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Stake Driver
Imprints (Normal)
Imprints (Uncanny)
Imprints (Lost)
Damage
85	--	--	--	--
--	--	100	100	200
Requirements & Scaling
18 D	9 D	-- --	-- --	--

Stake Driver is a Trick Weapon in Bloodborne.

"A trick weapon fashioned by the workshop heretics, the Powder Kegs. Favored by the retired hunter Djura.

The stake driver, with its queerly complex design, violently drives thick stakes into the flesh of foes.

The stake driver allows for high-damage critical attacks, but is difficult to use and leaves its wielder wide open, but none of this should bother a mere Powder Keg."

Stake Driver Information

• This trick weapon doesn't have a true transformation, but pressing L1 does open up a new move set nonetheless
  • When you "transform" the Stake Driver, it primes the stake.
  • This allows the weapon to unleash a deadly attack with the charged R2, albeit it will fire the stake out once again.

Location

Normal

• Obtain Powder Keg Hunter Badge to unlock for purchase at the Messengers for 8,000 Blood Echoes.

Uncanny Stake Driver

• Lower Hintertomb Root Chalice
• Sinister Hintertomb Root Chalice
• Glyphs: yeze4xs4 (Layer 2)
• Glyphs: 2qignhi5 (Layer 1)
• Glyphs: 3j22s3z6 (Layer 3)
• Glyphs: s3y724yz (Layer 3 pre-boss Area)
• Glyphs: jj3p3537 (Layer 2) bonus room b4 lamp

Lost Stake Driver

• Lower Loran Root Chalice - Rotted/Feted (unknown whether these Offerings are mandatory for this to spawn)
• Sinister Lower Loran Root Chalice
• Glyph: nac5fh4q - Layer 3 (Sinister Offering, also contains Blood Rock on Layer 1)

Player Notes

• The regular form is similar to a regular slashing weapon, but with short range it feels like a fist/claw weapon while wielded.
  • In this form, the 4th hit in the R1 combo is a thrust; this can be useful when dealing with certain enemies that are vulnerable to this form of damage.
  • It's mostly used to fight a single opponent, but it has more anti-mob potential than the "transformed" version.
• While "transformed," the primed stake will make the Hunter punch enemies with it.
  • This is mainly used to fight a single opponent since it lacks horizontal sweeping attacks that the "normal" form uses.
  • When the R2 attack is used, regardless of how long you charged it, the weapon will fire the stake outwards and extend it once more.
• While primed, the stake's charged R2 attack deals some of the highest amounts of damage possible in a single hit in regards to all Trick Weapons in Bloodborne.
  • However, to deal the full amount of damage, it must be charged for a handful of seconds.
    • This is extremely difficult to do in PVP since smart opponents will simply watch you (or listen to the unique sound charging the Stake Drive will make) and back off while attacking you from a safe distance.
    • It can be done more easily in PVE if you can predict how an enemy will react to you.
  • A successful fully-charged primed R2 attack will launch many humanoid-sized opponents, as well as stagger huge opponents and possibly even open up visceral attacks.
    • In order to truly master the Stake Driver's primed/charged R2 attack, you must predict enemy movement and/or ambush them .
    • The Stake Driver can be used without depending on this attack, but it can deal massive amounts of damage if you can successfully pull it off.
    • In PVP, against overly eager/aggressive opponents, you can trick them into charging you while you're priming a charged R2 attack.
      • Instead of charging it to maximum power, release it when the opponent gets close to stake them in a surprise move.
      • However, don't rely on this tactic; smart opponents will learn quickly not to get close whenever you're charging up.
      • This tactic isn't useful if your opponent is capable of dealing high amounts of damage from a distance and chooses to actively stay away from you.
• Both forms will attack quickly, allowing you to deal quick amounts of damage if you close the distance on an opponent.
• The Stake Driver is considered to be a "quality build" weapon (STR/SKL).
  • Overall, the versatile nature of this weapon allows the player to make interesting build choices.
  • It can also be used on Arcane builds to mix up damage types.

