Where To Go After Blood Starved Beast Complete Bloodborne Progression Guide
Defeating the Blood Starved Beast in the venomous depths of Old Yharnam is a major milestone for any hunter in Bloodborne. However, the game famously drops you back into the world without a clear destination, leaving many players wondering where to take their newly acquired Pthumeru Chalice. Understanding your options at this critical juncture ensures you do not waste precious Blood Echoes or wander into high-level areas prematurely.
Exploring the Healing Church Workshop
Upon defeating the beast, a crucial change occurs back at the Cathedral Ward lamp. The previously locked door on the right side of the chapel is now wide open, revealing a hidden elevator. Taking this lift upwards allows you to access a tall tower known as the Healing Church Workshop, which offers new weapons and valuable upgrade materials.
Stepping carefully around the upper exterior of this structure brings you to a perilous vertical drop inside a broken tower. Dropping down these wooden platforms requires precise positioning but leads directly to the Abandoned Old Workshop, a secret area that mirrors the Hunter's Dream. Discovering this location grants you unique attire, a special hunter tool, and a crucial narrative piece of Yharnam's dark history.
Ascending the Grand Cathedral
If you prefer to advance the main story line directly, your primary goal is to reach the grand cathedral situated at the highest point of the district. Following the path below the Healing Church Workshop allows you to bypass the expensive Hunter Chief Emblem requirement entirely. By dropping down the tower and exploring the lower streets, you can find an elevator that circles behind the massive plaza gates.
Once these gates are permanently unlocked from the inside, the path to the main story boss becomes clear. Ascending the long stone staircases brings you face-to-face with Vicar Amelia, who guards the grand altar. Defeating her is required to alter the time of night and trigger the next major phase of the overarching campaign.
Venturing into Hemwick Charnel Lane
Before challenging the primary threat in the grand cathedral, it is highly recommended to explore the optional path branching to the left of the cathedral entrance. This dark, forested trail leads directly into Hemwick Charnel Lane, a rural settlement inhabited by twisted women. Clearing this area serves as an excellent opportunity to gather twin blood stone shards to strengthen your armaments.
At the end of this linear path, you will confront the Witch of Hemwick in a relatively straightforward boss encounter. Defeating this boss grants access to the Rune Workshop Tool, allowing you to equip powerful Caryll Runes back at the dream. This upgrade adds passive bonuses to your hunter, making your upcoming battles significantly more manageable.
Delving into the Chalice Dungeons
The elimination of the beast also rewards you with the Pthumeru Chalice, which unlocks the subterranean labyrinth system. By approaching the empty altars in the Hunter's Dream, you can perform a ritual to generate your very first dungeon exploration. This subterranean network provides unique combat trials, distinct boss encounters, and rare blood gems to bolster your offensive power.
While these dungeons are completely optional for finishing the base game, they offer essential progression for completionists. Exploring the early layers now provides a perfect challenge that matches your current character statistics before the difficulty scales upward. Balancing these underground excursions with the main adventure keeps your survival skills sharp.