History Characters / BloodborneEnemiesAndBosses

A pair of Yahar'gul hunters keeping watch over the path between the Cathedral Ward and Unseen Yahar'gul.

[[folder:Cramped Casket]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/crampedcasket.png]]
->''This hideous aberration can be found writhing among the oblique corners of Yahar'gul, twisting and contorting as if to escape its own tortured existence. Behold, as the blasphemous shapes shift and reassemble bewitchingly, as a sudden darkness envelops our Hunter; alas, by then it is too late.''

Giant clumps of corpses attached to wooden coffins crawling around the Yahar'gul chapel area.

* AchillesHeel: Caskets are very strong and much faster then they look... until they touch one of the glowing yellow pools surrounding bodies on the Yahar'gul streets. They will catch on fire, slow down considerably, and be easier to fight.
* BodyOfBodies: They're giant corpse mounds coming out of coffins.
* DemBones: The corpses that make up its body are almost entirely rotted away.
* MightyGlacier: The things can hit pretty damn hard for a slow, unwieldy mass of corpses.
* TheUndead: And they are a cluster of it.

[[folder:Yahar'gul Hunters]]
A trio of Hunters that appear in Yahar'gul after the defeat of Rom and the Blood Moon occurs.

[[folder:Bell Ringers]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4b7050654b999ff43dfe952cb2d9b71a.jpg]]
->''One of Yharnam's sinister urban legends, this crazed woman dressed in black carries with her a special bell. It is said that the sound of her bell brings out all sorts of unsavory creatures.''

Emaciated Pthumerian madwomen, clad in withered black cloaks and carrying Pthumerian ritual bells that they use to cast Arcane spells to attack with and summon enemies. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrVgKL_D0D4 There is a portrait in Cainhurst]] depicting a woman wearing the same necklace as the Bell Ringers, [[spoiler: apparently linking the Cainhurst bloodline to the Pthumerians]].

* BlackCloak: Although the ones that aid The One Reborn wear red.
* CombatMedic: The ones who appear in the boss fight with The One Reborn stay up on the second floor powering up the boss with their bell rings. Killing them makes the boss fight a lot easier.
* EnemySummoner: They use their bells to create endlessly-respawning enemies, and the ones in Yahar'gul also buff their summons with additional health. Killing the Bell Ringer will cause the remaining summoned enemies to stagger and lose their buffs in Yahar'gul, and outright die in the Chalice Dungeons.
** They also play part this part in online mode, spawning to summon enemy players when you use the Beckoning Bell. They also show up in the Nightmare areas by default, requiring you to hunt them down if you don't want to worry about being invaded.
* ForDoomTheBellTolls: Unusually for this trope, their infamous bells are little handbells, not booming church bells. But the ringing of these bells certainly spells trouble.
* InTheHood: They wear black hoods. The ones who aid The One Reborn wear red ones.
* {{Necromancer}}: The red-clad ones are responsible for summoning The One Reborn.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: Enemies summoned by the Bell Ringer that would normally leave behind ragdolls instead vanish upon death.
* PowerGlows: The enemies that are summoned by Bell Ringers will glow a blood red. They also look like blood is constantly dripping down their faces.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The One Reborn]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_one_reborn_concept_art_1.jpg]]

A horrible amalgamation of corpses gathered and animated by the Great Ones and the Nightmare, the One Reborn is sustained by Bell Ringers.
----

Another enemy found in numerous areas around Yharnam. Instead of turning into wolves, the Minions are former Yharnam residents that have transformed into huge, lumbering brutes that often carry concrete bricks as weapons.

Found in various areas around Yharnam, Carrion Crows are gigantic crows that have been mutated by the plague.

A pig that has been mutated by the plague.

[[folder:Cleric Beast]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/c8ad1bcfdca2a7f1876ee5c80f56e273.jpg]]
->''Ludwig was the first of many Healing Church hunters to come, many of whom were clerics. As it was, clerics transformed into the most hideous beasts.''

A massive {{Wendigo}}-like beast guarding the gate to the Cathedral Ward. ''The Old Hunters'' DLC introduces a fiery version of the normal boss.

Pthumerians wearing priest outfits. They patrol the Cathedral Ward, keeping out intruders with a variety of weapons.

Tentacle-faced creatures that use an ethereal tentacle to drain insight. Appear in great numbers in the Upper Cathedral Ward, and in the Chalice Dungeons as a boss.

[[folder:Executioner]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodborne_executioner.png]]
->''There aren't many beings as imposing as the Executioner, patrolling Yharnam in search of new trophies.''

Similar to the Huntsman's Minion, but far more intelligent, cloaked in black hoods that mask their faces, and carry large halberd axes. Their morality is as twisted as their bodies.

* EarlyBirdCameo: One can be found in Central Yharnam in an area blocked by breakable boxes and coffins.
* InTheHood: They wear black hoods that completely obscure their faces.
* NonIndicativeName: Even though they're called "Executioners" in the guide, they're completely unrelated to the Healing Church faction. Their Japanese name basically means "demolition man", and the main locations they're encountered at (Hemwick and the Forbidden Woods) could imply that their job is breaking down corpses.
* ParryingBullets: They're able to easily block bullets with their axes.
* UseYourHead: Certainly isn't afraid of head butting Hunters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Witch of Hemwick]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d6a2dd424f453365327d39b7932b632f.png]]

An old witch residing in the outskirts of Yharnam, the hamlet of gravekeeper witches carved by the sunlight, Hemwick. In its depths, an old, gigantic structure, she lies in wait. Holding suspicious rituals in the deepest of the night, for that very purpose it is said that she gathers the eyeballs of the living. In the city where unwanted corpses would be gathered and disposed of, her outfit might just be befitting of one such place.
----

!Forbidden Woods

[[folder:Snake Ball/Greater Viper Pit]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snakeball.jpg]]
->''Though certainly not as threatening as their mature counterparts, these snakes are no less deadly. For these silent predators make up in stealth what they lack in size.''

What appears to be a clump of dozens of snakes is actually a hydra-like creature. They appear in great numbers in the Forbidden Woods, in both young and adult forms.

* AnimalisticAbomination: Hydras in a [=FromSoft=] game... minus the HydraProblem, thank goodness, but with additional unpleasant tricks up to their teeth.
* BodyHorror: It resembles snakes in pile, but upon closer inspection, they're ''all'' sharing the same body. And the numerous bumps found on their bodies are actually massively engorged ticks.
* MightyGlacier: The adults can cause great damage with their poison attacks, but their mobility is pretty awful, though this is to be expected from what is essentially a bunch of snakes sloppily connected to each other. The children, however, [[TheGoomba are rather easily killed]].
* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: They're poisonous, they're numerous, and apparently parasitic.
--> Venomous, ravenous, and cold-hearted as the pale moon. Each fang is another reason to stay out of the Forbidden Wood.
* SuperSpit: The adults can spit poison great distances.

[[folder:Snake Parasite]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snakeparasite.jpg]]
->''These adolescent snakes have sacrificed stealth and raw power for speed. Pray they find something else to sink their teeth into.''

The result of Snake Balls having their kids inside of Huntsmen. They lay dormant inside, until suddenly the huntsman's head explodes to reveal about a dozen snakes coming out of the neck.

* BodyHorror: The head of the Huntsman explodes to reveal dozens of snakes.
* ChestBurster: Only instead of the chest, it's the head that bursts.
* TheDreaded: While the first half of the Forbidden Woods is chock full of Huntsmen, large Huntsmen, and their dogs, they all stop appearing as soon as you meet these enemies. This implies that even the Scourge-crazed hunter mob [[DontGoIntoTheWoods fear going too deep into the woods]].
* EnemySummoner: Upon noticing you, they'll let out an ear-piercing "whistle" and several baby Snake Balls will rise from the ground. There are only a couple that actually use this move, though.
* {{Expy}}: Compare the Snake Parasites to the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 Las Plagas-infected Ganados]] [[NocturnalMooks when the sun goes down]]... which were themselves inspired by the manga ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}''.
* ParasiteZombie
* RubberMan: They can apparently stretch their hands to attack at a distance, though in actuality it's a snake lunging out of his robe with his weapon in its jaws.
* YourHeadAsplode: Some Snake Parasites walk around looking normal, but with a bit of a ZombieGait to their walk. After noticing you, the head will explode to reveal the snakes.

[[folder:Celestial Minion]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/celestialemissary.jpg]]
->''Who could look up and not be overcome by wonder, fascination, and curiosity? But the pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, and the man who returns may not be the man who left.''

Mysterious humanoid creatures with blue luminescent skin and large bulbous craniums, akin to the head of a jellyfish or an octopus. [[spoiler:They are later revealed to have been humans who have, "ascended," due to the Healing Church's sick experiments, having now become Kin to the Great Ones]].

* AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler:With the reveal of finding the partially transformed victim in Iosefka's Clinic, one has to wonder if, like those victims afflicted with the Beast Plague, if this transformation (at least in this stage) is reversible in some way. We aren't given any further explanations on the matter, so whether or not these victims can be restored to normal is the subject of debate]].
* BioluminescenceIsCool: They resemble gray aliens with translucent jellyfish-like heads, dotted with pulsing lights.
* CombatTentacles: Their more advanced forms have tendrils (possibly antennae?) sprouting from their heads, and in this state, they have the ability to fire high-speed and powerful Arcane projectiles.
* TheGreys: Out of all the creatures related to the Great Ones, they have various traits that are the most stereotypically alien as characterized in various depictions in media.
* GlassCannon: Most Celestial Emissaries will go down in a few hits, but their laser attack can be quite deadly if it lands.
* MiniMook: Of the Celestial Emissary boss.
* WasOnceAMan: They are all implied to have once been human [[spoiler:by the fact that they are the final result of the Impostor Iosefka's experiments on her potential subjects, as evidence by a dead body found in the clinic with what are unmistakably untransformed human limbs]].
* WhamShot: [[spoiler:Finding gray aliens in either the Forbidden Woods or Iosefka's Clinic is quite a surprise as they certainly stand out against all other enemies encountered thus far, and seem to be incredibly out of place give the GothicHorror nature of the story... at least they seem out of place [[CosmicHorrorReveal at first]]]]...
* ZergRush: The boss fight against the Celestial Emissary involves a whole crowd of lesser minions constantly spawning in to attack you. Even when the Emissary grows, the lesser ones continue to swarm you.

[[folder:The Younger Madaras Twin]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/younger_madaras_twin_2.png]]

The younger of twin brothers who were born in the Forbidden Woods and raised alongside a poisonous snake, with whom they forged an inhuman kinship. The brothers eventually became Hunters, bringing back prey to dissect for their village's forbidden research and feeding their snake beast the entrails. Eventually, the twins found Vermin within their snake, killing it and then turning on one another. The Younger Twin appears as a summonable NPC and a Confederate of The League. However, he later appears in person after either gaining the highest rank in The League or killing Valtr, and killing him makes him unavailable to summon ever again, though it ''also'' grants the player his unique whistle tool.

* ArtificialStupidity: He can't tell the height difference between you and him, so if you go to the elevator and head to the lower floor, he will keep chasing you until he [[DisneyVillainDeath plummets to his death]].
* AssistCharacter: If you have the Impurity rune equipped, you can summon him for assistance against the Shadows of Yharnam, Rom the Vacuous Spider, and Ludwig the Accursed.
* CainAndAbel: After killing their beloved snake friend because they found Vermin in it, the twins turned on one another, with the younger twin murdering the elder.
* GlassCannon: In contrast to the other "butcher" allies, while he's still rather weak, he makes up for it with his special whistle.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Both twins faithfully joined the League's crusade against Vermin, but finding Vermin within their beloved snake drove them to madness and violence. [[spoiler:Gaining Valtr's helmet, and learning that the whole crusade against Vermin is a sham, causes the Younger Madaras Twin to attack the player, implying that, similarly, learning that his terrible acts were AllForNothing plunges him even deeper into insanity.]]
* KillItWithFire: Occasionally buffs his Axe with Fire Paper.
* RecurringElement: He's a unique enemy NPC wearing "butcher" gear whom the player can [[VideoGame/DemonsSouls summon]] [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI for]] [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsII bosses]]. However, while all of those [=NPCs=] needed to be beaten to be summoned by the player, the Younger Madaras Twin can be summoned to help the player ''until'' they attack them and need to be killed.
* SnakeCharmer: In a sense. The twins had a special whistle that they used to call their snake to them. The player can claim it after killing him. It is the only Hunter's tool that uses Bloodtinge instead of Arcane, though it can sometimes hit the player too.
* SoreLoser: Unlike many other ''From Software'' "butcher" enemies, the Younger Madaras Twin will refuse to let you summon him ever again, even into the NG+, if you kill him. Then again, [[{{Permadeath}} there may be another explanation at work]].

[[folder:Shadows of Yharnam]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51f6cbe11193b54356ee22c9726dffdc.jpg]]
->''The unmistakable robed figure of a Shadow instills fear into the once fearless. Nimble and expertly trained, they often strike unseen and as lethally as discipline calls.''

Three Keepers of the Old Lords who have somehow left the Chalice Dungeons and escaped out to the physical plane. Clad in obscuring black robes, the Shadows of Yharnam now walk in the world above. The trio of Shadows found in the Forbidden Woods [[spoiler: have been infected with the snake parasites]], but have [[spoiler: gained control of them themselves]].

* BigEntrance: [[spoiler: Their boss area, The Forbidden Grave, is initially shrouded in a mysterious fog, unlike other parts of the woods. Once The Hunter is close enough, the three will emerge out from the fog, side-by-side, in a very ghostly fashion]], perfectly setting the atmosphere for the impending battle at hand.
* BlackCloak: All three wear one. Later on during the battle, snakes emerge from underneath them.
* DarkIsEvil: Their black robes really do give off some ''Star Wars'' vibes and they are very evil.
* DegradedBoss: All three variants of the Shadows reappear in the upper floors of Mergo's Loft as regular {{Mook}}s for the area with significantly lower health and less powerful moves.
* EliteMook: The versions in the Forbidden Woods are this to the ones in the Nightmare Frontier.
* {{Expy}}: Freakier [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Nazgûl]], for all intents and purposes. Yes, freakier. When was the last time you saw snakes coming out of a Ringwraith's face?
* MeaningfulName: Two of the less common meanings of "shadow" is "protection or shelter" and "an inseparable attendant or companion". [[spoiler: They always make an appearance before Pthumerian Queen Yharnam makes an appearance.]]
* OneWingedAngel: The boss versions [[spoiler: have been infested with the parasites that can be encountered in the Forbidden Woods]]. Midway through the fight, [[spoiler: snakes burst from the cloaks of all three Shadows]], which [[spoiler: gives them new abilities]]. If you let them live for too long after that, they can morph ''again''.
* PainfulTransformation: During the boss fight with them, once at least ONE of them is close to death, [[spoiler: all three will suddenly stop fighting and writhe in agony; the three will all let out cries of pain as Snake Parasites burst out of their chests]]! Although [[spoiler: they don't seem too traumatized by this occurrence]], as they quickly regain their composure and continue the fight.
* PlayingWithFire: Two of the Shadows hold [[FireBreathingWeapon sources of fire that they can use to manifest flame-based attacks with]], with one of them using their candle to blow streams of fire in conjunction with their sword while the other constantly uses their flame medium to lob fire balls from a safe distance.
* RubberMan: After their transformation, the sword-wielding Shadows can stretch their arms to attack The Hunter from a distance. Although [[spoiler: like the standard Snake Parasite enemies]], it's really [[spoiler: a snake emerging from its body and taking hold of its weapon]].
* SinisterScimitar: The swords that two of them wield (and by extension others who wield them) seem to be a type of curved sword in both appearance and handling.
* SummonMagic: Once they reach the third phase of their fight, the remaining survivor gains the ability to summon massive snakes from the ground to attack you.
* WolfpackBoss: There are three of them, and they come at you all at once.

