Hopefully, this is boss number 2 for your first playthrough of Bloodborne. If not, I highly recommend seeking out the Cleric Beast first. It’s not just because he’s easier (whether a Souls boss is easy often depends on the player, but CB definitely feels more like a training boss). It’s also because a win before Father Gascoigne will give you a well-needed confidence boost.
Gascoigne is a tough boss this early into proceedings, and has turned a lot of players away from continuing the game. But with a bit of confidence, and advice from this clumsy, bumbling gamer, and you can win even if it doesn’t seem likely.
If I can do it, so can you.
Preparation
Just like your prep for Cleric Beast, you can bring along Molotov Cocktails. Fire really hurts FG, especially in his final form. If used right, a few well placed throws can make the end of the fight a lot less scary. However, the key part is ‘well placed’; it is very easy to miss as Werewolf Gascoigne bounces around, and if you’re just a bit too close you can actually arc the bottle over his head.
In any case, I didn’t bother. Relying on the cocktails for this fight added another element to control, and I’m happy focusing on dodging and hitting. Also, this is a fight that you can lose a few times before you learn his moves, and that’s a lot of wasted fuel.
The main thing to bring with you, without a shadow of a doubt, is the Tiny Music Box. Several good wikis will show you the way, but when you find yourself pulling a lever to open a big gate leading back to the first area, turn and talk to the window. The music box makes this fight way more manageable, as I’ll explain below.
Importantly, you need to make sure the box is in easy reach. This is something the game doesn’t directly show you. Tap the right side of the touchpad to bring up the ‘personal effects’ window. Add the music box into the first square. Now, the music box is only two button presses away.
Other than that, make sure you have a full stack of healing. A trip around Yharnam will yield a new batch very quickly, so get ready and willing to use those vials liberally, because if your as ‘not good’ as I am, you are going to get hit a lot.
Tactics
Players of Bloodborne will tell you aggression is the key, but that aggression can backfire hard. In the case of Father Gascoigne, I found that backpedalling was the way forward, if you get my meaning. Father Gascoigne is very aggressive and persistent, but this can be his undoing. A more skilled player might know how to dodge around or through attacks, but I didn’t do that.
There’s a nice little island of gravestones near the middle of the map, with a clear pathway encircling it. In this cluttered battleground, I found this was ideal for backpedalling, with some areas to back into if the rhythm is thrown off.
As soon as you arrive, push in to give yourself some wiggle room, and begin wiggling around to the left once you’ve locked on the the approaching FG. When he swings, hit that dodge at least once, and start circling backwards around the gravestones.
As you do this, you will start to see how he attacks with the short version of the hunters axe. Once he’s had a couple of swings, you will start to see his combos. Once he’s swung a few times, try to step in a give him an R1 tap. With practice, you’ll hit him first and he’ll wobble. Risk a second swing if you’re feeling confident, but start backpedalling again after two hits.
If an attack lands on you, you’re already backing up, so double tap the dodge and heal. If he suddenly charges and hits, don’t panic; dodge back and heal again. He will eventually swing a wide combo and you can compose yourself, fully healed. It’s a wasteful way to treat potions, but this isn’t a guide for the skilled, agile players. If your as amateurish as I am You are going to get hit, so it’s best to play with that in mind.
What may happen, as your circle backwards, is FG might get stuck. Those central graves may block his path. Now this is what they call ‘cheesing’, and whilst it’s nice to say you beat a boss legitimately, this is so common an occurrence that you may as well use it.
He’ll eventually work his way around, but in the meantime, let him swing and miss you through the graves, then using a hunter axe (or some other weapon with reach) to bop FG on the head from your side of the gravestones. This works in Phase 1 and 2, but when he extends his own hunter axe, he still might nick you if your too close.
It’s a simple tactic, but it works: step back, let FG swing wildly, step in, bop FG, step back again. You’ll burn through Blood Vials, but once you get into the rhythm he will usually only hit you once and you’ll recover. You attacks can wobble him too, so you’ll often come away uninjured even if you didn’t time it right.
Phases
If your fighting like me, your using the same axe Gascoigne is using. In phase 1 he’s using it one handed, which means you have more reach than he does if your relying on the transformed mode. He’ll match you in Phase 2, which means he hits hard, but just like you his attacks are slower. Backpedal and look for openings regardless of which phase your in, and let the gravestones aid you all the way. Do not rely on the stones for the next phase.
His third phase is when things get tense, but that’s what you have the Tiny Music Box for. After he’s transformed, open up the menu and play it to make FG hold his head and lock up. You want to have a bit of distance from him to play it (there’s a quick wind up animation that can be interrupted), but as soon as he starts to recoil go in swinging. If your double-handing your weapon, you’ll only have a bit of hi health left to deal with once he recovers. This is where a couple of Molotov Cocktails can close the fight quick, or just get back to backpedalling.
Watch Out For
Don’t attack when he’s transforming. When you see the glow, step back further. Some bosses allow free hits when they switch phases, some explode. FG is the latter.
He will occasionally shoot you, whether he’s two handed or not. It’s annoying, and staggers you, but if you’re backpedalling it’s not too big of a deal. There’s no real planning for it, but I kept myself safe by healing if he’d shot me two or three times. One hit is not bad, but your health can creep down if you’re not careful.
In wolf form, his attacks are erratic and hard to completely avoid, but backpedalling reduces the chances of multiple hits. The main concern is the leap. I don’t have a guaranteed way to avoid the big hit, but hitting sprint so that your not where you used to be seems to help.
You can use the music box in the early half of the fight to stun human FG too, but don’t try this unless you can (a) get far back enough to wind it up, and (b) get past the scenery to get to him to make it worth it. And don’t use it multiple times; this can actually trigger the beast mode early.
In Other Words
- Backpedal around the arena, let him swing at nothing, give him a quick bop and then backpedal some more.
- If you get hit in the process, dodge back and heal up and get back into the rhythm above.
- When he transforms, get the Tiny Music Box out, then rush him whilst he’s stunned.
- Molotov Cocktails do wonders to the Beast mode FG, but you need to get far enough back so that the lob will connect with him safely.
The main thing to remember is that this is a tough fight, but it’s meant to put you through your paces. If you can meet this challenge, you’ve got a good chance against what comes next. Even on my third playthrough, I didn’t beat him first time. The fight is messy and unpredictable. The strategy mentioned above is the best an unskilled player can get.
Keep on Hunting!
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Gamer Peak 