ward, theCelestial Emissaryis considered to be one of the easier bosses inBloodborne. The only reason it’s not higher on this list, is that there are reports of some players struggling with it due to using certain builds or attack approaches.
The boss is relatively slow and has very simple attacks, and the best way to deal with this celestial being is to attack aggressively and ensure players are hitting the right Emissary. Doing that will make this fight a breeze.
21The One Reborn
A Boss That Often Sparks Debate Among Players
Represented as a grotesque, monstrous union of several corpses,The One Reborn’s difficulty is often a subject of debate. Some players say it’s extremely tough, while others consider it to be a decent boss, but nothing to worry about. To win this boss fight, players will have to combine both melee and ranged attacks while dodging the boss' projectiles and heavy stomps.
Good reflexes and waiting for the proper attack window openings is key to winning this boss fight. If they play their cards right, players should be able to take The One Reborn down in less than 5 tries.
20Blood-Starved Beast
Poison Can Be Tough To Deal With For Players Who Aren’t Prepared
Many people feel thatthe Blood-Starved Beast is far from the toughest enemy in the gamebut these players are well-versed in howBloodborne’s combat system works. For people who are getting into this fight as a relative beginner to FromSoftware games, this nightmarish beast is so fast and poisonous that most players won’t even have any time left to think.
Players need to remain on the beast’s left side, stagger the beast whenever possible, and keep a stock of antidotes ready if they don’t want to be sliced and diced over and over again by this boss. It may seem like a tough encounter, but players who decide to adhere toBloodborne’s combat system will find this boss to be a cakewalk, which is important sinceThe Old HuntersDLC features this boss in a cramped environment which can be an even tougher challenge.
19Abhorrent Beast
Covers All Bases And Is A Pain To Deal With At Any Range
Most people will remember the Abhorrent Beast, who appears to be a normal beggar only to show the true extent of his depravity if players decide to attack him after he’s eaten enough of the innocents present in Oedon Chapel. He transforms into the Abhorrent Beast, a tough enemy that hits like a truck and will usually down the player if they try to take it out in a one-on-one battle.
While there are reliable ways to cheese this beast in the main game, the encounter with this boss in the Chalice Dungeons is anything but simple. Players must not get greedy with their hits no matter what angle they hit the Abhorrent Beast from, since this enemy has all his bases covered and will punish any Hunter who gets too overzealous with their offense. A few combo hits are all it takes for the Abhorrent Beast to destroy players, making this battle quite challenging indeed.
18Pthumerian Descendant
Extremely Fast With Attacks That Can Phase Through Solid Objects
The Pthumerian Descendant is another boss that is exclusive to the Chalice Dungeons, and it’s one of the more entertainingbosses inBloodbornethat players can fight. This boss is quick and tricky to deal with, and players have to memorize its moveset if they don’t want to be killed over and over again.
Despite how aged this enemy looks, players can be ready for an epic fight as they trade blows, attempt to stagger this foe, and land hits during brief attack windows. Higher-level Chalice Dungeons are where this encounter truly shines, andplayers should be on top of their gameif they don’t want to be taken out in record time.
17Moon Presence
A Boss That Should Be Harder, But Still Poses A Challenge
While theMoon Presenceisn’t extremely challenging compared to other bosses on this list, it’s a good thing that the developers at FromSoftware decided to make it an optional boss. This enemy is one of the Great Ones and players will have to consume three of the four available thirds of Umbilical Cord to face it and defeat Gehrman after refusing his offer.
The lore behind the Moon Presence is actually quite interesting, as it’s the being that controls everything that’s inside the Hunter’s Dream. Luckily, dying to this boss does not mean that players will have to face Gehrman again every time, which, considering how other FromSoftware games work, is a merciful act by the developer. Defeating this boss will be followed by a cutscene that ends the game and gives players the “Childhood’s Beginning” trophy. By discovering the Moon Presence, players will gain 5 Insight, and another 5 for defeating it.
Since it’s the final boss in the game, many players consider that it should be harder. However, the effort that it takes to defeat it is justly rewarded, as it drops 230,000 Blood Echoes in NG, 681,950 in NG+, and a whopping 1,704,875 in NG+6.
