A Starter's Guide for the Waste of Skin Origin in Bloodborne

In Bloodborne, the “Waste of Skin” origin is a unique starting choice for new characters. It begins at the lowest possible level with minimal stats, presenting a significant challenge for new and veteran players alike. The official description calls the character “nothing. Talentless. You shouldn’t have been born.” This origin is designed to be a blank slate, offering maximum flexibility for stat customization as you level up.

The starting stats for Waste of Skin are:

• Level: 4
• Blood Echoes: 10
• Vitality: 10
• Endurance: 9
• Strength: 10
• Skill: 9
• Bloodtinge: 7
• Arcane: 9

Because of these low starting values, the initial hours of the game can be particularly difficult. This guide provides a path through the opening areas for players who choose this demanding origin.

The First Steps: Hunter’s Dream and Your Arsenal

After creating a character and signing the contract, the game begins in the 1st Floor Sickroom. Opening the door and heading downstairs leads to an immediate encounter with a Wolf Beast. While it is possible to defeat this enemy with bare hands, the intended path is to be killed by it. Dying transports the character to the Hunter’s Dream, a central hub area.

In the Hunter’s Dream, Messengers on the main staircase will offer gifts: a starting trick weapon and a firearm. There are three choices for the trick weapon:

• Hunter Axe: The slowest but most powerful of the three, with wide, sweeping attacks in its transformed state.
• Saw Cleaver: A balanced weapon that sits between the Axe and Cane in terms of speed and power.
• Threaded Cane: The fastest and weakest option, which transforms into a long-range whip.

For the firearm, the choices are the Hunter Pistol and the Hunter Blunderbuss. The Pistol is more effective at longer distances and for parrying individual enemies, while the Blunderbuss excels at crowd control at close range. The choice of starting weapons is a matter of personal preference, and players can restart the game to select different ones if they are not satisfied.

After selecting and equipping the new weapons, explore the Hunter’s Dream to gather gameplay tips before interacting with the Yharnam Headstone to return to the 1st Floor Sickroom. Now armed, defeat the Wolf Beast and follow the path to a device that lowers a ladder. Climbing it leads to Central Yharnam and the area’s first lamp, which serves as a checkpoint and a warp point back to the Hunter’s Dream.

Navigating Central Yharnam and Combat Basics

While it is possible to run past most enemies in Central Yharnam, a new character—especially a Waste of Skin—benefits from a slower, more methodical approach. Exploring the area thoroughly helps in learning combat mechanics and finding useful items.

Mastering the timing and range of the chosen weapons is essential, as any encounter can be fatal. Firearms deal low damage but are crucial for crowd control and, more importantly, for parrying. A well-timed shot just as an enemy begins its attack can stagger them, leaving them vulnerable to a high-damage visceral attack.

Bloodborne features a health regain mechanic. After taking damage, a portion of the health bar turns orange. By quickly striking back at an enemy, the player can recover some of that lost health, conserving precious Blood Vials.

Fighting multiple enemies at once is one of the biggest challenges. Transforming a trick weapon by pressing L1 can change its attack patterns, often providing wider swings suitable for hitting several foes. Alternatively, throwing a pebble can attract the attention of a single enemy, drawing them away from their group for an easier one-on-one fight.

Common Enemies in the Early Game

Central Yharnam is populated by several enemy types that require different tactics.

• Brick Troll: These large enemies are first seen knocking on the large gates. They can be parried easily. Wait for the Troll to begin its attack, then fire your gun. A successful parry will stagger it, allowing for a visceral attack that often results in an instant kill.
• Carrion Crow: These birds are not dangerous unless they ambush you. They often appear in groups, so be sure to clear them all out.
• Executioner: This is the toughest non-boss enemy in the early game, wielding a massive axe with powerful, long-range attacks. Parrying is possible but difficult to time. It is advisable to avoid this enemy, who is located in a somewhat hidden area, until after leveling up.
• Wolf Beast: After the initial encounter, two more Wolf Beasts are found on the Great Bridge. They are fast and have long reach. Use a pebble to lure one away from the other to fight them individually. They are weak to fire, making Molotov Cocktails very effective.
• Hunter Mob: These standard humanoid enemies are simple to defeat alone but become a problem in groups. Isolate them from their packs before engaging.

The Great Bridge Shortcut and the First Boss

After reaching the Great Bridge and defeating the two Wolf Beasts, proceed until a Hunter Mob is visible on the left. Past this enemy is a dark building. Inside, four more Hunter Mobs lie in ambush, including one in a wheelchair who will always drop four Quicksilver Bullets, making this a useful farming spot.

After clearing the building, head downstairs and open one of the two doors to create a shortcut. This path leads back to the Central Yharnam lamp. With a significant number of Blood Echoes likely accumulated, this is a good time to return to the Hunter’s Dream. The Bath Messenger sells better equipment, Blood Vials, and Molotov Cocktails. Note that all enemies respawn upon returning to the area from the Hunter’s Dream.

To face the first boss, return to the Great Bridge and continue along the main path past a Brick Troll and three Carrion Crows. At the end of the bridge, the Cleric Beast will appear.

This boss is a tough fight for a low-level Waste of Skin character. Its primary weakness is fire, so Molotov Cocktails are highly effective. Aim for its head with your firearm; enough shots will stagger it, leaving it open for a visceral attack. If you run out of consumables, rely on your trick weapon. Get in close, wait for an attack, dodge, land a few hits, and retreat.

Simply encountering the Cleric Beast for the first time, even if you die, grants 1 Insight. This is a crucial milestone. Gaining Insight awakens the Abandoned Doll in the Hunter’s Dream, who allows you to spend Blood Echoes to level up your character. A nearby messenger also provides the Beckoning Bell, which is used to summon other players for co-op assistance.

With the ability to level up unlocked, the greatest obstacle of the Waste of Skin origin is overcome. For a first playthrough, investing points into Vitality, Endurance, Strength, and Skill is recommended. From this point, the game becomes more manageable as you can grind for levels and build your character to your liking.