Kirkhammer (教会の石槌 Church Mallet) is a Trick Weapon in Bloodborne.
Kirkhammer Description
"A trick weapon typically used by Healing Church hunters. On the one side, an easily handled silver sword. On the other, a giant obtuse stone weapon, characterized by a blunt strike and extreme force of impact. The Church takes a heavy-handed, merciless stance toward the plague of beasts, an irony not lost upon the wielders of this most symbolic weapon."
Kirkhammer Information
- The normal form is a regular silver sword.
- It's slightly shorter than Ludwig's Holy Blade's normal form.
- In this form, it's considered a Righteous Weapon, and will deal 50% increased damage against opponents vulnerable to this subgroup.
- When transformed, the Hunter inserts the sword into a huge rock and wields the new form as a gigantic hammer.
- This form is wielded with two hands.
- It doesn't receive the Righteous Weapon modifier, unlike the normal form.
Location
Normal
- Can be purchased from the Messengers after acquiring the Sword Hunter Badge.
Uncanny Kirkhammer
- Lower Pthumeru Root Chalice
- Code: 6shtucek, need offering Rotted: Inflicted Organ x3 (Layer 2: Before the boss, in a coffin past the side door)
- Sinister Lower Pthumeru Root Chalice
- Glyphs: 3zuzathw (Layer 2 bonus area after gate, Sinister Offering)
- Glyphs: sd5tputs (Layer 1 bonus side area before boss room)
Lost Kirkhammer
- Isz Root Chalice
- Glyph: fqsntdsi (Bonus area before boss, Layer 1), 9fzgw3ec (Layer 2 side area)
- Lower Pthumeru Root Chalice
need offering Rotted: Inflicted Organ x3 - Sinister Isz Root Chalice
Player Notes
- The normal form consumes low stamina per attack and is an easily handled weapon.
- However, it's somewhat slower than other light weapons, such as the Threaded Cane.
- Still, it's a fast and highly versitile weapon that can used for almost any situation.
- While transformed, the hammer form uses heavy blunt attacks to crush foes.
- The hammer is capable of staggering many enemies in the game quickly.
- The hammer's smash attacks have an area of effect; enemies not directly hit by the hammer will take reduced damage.
- The sprinting R2 attack also has an AoE effect.
- The hammer's stagger and interrupt effects lends it to an aggressive rather than reactive playstyle. Be the one who attacks first and you can prevent the enemy from attacking at all. The best defense is a good offense with this weapon.
- Both transforming attacks have two parts: damage is dealt in the first part, but the 2 components of the weapon are not combined/separated until the second is complete.
- If you are staggered in the middle of a transforming attack, damage will be dealt but the weapon will not transform.
- The sword-to-hammer transformation attack can save you from some attacks when you are close to the enemy; this happens as the Hunter bends over when pulling the hammer part from his/her back.
- After performing the sword-to-hammer transformation attack, you can follow up with a thrust attack (R1), which has decent reach.
- The Kirkhammer and Ludwig's Holy Blade's transforming attacks take significantly more time to execute than those of other Trick Weapons.
- The Dashing R1 attack of the Hammer is a two-handed "push" towards the enemy using the handle of the hammer.
- It deals less damage and can be annoying at first, but it is a very quick attack and staggers most enemies.
- If you wish to deal heavy damage while dashing with the hammer, use the dashing R2, which delivers a horizontal swing with decent reach. (The dashing R2 is the same attack as the L2, but consumes more stamina and continues to move forward during the attack)
- Sprinting R1 and backstep R1 in hammer form have block frames, and significantly reduce incoming damage. The frames seem to begin as soon as the attack is performed.
