Bloodborne 2 Wiki: Weapon Transformations, Chalice Dungeon Guide & Rune Locations
Master Bloodborne 2 with this wiki: weapon transformation combos, procedural chalice dungeon tips, all rune locations, and key lore explained.
**Key Takeaways**
Weapon transformations now have unique follow-up attacks—tricking mid-combo can stagger most enemies.
Chalice dungeons scale harder than the main game; depth 5 root dungeons have 40% more enemy HP.
Rune slots are tied to covenant rank, not just Caryll runes; you can equip up to 3 per NG cycle.
Lore connects directly to Bloodborne 1’s ending—the Hunter’s Dream merges with the waking world.
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Weapon Transformations: More Than a Gimmick
Bloodborne 2 doesn’t just give you a trick weapon—it forces you to use both forms. I’ve seen players treat the transformation like a stat stick, but that’s a mistake. Every weapon now has a “transformation attack” that flows from one form to the other mid-combo. The Saw Cleaver (now called the “Ripper Cleaver”) has a horizontal sweep when transforming from whip to blade that hits twice. The damage is 1.3x a normal R1, and it breaks most enemy poise in one hit.
**Example:** The Church Pike is a spear in one form, a halberd in another. If you do R1, R1, L1, you get a thrust, a slash, then a spinning overhead slam. That combo kills the basic Yharnamite in three hits at +3 upgrade. Try it on the Executioner mobs—they stagger every time.
**Comparison Table: Transformation Attack Properties**
| Weapon | Form 1 | Form 2 | Transformation Attack | Stamina Cost | Poise Damage |
|--------|--------|--------|----------------------|--------------|--------------|
| Ripper Cleaver | Short blade | Whip | Horizontal sweep (2 hits) | 18 | 35 |
| Church Pike | Spear (thrust) | Halberd (slash) | Spinning overhead slam | 22 | 50 |
| Bladed Fist | Fist (fast) | Blade (heavy) | Double punch + slash | 14 | 40 |
**Tip:** The Bladed Fist’s transformation attack is the fastest in the game—you can cancel a dodge into it. Great for punishing bosses like the Drowned Priestess.
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Always bring sedatives to depth 4 and above—Frenzy is the number one killer.
Use the “Hunter’s Torch” (found in Central Yharnam sewers) to reveal invisible walls. It costs 2 QS bullets per use.
Root dungeons (the procedurally generated ones) drop better loot but have 40% higher enemy HP. Don’t farm them until you’re level 80+.
The final boss of each chalice type (Pthumeru, Loran, Isz) drops a specific rune. Pthumeru depth 5 final boss drops the “Blood Rapture” rune (+180 HP per visceral).
**Unique loot:** The “Beast’s Embrace” rune is only found in a Loran root chalice with the “Curse of the Wretched” modifier. I spent 12 hours farming that—worth it for the transformed Beast Claws.
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**Clawmark (+30% visceral damage):** Found in the Forbidden Woods, behind a locked door requiring the “Old Hunter Key.” The key is on a corpse in the poison swamp near the giant snake.
**Eye (+10% discovery):** Dropped by the boss “The Drowned Priestess” in the Hamlet of the Damned. She’s weak to fire—bring Molotovs.
**Blood Rapture (+180 HP per visceral):** See chalice dungeon section above.
**Beast’s Embrace (transforms Beast Claws):** Loran root chalice with Curse of the Wretched. The rune is in a chest on layer 3, guarded by two Bloodletting Beasts. Use thrust damage.
**My opinion:** The Clawmark rune is the single best rune in the game. The 30% visceral damage boost lets you one-shot most basic enemies even in NG+. Pair it with the Bladed Fist’s transformation attack for massive damage.
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Lore: The Hunter’s Dream Bleeds Into the World
Bloodborne 2’s lore connects directly to Bloodborne 1’s endings. If you accepted Gehrman’s mercy or fought the Moon Presence, the Hunter’s Dream begins to merge with the waking world. The city of Yharnam is now part of a larger continent called the “Waking Dream.” The Great Ones are gone, but their influence remains in the form of “Echoes” that manifest as physical objects.
The main antagonist, the “Drowned Priestess,” is a former Hunter who tried to ascend during the Bloodborne 1 events but failed. She now uses the Echoes to create a new dream realm. The lore is told through item descriptions and environmental storytelling—pay attention to the statues in the Hamlet. They show the Priestess’s transformation from human to… something else.
**Key lore item:** The “Broken Locket” found in the opening area reads: “A keepsake from the first dream. The Hunter who refused to wake. Now she dreams forever.” It’s a direct reference to the “Childhood’s Beginning” ending.
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