- Bloodborne quality build splits points between Strength and Skill for broad weapon access
- Best weapon: Ludwig's Holy Blade scales with both stats and handles nearly every encounter
- Stat targets: 25/25 STR/SKL mid game, push toward 50/50 in the endgame
- Blood gems: Physical and Tempering gems maximize hybrid scaling damage
- Rune core: Clawmark for visceral damage, Clockwise Metamorphosis for health
What Is a Quality Build?
A Bloodborne quality build invests evenly in Strength and Skill, giving your hunter access to the widest pool of trick weapons in the game. Instead of committing to heavy Strength weapons or fast Skill weapons alone, a quality hunter can swing the Saw Cleaver, Saw Spear, Kirkhammer, and Ludwig's Holy Blade with strong scaling on all of them.
The tradeoff is simple: you reach your damage ceiling slightly later than a specialized build, but you gain flexibility across bosses, areas, and both PvE and PvP contexts. Quality is widely considered one of the most reliable first-playthrough directions because it never locks you out of a weapon's best form.
The official Bloodborne PlayStation page covers the base game this build applies to, and the Bloodborne community on Reddit is an active place to compare quality setups.
Quality scaling means a weapon gains damage from two stats at once. When both Strength and Skill reach their soft caps, hybrid-scaling weapons like Ludwig's Holy Blade outperform most single-stat alternatives.
Stat Roadmap: Early to Endgame
Bloodborne's damage soft caps sit at 25 and 50 for each stat. A quality build raises both Strength and Skill in parallel while keeping Vitality high enough to survive boss mistakes.
| Stage | Strength | Skill | Vitality | Endurance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early (Yharnam) | 14–16 | 14–16 | 20 | 12–15 | Meet weapon requirements first |
| Mid (Cathedral Ward) | 25 | 25 | 30 | 15–20 | Both stats at first soft cap |
| Late (Nightmare zones) | 35–50 | 35–50 | 40+ | 20+ | Push both toward 50 |
Open with Vitality
Raise Vitality to about 20 before heavy damage investment. Early Yharnam punishes fragility more than it rewards damage, and extra health makes rally recovery safer.
Meet weapon requirements
Bring Strength and Skill to around 16 each so the Saw Cleaver, Saw Spear, and Hunter Axe all reach their full movesets.
Hit 25/25
Push both damage stats to 25. This is the first soft cap and delivers a large damage jump for the mid-game cathedral and woods areas.
Secure 30 Vitality
Before the late-game nightmares and The Old Hunters DLC, raise Vitality to 30 so boss combinations do not end runs instantly.
Push 50/50
In the endgame, drive Strength and Skill toward 50 each, then shift focus to blood gems in deep Chalice Dungeons for further damage gains.
Endurance returns diminish quickly past 20 for most quality weapons. Points beyond that are usually better spent on Vitality or your damage stats.
Best Quality Weapons Ranked
Not every trick weapon rewards hybrid scaling. These are the weapons where a quality build gets the most value.
| Weapon | STR / SKL Scaling | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ludwig's Holy Blade | Strong / Strong | All-purpose greatsword, top quality pick | ★★★★★ |
| Saw Cleaver | Strong / Moderate | Fast serrated damage, beast slayer | ★★★★★ |
| Saw Spear | Moderate / Strong | Serrated in both forms, thrust damage | ★★★★ |
| Hunter Axe | Strong / Moderate | Reach and crowd control | ★★★★ |
| Church Pick | Balanced | Fast thrust, DLC weapon, good vs Kin | ★★★★ |
| Beast Claw | Balanced | Aggressive moveset, DLC weapon | ★★★ |
Ludwig's Holy Blade
- Best overall quality weapon
- Fast one-handed sword form
- Powerful transformed greatsword
- Strong reach and stagger potential
- Unlocked with the Radiant Sword Hunter Badge
Saw Cleaver
- Available from the start
- Fast attacks with serrated damage
- Excellent against beasts like Vicar Amelia
- Remains effective through the entire game
Saw Spear
- Serrated in both forms
- Thrust damage in transformed mode
- Strong Skill-leaning hybrid option
- Found in Central Yharnam
Reinforce one main weapon to +6 or higher before spreading Blood Stone materials across a second weapon. For quality hunters, Ludwig's Holy Blade is the most common primary, with the Saw Cleaver or Saw Spear as a serrated backup.