!Byrgenwerth College

[[folder:Garden of Eyes]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gardenofeyes.jpg]]
->''Among the moonlit terraces and exotic Byrgenwerth gardens lie treacherous and vile creatures, spying on unsuspecting Hunters with their malice-filled, jaundiced eyes.''

The former test subjects encountered at Byrgenwerth, used by Provost Willem as living vessels for the cultivation of eyes. They resemble humans with spider-flies for heads.

* {{Expy}}: Bears a striking resemblance to the [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Mi-Gos]].
* ExtraEyes: It has ''twenty-seven!'' It seems these creatures were bred for their extra eyes for Byrgenwerth to harvest.
* LightningBruiser: They run fast and hit hard, and have a deadly grab attack that induces frenzy.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: In addition to their two regular arms, they have six spider-like appendages coming out of their heads.
* WasOnceAMan: They were the initial test subjects of Insight experiments, before the goal went from "growing eyes" to "Growing eyes within".
* WingedHumanoid: They have wings on their back, which they use in their deadly grab attack.

[[folder:Fluorescent Flower]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fluorescentflower.png]]
->''Brilliant yet fatal, these overgrown arthropods boast high defense and powerful magic. Hunters must be both light-footed if they are to dodge their deadly spells.''

Giant centipede-like creatures. They have very high health and can attack from a great range with explosive attacks. Also appear in the Chalice Dungeons.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: The flower on their heads. Aim for it with a powerful ranged weapon and you can kill them in one shot.
* BigCreepyCrawlies: The best way to describe them is "eldritch cosmic house-centipede."
* EldritchAbomination: Giant, ethereal centipede-like creatures with lures on their heads, able to command some kind of cosmic magic. Get too close and you'll see their many teeth.
* MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: They have leech-like mouths filled to the brim with razor sharp teeth.
* SuperSpit: At close range, the creatures will spit a torrent of acidic saliva.
* TechnicolorDeath: Collapse into a singularity when killed.
* UniqueEnemy: Only one of these appear in the game outside of the Chalice Dungeons. Given that it appears on the grounds of Byrgenwerth, its appearance may allude to the College's proximity to the tomb of the gods.

[[folder:Yurie, the Last Scholar]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e5981fd4_1c6c_4cb4_b6ae_d033c77a574e.jpeg]]
->''Members of the Choir are both the highest-ranking clerics of the Healing Church, and scholars who continue the work that began at Byrgenwerth. The eye covering indicates their debt to the teachings of Master Willem, even though their paths diverged.''

One of the very few sane Healing Church Choir members left, she searches Byrgenwerth for unknown reasons.

* BeamSpam: She will use the Call Beyond item quite liberally, which sends out a torrent of beams that do ''a lot'' of damage. This is a big reason why she's so ridiculously hard. To make matters worse, she is fought in rather tight quarters with little room to evade.
* BossInMookClothing: There are actual bosses that are easier than Yurie. [[https://youtu.be/f5JJK1IktUM?t=10m15s A German Spy reveals that she has maxed out stats]], which is due to the fact that all the (human) enemy Hunters are created the same way that the player character is made.
* CombatTentacles: She uses the Augur of Ebrietas.
* DarkActionGirl: She's capable of killing you with ease if you aren't careful. Since she's also a member of the Healing Church Choir, she's most definitely not good.
* DeadlyGas: She wields the Rosmarinus, which is apparently standard-issue for members of the Choir.
* MadScientist: The Choir as a whole are this.
* SwordCane: She wields the Threaded Cane.

!Forsaken Cainhurst Castle

[[folder:Bloodlicker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodlicker.jpg]]
->''With no host left to defend Cainhurst Castle from the beastly siege, these deadly, vile creatures prowl the grounds, gorging themselves on the tainted fluid of the fallen.''

Vaguely humanoid creatures that prowl the outside of Cainhurst Castle in search of blood. They crawl like spiders and have large, bloated red stomachs filled with blood.

* BalloonBelly: Their stomachs are severely bloated and look like they're about to explode, spraying the blood they've collected everywhere... and sure enough, upon their death they will pop and absolutely drench the player character in the blood. There are even the odd few of them that are full enough that they can't even attack or move.
* BloodLust: In the Chalice Dungeons, these enemies have a tendency to show up in areas where you've used a visceral attack, licking up the blood left behind, making areas you've already cleared of threats dangerous again.
* LightningBruiser: They are fast ''and'' hit extremely hard ''and'' have a lot of health. They are '''not''' to be messed with.
* LogicalWeakness: As deadly as their pouncing attacks are, they make it easy for skilled players to roll behind them mid-leap and tear them apart.
* OverlyLongTongue: They use their long tongues to slurp up any blood spilled on the ground.
* SuperSpit: The ones encountered in the Hunter's Nightmare can spit poisonous blood at you.
* VisualPun: They're enemies that resemble gigantic ticks, in a world where other strains of the Old Blood turn them into wolves. Talk about a flea infestation.
* {{Youkai}}: They're a perverse mix of fleas, ticks, ''akaname'', and ''gaki''. Fleas for their limbs and movement style; ticks for their distended stomachs which grow as they feed; the ''akaname'' for their absurd tongues; and finally, both the ''akaname'' and the ''gaki'' due to the fact that they "clean" up filth (spilled blood in this case).

[[folder:Parasite Larva]]
[[quoteright:225:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodborne_parasite_larva.png]]
->''Blindly vicious, these creatures will leap from the ground to bury their curved mandibles into flesh.''

Large parasitic maggots with sharp pincers.

* BigCreepyCrawlies: They're the smallest enemies in the game, but they're certainly bigger than most bugs.
* TheSymbiote: In the Nightmare of Mensis, killing a Silverbeast will cause a couple of Parasite Larva to emerge from the corpse. The headless Bloodletting Beast found in the Chalice Dungeons also appears to be the host of a positively ''gigantic'' specimen which will emerge from the Beast's neck once enough damage has been inflicted.

[[folder:Bound Widows]]
[[quoteright:225:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/boundwidows.jpg]]
->''All the nobles of Cainhurst Castle are long since dead, except... One feels that a presence remains, a subtle, terrible pain etched into the very walls.''

The restless spirits of deceased noblewomen from Cainhurst Castle, who were victims of a terrible slaughter at the hands of the Executioners of the Healing Church. They now wander the derelict halls of their former home as vengeful ghosts. A majority of them carry daggers, but a select few carry their own heads.

* AmbiguousSituation: Although the story is an example of [[spoiler: both]] GothicHorror and [[spoiler: CosmicHorror]] at the same time, the presence of the Widows does indeed raise a few questions as to how things in Yharnam work. For one, the presence of sincere ghosts does indeed confirm that humans have spirits as well as the afterlife, but how these revelations effect The Great Ones and the various Nightmares/Dreams and their mechanics is unclear.
* BarredFromTheAfterlife: As it would seem due to the tragedy that took place at Cainhurst, these noblewomen aren't at peace and they're unable to move on, instead lashing out any anyone who enters the Castle, perhaps in an attempt to enact vengeance on those who attacked them in the first place.
* BlindWeaponmaster: They are blindfolded and will not detect you unless you run and make a lot of noise or get marked by the Servants.
* BodyHorror: A close examination will reveal terrible wounds on their throats, indicating that they were slit open when they were alive, in addition to being decapitated as well. Even more horrible, if the Widows are alerted to The Hunter's presence, they will let out piercing screams and blood will violently flow from their wounded throats or from their headless necks!
* EtherealWhiteDress: Seemingly based upon the, "Gray Lady," ghost archetype from European/American folklore.
* GirlWithPsychoWeapon: Either long daggers or their own severed heads. Their bloodcurdling screams and frenzied attacks tell you a lot about their mental state after death.
* {{Invisibility}}: Well, at least ''mostly'' invisible. They're very hard to see when they're unaware of your presence, but once they hear you coming, they start moving and become fully visible.
* LosingYourHead: Some widows carry their severed heads. These spirits cannot attack, but instead unleash a bloodcurdling scream that paralyzes you, and leaves you open to be attacked by the other Widows.
* OminousWalk: Unless they're alerted to your location, they almost never run toward you, instead preferring to walk extremely slowly towards you. This reasoning might be justified by their blindness.
* ScreamingWarrior: The headless ones.
* StringyHairedGhostGirl: Older than the usual examples, but they still count.
* WithMyHandsTied: Their hands are bound in front of them, which doesn’t stop them from wielding their daggers or heads effectively.

[[folder:Cain's Servants]]
[[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cainsservants.png]]
->''What keeps them here? Loyalty? Fear? Denial? None could answer, save the servants themselves if only they spoke.''

The servants of Cainhurst Castle. Despite their appearance, they are surprisingly skillful.

* BattleButler: They're the ones who relentlessly clean the castle, but they're also the castle's fighting force.
* BlowGun: Some carry golden canes that double as blow guns, which stagger you and create a beacon for the Bound Widows to follow.
* ExtremeDoormat: Implied to have been tortured by the Cainhurst nobility back before the raid by the Church, yet will put their lives on the line to protect the now abandoned castle.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Kinda. They're skinny and around your height, but they mainly stay in a very hunched-over stance. They can also turn you into a Hunter fillet if you're not careful.
* RoyalRapier: There are a few that carry these, and they've got some fancy fencing skills.
* SlaveMooks: It's hard to imagine that the Cainhurst nobility treated them humanely, and their continued service is implied to be something like StockholmSyndrome.
* UndyingLoyalty: Their masters are all dead and the castle is fallen into ruin, but they continue to dutifully look after it.

[[folder:Lost Child of Antiquity]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lostchild.jpg]]
->''The castle yields neither to weather nor foe, and these stone guardians act as a symbol of Cainhurst's fortitude.''

Gargoyle-like creatures that inhabit the ramparts and roof of Cainhurst Castle.

* BloodLust: Their grab attack involves them tackling you and sucking blood from your neck for considerable damage.
* {{Golem}}: Implied to be animate stone constructs created by the castle's denizens as guard animals. Their clumsy, awkward movements would imply that their construction is rather imperfect.
* JumpScare: They just love to drop down from above and exsanguinate you when you aren't looking, and tend to hide amongst the stone statues in wait for you to walk by.
* MixAndMatchCritter: They have bat-like bodies with human heads.
* NobodyHereButUsStatues: Some of them stand completely motionless pretending to be just another of the many sculptures in the castle, only to start moving once you get too close.
* OurGargoylesRock: Their origins bear parallels to classic gargoyles, albeit with the faces of withered old men, and they'll often pretend to be statues, however...
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Their bat-like appearances and their grab attacks, which involves wrapping their arms/wings around you and biting down on your neck, also bear resemblance to portrayals of vampires in both folklore and various media.
* ScreamingWarrior: Their screech attack, signified by a piercing ringing sound and unleashing a wind projectile.

[[folder:Martyr Logarius]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/picsart_05_17_051309.jpg]]
->''"Acts of goodness are not always wise, and acts of evil are not always foolish, but regardless, we shall always strive to be good."''

The great Logarius was once the leader of the Executioners, a group of fanatics who stormed Cainhurst Castle in order to purge the unclean blood of the Cainhurst nobility. However, he donned the Crown of Illusions, one of Cainhurst's most precious secrets, to prevent a vile secret from ever being exposed. All that remains of him is his frozen corpse, still sitting on his throne.

!Yahar'gul, Unseen Village, and the Hypogean Gaol

[[folder:Eye Collectors]]
->''Something lurks in the shadows of the Unseen Village: a misshapen creature that might once have been a woman, but who now lies in wait to prey on the unsuspecting, and bathe in their blood.''

Decrepit old women who like to ambush people from behind. They're apparently [[spoiler: what the grave-watching Witches of Hemwick become]].

* DegradedBoss: They're all identical to Witch of Hemwick herself, but lack her magical powers, which implies that The Witch of Hemwick [[spoiler: as well as the second Witch that appears during the fight]] were [[spoiler: originally from YaHar'ghul]].
* EyelessFace: Their eyes are crusted over with tumorous growths.
* EyeScream: Their primary method of attack, of which they will immobilize you and use their tools to brutally rip out any poor victim's eyes as well as dealing incredible damage.
* SlashedThroat: Well, slashed eyes in this case. What they do if they successfully grab you.

[[folder:Darkbeast Paarl]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/109fdcdb1322f185bac7551850e94333.jpg]]

A monstrous [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot electrified reanimated werewolf skeleton]] residing in the yard of the Hypogean Gaol. It comes to life when you approach it, and attacks with a combination of strong [[ShockAndAwe electrial bursts]] and [[JustforPun lightning-quick]] swipes. A stronger version, called the Loran Darkbeast, appears in Lower Loran Chalice Dungeon as the boss of the bottom layer. The Beast Claw of Irreverent Izzy reveals that the lifeforce of darkbeasts and silverbeasts is tied to their bones, rather than their blood.