Player Preferences
The Beast Cutter is a good choice to compliment the Kirkhammer. The Beast Cutter is ideal for groups (and has range unlike the Kirkhammer) in tricked form, while the Kirkhammer is good for single targets (shortsword for quick/light/weak targets), and the tricked form is good for large targets. The L2 in tricked form for the Kirkhammer does have some range, however it's not nearly as safe as a tricked R1 attack from the Beast Cutter, and the Beast Cutter has just as much stagger. Plus, both weapons have different damage types (shortsword form is Righteous, while Beast Cutter in both forms is Serrated), which helps their complimentary uses further.
Stats/Scaling
R: Rally/Regain. The amount of HP regained on an R1 attack immediately after taking damage
Move sets & Videos
| Move | Damage Type & Modifier | Stamina | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 Combo |  1.00x |
16 | A four attack combo starting with a diagonal slash from upper right to lower left, horizontal slash left to right, windmill motion to raise the sword up and down for a vertical slash and a thrust forward and slightly up. |
| Quickstep R1 | 1.00x |
20 | There are three quickstep attack animations. Going forward or backward has the character scrape the ground on its right side as the sword is brought upward and overhead in a slashing motion. Going left creates a horizontal slash from left to right. This is not quite mirrored to the right as the attack adds a slight diagonal downward path to the right to left arc. |
| Backstep R1 | 0.90x |
20 | The hunter's right foot comes forward, and as the left takes a step the sword is raised from near the left foot to over the right shoulder in an upward slash. |
| Rolling R1 | 0.95x |
20 | Finishing the roll, the hunter scrapes the blade of the sword on the ground near his right foot and slashes up and slightly left. |
| Dash R1 | 1.10x |
30 (+run) | The sword is brought to the left and back where, after a very short pause, it is slashed horizontally from left to right. |
| R2 Attack |  1.40x |
55 | A forward thrust, directly in front of the character. |
| Charged | 1.70x |
75 | After a longer windup, the sword is thrust forward much like the R2 attack, except with a lightly upward path. |
| Backstep R2 | 1.25x |
40 | A thrust forward that is different from the R2 only in very minor differences in arm angle during the windup. |
| Dash R2 | 1.35x |
50 (+run) | The hunter thrusts the sword forward like the R2 and backstep R2 |
| Leap | 1.70x |
50 | The character leaps forward and as it falls, thrusts the sword into the ground, ending in a near kneel |
| Transform Attack |  1.50x |
40 (+x) | There is only one transformation animation for this weapon. The hunter reaches behind to grab the hammer part off their back and raises it overhead to smash it in front on the ground. The right hand then slams the blade in to add the handle, completing the hammer. |
| Move | Damage Type & Modifier | Stamina | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 Combo | 1.40x |
38 | The hammer is alternated between two downward diagonal attacks. Upper right to the ground on the left side, and upper left to the ground on the right side. The first animation (right to left) is slightly different than later ones. |
| Quickstep R1 | 1.20x |
40 | Each direction has a unique animation in this form. Left and right create opposite diagonal attacks, with the right going from right to left while it slams into the ground and the left quickstep resulting in a left to right diagonal. Both forward and back steps have the hammer brought overhead and slammed into the ground in front of the character. However, the forward step animation is much faster, but with a less pronounced move forward. |
| Backstep R1 | 0.60x |
20 | The character lunges forward with the hammer held in front horizontally like a shield and pushes the enemy. |
| Rolling R1 | 1.26x |
40 | The rolling R1 is a very similar attack animation to the standard R1 (overhead right smashing down). However, the attack is slightly faster and combines with the roll to create a move that's fairly effective at closing distances and striking with such a large weaon. |
| Dash R1 | 0.80x |
25 (+run) | The character uses the same push animation as the backstep R1 |
| R2 Attack | 1.70x |
50 | The hammer is brought behind the character and raised straight up and down |
| Charged | 3.10x |
80 | The hammer is brought even further behind, with the character actually twisting to raise the hammer up over the left side of the body. The hammer is brought up, not quite as vertically as the R2 attack, and brought violently into the ground. The hammer is brought down with such force that the left leg comes off the ground at impact. The following R2 input makes the character spin around and hit the foe again, usually sending smaller foes flying backwards and has a circular hitbox. |
