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Bloodborne: explore Old Yharnam, survive the Hunter's gunfire and deal with the region's beasts

How to explore Old Yharnam in Bloodborne.

This article explains how to explore Old Yharnam, survive the Hunter's gunfire and deal with the region's beasts in Bloodborne, following on from Cathedral Ward.

If you're interested in more advice, our complete Bloodborne walkthrough and for the DLC our The Old Hunters guide and walkthrough can help.


Cover image for YouTube videoWe made a Pungent Blood Cocktail from Bloodborne
We made a Pungent Blood Cocktail from Bloodborne

Go down the set of stairs, but don't worry about the warning you're given to take a different path. Just avoid the fire, not to mention the Walking Beast that crosses the bridge while you head to the left corner. Search the corpse here to get a load of Blood Vials.

Most of the enemies you'll face in this area are about as difficult as the Henchmen you've already encountered. Things to watch out for include the agility of these creatures, and their tendency to leap at you and dart away from your own attempts to do damage. Should you have plenty of stamina, run after them to finish the kill, otherwise let it refill before moving back in for more.

How to complete the Old Yharnam section of Bloodborne

Head over the bridge and kill the pack of Walking Beasts you come to. Over on the far left is a Hooded Beast which is a little less zippy on its feet than the other creatures, but more or less the same in combat. Just behind that final beast is a corpse with a Coldblood Dew on it.

Make your way to the other side of the area, but don't go down the staircase just yet. Over to your left is another Walking Beast on the wall. Kill it, then go left of the staircase and get some more Blood Stone Shards off the corpse. Keep your eyes peeled for any wandering Walking Beasts while you're stuffing your pockets.

How to survive the Old Yharnam Hunter's gunfire

Head back to the stairs, then make your way down to the area beneath to trigger another audio warning. Try to fight the creatures down here one at a time if you can, then start making your way towards the statue. You'll hear the voice speak once more - be ready to dodge into position to the rear of the statue to avoid the incoming gunfire.

When there's a gap in the damage, head down the stairs on your right and get to the balcony at the bottom. To your left is a gap you can use to access the building, but there's a Hooded Demon inside. This creature is basically a meaner version than the Hooded Beast you fought earlier, although they're quite similar in the way they fight. Just keep watching out for that gunfire.

Once the coast is clear(er), enter and take the Antidotes from the corpse. Go through the door on your left, then head onto the balcony to find another corpse with a Blood Stone Shard on it. Go back inside and inch through the door by the left-hand corner. Stay away from the gunfire and the pots during the next fight, as the oil inside the pots can ignite if struck by fire.

Lure the nearest Walking Beast to your position with a Pebble, then chuck a Molotov Cocktail at the first load of pots to drag the second beast into combat. When they're both dead, leg it to the corner of the balcony where the corpse is. Take the Antidotes from it, then go through the door on your left, head over the bridge, and access the alcove containing the Crazed Crows. Kill them, then search the corpse to get more Blood Stone Shards.

Now turn around and enter the building in front of you. At this point you don't have to worry too much about that raining gunfire, but there is a Hooded Demon and a pair of Walking Beasts to deal with here. When they're dead, take the Antidote from the corpse in the corner, then enter the smaller room on your right. You can get a Blood-tinge Gemstone from the body here, which is used to upgrade weapons.

Return to the last room, then go through the door by the other corpse. You'll be vulnerable once more to the gunfire when you exit it, so quickly go ahead and just wait a moment when you reach the trees. This will give you a small amount of protection while you deal with the beasts that attack shortly. Should things get a little too hairy, just backtrack to the previous room to buy yourself a bit of breathing space to work in.

Carry on forwards once you're done and kill the Hooded and Walking Beast at the wall. Now look to the right where the statue is. Run to the statue, then get in position behind it and deal with the new enemies there. When everything's dead - hopefully not including you - take the Coldblood Dew from the body, then face the gunfire direction, run forwards, and get down the stairs to find the Hunter waiting for you below.

While the Hunter isn't quite as deadly as your average boss is, he is pretty handy with his weapons so don't engage him idly. He's got your weapons, your Molotov Cocktails and he can also heal himself. It's worth waiting until you've killed the Blood-Starved Beast before returning to deal with this enemy. You'll be able to both level up first that way, and get a nice Charge Attack in if you approach him via the alternative route.

Killing the Hooded Beasts, Walking Beasts and Hooded Demons

Go up the wooden stairs right in front of you, then chuck a Pebble towards the Hooded Beast up above. Don't worry about the door on your right for now, just kill the Beast and his Hooded Demon friend at the far side of the room.

Pick up the trio of Antidotes from the corpse in the corner, then go down the stairs that are over on your left. Enter the first door on the right, and quickly kill the Hooded Beast that's on the balcony. Stay out on the balcony and face the door - there's a good chance you're about to be ambushed by Walking Beasts and Hooded Demons. If they don't appear after a while, they're waiting for you down the next set of stairs.