* BeastWithAHumanFace: One of the most disturbing things about Paarl is that, despite its feral-looking, quadrupedal form, somewhat reminiscent of an undead werewolf, its empty skull face is eerily human, lacking a muzzle or even curved fangs.
* BodyHorror: Most of it has rotten away, leaving nothing but the skeleton, a mostly decomposed face, and clumps of fur. It's noteworthy that it's far smaller than it appears, due to the electricity making the fur stand on end and making it seem much taller and more imposing.
* BraggingRightsReward: Truly, all of the benefits of killing Paarl are incredibly beneficial and prove to be worth the effort, however, some have also shown to come a little easier from other places. You see, once Paarl is gone, you can [[spoiler: open a back route through Old Yharnam that allows you to befriend Djura]], but you can also [[spoiler: get the same results by killing the much easier Blood-starved Beast]] and [[spoiler: backtracking from its lantern and killing Djura yourself]]. Paarl also [[spoiler: leaves behind the Spark Hunter Badge, which permanently adds the Tonitrus weapon and Bolt Paper to the shop]], however it should be noted that [[spoiler: there is indeed a ''free'' Tonitrus that is available on the other side of the Yahar'Ghul opposite to the main street]], and [[spoiler: the weapon generates its own electricity as its "trick."]] In addition to the above, [[spoiler: certain enemies in other areas of the game will also drop blood gems that will apply persistent bolt-elemental damage to a weapon]].
** Although granted, this can be subverted as not everybody will necessarily [[spoiler: prefer the Tonitrus as a weapon in the first place]] and [[spoiler: finding bolt-based Blood Gems and the enemies that drop them can often take some time]]! With that in mind, [[spoiler: buying Bolt Paper with either Blood Echoes or Insight sounds like a much more immediately beneficial proposition, as it gives one ready access to the element at any time, which can often prove to be a lifesaver if one doesn't have any elemental Blood Gems to use]].
* FragileSpeedster: Not exactly ''that'' fragile, he's still a boss; but Paarl is insanely fast, dashes around all the place, and is much more aggressive than other bosses, yet he is also a lot easier to knock down and temporarily suppress, after which you can perform a visceral attack that takes out one third of his health (for other bosses, it is usually 1/6 to 1/8), making this fight [[RushBoss a contest of who can kill the other guy first]].
* KingMook: Can be seen as this to the generic blood-werewolf enemies that litter the city, albeit electrified and a skeleton.
* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoyevcAnbb4 Darkbeast]]. This music is also shared with [[spoiler: The Loran Darkbeast in The Chalice Dungeons, which may possibly hint a relation between the two]].
* NightmareFace: Good '''God''' does it ever brandish one. That gray and rotten skin pulled back into a wide grimace, coupled with a lack of eyes, is sure to leave chills in players that spot it.
* OptionalBoss: Serving as an optional encounter in Yahar'gul both during one's first visit and even later afterwards. There are benefits to killing Paarl, and they prove to be [[BraggingRightsReward quite beneficial when fighting Kin-type enemies]].
* ShockAndAwe: Uses bolt magic in a number of its attacks.
* UndeadAbomination: Even after its flesh had rotted away, the beast is still thirsty for blood.

[[folder:Cramped Casket]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/crampedcasket.png]]
->''This hideous aberration can be found writhing among the oblique corners of Yahar'gul, twisting and contorting as if to escape its own tortured existence. Behold, as the blasphemous shapes shift and reassemble bewitchingly, as a sudden darkness envelops our Hunter; alas, by then it is too late.''

Giant clumps of corpses attached to wooden coffins crawling around the Yahar'gul chapel area.

* AchillesHeel: Caskets are very strong and much faster then they look... until they touch one of the glowing yellow pools surrounding bodies on the Yahar'gul streets. They will catch on fire, slow down considerably, and be easier to fight.
* BodyOfBodies: They're giant corpse mounds coming out of coffins.
* DemBones: The corpses that make up its body are almost entirely rotted away.
* MightyGlacier: The things can hit pretty damn hard for a slow, unwieldy mass of corpses.
* TheUndead: And they are a cluster of it.

[[folder:Yahar'gul Hunters]]
A trio of Hunters that appear in Yahar'gul after the defeat of Rom and the Blood Moon occurs.

* BayonetYa: One of them wields the Rifle Spear, which can easily be turned into a rifle with a bayonet that he'll slice you with if you get too close.
* {{BFG}}: One of them uses one of the Powder Keg's Cannons as their sidearm. [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard He can fire it more than twice.]]
* KillItWithFire: One of them wields a Flamesprayer.
* RoarBeforeBeating: When one is spotted, The Beast Claw wielding Hunter will always pause to perform the "Roar" gesture before engaging The Hunter.
* SwordCane: The one wielding the Flamesprayer uses a Threaded Cane.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: The third one goes around in just the Iron Yahar'gul Helm and his skivvies.
* WolfPackBoss: They all come at you at once, and they absolutely refuse to be drawn away one-by-one by a canny Hunter; you attract the attention of one, the other two will follow.
* WolverineClaws: The shirtless one wields a Beast Claw.

[[folder:Bell Ringers]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4b7050654b999ff43dfe952cb2d9b71a.jpg]]
->''One of Yharnam's sinister urban legends, this crazed woman dressed in black carries with her a special bell. It is said that the sound of her bell brings out all sorts of unsavory creatures.''

Emaciated Pthumerian madwomen, clad in withered black cloaks and carrying Pthumerian ritual bells that they use to cast Arcane spells to attack with and summon enemies. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrVgKL_D0D4 There is a portrait in Cainhurst]] depicting a woman wearing the same necklace as the Bell Ringers, [[spoiler: apparently linking the Cainhurst bloodline to the Pthumerians]].

* BlackCloak: Although the ones that aid The One Reborn wear red.
* CombatMedic: The ones who appear in the boss fight with The One Reborn stay up on the second floor powering up the boss with their bell rings. Killing them makes the boss fight a lot easier.
* EnemySummoner: They use their bells to create endlessly-respawning enemies, and the ones in Yahar'gul also buff their summons with additional health. Killing the Bell Ringer will cause the remaining summoned enemies to stagger and lose their buffs in Yahar'gul, and outright die in the Chalice Dungeons.
** They also play part this part in online mode, spawning to summon enemy players when you use the Beckoning Bell. They also show up in the Nightmare areas by default, requiring you to hunt them down if you don't want to worry about being invaded.
* ForDoomTheBellTolls: Unusually for this trope, their infamous bells are little handbells, not booming church bells. But the ringing of these bells certainly spells trouble.
* InTheHood: They wear black hoods. The ones who aid The One Reborn wear red ones.
* {{Necromancer}}: The red-clad ones are responsible for summoning The One Reborn.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: Enemies summoned by the Bell Ringer that would normally leave behind ragdolls instead vanish upon death.
* PowerGlows: The enemies that are summoned by Bell Ringers will glow a blood red. They also look like blood is constantly dripping down their faces.

[[folder:The One Reborn]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_one_reborn_concept_art_1.jpg]]

A horrible amalgamation of corpses gathered and animated by the Great Ones and the Nightmare, the One Reborn is sustained by Bell Ringers.

* BlackSpeech: It's not mindless, and it appears to be be saying ''something'' meaningful whenever it casts a spell, but good luck figuring out what the meaning behind that horrible guttural language is.
* BodyOfBodies: It is composed of innumerable skeletons and decaying flesh fused together into a centaur-like being.
* CreepyAsymmetry: The bodies that compose this creature are mashed together with a complete disregard for evenness; neither side resembles the other.
* DemBones: Owing to its nature as a collection of skeletons.
* EldritchAbomination: A man-made one at that, a result of the School of Mensis's rituals.
* FlunkyBoss: Bell Ringers are present on the second level of the arena and pelt you with fireballs.
* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: There's no written lore to contextualize just what this thing ''is''. It's simply summoned from the cosmos by the Bell Ringers and has to be killed. It's heavily implied by the [[NothingIsScarier lack of people in this town]] and Yahar'gul's Kidnappers' [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame modus operandi]] that it is what remains of the people taken by said kidnappers to become the vessel for a man-made Great One.
* KingMook: A bigger version of the Cramped Caskets, and shaped more like a centaur.
* MixAndMatchCritters: It is made from an amalgamation of different creatures.
* MythologyGag: Is guarded by smaller skeletal minions, in the same vein as [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI Gravelord Nito]].
** The arrangement of the fight, with the large boss monster in the middle with a number of ranged minions attacking from the balconies, is also extremely similar to the [[VideoGame/DemonsSouls Tower Knight]].
** The concept of an amalgamation of corpses serving as a boss was also done for [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsII the Rotten]], and like that boss the One Reborn is considered fairly easy by the fanbase (although this depends on the person in question).
* UndeadAbomination: A grotesque attempt at creating a Great One from the bodies of the dead.

!Upper Cathedral Ward and the Altar of Despair

[[folder:Celestial Child]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/celestialchild.jpg]]
->''In any form, new life demands a caretaker. Be wary you are not selected for this role, as it may yet drive you mad.''

Strange, child-like entities found throughout the Upper Cathedral Ward. Mostly nonviolent, they prostrate themselves towards the Grand Cathedral, seeking Ebrietas.

* EnfantTerrible:
** The larva versions of the Celestial Child in the Upper Cathedral Ward have low health but can inflict frenzy.
** [[spoiler:Arianna]] gives birth to one of these things after defeating [[spoiler:Mergo’s Wet Nurse]].
* {{Expy}}: of Demonic Child from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', which Casca gave birth to after being corrupted by Griffith.
* StrongFamilyResemblance: Their physical features are very similar to Ebrietas. Possibly they are meant to be her surrogate children.
* WasOnceAMan: It's heavily implied that they are children taken by the Healing Church to the Choir Orphanage. [[spoiler:They're also the end result of Great Ones [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong impregnating human women]].]]

!Nightmare Frontier

[[folder:Slime Scholar]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/slimescholar.png]]
->''Historians firmly believe that pious scholars of Mensis stood tall among erudite men, yet these deplorable beings are all that remains.''

Former students of Byrgenwerth College, trapped within the Byrgenwerth Lecture Hall when it was thrown into the Nightmare. They have transformed during their time there, becoming half-human amorphous blobs, still clad in their student uniforms.

* BlobMonster: They've retained a humanoid upper half, but the lower half of their bodies is simply goo.
* EyelessFace: They just have empty sockets where their eyes used to be.
* KillItWithFire: Or electricity. They heavily resist physical and arcane damage.
* MakingASplash: There are a couple scholars that carry beakers or flasks and splash you with a liquid that hinders your stamina as well as causing damage.
* RubberMan: Because they are made of slime, they can stretch their arms to great lengths, giving their attacks quite a bit of range.
* WallCrawl: Some of them hang from the ceiling, waiting for you to pass by and jump on you.
* WasOnceAMan: Were all once students of Byrgenwerth, but being trapped in the Nightmare for so long has changed them drastically.

[[folder:Loran Silverbeast]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/loransilverbeast.jpg]]
->''While at rest, these horrors seem innocuous, but as they stand, one soon discovers how feral they are and their eagerness to kill.''

A deformed Scourge Beast that wields a torch. One of the remaining infected residents of the Scourge of Beasts that wiped out Loran.

* AmbiguousSituation: They're called ''Loran'' Silverbeasts, which implies they're Beasts from Loran. They're also impossible creatures that are emaciated, full up of giant parasites and have lightning attacks. So did they originate in the Nightmare or in the lost city?
* BodyHorror: Their heads are turned by 90 degrees so that their mouth is vertical, their ribs grow through their chest, and they have a trio of claws coming out of their wrist that they can grow and shrink at will.
* DegradedBoss: You find them as normal mooks in the Nightmare Frontier and the Nightmare of Mensis, and you can also find them guarding chests and levers in other Chalice Dungeons.
* {{Expy}}: Of the Gug, of H.P. Lovecraft fame, complete with lanky arms and sideways face.
* NightmareFace: Unlike the other werewolf-like creatures in the game, these things don't have wolf-like faces. Instead, they resemble horribly deformed nightmarish Muppets.
* PlayingWithFire: They wield torches, and can use them for either blunt attacks or to blow fire at you.
* TurnsRed: It gets down on all fours and starts attacking faster when at half HP.
* WolverineClaws: One of their attacks is to make their claws grow almost six feet long and swipe them at you. Needless to say, it has a lot of range.

[[folder:Giant Lost Child]]
[[quoteright:140:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giantlostchild.png]]
->''Of gentle giants in these lands none dwell. Yet, an oaf remains such, and one can't but feel pity in the face of childish innocence.''

Large creatures with white fur that throw large boulders from a distance.

* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: They certainly resemble yetis, but they don't live in a frozen tundra.
* BodyHorror: They have slash marks on their backs and chests, their ribs are showing, and there are strange growths on their arms and legs.
* DeathFromAbove: They hang out in areas above you in order to throw boulders at you, and unless you've got some serious health and defense, it's an instant death.
* NightmareFace: Their faces are squat and fused into their neck, while their eyes are beady and bulging out of their sockets.
* OneHitKill: A direct hit from their boulders will spell the end of all but the very beefiest Hunters.

[[folder:Crawler]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodbornecrawler.jpg]]
->''This cephalopod-like creature dwells in the poisonous bogs of the Nightmare, bathing in noxious fumes as if they were a fresh water stream.''

Giant slug-like creatures with powerful tentacles that reside in poisonous waters. They come in both small and large sizes.

* BodyOfBodies: They have amalgamated masses of Messengers inside their mouths that they use to grab opponents.
* CombatTentacles: They have large, powerful tentacles they can use to attack.
* DeadlyGas: The large slugs have an attack in which they release a slow-moving cloud of noxious purple gas.
* SuperSpit: At close distances, they release acidic spit.

[[folder:Winter Lantern]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/winterlantern.jpg]]
->''There it stood, uttering a warbled cry, a litany so dissonant it pierced a warrior's eardrums, driving him to an otherworldly insanity.''

Humanoid eldritch abominations with large, eye-lined brains for heads.

* BigBad: One of them serves as the titular antagonist of the ''Lady of the Lantern'' mini-series.
* BrownNote: If your insight is high enough (i.e. any amount), they'll sing in an off-key tone that causes the frenzy meter to rise.
* DemonicSpiders: Yes, even compared to the Nightmare Apostles, who are ''literal'' demonic spiders. They're tough, they have a nasty grab attack, and they inflict Frenzy ''just by being near you'', so you don't even have to actually fight them for them to OneHitKill you.
* EldritchAbomination: Their horrifying forms are not meant for human eyes. Merely looking at them causes one to go into a frenzy.
* EvilKnockoff: Due to their resemblance to the Doll of the Hunter's Dream and their proximity to the Nightmares tied to Mensis, it can be implied that the Winter Lanterns are the School of Mensis' attempt at duplicating the Doll.
* ExtraEyes: She has eyes all around her head, which means no sneaking up on her.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Merely looking at them while standing too close will cause the frenzy meter to rise rapidly.
* HumanoidAbomination: That said, they also look fairly human-shaped for their brain-breaking nature... They also bear a [[http://i.imgur.com/jXy7NLs.jpg disturbing resemblance]] to the Doll.
* LostInTranslation: Their original Japanese name is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_alkekengi Hozuki]], a type of flowering plant in the Nightshade family. The English name comes from Hozuki flowers also being referred to as Chinese Lanterns (which they vaguely resemble) and winter cherries, with the name's kanji also meaning 'Demon Lantern'.
* MyBrainIsBig: Played with. Their entire head is a mass of dead Messengers in the ''form'' of a brain.
* OneHitKill: Being able to inflict frenzy just by looking at them alone qualifies them for this position, but if you get grabbed by them it plays an incredibly long animation of them embracing you while the countless mouths on the underside of its head bite you. Even if you survive the attack, you're likely edging close to a full frenzy bar.
* UncannyValley: They're very...difficult to look at because their giant "brains" are actually a pile of dead messengers. Which are constantly shifting along with some eyes. They're just as likely to [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou break the players brain]] as the Hunters.