| Backstep R2 | 1.40x |
35 | The hammer is brought down from the shoulder to the right side. As the hunter lunges forward the hammer is thrust forward using the full length of the weapon. |
| Dash R2 | 1.50x |
50 (+run) | The hunter drops the hammer off the shoulder and swings the hammer horizontally from right to left. |
| Leap | 1.60x |
50 | The leap has the hunter smash the hammer into the ground from a vertical swing. |
| L2 | 1.50x |
40 | A three attack combo, it begins with the hammer swung horizontally right to left, followed by a quick flick of the weapon to thrust it forward, and finally it's brought around the right side of the body then behind and up to be swung down diagonally from left to right into the ground. If you happen to have stamina left over and your enemy isn't already past, the combo can be started again. There are significant pauses between attacks, meaning the hunter is open to retribution |
| Transform Attack | 1.50 |
20 (+x) | The hammer is brought low to the right side then swung to the left and up to conclude the attack. The swing is carried through however, and the hammer is place on the back while the sword is pulled out. |
Trivia
- A miniature of the Kirkhammer was included as the Pre-Order Bonus for Asian editions of Bloodborne. [See the Bundles page for details]
- A "kirk" is an archaic old english word meaning "church."
- This means the weapon is literately known as the Church Hammer.
- The wording also might be a nod to Nordic culture since the word "Kirk" originated from northern England and Old Norse wording.
- The etched wording on the side of the hammer part has similarities to the Old Norse alphabet.
- However, it also has similarities to the Elder Futhark, one of the oldest forms of the runic alphabet system used by Germanic tribes.
- Similar etchings can be found on gravestones all over Yharnam.
- The sword used for this weapon is very similar to the one used for Ludwig's Holy Blade.
- This suggests that the Healing Church used the method of "interchangeable parts" to efficiently mass produce weapons for their hunters.
- However, the sword used for the Kirkhammer is shorter.
- It's wielded by Alfred, should you choose to be friends with him.
- He uses this weapon as a summon.
- However, he wields the Logarius' Wheel if you find him in Cainhurst Castle under special circumstances.
- When untransformed, with the hammer part on the character's back, some cloth parts (capes etc.) of the armor can either get awkwardly stuck on it or cover it.
- Despite being labeled a 'stone weapon', the etchings, wear, and sound produced when it strikes indicate that the hammer is in fact made of metal.
Showcase
AnonymousSometimes you want something elegant and graceful.
Other times you want to just beat something to a pulp with what amounts to a gravestone on a stick.
- Anonymous
I've played every Fromsoft souls-like other than this one. I'm just now finally getting to it. Decided I'd use this thing. It seems really slow in it's hammer form so I don't know how well it will work against bosses. Am I making a bad choice using this as my first playthrough weapon?
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Uncanny, Lower Pthumerian, no additional rite, glyph: ba9n2f9g
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if anyones wondering what the runes mean theyre apparently just jibberish.
- Anonymous
Im trying to figure out how to really use this weapon. It seems like the LHB has a way better moveset and is just better, but I’ve been told this is really good for str builds. Is there something about it I’m missing?
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This weapon carried me throu my forsy playthrough, one of my favourites, along with the pizza cutter
Yes, I know "lhb better", I don't care. For me: Kirkhammer always was more superior than lhb
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With this weapon, only sekiro is free from the dreaded might of the unga bunga.
From "we shall vanquish these foul beats righteously" to "haha bonk"
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Maybe I missed it but I don’t see mention of the “hyper armor” this thing gives you in some animations.
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The Kirk hammer is very similar but I find it alot more fun than LHB.
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I’m not sure if this is mentioned anywhere, but this has quick-draw transformation attacks, similar to the Chikage and Ludwig’s Holy Blade. Starting from the sword mode, if you press L1 and then immediately hit R1, you do a relatively quick forward thrust with the hammer. Also, while it’s in hammer mode, if you press L1 and then immediately hit R1, you will do a downward slash with the sword (identical to LHB).