Blood Gems and Caryll Runes
Blood gems convert your stat investment into real damage output, and runes cover survivability and visceral power.
| Gem Type | Effect | Best Source |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Up % | Boosts physical attack rating | Depth 4–5 Pthumeru dungeons |
| Tempering Damp Blood Gem | Flat physical attack added | Layer bosses and dungeon treasure |
| Adept Blood Gem (Thrust/Blunt) | Boosts specific attack types | Match to your weapon's moveset |
| Cursed variants | Higher values with drawbacks | Cursed ritual dungeons |
Recommended rune loadout for a quality hunter:
| Rune | Effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Clawmark | Increases visceral attack damage | High |
| Clockwise Metamorphosis | Raises max HP | High |
| Anti-Clockwise Metamorphosis | Raises stamina | Medium |
| Blood Rapture | Heals after visceral attacks | Situational |
Cursed and Rotted offerings in deep Chalice Dungeons drop stronger gems but reduce your maximum health. Only run Cursed rituals once Vitality is 30 or higher and your weapon is fully reinforced.
Compare a new gem by total attack rating on your specific weapon, not by its primary percentage alone. A Tempering gem with flat physical damage can outperform a slightly higher Physical Up gem on weapons with lower base damage.
Combat Strategy and Boss Matchups
Quality builds thrive on weapon swapping. Match your tool to the boss rather than forcing one weapon through every fight.
| Boss / Enemy | Recommended Weapon | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Cleric Beast | Saw Cleaver + Fire Paper | Serrated and fire damage both excel |
| Father Gascoigne | Saw Spear | Fast thrusts, easy parry punishes |
| Vicar Amelia | Saw Cleaver | Serrated damage interrupts her healing |
| Shadow of Yharnam | Ludwig's Holy Blade | Reach handles multiple targets |
| Rom, the Vacuous Spider | Ludwig's Holy Blade + Bolt Paper | Bolt weakness, wide sweeps clear spiders |
| Lady Maria (DLC) | Saw Spear or Church Pick | Speed punishes her recovery windows |
| Orphan of Kos (DLC) | Ludwig's Holy Blade | Stagger pressure in short punish windows |
Quality Build Milestones:
- Raise Vitality to 20 before the Cleric Beast
- Reach 25/25 Strength and Skill by mid game
- Reinforce Ludwig's Holy Blade to +10
- Farm Physical Up gems from Depth 4-5 dungeons
- Push Strength and Skill to 50/50 in the endgame
- Equip Clawmark and Clockwise Metamorphosis runes
Quality hunters pair excellent parry timing with Clawmark runes for devastating visceral attacks. Practice firearm parries on large readable enemies in Central Yharnam before attempting them on DLC bosses.
Quality Build FAQ
Q: Is a quality build good for a first Bloodborne playthrough?
Yes. A quality build is one of the most reliable first-run choices because it keeps nearly every trick weapon viable. You can test the Saw Cleaver, Hunter Axe, and Ludwig's Holy Blade without respec concerns, since Bloodborne has no respec system and stat points are permanent.
Q: What is the best weapon for a Bloodborne quality build?
Ludwig's Holy Blade is the top pick thanks to strong scaling in both Strength and Skill, a fast one-handed form, and a powerful greatsword transformation. The Saw Cleaver and Saw Spear are excellent serrated backups for beast-heavy encounters.
Q: Should I stop leveling at 50 Strength and 50 Skill?
For damage, yes. Stats past 50 have heavily diminished returns. After reaching 50/50, invest remaining Blood Echoes in Vitality and shift your damage growth to high-tier Physical Up and Tempering blood gems from Depth 5 Chalice Dungeons.
Q: How does a quality build handle The Old Hunters DLC?
Enter the DLC around level 60-80 with a weapon at high reinforcement. Quality hunters can add DLC weapons like the Church Pick and Rakuyo to their kit, and Ludwig's Holy Blade stagger pressure works well against Ludwig, Lady Maria, and the Orphan of Kos.
For deeper coverage, see the official Bloodborne page and community discussions at r/bloodborne for evolving quality build PvP meta discussions.