[[folder:Hunters of Despair]]
A pair of Hunters trapped in the Nightmare Frontier. One is dressed in the Yharnam Hunter set, the other is dressed in the Black Church set.

* KillItWithFire: The axe-wielding Hunter also possesses a Hunter Torch.
* LetsFightLikeGentlemen: The Yharnam Hunter will bow upon killing you.
* ShotgunsAreJustBetter The Black Church Hunter uses a Hunter Blunderbuss.
* SwordCane: The one in the Black Church set wields a Threaded Cane.

!The Nightmare of Mensis and Mergo's Loft

[[folder:Mergo's Attendant]]
[[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mergosattendant.png]]
->''Some say academics from the faculty of the School of Mensis still reside in the Nightmare, dictating dream logic within its warped fabric. Could these masked horrors be the very same?''

Strange creatures clad in plate and mail that inhabit Mergo's Loft.

* PintSizedPowerhouse: They're shorter in stature, but they will attack by ramming themselves into you, and judging by the sounds made make it sound like they're pretty strong.
* SavageSetpiece: You'll first encounter a floor full of them that don't attack unless you attack them first. The ones after that attack you on sight.

[[folder:Mergo's Chief Attendant]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mergoschiefattendant.png]]
->''In the dusty corners of the Mensis nightmare lurk Mergo's chief attendants, presiding over the nightmare with a caretaker's diligence.''

The overseer of the regular Attendants. While most of the Attendants are content to leave you be for the most part, their Chiefs will attack you head on.

* TheButcher: Carry large cleavers.
* ChainPain: In addition to their cleavers, they have chains that inflict rapid poisoning.
* UniqueEnemy: There are only three of them in the entire game, and they all appear in one area.

[[folder:Nightmare Apostle]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nightmareapostle.jpg]]
->''Of nightmarish creatures there are many in Mensis, yet few are as sly and as cunning as spiders, scuttling unperturbed along the loft's rafters.''

[[spoiler: Former humans who were transformed into spiders while within the Nightmare of Mensis and Mergo's Loft]]. There are three variants: standard spiders, [[spoiler: ones that still have human faces]], and a "large" version within Mergo's Loft.

* BeastWithAHumanFace: [[spoiler: One variant can be found that have human heads]].
* ConfusionFu: The giant variants sweep the floor repeatedly while using their bellies for support.
* GiantSpider: Indeed. They are also ''very'' detailed in appearance. And one of them is gigantic even by their standards.
-->''A larger variant of the more common apostle spiders, watching over matters with motherly concern.''
* SpiderSwarm: A common tactic used by the red spiders against you.
* SuperPersistentPredator: The red spiders are infamous for making a beeline towards the player as soon as they spawn, which combined with their massive aggro range (about as large ''as the entire layer that they spawned in'') can lead to situations like being assaulted by spiders as soon as one enters the layer. They can even see the player ''through solid walls and doors'' – meaning that, in Chalice Dungeons, it's not a rare occurence to [[ParanoiaFuel open an unassuming-looking door and immediately get]] [[ZergRush Zerg Rushed]] [[ParanoiaFuel by a horde of spiders that have been waiting on the other side]].
* UniqueEnemy: The giant version of this enemy is the only one of its kind, although you may occasionally find it [[spoiler: in the Chalice Dungeons]].

[[folder:Choir Intelligencer Edgar]]
!!Choir Intelligencer Edgar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/edgar_choir_intelligencer_2.png]]

A mysterious sort fought in the lowest parts of Mergo's Loft, judgin by his name, he is a Choir member who apparently was sent to spy on Mensis.

* {{BFS}}: He wields Ludwig's Holy Blade, which is odd for a Choir member.
* DeadlyGas: Like other Choir members, he uses the Rosmarinus.
* EvilGloating: Makes the "Joy" gesture every time he kills you.
* FourEyesZeroSoul: He's the only Hunter enemy in the game to wear glasses and he's a member of the Choir.
* TheMole: One for the Choir within the School of Mensis, as evidenced by his usage of their unique equipment.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Skeleton Puppet]]
->''Keeper, keeper is that you? Whose whispers fill the forlorn loft? Where acrid mists drive Hunters aft, alas, turning grown men soft?''

Skeleton-like creatures who wield daggers. They appear to be the minions of Micolash, as they only appear in his boss arena.
----
* DemBones: They are piles of bones that come together to form skeletons. Hitting them causes them to temporarily fall apart.
* MarionetteMotion: Unsurprisingly, given the name.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Micolash, Host of the Nightmare]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/micolash_3.jpg]]
->''"Grant us eyes, grant us eyes! Plant eyes on our brains to cleanse our beastly idiocy!"''
--> ''Voiced by:'' Steven Elliot / Ryan Gage

A former Byrgenwerth student, leader of the School of Mensis, and the overseer of the Nightmare of Mensis. His real body is found mummified within a small building in the bottom of Yahar'gul, surrounded by the mummies of other School members, all of them wearing Mensis Cages.
----

* BloodLust: In the harder Chalice Dungeons, these enemies have a tendency to show up in areas where you've used a visceral attack, licking up the blood left behind, making areas you've already cleared of threats dangerous again.

* OverlyLongTongue: They use their long tongues to suck up any blood spilled on the ground.

The restless spirits of deceased noblewomen from Cainhurst Castle, who were victims of a terrible slaughter at the hands of The Executioners of The Healing Church. They now wander the derelict halls of their former home as vengeful ghosts. A majority of them carry daggers, but a select few carry their own heads.

Pthumerians that gained eternal life so they may forever guard the Labyrinth for the Great Ones. Their bodies were incinerated and their souls fused into suits of armor made from their ashes.

* AchillesHeel: Several of its attacks are fairly easy to parry, leaving it wide open for visceral attacks. In fact, killing it ''exclusively'' by parrying it is a very viable strategy.
* InASingleBound: Gains a very damaging leap attack in its second phase.
* LightningBruiser: Don't let its decrepit appearance fool you — the Descendant is agile and strikes fast, and can leap across the room to strike you in his second phase.
* PrecisionGuidedBoomerang: One of its attacks is to hurl its sickle, which then flies back to its hand. If you're unlucky, it will hit you on its way back as well.
* SinisterScythe: Uses an exceptionally long sickle. When it TurnsRed, the Descendant takes out another sickle and [[DualWielding wields it with the other hand]].
* WhiteHairBlackHeart: It has long white hair and is dead-set on murdering you.

[[folder:Bloodletting Beast]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodletting_beast_concept_art.jpg]]

A massive Beast that can be encountered multiple times throughout the Chalice Dungeons. The last and most difficult variety has a shredded open back and a decapitated neck, from which a parasitic worm emerges.

[[folder:Pthumerian Elder]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pthumerian_elder_concept_art.png]]

One of the few remaining elders of the Pthumerian nobility.

* DegradedBoss: They can occasionally appear as regular enemies in Depth 5 dungeons.
* EnergyBow: Can generate a crossbow and shoot fire-based bolts.
* MorphWeapon: His staff can change into about five weapons through his fire magic: crossbow, morning star, lance, scythe, and a spear. They, naturally, acquire deadlier attacks when the Elder's low on health.
* PlayingWithFire: Most of the Elder's magic is fire-based.
* SwordBeam: The second half of his fight mainly consists of dodging these, along with him causing his spear to stab from the ground.
* TurnsRed: Reaching a certain level of health makes the Elder pause and increase the power of his staff. Might be him deciding that [[IAmNotLeftHanded you need to die now]].
* VillainTeleportation: He's not that mobile due to his age. He makes up for it through teleporting through his cane.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Yharnam, Pthumerian Queen]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/yharnam_pthumerian_queen_concept_art.jpg]]

Titled "The Blood Queen of the Old Labyrinth", she is seen throughout the game as a unresponsive NonPlayerCharacter. She resides in the final Chalice Dungeon, where she can be fought.
----

* MarriageToAGod: Per the description of the Ring of Betrothal, the only marriages that existed in the Pthumerian civilization's golden age were the blood oaths sworn to a Great One by the mortal who they sought to conceive a child with. Judging from Yharnam's bound wrists, this was not necessarily seen as an honor by the mortal party...

* YouHaveFailedMe: [[spoiler:Was supposed to produce an heir for the Great Ones. Instead, she miscarried, leading the Pthumerian people as a whole to fall out of favor with the Great Ones, and without them, their empire fell to tatters.]]

* TragicMonster: as with most of the beast-turned enemies in Old Yharnam, the Blood-Starved Beast is implied to be the final result of a particularly unfortunate victim to the city's plague.

[[folder:Beast-possessed Soul]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/beast_possessed_soul_concept_art.jpg]]

->''Dimly lit by pale moonlight, unscorned by human pity, lie things unseen by curious eyes, blood-thirsty and lithy. Hunter! Fear the possessed beast, fangs sharp as Ludwig's nerve, for it will feast upon your limbs, no mercy nor reserve.''

A strange Scourge Beast with horns growing from its head.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Transforms from an emaciated, possibly old, vicar into a colossal Cleric Beast towering over the Hunter.

[[folder:Kidnappers]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kidnappers.png]]
->''Of all the beasts you may encounter on the night of the Hunt, beware the Snatchers. For to them, it is not enough to take your life, they wish to drag you into their vile kingdom and subject you to their abhorrent rituals.''

Hunters in name only, the Kidnappers are [[spoiler: residents of Yahar'gul]] who [[spoiler: answer only to the School of Mensis]]. On [[spoiler: their order]], [[spoiler: the Kidnappers wander Yharnam's streets looking for subjects for the School's sinister rituals]].

* AchillesHeel: When they power up and [[TurnsRed briefly flash with red Arcane power]] they present a very open window to reach behind them to deliver a backstab and visceral attack, which will very likely kill them at this point of the fight. They also have virtually no poison resistance with one poison dagger being enough to inflict poison status on them. Given how slow they are, it's entirely possible to poison one and leave him to succumb to it without landing any attacks.
* BagOfKidnapping: They carry a large sack that they presumably use to kidnap their victims, which they also swing at you as a weapon.
* BossInMookClothing: Do not be fooled by [[spoiler:how early these guys appear]], they ''will'' kill any low and mid-level Hunter in one or two blows. Even late game Hunters struggle with them.
* CallBack: Their role in [[spoiler: traveling around to different locations and kidnapping various individuals for the purpose for subjecting them to rituals and experiments]] is reminiscent of [[spoiler: The Channelers]] from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls''.
* FissionMailed: [[spoiler: The first time you are killed by a Kidnapper, you'll respawn in Yahar'gul instead]].
* IHaveManyNames: The guide calls them Kidnappers, but the game calls them Snatchers.
* MightyGlacier: They hit hard enough to kill low-level Hunters in one strike, but they aren't very fast. That is, [[TurnsRed until their health is reduced by a third.]]
* OminousWalk: Perhaps your first sign on how dangerous these figures are may be just how ''slowly'' they walk towards you, with complete purpose and confidence.
* TurnsRed: When they lose enough health, they'll empowered themselves to become faster and more powerful.
* TheWorfEffect: The Kidnappers are among the most dangerous enemies [[spoiler: for about the first half of the game]]. But after [[spoiler: the Red Moon event]], [[spoiler: the streets around Hypogean Gaol will from then onward be littered with their corpses as new and more powerful creatures move in]].

[[folder:Eye Collectors]]
->''Something lurks in the shadows of the Unseen Village: a misshapen creature that might once have been a woman, but who now lies in wait to prey on the unsuspecting, and bathe in their blood.''

Decrepit old women who like to ambush people from behind. They're apparently [[spoiler: what the grave-watching Witches of Hemwick become]].

* DegradedBoss: They're all identical to Witch of Hemwick herself, but lack her magical powers, which implies that The Witch of Hemwick [[spoiler: as well as the second Witch that appears during the fight]] were [[spoiler: originally from YaHar'ghul]].
* EyelessFace: Their eyes are crusted over with tumorous growths.
* EyeScream: Their primary method of attack, of which they will immobilize you and use their tools to brutally rip out any poor victim's eyes as well as dealing incredible damage.
* SlashedThroat: Well, slashed eyes in this case. What they do if they successfully grab you.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Darkbeast Paarl]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/109fdcdb1322f185bac7551850e94333.jpg]]

A monstrous [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot electrified reanimated werewolf skeleton]] residing in the yard of the Hypogean Gaol. It comes to life when you approach it, and attacks with a combination of strong [[ShockAndAwe electrial bursts]] and [[JustforPun lightning-quick]] swipes. A stronger version, called the Loran Darkbeast, appears in Lower Loran Chalice Dungeon as the boss of the bottom layer. The Beast Claw of Irreverent Izzy reveals that the lifeforce of darkbeasts and silverbeasts is tied to their bones, rather than their blood.
----

[[folder:Yahar'gul Hunters]]
A pair of Yahar'gul hunters keeping watch over the path between the Cathedral Ward and Unseen Yahar'gul.

* {{BFG}}: One of them wields a Ludwig's Holy Rifle, alongside a Rifle Spear.
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: One of the hunters has, of all things, a Wooden Shield.
* ShockAndAwe: One of them wields a Tonitrus.

[[folder:Vicar Amelia]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/318862da428f36cdf7c9ab1f3909c874.jpg]]
->''"Seek the Old Blood. Let us pray...let us wish...to partake in communion. Let us partake in communion...and feast upon the Old Blood. Our thirst for blood satiates us, soothes our fears. Seek the Old Blood...but beware the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young. The foul beasts will dangle nectar and lure the meek into the depths. Remain wary of the frailty of men. Their wills are weak, minds young. Were it not for fear, death would go unlamented."''
--> ''Voiced by:'' Lucy Briggs

The last known Vicar of The Healing Church, she is encountered in the Grand Cathedral in the Cathedral Ward reciting a prayer, but before The Hunter can speak with her, she succumbs to the beast plague and transforms into a colossal werewolf-like creature even bigger than the Cleric Beast! Still clutching onto the Gold Pendant that has been passed down from Vicar to Vicar starting with Laurence, she then turns to engage The Hunter!

