Hunter Axe

One of the trick weapons of the workshop, commonly used on the hunt. Retains the qualities of an axe, but offers a wider palette of attacks by transforming. Boasts a heavy blunt attack, leading to high rally potential. No matter their pasts, beasts are no more than beasts. 

Some choose this axe to play the part of executioner. Just as I stated it on the Rally Potential page, the Hunter's Axe does not have the best rally potential. That "title" goes to the Burial Blade, and I've done numerous tests alongside other players to prove it. So I'll just be removing this from the page. Fun fact: I killed the Brainsucker in Cathedral Ward with this baby in three hits. No thust attacks. Or..maybe the regular R2 counts as a thrust? I'm not sure entirely. Anyways I stood beneath the slimy bastard and while he flailed at the fence, I lined him up and let him eat axe. YES is was cheesy, but so are those brain-eating bastards! This weapon's range in transformed mode is not to be underestimated. Simple? I disagree. The Hunter's axe has a wide arsenal of moves.

 However compared to the saw-cleaver or the threaded cane, I can understand why it would seem over powered or boring. One fully charged R2 will wipe out a whole mob of the huntsmen in central yharnam. But it's the mastery of the various attacks and controlling your attack range that will make this weapon fun. Blade of Mercy 200x200 Blade of Mercy A special trick weapon passed down among hunters of hunters. One of the oldest weapons of the workshop. Splits into two when activated. The weapon's warped blades are forged with siderite, a rare mineral of the heavens. 

Most effective in swift attacks, such as after a quick-stepping. I'm also prety sure its the only weapon in any fromsoft soulslike game that deals more damage off of a dash/roll. Meanimg its beneficial to quickly enter combat because of that nice extra damage. It looks similar to a Egyptian Kopesh. Ludwig's Holy Blade doesn't have arcane damage, it has arcane scaling. Kirkhammer 200x200 Kirkhammer A trick weapon typically used by Healing Church hunters. On the one side, an easily handled silver sword. On the other, a giant obtuse stone weapon, characterized by a blunt strike and extreme force of impact. The Church takes a heavy-handed, merciless stance toward the plague of beasts, an irony not lost upon the wielders of this most symbolic weapon. 

Okay. I REALLY hate to be the wet blanket..because I do like this weapon as a strength build. But the Kirkhammer has two serious weaknesses. 1: Range. In sheathed or unsheathed mode, the kirkhammer is criminally short on range. This is not a serious disadvantage with the sword because it has a wicked fast rapid attack. But when your trying to take advantage of that beefy attack and stagger value? When it's sheathed and in full hammer mode? It's range is virtually non-existant. This is a big problem especially when you compare it to the hunter's axe, which you can start with for free, or Ludwig's holy blade, which you can grind for within like an hour with the radiant sword hunter badge. 2: Swing speed. I get it. It's a big freaking slab of stone. 

Again, in unsheathed sword form, the Kirksword has a very fast attack rate, comparable to the unsheathed Ludwig's blade, if not maybe a smidge faster. However the hammer form is slow. Really, really slow. Your going to get interrupted a lot. Your going to take hits you don't have to because your wind up is slower then a snail with arthritis in cold molasses. Now the new patch has eased up on the stamina consumtion of this weapon, but really what this baby needs is a little extra speed and maybe a wider area of affect when it hits. All the other weapons in bloodborne seem to encourage a bloodthirsty, frantic attack style on this site and this weapon sticks out a bit like a sore thumb in my opinion. 

Thoughts on this matter? All weapons have their draw backs. The Kirkhammer has short range but can be a multipurpose weapon. You can use the sword for taking out smaller easier targets while using careful timing with the hammer form against slower enemies or when a large enemy is staggered can result in massive damage when you need it. It can also throw off people in PvP if you switch up your fighting style mid fight. I have not used the Kirkhammer in PvP but it is a similar trend with many of the weapons that effectively using both transformations throughout a fight will give you and advantage. 

You are right, there are definitely are weaknesses to this weapon but almost every weapon has drawbacks. Blades of Mercy-Short range, Ridderpallesch (don't judge my spelling)-lack of diversity in it's move set, chikage-Damages you, Ludwig's-fairly predictable move set, the list goes on but it's almost 3 in the morning and you get the point. 

If a weapon had no downside it would fall under the category "Over-Powered" and the short range does suck, but a variety of attacks come in handy, both in PvP and PvE. Actually it kind of looks like ancient Sumerian writing, otherwise known as Cuniform. If I'm right then I have to thank my old high school history teacher for that lesson. But I won't even try to translate that, seeing as Sumerian is a dead language.