Bloodborne may very well go down in history as the hardest game ever. The difficulty of merely walking around the corner might be enough to scare gamers away. If a simple task is that hard, then you know the boss fights are bound to be the ultimate challenge.
While the main game represents a difficult test by itself, The Old Hunters expansion pack represents the almighty final exam. Of the 5 bosses included in the DLC, which one is the king (or queen) of Old Hunter bosses? Let’s start with the easiest and work our way up.
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The Living Failures
The Living Failures can be a handful. There can be a total of about 5 or 6 at a time, and once one is killed, another sprouts from the ground. Without strategy, you will struggle because you are bound to try and hit every failure possible.
However, the best strategy would be to target the ones who shoot the blue arcane orbs at you. They only have a full body stomp attack that can be easily parried. If you try to hit the flailing armed failures, then they will hit you on the back swing. Once the failures look towards the sky to summon an arcane hailstorm, all you must do is run to the opposite of the entrance and hide behind the wall.
If you keep those two things in mind, you will realize how much of a breeze this boss fight is.
![](https://www.gameskinny.com/wp-content/uploads/gameskinnyc/l/u/d/ludwig-b0edb.jpg)
Ludwig, the Accursed/Holy Blade
Going into the hunter’s nightmare, where you access the DLC, the most buzzworthy boss was Ludwig. After I died the first time due to the fact that I just entered the area and fought Ludwig instead of having to open a door first, I realized this guy isn’t so bad at all.
The fact that you can bring an NPC in before you enter the area makes this fight even more manageable. Ludwig has a lot of flailing maneuvers and once he gets his holy blade, then he will fight standing up. Keep your distance, then when he strikes, parry forward and attack. That should lead you to realize that Ludwig is no match for your battle-tested hunter.
![](https://www.gameskinny.com/wp-content/uploads/gameskinnyc/l/a/d/lady-maria-5e126.jpg)
Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower
Lady Maria immediately follows the Living Failures boss fight. She fights a lot like Gehrman, the first hunter, so you have been warned. She is extremely dangerous and becomes increasingly more difficult when she hits phases two and three.
My only suggestion would be to parry side-to-side -- most of the time she attacks right, so go to your left (or her right). If you have fire paper or any fire-based tools, then use them. She can be caught for visceral attacks, so having something to stagger her (like Augur of Ebrietas or your trusty side arm) should do the trick. She adds blood and fire damage with her second and third phases, making her attacks more distance based. So get ready to move around.
![](https://www.gameskinny.com/wp-content/uploads/gameskinnyc/l/a/u/laurence-3811f.jpg)
Laurence, the First Vicar
A cleric beast on fire doesn’t sound so bad. After all that you've been through in Bloodborne, it actually sounds refreshing, right? Nope, wrong again -- because Laurence is a real pain.
The first order of business is to call in Valtr if you can, because he makes for a really good decoy. In order to strategize for Laurence, you must first take note of his appearance. He has one long arm with claws and hair, and one arm that’s normal. The obvious hint here is to stay on the weak arm side and attack from there.
Once Laurence hits phase two, his legs will disappear and he will look as if he is ready for the kill. Wrong again, because Laurence can now spew lava from his mouth and from where his legs cut out. The best way to deal with this is to wait for him to shoot lava from his mouth, parry around it and strike as much as possible until you must back off. Then, and only then, will you be able to slaughter Laurence, the first vicar.
Orphan of Kos
We have come to the final boss of the DLC -- and by far the most difficult. The Orphan of Kos is a pain, and can really lead you to contemplate a life of alcoholism. His screeching and his gigantic meat slab of a weapon make this boss the hardest there is.
The only advice I can give is to be ready for everything this guy will throw at you. As you can see in the video above, his move set seems endless, and he can catch you with something at any moment.
![](https://www.gameskinny.com/wp-content/uploads/gameskinnyc/o/l/d/old-hunters-38942.jpg)
Order in which Bosses appear
1. Ludwig
You will stumble into the layer of Ludwig and he will be the first boss you face. Welcome to the DLC, now face a messed-up horse monster.
2. Laurence/Living Failures
Laurence is an optional boss, but he can be accessed after beating Ludwig. Who you choose to fight with will determine who comes next as the Living Failures are the next main game bosses.
3. Lady Maria
After defeating the Failures, Lady Maria will be waiting for you in the clock tower. The clock tower is immediately following the boss arena for the Living Failures.
4. Orphan of Kos
Orphan of Kos is located in Fishing Hamlet. He is the final boss of the DLC.
Published: Mar 1, 2016 12:17 pm