* TragicMonster: as with most of the beast-turned enemies in Old Yharnam, BsB is implied to be the final result of a particularly unfortunate victim to the city's plague.

!Forbidden Woods

[[folder:Snake Ball/Greater Viper Pit]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snakeball.jpg]]
->''Though certainly not as threatening as their mature counterparts, these snakes are no less deadly. For these silent predators make up in stealth what they lack in size.''

What appears to be a clump of dozens of snakes is actually a hydra-like creature. They appear in great numbers in the Forbidden Woods, in both young and adult forms.

* AnimalisticAbomination: Hydras in a [=FromSoft=] game... minus the HydraProblem, thank goodness, but with additional unpleasant tricks up to their teeth.
* BodyHorror: It resembles snakes in pile, but upon closer inspection, they're ''all'' sharing the same body. And the numerous bumps found on their bodies are actually massively engorged ticks.
* MightyGlacier: The adults can cause great damage with their poison attacks, but their mobility is pretty awful, though this is to be expected from what is essentially a bunch of snakes sloppily connected to each other. The children, however, [[TheGoomba are rather easily killed]].
* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: They're poisonous, they're numerous, and apparently parasitic.
--> Venomous, ravenous, and cold-hearted as the pale moon. Each fang is another reason to stay out of the Forbidden Wood.
* SuperSpit: The adults can spit poison great distances.

[[folder:Snake Parasite]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snakeparasite.jpg]]
->''These adolescent snakes have sacrificed stealth and raw power for speed. Pray they find something else to sink their teeth into.''

The result of Snake Balls having their kids inside of Huntsmen. They lay dormant inside, until suddenly the huntsman's head explodes to reveal about a dozen snakes coming out of the neck.

* BodyHorror: The head of the Huntsman explodes to reveal dozens of snakes.
* ChestBurster: Only instead of the chest, it's the head that bursts.
* TheDreaded: While the first half of the Forbidden Woods is chock full of Huntsmen, large Huntsmen, and their dogs, they all stop appearing as soon as you meet these enemies. This implies that even the Scourge-crazed hunter mob [[DontGoIntoTheWoods fear going too deep into the woods]].
* EnemySummoner: Upon noticing you, they'll let out an ear-piercing "whistle" and several baby Snake Balls will rise from the ground. There are only a couple that actually use this move, though.
* {{Expy}}: Compare the Snake Parasites to the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4 Las Plagas-infected Ganados]] [[NocturnalMooks when the sun goes down]]... which were themselves inspired by the manga ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}''.
* ParasiteZombie
* RubberMan: They can apparently stretch their hands to attack at a distance, though in actuality it's a snake lunging out of his robe with his weapon in its jaws.
* YourHeadAsplode: Some Snake Parasites walk around looking normal, but with a bit of a ZombieGait to their walk. After noticing you, the head will explode to reveal the snakes.

[[folder:The Younger Madaras Twin]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/younger_madaras_twin_2.png]]

The younger of twin brothers who were born in the Forbidden Woods and raised alongside a poisonous snake, with whom they forged an inhuman kinship. The brothers eventually became Hunters, bringing back prey to dissect for their village's forbidden research and feeding their snake beast the entrails. Eventually, the twins found Vermin within their snake, killing it and then turning on one another. The Younger Twin appears as a summonable NPC and a Confederate of The League. However, he later appears in person after either gaining the highest rank in The League or killing Valtr, and killing him makes him unavailable to summon ever again, though it ''also'' grants the player his unique whistle tool.

* ArtificialStupidity: He can't tell the height difference between you and him, so if you go to the elevator and head to the lower floor, he will keep chasing you until he [[DisneyVillainDeath plummets to his death]].
* AssistCharacter: If you have the Impurity rune equipped, you can summon him for assistance against the Shadows of Yharnam, Rom the Vacuous Spider, and Ludwig the Accursed.
* CainAndAbel: After killing their beloved snake friend because they found Vermin in it, the twins turned on one another, with the younger twin murdering the elder.
* GlassCannon: In contrast to the other "butcher" allies, while he's still rather weak, he makes up for it with his special whistle.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Both twins faithfully joined the League's crusade against Vermin, but finding Vermin within their beloved snake drove them to madness and violence. [[spoiler:Gaining Valtr's helmet, and learning that the whole crusade against Vermin is a sham, causes the Younger Madaras Twin to attack the player, implying that, similarly, learning that his terrible acts were AllForNothing plunges him even deeper into insanity.]]
* KillItWithFire: Occasionally buffs his Axe with Fire Paper.
* RecurringElement: He's a unique enemy NPC wearing "butcher" gear whom the player can [[VideoGame/DemonsSouls summon]] [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI for]] [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsII bosses]]. However, while all of those [=NPCs=] needed to be beaten to be summoned by the player, the Younger Madaras Twin can be summoned to help the player ''until'' they attack them and need to be killed.
* SnakeCharmer: In a sense. The twins had a special whistle that they used to call their snake to them. The player can claim it after killing him. It is the only Hunter's tool that uses Bloodtinge instead of Arcane, though it can sometimes hit the player too.
* SoreLoser: Unlike many other ''From Software'' "butcher" enemies, the Younger Madaras Twin will refuse to let you summon him ever again, even into the NG+, if you kill him. Then again, [[{{Permadeath}} there may be another explanation at work]].

[[folder:Shadows of Yharnam]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/51f6cbe11193b54356ee22c9726dffdc.jpg]]
->''The unmistakable robed figure of a Shadow instills fear into the once fearless. Nimble and expertly trained, they often strike unseen and as lethally as discipline calls.''

Three Keepers of the Old Lords who have somehow left the Chalice Dungeons and escaped out to the physical plane. Clad in obscuring black robes, the Shadows of Yharnam now walk in the world above. The trio of Shadows found in the Forbidden Woods [[spoiler: have been infected with the snake parasites]], but have [[spoiler: gained control of them themselves]].

* BigEntrance: [[spoiler: Their boss area, The Forbidden Grave, is initially shrouded in a mysterious fog, unlike other parts of the woods. Once The Hunter is close enough, the three will emerge out from the fog, side-by-side, in a very ghostly fashion]], perfectly setting the atmosphere for the impending battle at hand.
* BlackCloak: All three wear one. Later on during the battle, snakes emerge from underneath them.
* DarkIsEvil: Their black robes really do give off some ''Star Wars'' vibes and they are very evil.
* DegradedBoss: All three variants of the Shadows reappear in the upper floors of Mergo's Loft as regular {{Mook}}s for the area with significantly lower health and less powerful moves.
* EliteMook: The versions in the Forbidden Woods are this to the ones in the Nightmare Frontier.
* {{Expy}}: Freakier [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Nazgûl]], for all intents and purposes. Yes, freakier. When was the last time you saw snakes coming out of a Ringwraith's face?
* MeaningfulName: Two of the less common meanings of "shadow" is "protection or shelter" and "an inseparable attendant or companion". [[spoiler: They always make an appearance before Pthumerian Queen Yharnam makes an appearance.]]
* OneWingedAngel: The boss versions [[spoiler: have been infested with the parasites that can be encountered in the Forbidden Woods]]. Midway through the fight, [[spoiler: snakes burst from the cloaks of all three Shadows]], which [[spoiler: gives them new abilities]]. If you let them live for too long after that, they can morph ''again''.
* PainfulTransformation: During the boss fight with them, once at least ONE of them is close to death, [[spoiler: all three will suddenly stop fighting and writhe in agony; the three will all let out cries of pain as Snake Parasites burst out of their chests]]! Although [[spoiler: they don't seem too traumatized by this occurrence]], as they quickly regain their composure and continue the fight.
* PlayingWithFire: Two of the Shadows hold [[FireBreathingWeapon sources of fire that they can use to manifest flame-based attacks with]], with one of them using their candle to blow streams of fire in conjunction with their sword while the other constantly uses their flame medium to lob fire balls from a safe distance.
* RubberMan: After their transformation, the sword-wielding Shadows can stretch their arms to attack The Hunter from a distance. Although [[spoiler: like the standard Snake Parasite enemies]], it's really [[spoiler: a snake emerging from its body and taking hold of its weapon]].
* SinisterScimitar: The swords that two of them wield (and by extension others who wield them) seem to be a type of curved sword in both appearance and handling.
* SummonMagic: Once they reach the third phase of their fight, the remaining survivor gains the ability to summon massive snakes from the ground to attack you.
* WolfpackBoss: There are three of them, and they come at you all at once.

!Byrgenwerth College

[[folder:Yurie, the Last Scholar]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e5981fd4_1c6c_4cb4_b6ae_d033c77a574e.jpeg]]
->''Members of the Choir are both the highest-ranking clerics of the Healing Church, and scholars who continue the work that began at Byrgenwerth. The eye covering indicates their debt to the teachings of Master Willem, even though their paths diverged.''

One of the very few sane Healing Church Choir members left, she searches Byrgenwerth for unknown reasons.

* BeamSpam: She will use the Call Beyond item quite liberally, which sends out a torrent of beams that do ''a lot'' of damage. This is a big reason why she's so ridiculously hard. To make matters worse, she is fought in rather tight quarters with little room to evade.
* BossInMookClothing: There are actual bosses that are easier than Yurie. [[https://youtu.be/f5JJK1IktUM?t=10m15s A German Spy reveals that she has maxed out stats]], which is due to the fact that all the (human) enemy Hunters are created the same way that the player character is made.
* CombatTentacles: She uses the Augur of Ebrietas.
* DarkActionGirl: She's capable of killing you with ease if you aren't careful. Since she's also a member of the Healing Church Choir, she's most definitely not good.
* DeadlyGas: She wields the Rosmarinus, which is apparently standard-issue for members of the Choir.
* MadScientist: The Choir as a whole are this.
* SwordCane: She wields the Threaded Cane.

[[folder:Garden of Eyes]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gardenofeyes.jpg]]
->''Among the moonlit terraces and exotic Byrgenwerth gardens lie treacherous and vile creatures, spying on unsuspecting Hunters with their malice-filled, jaundiced eyes.''

The former test subjects encountered at Byrgenwerth, used by Provost Willem as living vessels for the cultivation of eyes. They resemble humans with spider-flies for heads.

* {{Expy}}: Bears a striking resemblance to the [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Mi-Gos]].
* ExtraEyes: It has ''twenty-seven!'' It seems these creatures were bred for their extra eyes for Byrgenwerth to harvest.
* LightningBruiser: They run fast and hit hard, and have a deadly grab attack that induces frenzy.
* MultiArmedAndDangerous: In addition to their two regular arms, they have six spider-like appendages coming out of their heads.
* WasOnceAMan: They were the initial test subjects of Insight experiments, before the goal went from "growing eyes" to "Growing eyes within".
* WingedHumanoid: They have wings on their back, which they use in their deadly grab attack.

[[folder:Fluorescent Flower]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fluorescentflower.png]]
->''Brilliant yet fatal, these overgrown arthropods boast high defense and powerful magic. Hunters must be both light-footed if they are to dodge their deadly spells.''

Giant centipede-like creatures. They have very high health and can attack from a great range with explosive attacks. Also appear in the Chalice Dungeons.

* AttackItsWeakPoint: The flower on their heads. Aim for it with a powerful ranged weapon and you can kill them in one shot.
* BigCreepyCrawlies: The best way to describe them is "eldritch cosmic house-centipede."
* EldritchAbomination: Giant, ethereal centipede-like creatures with lures on their heads, able to command some kind of cosmic magic. Get too close and you'll see their many teeth.
* MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: They have leech-like mouths filled to the brim with razor sharp teeth.
* SuperSpit: At close range, the creatures will spit a torrent of acidic saliva.
* TechnicolorDeath: Collapse into a singularity when killed.
* UniqueEnemy: Only one of these appear in the game outside of the Chalice Dungeons. Given that it appears on the grounds of Byrgenwerth, its appearance may allude to the College's proximity to the tomb of the gods.

!Hemwick Charnel Lane

[[folder:Hemwick Grave Woman]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/grave_woman.png]]
->''Their mumblings give away their presence from a distance, but their screams can be deafening. They wield a variety of weapons, but what they lack in dexterity they more than make up for with intensity and tenacity.''

--> ''Voiced by:'' Kierston Wearing

Old crones that inhabit the Hemwick Charnel Lane, carrying a wide variety of improvised weapons. They are implied to be the ones making the Bone Marrow Ash for the Healing Church, working cremation furnaces hidden underneath Hemwick. The collapse of society means that they are not even trying to hide their occult nature any longer.

* EvilAllAlong: There's a single house with a lit window and an incense container, signifying an NPC you can converse with. The woman inside the house will talk about the women in the graveyard... then excitedly proclaim that it's almost time for the ritual, cackling maniacally.
* EyeScream: All of the corpses in Hemwick have had their eyes harvested, even the dead horses.
* HotBlade: One of the weapons they carry are fire irons with blades that are still red-hot.
* ImprovisedWeapon: Everything they wield are used in their implied work: sickles to strip the corpses of flesh, fire irons to stoke the cremation furnaces, sledge hammers to grind the ashes finer, and firebombs made from the oil they use in the furnaces.
* LaughingMad: When you first enter Hemwick Graveyard, you can hear their cackles.
* MagicDance: A number of them appear to be performing some sort of ritualistic dance in front of the graves.
* NeverMessWithGranny: They're all elderly women who can kill you, [[EvilOldFolks and]] ''[[EvilOldFolks will]]'' [[EvilOldFolks do so if given the chance]].
* ReligionOfEvil: They're collecting eyeballs as part of a ritual.
* WickedWitch: They fit all of the old stereotypes, even holding what appears to be a sabbath when you enter the village. All of them seem to be subservient to the Witch of Hemwick.

[[folder:Mad One]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/madone.jpg]]
->''But what rose out of the ground was never human. Born of the trembling blood with a scream that pierced your very heart, the wraith began its chase.''

The summoned minions of The Witch of Hemwick. Tall, skinny creatures with long hair and glowing eyes that carry sickles.

