Bloodborneis considered by many to be the greatest game ever made by Hidetaka Miyazaki. The dark gothic world of this title was pretty impressive as is, but it’s whenBloodbornereveals its Lovecraftian roots that the game becomes even more compelling.Elden Ringmight be the most successful FromSoftware game around, but many people argue that it still doesn’t hold a candle to just how captivating and excitingBloodborneis.
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There are several facets ofBloodborne’s gameplay that players can interact with if they want to maketheir journey through this nightmarish realmmore engaging and memorable. Covenants are one such part ofBloodbornethat players can join to enjoy a suite of benefits that affect both single-player and online play.
6Executioners
Alfred is one of the more memorable NPCs inBloodborne. He initially comes off as a pretty normal character before players start progressing in his quest, leading to the character being driven insane in his quest to hunt down Annalise and fulfill the wishes of their leader, Logarius.This turns out to be a foolish endeavor…but that’s a different story since all players should care about here is getting the Radiance Oath Rune.
That being said, the Executioners Covenant isn’t exactly anything special, with their bonus giving players 2% more HP with every Blood Vial they use. Suffice it to say, this isn’t really a great benefit, and players are better off joining other Covenants if they want to enjoy better bonuses in the game. On top of this, equipping the Radiance Oath Rune basically means that players will be hostile to any Vileblood Covenant member that summons them.
5The League
The League is a pretty interesting Covenant to join, even if some people might argue that the nature of this Covenant itself might not be as interesting as the other ones in the game. Regardless, gameplay benefits also matter when deciding which Covenant to join, and many people might find that The League is one of the very best in this regard. Players can join this Covenant after talking to Valtr in the Forbidden Woods.
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Joining this Covenant nets players the Impurity Rune. While the 2% HP increase during co-op isn’t really all that impressive,what makes this Caryll Rune really greatis that it lets players summon certain Old Hunters that players couldn’t really gain access to otherwise. Using the Impurity Rune while killing bosses in co-op nets Vermin that players can smash by using them. This act lets players fight the Younger Madaras Twin, who has the powerful Madaras Whistle that players can use to cast a unique spell that does a lot of damage.
4Hunter Of Hunters
Eileen the Crow is a great NPC that players can interact with inBloodborne, with her quest line being quite engaging indeed. However, the end of this quest features the hardest Hunter fight inBloodborne, withthe Bloody Crow of Cainhurst being extremely powerfuland able to down players with a few shots from his pistol…and that’s not even mentioning his powerful Chikage! Once players manage to take this enemy down, they will receive the Crow Hunter Badge and the Hunter Oath Rune.
The bonus from equipping this Caryll Rune is pretty useful, with players enjoying a 10% boost to their stamina recovery rate which is a boon when considering just how fast-paced and punishingBloodborne’scombat really is. That being said, the Hunter Oath Rune also gives a random chance of summoned players being hostile to the player, which is fitting given the name of the Covenant.
3Cainhurst Vilebloods
There’s no denying that the Cainhurst Vilebloods are one of the most unique groups inBloodbornethat are absolutely dripping in lore. Defeating Martyr Logarius and wearing the Crown of Illusions he drops allows players to access the hidden chamber that houses Annalise, Queen of the Vilebloods. Players can swear fealty to this twisted Queen to join this Covenant.
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That being said, the benefits enjoyed by joining this Covenant aren’t nearly as satisfying asthe rich lore of the Cainhurst Vilebloods. Players can give Blood Dregs to Annalise and improve their standing with the Cainhurst Vilebloods, although this is mostly for vanity purposes. The Corruption Oath Rune increases HP recovery when the player is near death and makes them hostile to all members of the Executioners.
2Beast’s Embrace
There are some Covenants that can be pretty interesting, especially since gameplay benefits can be quite massive indeed. Such is the case with the Beast’s Embrace Covenant, which is easily one of the most unique Covenants in the entire game. Players needThe Old HuntersDLC to access this Covenant and have to beatthe DLC’s optional boss — Lawrence, The First Vicar. Players get the Beast’s Embrace Rune after beating this fiery boss.
This is where the unique nature of this Covenant comes into play. The Beast’s Embrace Rune turns the Hunter into a beast-like character, and this effect is enhanced even more once players pair this Caryll Rune with the Beast Claw. The moveset of this weapon is completely changed and lets players generate Beasthood regardless of the weapon’s state, making it a great all-out offensive transformation that players can check out if they want to enjoyBloodbornein a different way.
1Lumenwood Kin
Another Covenant added byThe Old HuntersDLC is the Lumenwood Kin, which allows players to access another amazing transformation in the game. Aspiring members of this Covenant need to find three Brain Fluids and give them to Saint Adeline in the Research Hall. Doing so leads to players getting the Milkweed Rune, which transforms the player into a Kin.
However, the true potential of this Covenant is unleashed once players pair off this Caryll Rune with the Kos Parasite that players get afterbeating the challenging Orphan of Kos. Players can unleash the full potential of this weapon and absolutely decimate enemies unlucky enough to cross the Kin Hunter’s path. Of course, beating the hardest boss inBloodborneto get this weapon is easier said than done, but completely worth it if players want to use a unique and powerful weapon that actually scales with Arcane!