Stats/Scaling

R: Rally/Regain. The amount of HP regained on an R1 attack immediately after taking damage

														R
+0	85	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	35
+1	93	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	38
+2	101	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	41
+3	109	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	44
+4	117	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	47
+5	125	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	50
+6	133	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	D	53
+7	141	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	D	D	--	C	56
+8	149	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	C	D	--	C	59
+9	157	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	C	D	--	C	62
+10	170	--	--	--	--	--	--	100	100	C	C	--	C	65

Average Physical Attack Increase

Movesets & Videos

Stake Driver move set showcase

Regular Moveset

Move	Damage Type & Modifier[1]	Stamina	Effect
R1 Combo	1.00x	19	A four move combo that consists of three horizontal slashes, followed by a forward thrust. The first attack sweeps left to right, then right to left and back to left to right. All slashes are about chest level. The final attack is a thrust forward, which with this weapon looks like a punch. The combo repeats starting with the first move. Despite horizontal sweeping attacks, there is very little range to the sides.
Quickstep R1	0.95x	25	There are three animations for quickstep attacks. The left and right step results in an uppercut with the weapon from right to left. The hunter takes several short steps forward with these. The forward step is a similar uppercut but scrapes the blade on the ground first and steps forward a shorter distance. The back quick step uses a jab straight out.
Backstep R1	0.95x	25	The backstep R1 uses the same punching animation as the fourth attack in the R1 combo, with the exception of footwork. The backstep ends with the right foot forward after a short hop.
Rolling R1	0.94x	25	The attack animation is an uppercut much like the quickstep.
Dash R1	1.10x	30 (+run)	The dash R1 is the same horizontal slash from left to right used in the R1 combo's first attack.
R2 Attack	1.35x	45	The hunter cocks his arm back and does an overhand punch slashing the weapon down and across the body, ending near the left hip. The blade grazes the ground.
Charged	1.90x	65	The R2 windup is extended down. After a short twist of the arm, the weapon is brought up and down in a very similar punching motion to the R2, except terminating in the ground rather than coming back to the hunter's hip.
Backstep R2	0.95x	40	After a very quick hop forward, the weapon is slashed from right to left with a slight upward trend. It starts at about hip level and finishes at shoulder height on the left side.
Dash R2	1.25x	45 (+run)	The dashing R2 is functionally the same attack as the standard R2.
Leap	1.50x	50 (+run)	The leap attack results in a punch forward as the hunter lands.
Transform Attack	1.10x	15 (+x)	There is only one transformation attack for this weapon. The Stake Driver is brought to the left side at stomach level and the blade is retracted. The hunter then uses the weapon in a backhand attack horizontally from left to right.

Transformed Moveset

Move	Damage Type & Modifier[2]	Stamina	Effect
R1 Combo	0.97x	15	The R1 combo is a series of forward jabs. While there is more than one animation, the primary difference is in elevation and even that difference is slight. This combo is the antithesis of crowd control movesets. It is extremely short range and focused completely in front of the player. However, the low stamina cost and high speed of the combo are quite effective against single opponents.
Quickstep R1	0.90x	25	There are only two animations for quickstep attacks. The forward step uses a short punch from right to left. The other three directions result in more forward movement and a jab attack. Left and right steps provide the greatest forward movement for the attack animation. Forward however still provides better closing distance as it involves the forward quickstep AND the shorter step in the attack animation.
Backstep R1	0.90x	25	A quick hop forward, followed with a jab straight ahead.
Rolling R1	0.96x	25	A quick punching motion from right to left, much like the quickstep.
Dash R1	1.10x	30 (+run)	A horizontal punch from right to left. Exceedingly short range, but very quick.
R2 Attack (info also applies to backstep R2 and dash R2)	1.37x	55	The hunter turns to his right, and the weapon is brought behind with a slight delay. The weapon is punched forward and the blade extends at the same time.
Charged	3.55x	150	A drastically longer windup than the R2 ending with another jab forward. However, as the blade extends in this case it is accompanied by an explosion. While difficult to land directly, the resulting damage can be catastrophic.
Leap	1.30x	50	THe weapon is raised during the short jump and then slammed vertically downward into the ground.
Transform Attack	1.00x	20 (+x)	The Driver is raised over the left shoulder. The blade extends and the weapon is swept down and to the right.

Trivia

• The Stake Driver is exclusively wielded by Djura when he is still hostile towards you.
  • His fight is tricky because the area around him is very limited, meaning you can fall to your death if you're not careful.
  • Furthermore, the limited space is perfect for his choice of weapon which has a short range.
• This is modeled after the "Pile Bunker," a type of fictional weaponry which launches piston with gunpowder or explosion.
• In the Japanese version of Bloodborne, this weapon is literally called the Pile Hammer (パイルハンマー).
• It bears a striking resemblance to the "Parrying Blade" weapons seen in several "Armored Core" games.
• Has the highest charged attack multiplier out of any other weapon.

1. ^ Tested in PvP with naked characters, BL 120 and maxed weapons
2. ^ Tested in PvP with naked characters, BL 120 and maxed weapons