* GlowingEyesOfDoom: Their eyes glow a piercing white, making them visible in the darkest of areas.
* NoOntologicalInertia: Any Mad Ones still standing will perish mere moments after the Witch of Hemwick is defeated.
* OminousWalk: They walk very slowly. Even if they see you, they'll rarely run towards you. Especially creepy in the boss fight with The Witch of Hemwick, where there are multiple Mad Ones in the room, all slowly walking towards you.
* OptionalBoss: You can avoid fighting these entirely if you have practically no insight, as they won't spawn. This makes traversing Hemwick and the subsequent battle with the witches much easier.
* RiseFromYourGrave: The creatures are summoned from the ground by The Witch of Hemwick.
* YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm: Implied, due to needing insight to even see them on the surface. In the Chalice Dungeons, they're much more quick and violent, implying they're more native to there and likely being some form of spirit like many other enemies within the Labyrinth. The Witches likely are just summoning them by some means.

[[folder:Executioner]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodborne_executioner.png]]
->''There aren't many beings as imposing as the Executioner, patrolling Yharnam in search of new trophies.''

Similar to the Huntsman's Minion, but far more intelligent, cloaked in black hoods that mask their faces, and carry large halberd axes. Their morality is as twisted as their bodies.

* EarlyBirdCameo: One can be found in Central Yharnam in an area blocked by breakable boxes and coffins.
* InTheHood: They wear black hoods that completely obscure their faces.
* NonIndicativeName: Even though they're called "Executioners" in the guide, they're completely unrelated to the Healing Church faction. Their Japanese name basically means "demolition man", and the main locations they're encountered at (Hemwick and the Forbidden Woods) could imply that their job is breaking down corpses.
* ParryingBullets: They're able to easily block bullets with their axes.
* UseYourHead: Certainly isn't afraid of head butting Hunters.

[[folder:The Witch of Hemwick]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d6a2dd424f453365327d39b7932b632f.png]]

An old witch residing in the outskirts of Yharnam, the hamlet of gravekeeper witches carved by the sunlight, Hemwick. In its depths, an old, gigantic structure, she lies in wait. Holding suspicious rituals in the deepest of the night, for that very purpose it is said that she gathers the eyeballs of the living. In the city where unwanted corpses would be gathered and disposed of, her outfit might just be befitting of one such place.

* BackFromTheDead: Take too long to finish the [[spoiler:second Witch and she'll resurrect the first one]].
* DegradedBoss: The Witches of Hemwick can appear in Rotted Root Chalice Dungeons as regular enemies, and they summon Mad Ones and cast binding spells just like the two encountered in Witch's Abode. Unusually for the trope, they are actually ''harder'' there, as they summon three Mad Ones the second you get near them, summon replacements as fast as you can kill them, can still summon Mad Ones even if you have 0 Insight, tend to show up in cramped spaces where the Mad Ones can gang up on you, and killing them does ''not'' [[KeystoneArmy kill the Mad Ones that are left]].
* DualBoss: [[spoiler:There are actually two witches — one remains hidden from the beginning and makes her appearance upon defeating the first Witch.]]
* EyesDoNotBelongThere: Her robe and spell catalyst are ''covered'' in eyeballs that she plucked from corpses. Defeating her nets you four of them.
* EyeScream: One of her grab attacks involves her taking you and stabbing you through your eyes, attempting to tear them out.
* EnemySummoner: They tend to summon Mad Ones to surround you [[spoiler:unless you have 0 insight during the boss fight. The mob counterpart in the Chalice Dungeon, on the other hand, always summons Mad Ones, regardless of your insight]].
* FlunkyBoss: The Witch has a couple of Mad Ones who ominously stalk you around the arena. They keep respawning until the Witch has been killed.
* JumpScare: The Mad Ones they summon don't appear if you have zero Insight, but you gain Insight the instant you kill the Witches. This causes them to all appear with no warning, most likely all around you.
* KingMook: She is this to the Eye Collectors found in the Hypogean Gaol.
* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlY44uKyMII The Witch of Hemwick]].
* TeleportSpam: The Witch will constantly teleport away when approached.
* LaserGuidedKarma: She and many of the enemies in the game have a fixation on the removal of eyes - your eyes, specifically, as many of her attacks involve stabbing and tearing at them. Defeat the witch [[spoiler:and her sister]] rewards you with several of the Bloodshot Eyeball item, with the implication being that you plucked them from her corpse. [[StealthPun Eye for an eye, indeed]].
* OptionalBoss: She doesn't need to be fought for story completion, but defeating her lets you equip highly beneficial Caryll Runes.
* WickedWitch: Definitely fits the classic image of a hunchbacked old crone, and appears to be responsible for all the atrocities you find in Hemwick.
* ZeroEffortBoss: Becomes this if you have 0 Insight, since this makes her unable to summon Mad Ones, turning the fight into a complete joke. Of course, encountering a boss for the first time always gives you some Insight, so to get this to happen, you have to deliberately die or use a Hunter's Mark so you can go spend it.

!Forsaken Cainhurst Castle

[[folder:Bloodlicker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodlicker.jpg]]
->''With no host left to defend Cainhurst Castle from the beastly siege, these deadly, vile creatures prowl the grounds, gorging themselves on the tainted fluid of the fallen.''

Vaguely humanoid creatures that prowl the outside of Cainhurst Castle in search of blood. They crawl like spiders and have large, bloated red stomachs filled with blood.

* BalloonBelly: Their stomachs are severely bloated and look like they're about to explode, spraying the blood they've collected everywhere... and sure enough, upon their death they will pop and absolutely drench the player character in the blood. There are even the odd few of them that are full enough that they can't even attack or move.
* BloodLust: In the harder Chalice Dungeons, these enemies have a tendency to show up in areas where you've used a visceral attack, licking up the blood left behind, making areas you've already cleared of threats dangerous again.
* LightningBruiser: They are fast ''and'' hit extremely hard ''and'' have a lot of health. They are '''not''' to be messed with.
* LogicalWeakness: As deadly as their pouncing attacks are, they make it easy for skilled players to roll behind them mid-leap and tear them apart.
* OverlyLongTongue: They use their long tongues to suck up any blood spilled on the ground.
* SuperSpit: The ones encountered in the Hunter's Nightmare can spit poisonous blood at you.
* VisualPun: They're enemies that resemble gigantic ticks, in a world where other strains of the Old Blood turn them into wolves. Talk about a flea infestation.
* {{Youkai}}: They're a perverse mix of fleas, ticks, ''akaname'', and ''gaki''. Fleas for their limbs and movement style; ticks for their distended stomachs which grow as they feed; the ''akaname'' for their absurd tongues; and finally, both the ''akaname'' and the ''gaki'' due to the fact that they "clean" up filth (spilled blood in this case).

[[folder:Parasite Larva]]
[[quoteright:225:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodborne_parasite_larva.png]]
->''Blindly vicious, these creatures will leap from the ground to bury their curved mandibles into flesh.''

Large parasitic maggots with sharp pincers.

* BigCreepyCrawlies: They're the smallest enemies in the game, but they're certainly bigger than most bugs.
* TheSymbiote: In the Nightmare of Mensis, killing a Silverbeast will cause a couple of Parasite Larva to emerge from the corpse. The headless Bloodletting Beast found in the Chalice Dungeons also appears to be the host of a positively ''gigantic'' specimen which will emerge from the Beast's neck once enough damage has been inflicted.

!Upper Cathedral Ward and the Altar of Despair

[[folder:Celestial Child]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/celestialchild.jpg]]
->''In any form, new life demands a caretaker. Be wary you are not selected for this role, as it may yet drive you mad.''

Strange, child-like entities found throughout the Upper Cathedral Ward. Mostly nonviolent, they prostrate themselves towards the Grand Cathedral, seeking Ebrietas.

* EnfantTerrible:
** The larva versions of the Celestial Child in the Upper Cathedral Ward have low health but can inflict frenzy.
** [[spoiler:Arianna]] gives birth to one of these things after defeating [[spoiler:Mergo’s Wet Nurse]].
* {{Expy}}: of Demonic Child from ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'', which Casca gave birth to after being corrupted by Griffith.
* StrongFamilyResemblance: Their physical features are very similar to Ebrietas. Possibly they are meant to be her surrogate children.
* WasOnceAMan: It's heavily implied that they are children taken by the Healing Church to the Choir Orphanage. [[spoiler:They're also the end result of Great Ones [[FaceFullOfAlienWingWong impregnating human women]].]]

[[folder:Brainsucker]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brainsucker.jpg]]
->''Driven mad by wisdom not of this world, these fiends will seek to bind you in place and steal what is in your very head. But who is to say this is not a good thing?''

Tentacle-faced creatures that use an ethereal tentacle to drain insight. Appear in great numbers in the Upper Cathedral Ward, and in the Chalice Dungeons as a boss.

* BanditMook: Brainsuckers are ''infamously'' unique for being able to drain the Insight count of anyone unlucky enough to get caught in their feeding attack.
* BrainFood: They have a grab attack where they use a large tentacle to bash through your skull and suck out your brain, which drains Insight as well as health.
* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: They have tentacles for a face, but are otherwise humanoid.
* DegradedBoss: Inverted. You'll enounter them outside the Chalice Dungeons as regular enemies long before you encounter one inside the Dungeons as a boss. Unless for some reason you decide to obsessively do nothing but Chalice Dungeons all the way down to Lower Hintertomb immediately after getting the first chalice, in which case [[YoureInsane you could probably stand to have a few dozen points of Insight sucked out of you]].
* EarlyBirdCameo: There are a few tucked away, albeit ''very'' tucked away, in Central Yharnam and the Cathedral Ward, meaning you can encounter one way before the game has done its GenreShift from GothicHorror to CosmicHorror.
* {{Expy}}: Emaciated creatures with tentacle faces that suck out your brain? Yep, they're essentially [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Illithids]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Just what the fuck is a Cthulhu-like humanoid doing in a GothicHorror game? [[spoiler: Turns out ''Bloodborne'' isn't Gothic horror, but CosmicHorror instead.]]
* {{Gasshole}}: They'll actually ''burp'' after they suck out your brains.
* HellIsThatNoise: You know one is nearby by the loud dripping and squishing noises it makes.
* InTheHood: Tend to wear large hoods, until they use their grab attack, when it falls back to reveal the tentacle.
* LeanAndMean: Their bodies are emaciated. They're also one of the nastier mooks.
* TheParalyzer: They are capable of casting a spell that will bind anyone it hits, giving them plenty of time to dine.
* RecurringElement: They strongly resemble the Mind Flayers that infested the Tower of Latria in ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls''. Gameplay-wise, their special attack is similar to that of the one used by [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI Darkwraiths]], only with Insight being siphoned off rather than Humanity.
* WasOnceAMan: It's implied that they are possessed/infested by the pearl slug "phantasms" found within the Chalice Dungeons.
* YouWillNotEvadeMe: They have a close-range and long-range attack that immobilizes you, most likely ensuring you will be grabbed.

[[folder:Celestial Minion]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/celestialemissary.jpg]]
->''Who could look up and not be overcome by wonder, fascination, and curiosity? But the pursuit of knowledge is a dangerous thing, and the man who returns may not be the man who left.''

Mysterious humanoid creatures with blue luminescent skin and large bulbous craniums, akin to the head of a jellyfish or an octopus. [[spoiler:They are later revealed to have been humans who have, "ascended," due to the Healing Church's sick experiments, having now become Kin to the Great Ones]].

* AmbiguousSituation: [[spoiler:With the reveal of finding the partially transformed victim in Iosefka's Clinic, one has to wonder if, like those victims afflicted with the Beast Plague, if this transformation (at least in this stage) is reversible in some way. We aren't given any further explanations on the matter, so whether or not these victims can be restored to normal is the subject of debate]].
* BioluminescenceIsCool: They resemble gray aliens with translucent jellyfish-like heads, dotted with pulsing lights.
* CombatTentacles: Their more advanced forms have tendrils (possibly antennae?) sprouting from their heads, and in this state, they have the ability to fire high-speed and powerful Arcane projectiles.
* TheGreys: Out of all the creatures related to the Great Ones, they have various traits that are the most stereotypically alien as characterized in various depictions in media.
* GlassCannon: Most Celestial Emissaries will go down in a few hits, but their laser attack can be quite deadly if it lands.
* MiniMook: Of the Celestial Emissary boss.
* WasOnceAMan: They are all implied to have once been human [[spoiler:by the fact that they are the final result of the Impostor Iosefka's experiments on her potential subjects, as evidence by a dead body found in the clinic with what are unmistakably untransformed human limbs]].
* WhamShot: [[spoiler:Finding gray aliens in either the Forbidden Woods or Iosefka's Clinic is quite a surprise as they certainly stand out against all other enemies encountered thus far, and seem to be incredibly out of place give the GothicHorror nature of the story... at least they seem out of place [[CosmicHorrorReveal at first]]]]...
* ZergRush: The boss fight against the Celestial Emissary involves a whole crowd of lesser minions constantly spawning in to attack you. Even when the Emissary grows, the lesser ones continue to swarm you.

!Yahar'gul, Unseen Village, and the Hypogean Gaol

[[folder:Kidnappers]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kidnappers.png]]
->''Of all the beasts you may encounter on the night of the Hunt, beware the Snatchers. For to them, it is not enough to take your life, they wish to drag you into their vile kingdom and subject you to their abhorrent rituals.''

Hunters in name only, the Kidnappers are [[spoiler: residents of Yahar'gul]] who [[spoiler: answer only to the School of Mensis]]. On [[spoiler: their order]], [[spoiler: the Kidnappers wander Yharnam's streets looking for subjects for the School's sinister rituals]].

* AchillesHeel: When they power up and [[TurnsRed briefly flash with red Arcane power]] they present a very open window to reach behind them to deliver a backstab and visceral attack, which will very likely kill them at this point of the fight. They also have virtually no poison resistance with one poison dagger being enough to inflict poison status on them. Given how slow they are, it's entirely possible to poison one and leave him to succumb to it without landing any attacks.
* BagOfKidnapping: They carry a large sack that they presumably use to kidnap their victims, which they also swing at you as a weapon.
* BossInMookClothing: Do not be fooled by [[spoiler:how early these guys appear]], they ''will'' kill any low and mid-level Hunter in one or two blows. Even late game Hunters struggle with them.
* CallBack: Their role in [[spoiler: traveling around to different locations and kidnapping various individuals for the purpose for subjecting them to rituals and experiments]] is reminiscent of [[spoiler: The Channelers]] from ''VideoGame/DarkSouls''.
* FissionMailed: [[spoiler: The first time you are killed by a Kidnapper, you'll respawn in Yahar'gul instead]].
* IHaveManyNames: The guide calls them Kidnappers, but the game calls them Snatchers.
* MightyGlacier: They hit hard enough to kill low-level Hunters in one strike, but they aren't very fast. That is, [[TurnsRed until their health is reduced by a third.]]
* OminousWalk: Perhaps your first sign on how dangerous these figures are may be just how ''slowly'' they walk towards you, with complete purpose and confidence.
* TurnsRed: When they lose enough health, they'll empowered themselves to become faster and more powerful.
* TheWorfEffect: The Kidnappers are among the most dangerous enemies [[spoiler: for about the first half of the game]]. But after [[spoiler: the Red Moon event]], [[spoiler: the streets around Hypogean Gaol will from then onward be littered with their corpses as new and more powerful creatures move in]].