When things are clear, take the pair of Blood Stone Shards from the corpse on the balcony, then go through the door and take the stairs on the right all the way down. This is where you might face the pack of enemies mentioned above. Regardless, there will be a few more Hooded Beasts when you reach the bottom.

Pick 'em all off, then check the right-hand alcove where a Hooded Demon is waiting. When it's dead, take the Madman's Knowledge from the corpse in the alcove. Now go back upstairs towards that door that we chose to ignore a little earlier. Get onto the wooden walkway and head to the left-hand side. Drop onto the section below, then drop down again. If you turn around, you should be able to see a corpse that has a Coldblood Dew on it.

Make your way to the furthest end of this walkway, then drop down once more. Head to the left-hand altar and take the Ritual Blood items. Now go into the hallway to the rear of the altar and go down the left-hand stairs. Watch out for the Crazed Crows on the balcony. Kill them, take the Blood Stone Shards, then go upstairs and head off in the opposite direction. When you reach the end of this section, you'll be able to loot half a dozen Blood Vials from a corpse.

Enter the room that's just right of this corpse and go up the ladder you come to. At the top, open the gate to create a handy shortcut back to where that Hunter was. When you're done, climb back down the ladder and enter the corridor on your left.

Up ahead of you are three Walking Beasts that can be tricky to keep track of. It's worth inching your way along the side of this room until you hear them coming, before retreating right back to the entrance so you can fight them where it's easier to see what's going on. There's also an Imp around here which won't attack you, but will reward you with a pack of Blood Stone Shards if you can kill it before it scarpers.

When you're done, go down the stairs on the left-hand section of the room, but be ready to kill a pair of Nether Beasts. Now, look for the corpse in the corner which has a pair of Pungent Blood Cocktails on it. Carry on along the right-hand path until you come to a body with a load of Blood Stone Shards on it. You can't pass through the next door from this side unfortunately, so make your way back to where you fought the Nether Beasts and take the path on your right.

Make your way over the bridge and then take a left. When you reach the end of the path, you'll need to kill another Nether Beast. If it's not there, you'll need to go around the corner and take the Beast Blood Pellets from the corpse. Do so, and your enemy will have appeared when you make your way back around.

Return to the bridge and take the path to your left. When you get to the next building on your right, you'll be attacked by an ambushing Nether Beast. Kill it, then go through the smashed up doorway if you want to get a few useful items. If you're not fussed about picking them up, skip the following section.

Explore Old Yharnam's abandoned building

Grab the Antidote from the corpse and then enter the building. Kill the Walking Beast waiting for you on the stairs to your left, then walk up them. When you come to a door on your left, head inside and kill the Walking Beast waiting for you on the right. Take the Blood Stone Shards from the corpse here.

Next, go upstairs again and pass by the door on your left for the moment. When you reach the very top of the stairs, take the Fire Papers from the corpse, then head back down and go through that door you just ignored. Go left, head around the corner, and then go up the next set of wooden stairs.

When you reach the ladder, climb it and take the Coldblood Dew from the corpse you reach. Now jump down to your right to get back to where that Imp was. Kill it nice and fast, then jump down, head over to the opposite side, and look for a corpse on the walkway beneath you. Jump down again and take the Blood Stone Shard from the body.

Jump down again onto the roof, then take a left and drop down twice more. If you circle all the way around now, you'll come to another pair of Hooded Beasts. Over on the far side is another corpse with a Hunter's Torch on it - it's well worth grabbing as an upgrade to your standard Torch. There's a broken railing on the balcony nearby. Jump down from here, then again to get back to the exit where you left the stairway. Head back inside, then go downstairs and leave the building completely.

How to find the lair of the Blood-Starved Beast

Go down the path that's on your right, then look left to see a smoky passage. Just through that smoke is another Hooded Demon, but before fighting it, take a look around the corner that's to your left. Kill the Nether Beast that's wandering around to make the fight with the Demon much, much easier.

When both creatures are dead, go around the corner and take the Quicksilver Bullets from the corpse you come to. Next, go up the ramp, then look down the stairs on your left to spot an Imp. Kill it, then return to the top and take the Bold Hunter's Marks from the corpse up here. Now go back downstairs.

Straight away, head over to the other side of this section and travel along the fence. Be ready to kill a Hooded Beast, then take the Coldblood Dew from the corpse. There's another one of those Hooded Beasts waiting for you, just by the tree that's on your left.

Come all the way back around towards the staircase you just descended, then head over towards the first. There's a corpse behind the first big boulder which you can get some Coldblood Dew items from. Watch out now for the Hooded Beast hiding behind the tree that's in front and to the left of you. When everything's dead, walk up the stairs ahead of you to start the fight against the Blood-Starved Beast.


- Carry on reading for our essential Blood-Starved Beast strategy guide.

- Return to the index page for more sections of our Bloodborne guide.