Without a proper tutorial level, Bloodborne stands out as a peculiar entry in the FromSoftware catalog, immediately plunging players into challenging depths. Despite this unforgiving nature, the game still offers moments of guidance, exemplified by the encounter with the Cleric Beast at the start.
The Cleric Beast serves as a unique tutorial boss in Bloodborne, subtly imparting valuable lessons without diminishing the encounter's difficulty. Players will not easily triumph over it on their initial attempts. However, this fight effectively teaches the necessity of strategic combat against bosses through the creature's elongated limbs and straightforward attacks.
How the Cleric Beast Teaches Dodging
Dark Souls and Bloodborne had a significant difference in their combat mechanics. Unlike Dark Souls, Bloodborne encouraged players to rely less on shields for defense and prioritize dodging. This change aimed to foster a more aggressive playstyle, supported by the Rally System which allowed players to regain lost health by attacking enemies. However, when facing the common citizens of Yharnam in the game's initial areas, simply dodging away or backward could be sufficient in avoiding damage.
Nevertheless, the Cleric Beast challenged players' instincts by implementing attacks that actively tracked and pursued the player throughout the arena, making backward dodging ineffective. To effectively engage in combat in Bloodborne, players needed to master the technique of forward dodging. By utilizing the invincibility frames granted during a dodge, players could maneuver through attacks unscathed and position themselves for counterattacks. The design of the Cleric Beast emphasized this strategy, as its massive left arm indicated precisely where players should move to minimize damage, even if this may not be immediately apparent.
Figuring out the optimal dodging strategy in Bloodborne is crucial for defeating every boss, starting from Martyr Logarius all the way to the Moon Presence. Therefore, it is highly significant that one of the initial bosses showcases an enlarged arm that immediately draws the player's attention towards a specific direction. This serves as a valuable indication of the correct position to adopt during the battle. Consequently, it instills a helpful mindset within the player, enabling them to approach subsequent encounters with similarly colossal monsters more effectively.
Breaking the Cleric Beast Apart
Bloodborne's Cleric Beast revolutionizes the game with its introduction of a crucial technique: the ability to shatter the limbs of towering boss monsters for amplified damage and stunning effects. Among these appendages, the colossal left arm garners significant attention from players who attentively analyze their opponents' patterns, evading and countering strategically. Successfully triggering these limb fractures unveils a breathtaking spectacle, as Bloodborne's iconic fluid erupts in a magnificent deluge.
New players in Bloodborne usually have no trouble breaking at least one arm of the Cleric Beast due to its low HP on the limbs and the game's emphasis on focusing on one side. However, the significance of the spray of blood and the resulting flinch may not be immediately obvious to all players. Nonetheless, as players progress through Yharnam in Bloodborne, the hints provided regarding the Cleric Beast serve as valuable lessons for dealing with tougher enemies later on.
Bloodborne can be played on PS4 and is currently available.