[[folder:Eye Collectors]]
->''Something lurks in the shadows of the Unseen Village: a misshapen creature that might once have been a woman, but who now lies in wait to prey on the unsuspecting, and bathe in their blood.''

Decrepit old women who like to ambush people from behind. They're apparently [[spoiler: what the grave-watching Witches of Hemwick become]].

* DegradedBoss: They're all identical to Witch of Hemwick herself, but lack her magical powers, which implies that The Witch of Hemwick [[spoiler: as well as the second Witch that appears during the fight]] were [[spoiler: originally from YaHar'ghul]].
* EyelessFace: Their eyes are crusted over with tumorous growths.
* EyeScream: Their primary method of attack, of which they will immobilize you and use their tools to brutally rip out any poor victim's eyes as well as dealing incredible damage.
* SlashedThroat: Well, slashed eyes in this case. What they do if they successfully grab you.

[[folder:Darkbeast Paarl]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/109fdcdb1322f185bac7551850e94333.jpg]]

A monstrous [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot electrified reanimated werewolf skeleton]] residing in the yard of the Hypogean Gaol. It comes to life when you approach it, and attacks with a combination of strong [[ShockAndAwe electrial bursts]] and [[JustforPun lightning-quick]] swipes. A stronger version, called the Loran Darkbeast, appears in Lower Loran Chalice Dungeon as the boss of the bottom layer. The Beast Claw of Irreverent Izzy reveals that the lifeforce of darkbeasts and silverbeasts is tied to their bones, rather than their blood.

* BeastWithAHumanFace: One of the most disturbing things about Paarl is that, despite its feral-looking, quadrupedal form, somewhat reminiscent of an undead werewolf, its empty skull face is eerily human, lacking a muzzle or even curved fangs.
* BodyHorror: Most of it has rotten away, leaving nothing but the skeleton, a mostly decomposed face, and clumps of fur. It's noteworthy that it's far smaller than it appears, due to the electricity making the fur stand on end and making it seem much taller and more imposing.
* BraggingRightsReward: Truly, all of the benefits of killing Paarl are incredibly beneficial and prove to be worth the effort, however, some have also shown to come a little easier from other places. You see, once Paarl is gone, you can [[spoiler: open a back route through Old Yharnam that allows you to befriend Djura]], but you can also [[spoiler: get the same results by killing the much easier Blood-starved Beast]] and [[spoiler: backtracking from its lantern and killing Djura yourself]]. Paarl also [[spoiler: leaves behind the Spark Hunter Badge, which permanently adds the Tonitrus weapon and Bolt Paper to the shop]], however it should be noted that [[spoiler: there is indeed a ''free'' Tonitrus that is available on the other side of the Yahar'Ghul opposite to the main street]], and [[spoiler: the weapon generates its own electricity as its "trick."]] In addition to the above, [[spoiler: certain enemies in other areas of the game will also drop blood gems that will apply persistent bolt-elemental damage to a weapon]].
** Although granted, this can be subverted as not everybody will necessarily [[spoiler: prefer the Tonitrus as a weapon in the first place]] and [[spoiler: finding bolt-based Blood Gems and the enemies that drop them can often take some time]]! With that in mind, [[spoiler: buying Bolt Paper with either Blood Echoes or Insight sounds like a much more immediately beneficial proposition, as it gives one ready access to the element at any time, which can often prove to be a lifesaver if one doesn't have any elemental Blood Gems to use]].
* FragileSpeedster: Not exactly ''that'' fragile, he's still a boss; but Paarl is insanely fast, dashes around all the place, and is much more aggressive than other bosses, yet he is also a lot easier to knock down and temporarily suppress, after which you can perform a visceral attack that takes out one third of his health (for other bosses, it is usually 1/6 to 1/8), making this fight [[RushBoss a contest of who can kill the other guy first]].
* KingMook: Can be seen as this to the generic blood-werewolf enemies that litter the city, albeit electrified and a skeleton.
* {{Leitmotif}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoyevcAnbb4 Darkbeast]]. This music is also shared with [[spoiler: The Loran Darkbeast in The Chalice Dungeons, which may possibly hint a relation between the two]].
* NightmareFace: Good '''God''' does it ever brandish one. That gray and rotten skin pulled back into a wide grimace, coupled with a lack of eyes, is sure to leave chills in players that spot it.
* OptionalBoss: Serving as an optional encounter in Yahar'gul both during one's first visit and even later afterwards. There are benefits to killing Paarl, and they prove to be [[BraggingRightsReward quite beneficial when fighting Kin-type enemies]].
* ShockAndAwe: Uses bolt magic in a number of its attacks.
* UndeadAbomination: Even after its flesh had rotted away, the beast is still thirsty for blood.

[[folder:Cramped Casket]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/crampedcasket.png]]
->''This hideous aberration can be found writhing among the oblique corners of Yahar'gul, twisting and contorting as if to escape its own tortured existence. Behold, as the blasphemous shapes shift and reassemble bewitchingly, as a sudden darkness envelops our Hunter; alas, by then it is too late.''

Giant clumps of corpses attached to wooden coffins crawling around the Yahar'gul chapel area.

* AchillesHeel: Caskets are very strong and much faster then they look... until they touch one of the glowing yellow pools surrounding bodies on the Yahar'gul streets. They will catch on fire, slow down considerably, and be easier to fight.
* BodyOfBodies: They're giant corpse mounds coming out of coffins.
* DemBones: The corpses that make up its body are almost entirely rotted away.
* MightyGlacier: The things can hit pretty damn hard for a slow, unwieldy mass of corpses.
* TheUndead: And they are a cluster of it.

[[folder:Yahar'gul Hunters]]
A trio of Hunters that appear in Yahar'gul after the defeat of Rom and the Blood Moon occurs.

* BayonetYa: One of them wields the Rifle Spear, which can easily be turned into a rifle with a bayonet that he'll slice you with if you get too close.
* {{BFG}}: One of them uses one of the Powder Keg's Cannons as their sidearm. [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard He can fire it more than twice.]]
* KillItWithFire: One of them wields a Flamesprayer.
* RoarBeforeBeating: When one is spotted, The Beast Claw wielding Hunter will always pause to perform the "Roar" gesture before engaging The Hunter.
* SwordCane: The one wielding the Flamesprayer uses a Threaded Cane.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: The third one goes around in just the Iron Yahar'gul Helm and his skivvies.
* WolfPackBoss: They all come at you at once, and they absolutely refuse to be drawn away one-by-one by a canny Hunter; you attract the attention of one, the other two will follow.
* WolverineClaws: The shirtless one wields a Beast Claw.

[[folder:Bell Ringers]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/4b7050654b999ff43dfe952cb2d9b71a.jpg]]
->''One of Yharnam's sinister urban legends, this crazed woman dressed in black carries with her a special bell. It is said that the sound of her bell brings out all sorts of unsavory creatures.''

Emaciated Pthumerian madwomen, clad in withered black cloaks and carrying Pthumerian ritual bells that they use to cast Arcane spells to attack with and summon enemies. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrVgKL_D0D4 There is a portrait in Cainhurst]] depicting a woman wearing the same necklace as the Bell Ringers, [[spoiler: apparently linking the Cainhurst bloodline to the Pthumerians]].

* BlackCloak: Although the ones that aid The One Reborn wear red.
* CombatMedic: The ones who appear in the boss fight with The One Reborn stay up on the second floor powering up the boss with their bell rings. Killing them makes the boss fight a lot easier.
* EnemySummoner: They use their bells to create endlessly-respawning enemies, and the ones in Yahar'gul also buff their summons with additional health. Killing the Bell Ringer will cause the remaining summoned enemies to stagger and lose their buffs in Yahar'gul, and outright die in the Chalice Dungeons.
** They also play part this part in online mode, spawning to summon enemy players when you use the Beckoning Bell. They also show up in the Nightmare areas by default, requiring you to hunt them down if you don't want to worry about being invaded.
* ForDoomTheBellTolls: Unusually for this trope, their infamous bells are little handbells, not booming church bells. But the ringing of these bells certainly spells trouble.
* InTheHood: They wear black hoods. The ones who aid The One Reborn wear red ones.
* {{Necromancer}}: The red-clad ones are responsible for summoning The One Reborn.
* NoBodyLeftBehind: Enemies summoned by the Bell Ringer that would normally leave behind ragdolls instead vanish upon death.
* PowerGlows: The enemies that are summoned by Bell Ringers will glow a blood red. They also look like blood is constantly dripping down their faces.

[[folder:The One Reborn]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/the_one_reborn_concept_art_1.jpg]]

A horrible amalgamation of corpses gathered and animated by the Great Ones and the Nightmare, the One Reborn is sustained by Bell Ringers.

* BlackSpeech: It's not mindless, and it appears to be be saying ''something'' meaningful whenever it casts a spell, but good luck figuring out what the meaning behind that horrible guttural language is.
* BodyOfBodies: It is composed of innumerable skeletons and decaying flesh fused together into a centaur-like being.
* CreepyAsymmetry: The bodies that compose this creature are mashed together with a complete disregard for evenness; neither side resembles the other.
* DemBones: Owing to its nature as a collection of skeletons.
* EldritchAbomination: A man-made one at that, a result of the School of Mensis's rituals.
* FlunkyBoss: Bell Ringers are present on the second level of the arena and pelt you with fireballs.
* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: There's no written lore to contextualize just what this thing ''is''. It's simply summoned from the cosmos by the Bell Ringers and has to be killed. It's heavily implied by the [[NothingIsScarier lack of people in this town]] and Yahar'gul's Kidnappers' [[HuntingTheMostDangerousGame modus operandi]] that it is what remains of the people taken by said kidnappers to become the vessel for a man-made Great One.
* KingMook: A bigger version of the Cramped Caskets, and shaped more like a centaur.
* MixAndMatchCritters: It is made from an amalgamation of different creatures.
* MythologyGag: Is guarded by smaller skeletal minions, in the same vein as [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI Gravelord Nito]].
** The arrangement of the fight, with the large boss monster in the middle with a number of ranged minions attacking from the balconies, is also extremely similar to the [[VideoGame/DemonsSouls Tower Knight]].
** The concept of an amalgamation of corpses serving as a boss was also done for [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsII the Rotten]], and like that boss the One Reborn is considered fairly easy by the fanbase (although this depends on the person in question).
* UndeadAbomination: A grotesque attempt at creating a Great One from the bodies of the dead.

!The Nightmare of Mensis and Mergo's Loft

[[folder:Mergo's Attendant]]
[[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mergosattendant.png]]
->''Some say academics from the faculty of the School of Mensis still reside in the Nightmare, dictating dream logic within its warped fabric. Could these masked horrors be the very same?''

Strange creatures clad in plate and mail that inhabit Mergo's Loft.

* PintSizedPowerhouse: They're shorter in stature, but they will attack by ramming themselves into you, and judging by the sounds made make it sound like they're pretty strong.
* SavageSetpiece: You'll first encounter a floor full of them that don't attack unless you attack them first. The ones after that attack you on sight.

[[folder:Mergo's Chief Attendant]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mergoschiefattendant.png]]
->''In the dusty corners of the Mensis nightmare lurk Mergo's chief attendants, presiding over the nightmare with a caretaker's diligence.''

The overseer of the regular Attendants. While most of the Attendants are content to leave you be for the most part, their Chiefs will attack you head on.

* TheButcher: Carry large cleavers.
* ChainPain: In addition to their cleavers, they have chains that inflict rapid poisoning.
* UniqueEnemy: There are only three of them in the entire game, and they all appear in one area.

[[folder:Nightmare Apostle]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nightmareapostle.jpg]]
->''Of nightmarish creatures there are many in Mensis, yet few are as sly and as cunning as spiders, scuttling unperturbed along the loft's rafters.''

[[spoiler: Former humans who were transformed into spiders while within the Nightmare of Mensis and Mergo's Loft]]. There are three variants: standard spiders, [[spoiler: ones that still have human faces]], and a "large" version within Mergo's Loft.

* BeastWithAHumanFace: [[spoiler: One variant can be found that have human heads]].
* ConfusionFu: The giant variants sweep the floor repeatedly while using their bellies for support.
* GiantSpider: Indeed. They are also ''very'' detailed in appearance. And one of them is gigantic even by their standards.
-->''A larger variant of the more common apostle spiders, watching over matters with motherly concern.''
* SpiderSwarm: A common tactic used by the red spiders against you.
* SuperPersistentPredator: The red spiders are infamous for making a beeline towards the player as soon as they spawn, which combined with their massive aggro range (about as large ''as the entire layer that they spawned in'') can lead to situations like being assaulted by spiders as soon as one enters the layer. They can even see the player ''through solid walls and doors'' – meaning that, in Chalice Dungeons, it's not a rare occurence to [[ParanoiaFuel open an unassuming-looking door and immediately get]] [[ZergRush Zerg Rushed]] [[ParanoiaFuel by a horde of spiders that have been waiting on the other side]].
* UniqueEnemy: The giant version of this enemy is the only one of its kind, although you may occasionally find it [[spoiler: in the Chalice Dungeons]].

[[folder:Choir Intelligencer Edgar]]
!!Choir Intelligencer Edgar
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/edgar_choir_intelligencer_2.png]]

A mysterious sort fought in the lowest parts of Mergo's Loft, judgin by his name, he is a Choir member who apparently was sent to spy on Mensis.

* {{BFS}}: He wields Ludwig's Holy Blade, which is odd for a Choir member.
* DeadlyGas: Like other Choir members, he uses the Rosmarinus.
* EvilGloating: Makes the "Joy" gesture every time he kills you.
* FourEyesZeroSoul: He's the only Hunter enemy in the game to wear glasses and he's a member of the Choir.
* TheMole: One for the Choir within the School of Mensis, as evidenced by his usage of their unique equipment.

[[folder:Skeleton Puppet]]
->''Keeper, keeper is that you? Whose whispers fill the forlorn loft? Where acrid mists drive Hunters aft, alas, turning grown men soft?''

Skeleton-like creatures who wield daggers. They appear to be the minions of Micolash, as they only appear in his boss arena.

* DemBones: They are piles of bones that come together to form skeletons. Hitting them causes them to temporarily fall apart.
* MarionetteMotion: Unsurprisingly, given the name.

[[folder:Micolash, Host of the Nightmare]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/micolash_3.jpg]]
->''"Grant us eyes, grant us eyes! Plant eyes on our brains to cleanse our beastly idiocy!"''
--> ''Voiced by:'' Steven Elliot / Ryan Gage

A former Byrgenwerth student, leader of the School of Mensis, and the overseer of the Nightmare of Mensis. His real body is found mummified within a small building in the bottom of Yahar'gul, surrounded by the mummies of other School members, all of them wearing Mensis Cages.

* AllForNothing: [[spoiler: It isn't apparent at first, but come ''The Old Hunters'', we learn that (unfortunately for him) Kos hasn't been alive for quite some time now]]. So all of those accursed rituals that Micolash and his school performed and died for? [[spoiler: Well, if any part of them had involved trying to garner some kind of attention from her, we're afraid that things didn't quite work out the way that he had wanted them to]].
* AxCrazy: He is ''fucking insane'' when you meet him. He wasn't always like this, though; the scholars of Mensis were once some of the brightest minds in Yharnam, trying their best to make sense of the Great Ones, but were all driven to utter madness after finally managing to encounter [[EldritchAbomination Mergo]] by using his Cord, an event which resulted in what is ominously described as the [[MySkullRunnethOver "stillbirth of their brains"]].
* BigBad: The closest thing to the main villain of the game. Micolash is the leader of the School of Mensis and is responsible for the deaths of countless Yharnamites via kidnapping civilians and hunters both to then use them as sacrifices to power the Nightmare and The One Reborn, and if he and the School are also behind pulling the moon closer to the earth as part of their plan to get Mergo to give them cosmic knowledge, they can ''also'' claim dubious credit for much of the devastation caused by the latest Scourge outbreak.
* BigBadWannabe: The lore indicates that he was responsible for the Nightmare. However, not a soul mentions him before you find the Nightmare of Mensis. The Hunter is basically just passing through the School to undo the ritual concerning Mergo, and is forced to fight the madman since he's blocking their way. Micolash constantly raves on about his knowledge and power, but when backed into a corner, he is a weak, cowardly threat with only two (three if you count the Skeleton Puppets) combat spells to his name.
* BullyingADragon: Sure, Micolash. Go taunt the Hunter while you’re unarmed. That’s going to end nicely...
* BossBanter: He starts taunting you when he hits half-health.
* CloudCuckoolander: Spends most of the battle babbling to you about the Great Ones and the cosmos as well as howling like a wolf.
** TheCuckoolanderWasRight: To his credit, he seems to have a geniune (albeit partial) understanding of what he's rambling about, seeing as it was [[GoMadFromTheRevelation this exact knowledge that drove him to insanity to begin with]]. Good luck making much sense out of it through his non-sequitur rants and animal howlings, though.
* CoolHelmet: Wears the Mensis Cage, which is a long cage that's twice the length of his head. According to its description, it gives the wearer TrueSight and "serves as an antenna that facilitates contact with the Great Ones of the dream." No wonder the guy's insane.
* CombatTentacles: If you get too close, Micolash uses an Augur of Ebrietas to open a portal in front of his hand, from which the Great One's tentacles extend and lash out to knock you back. [[note]]As of the 1.09 patch, his tentacles can now parry you.[[/note]]
* CowardlyBoss: At 50% of his health, he vanishes, and taunts you as he dashes through the hallways to another room.
* CrypticConversation: Makes cryptic references to things that happened at Byrgenwerth during the fight.
* DeadAllAlong: While Micolah himself has apparently transcended his mortal flesh, his body is found in the back-most building within Yahar'gul, mummified and surrounded by many other School of Mensis members. Fitting, since the DLC reveals [[spoiler:Kos has been dead all along, too]]. Killing him in the Nightmare ensures his destruction by shooting him back into a dead body.
* EvilGloating: Does this all throughout the fight. Even his howling makes sense when you realize he's doing it to mock you, a Hunter of the werewolf-like Beasts.
* EvilLaugh: He has no problem laughing at you during the fight, especially after you reduce his health by half.
* EvilSorcerer: Micolash is extremely skilled with magic, and will happily spam some of the most powerful spells in the game if given the opportunity.
* FlunkyBoss: Various mannequin-like enemies rise up from the floors and assault you while you pursue Micolash. One of the hallways he flees through also has a group of Mergo's Attendants who fire poison darts at you.
* GetBackHereBoss: He runs through various hallways, and has to be chased and corralled into rooms to be fought.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: This guy gained too much eldritch knowledge for his own good.
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: During the second phase of his fight, he locks himself in a room to prevent you from reaching him. Shame he didn't know about the hole in the ceiling, and is now locked in a room with the Hunter.
* IChooseToStay: He has enough eldritch knowledge to know that [[spoiler:he is in a dream world, and he doesn't want to wake up]].
* LastWords: The game puts particular focus on his, and they serve to further the dream vs. reality problem:
-->"''Now I'm waking up! I'll forget '''everything'''...!"''
* MacrossMissileMassacre: He casts A Call Beyond to summon swarms of shooting stars, which is an almost-guaranteed one-hit-kill.
* MadnessMantra: "Ahh, Kos, or some say Kosm... grant us [[EyesDoNotBelongThere eyes, grant us eyes"]].
* MarionetteMaster: Micolash is initially flanked by 2 regenerating puppets, and his maze is littered with them as you try to chase him. They all disappear when he is defeated.
* MirrorMonster: In the second phase, he teleports around by leaping through enchanted mirrors.
* {{Necromancer}}: Being the leader of the School of Mensis makes him one; he's the one behind the Mensis Ritual and the creation of The One Reborn. It doesn't help that he has Skeleton Puppets as his escorts.
* PreFinalBoss: Fought halfway through TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon, and all three remaining story bosses are potential candidates for being the FinalBoss.
* SkewedPriorities: After defeating him, he laments that, since dying in the Nightmare means waking up in the real world, he'll forget all the cosmic wisdom he's learned there. It doesn't even occur to him that, having not taken care of his body for a very long time, it's ''dead'', and that waking up will be the end of him now.
* SlasherSmile: He has a big, crazy grin on his face in his boss battle introduction.
* SquishyWizard: Commands formidable magics as well as an army of skeletal minions, but once you actually corner him, he's not particularly tough. Just hope he doesn't use A Call Beyond on you.
* TalkativeLoon: Once his fight starts, he does not shut up.
* UnskilledButStrong: He has no physical weapons to fight you with, only his bare fists which do little damage as he is clearly more of a scholarly type than a fighter. However, he does have two spells that hurt a lot. Augur of Ebrietas, which launches tentacles from his hands in a straight line which is pretty powerful but highly telegraphed and easy to avoid. His most dangerous skill is A Call Beyond which summons a swarm of orbs that will quickly home in on you, and can easily kill you from full health if too many connect. However, he only tends to use it when you aren't right next to him.

!Nightmare Frontier

[[folder:Slime Scholar]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/slimescholar.png]]
->''Historians firmly believe that pious scholars of Mensis stood tall among erudite men, yet these deplorable beings are all that remains.''

Former students of Byrgenwerth College, trapped within the Byrgenwerth Lecture Hall when it was thrown into the Nightmare. They have transformed during their time there, becoming half-human amorphous blobs, still clad in their student uniforms.

* BlobMonster: They've retained a humanoid upper half, but the lower half of their bodies is simply goo.
* EyelessFace: They just have empty sockets where their eyes used to be.
* KillItWithFire: Or electricity. They heavily resist physical and arcane damage.
* MakingASplash: There are a couple scholars that carry beakers or flasks and splash you with a liquid that hinders your stamina as well as causing damage.
* RubberMan: Because they are made of slime, they can stretch their arms to great lengths, giving their attacks quite a bit of range.
* WallCrawl: Some of them hang from the ceiling, waiting for you to pass by and jump on you.
* WasOnceAMan: Were all once students of Byrgenwerth, but being trapped in the Nightmare for so long has changed them drastically.

[[folder:Loran Silverbeast]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/loransilverbeast.jpg]]
->''While at rest, these horrors seem innocuous, but as they stand, one soon discovers how feral they are and their eagerness to kill.''

A deformed Scourge Beast that wields a torch. One of the remaining infected residents of the Scourge of Beasts that wiped out Loran.

* AmbiguousSituation: They're called ''Loran'' Silverbeasts, which implies they're Beasts from Loran. They're also impossible creatures that are emaciated, full up of giant parasites and have lightning attacks. So did they originate in the Nightmare or in the lost city?
* BodyHorror: Their heads are turned by 90 degrees so that their mouth is vertical, their ribs grow through their chest, and they have a trio of claws coming out of their wrist that they can grow and shrink at will.
* DegradedBoss: You find them as normal mooks in the Nightmare Frontier and the Nightmare of Mensis, and you can also find them guarding chests and levers in other Chalice Dungeons.
* {{Expy}}: Of the Gug, of H.P. Lovecraft fame, complete with lanky arms and sideways face.
* NightmareFace: Unlike the other werewolf-like creatures in the game, these things don't have wolf-like faces. Instead, they resemble horribly deformed nightmarish Muppets.
* PlayingWithFire: They wield torches, and can use them for either blunt attacks or to blow fire at you.
* TurnsRed: It gets down on all fours and starts attacking faster when at half HP.
* WolverineClaws: One of their attacks is to make their claws grow almost six feet long and swipe them at you. Needless to say, it has a lot of range.

[[folder:Giant Lost Child]]
[[quoteright:140:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/giantlostchild.png]]
->''Of gentle giants in these lands none dwell. Yet, an oaf remains such, and one can't but feel pity in the face of childish innocence.''

Large creatures with white fur that throw large boulders from a distance.

* BigfootSasquatchAndYeti: They certainly resemble yetis, but they don't live in a frozen tundra.
* BodyHorror: They have slash marks on their backs and chests, their ribs are showing, and there are strange growths on their arms and legs.
* DeathFromAbove: They hang out in areas above you in order to throw boulders at you, and unless you've got some serious health and defense, it's an instant death.
* NightmareFace: Their faces are squat and fused into their neck, while their eyes are beady and bulging out of their sockets.
* OneHitKill: A direct hit from their boulders will spell the end of all but the very beefiest Hunters.

[[folder:Crawler]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodbornecrawler.jpg]]
->''This cephalopod-like creature dwells in the poisonous bogs of the Nightmare, bathing in noxious fumes as if they were a fresh water stream.''

Giant slug-like creatures with powerful tentacles that reside in poisonous waters. They come in both small and large sizes.

* BodyOfBodies: They have amalgamated masses of Messengers inside their mouths that they use to grab opponents.
* CombatTentacles: They have large, powerful tentacles they can use to attack.
* DeadlyGas: The large slugs have an attack in which they release a slow-moving cloud of noxious purple gas.
* SuperSpit: At close distances, they release acidic spit.

[[folder:Winter Lantern]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/winterlantern.jpg]]
->''There it stood, uttering a warbled cry, a litany so dissonant it pierced a warrior's eardrums, driving him to an otherworldly insanity.''

Humanoid eldritch abominations with large, eye-lined brains for heads.

* BigBad: One of them serves as the titular antagonist of the ''Lady of the Lantern'' mini-series.
* BrownNote: If your insight is high enough (i.e. any amount), they'll sing in an off-key tone that causes the frenzy meter to rise.
* DemonicSpiders: Yes, even compared to the Nightmare Apostles, who are ''literal'' demonic spiders. They're tough, they have a nasty grab attack, and they inflict Frenzy ''just by being near you'', so you don't even have to actually fight them for them to OneHitKill you.
* EldritchAbomination: Their horrifying forms are not meant for human eyes. Merely looking at them causes one to go into a frenzy.
* EvilKnockoff: Due to their resemblance to the Doll of the Hunter's Dream and their proximity to the Nightmares tied to Mensis, it can be implied that the Winter Lanterns are the School of Mensis' attempt at duplicating the Doll.
* ExtraEyes: She has eyes all around her head, which means no sneaking up on her.
* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Merely looking at them while standing too close will cause the frenzy meter to rise rapidly.
* HumanoidAbomination: That said, they also look fairly human-shaped for their brain-breaking nature... They also bear a [[http://i.imgur.com/jXy7NLs.jpg disturbing resemblance]] to the Doll.
* LostInTranslation: Their original Japanese name is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_alkekengi Hozuki]], a type of flowering plant in the Nightshade family. The English name comes from Hozuki flowers also being referred to as Chinese Lanterns (which they vaguely resemble) and winter cherries, with the name's kanji also meaning 'Demon Lantern'.
* MyBrainIsBig: Played with. Their entire head is a mass of dead Messengers in the ''form'' of a brain.
* OneHitKill: Being able to inflict frenzy just by looking at them alone qualifies them for this position, but if you get grabbed by them it plays an incredibly long animation of them embracing you while the countless mouths on the underside of its head bite you. Even if you survive the attack, you're likely edging close to a full frenzy bar.
* UncannyValley: They're very...difficult to look at because their giant "brains" are actually a pile of dead messengers. Which are constantly shifting along with some eyes. They're just as likely to [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou break the players brain]] as the Hunters.

[[folder:Hunters of Despair]]
A pair of Hunters trapped in the Nightmare Frontier. One is dressed in the Yharnam Hunter set, the other is dressed in the Black Church set.

* KillItWithFire: The axe-wielding Hunter also possesses a Hunter Torch.
* LetsFightLikeGentlemen: The Yharnam Hunter will bow upon killing you.
* ShotgunsAreJustBetter The Black Church Hunter uses a Hunter Blunderbuss.
%% * SwordCane: The one in the Black Church set wields a Threaded Cane.

!Chalice Dungeons

[[folder:Labyrinth Watchers]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/labyrinth_watcher_concept_art_1.jpg]]
->''Roaming the surface of the Pthumerian labyrinths, watchers will do their utmost to protect the central chambers.''

The basic mooks of the Chalice Dungeons. They are emaciated Pthumerians that carry sharp weapons like cleavers and daggers.

* HotBlade: Some of them have flaming weapons.
* InTheHood: The more powerful Watchers wear hoods.
* PoisonedWeapons: Some of them also throw poisonous daggers.

[[folder:Merciless Watchers and Watcher Chieftains]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/merciless_watcher.jpg]]
->''Protectors roam the depths, keeping guard over the quiet. Born in the depths and living off of blood and rotting flesh, they are cold and damp, with bluish-white skin that has never been touched by sunlight, and devolved eyes that are pitch black and sunk deep into their sockets.''

Pthumerians that have somehow maintained a rotund build after spending no telling how long trapped underground. Higher ups of the grunts who keep watch over the Chalice Dungeons.