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If you want full damage with the hammer. Just stay very close to the enemy.
- Anonymous
Even though this isn’t the best weapon (for me at least), it’s certainly the most hilarious.
- Anonymous
In terms of mechanism, I wished that the untransformed part of the hammer is something like a spear or a mace like Whirligig. It always makes me wonder how does a thin sword could handle the top-heavy weight of a stone slab without bending, breaking, or at least getting dull, especially since the player still holds it through the blade's handle. At least with the Holy Blade the weight is heavier on the crossguard so the strain is shared with the hilt.
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Bloodborne 2: the hunter develops chronic back pain from carrying this thing around and dies
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Having a sourspot on this weapon makes it clear that FromSoftware either has multiple non-communicating people designing the balance of weapons or they want this weapon to be significantly worse than the hunter axe and Ludwig's holy blade
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I like to think that the head of the hammer is actually the cornerstone of a holy cathedral or something like that...
- Anonymous
As a new player coming from DS3, I really like this weapon. Though it’s kinda hard to get it through my head that I don’t have poise in hammer mode lol
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Good in PvE and a bit too slow in PvP. Also have to strike precisely in transformed mode to deal full damage.
- Anonymous
I really like the moveset and the look, but why does the hammer do 19 damage to father Gascoigne, and the sword does like 26? There is a rare moment when the hammer does around 64 damage. but its really rare.
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New Glyph for the Lost version:
vqpdzv9z Layer 1(Before the main door)
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I don't know if it's been stated already, but i'm not reading through all the comments. As the wiki states, dash R1 and backstep R1 have block frames; however what the wiki fails to mention is that you can *continue to stay in a block stance by holding L2. You must be hit during the block attack in order to be able to hold it. It's niche, but quite useful. This also applies to the backstep attack of ludwig's. Another thing i'd like to mention is the short sword is slightly shorter than ludwigs, however; it is so trivial that you won't notice it, as well as the kirks short sword having a higher damage modifer; meaning the sword will do more damage than ludwigs short sword.
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One of my favorite things about this weapon is the followup to the charged R2. If you miss the mega slam, it baits in invaders and enemies alike, and they never expect you to immediately transition into a spinning attack.
- Anonymous
Funny thing, I picked this up hoping it would help against Gascoigne on my first run. I had to switch back to my Hunter axe mid-fight because this thing literally is the definition of ‘fine’. Not good. ‘fine’.
5/10.
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in my opinion, the best weapon in the game. You need a fast weapon? you got it. You need a ridicously strong stunlocking weapon? you got it.
Fully charged R2 and the continuing R2 attack are the most satisfying thing in the game
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you can block with both the backstep r1 and running r1, continuing to hold r1 after bloking an attack will result in your character to continue to hold up the hammer and block
also transform + r1 (transformed) can combo into another r1
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For the Lost version, MisterSwine on Reddit found vqpdzv9z. I just confirmed it is in the first bonus room on the first level. It is a false depth dungeon, so don't let the depth fool you.
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So why is it, that when I equip my Kirkhammer, it seems that it slowly drains my HP. It’s very small amounts at a time but you can just watch my health slowly go down a little at a time. Just standing in Hunter’s Dream doing nothing and losing health.
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Lost version can be found on the bonus room b4 layer 1 lamp.
As soon as you spawn in
Glyph is: q3upbtv9
It is inside a sarcophagus guarded by a brainsucker.
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I’m using this consistently for the first time so I’m years late and assume this is long understood but here’s what I’ve concluded on the hammer attacks dealing inconsistent damage. The goal seems to be to strike an opponents head with the hammer to deal full damage with the R1s and especially the uncharged R2 because there treated as overhead slams. I’ve seen theories that the hammer mode still uses the sword*****box which messes up its range but I don’t think that’s what’s actually going on otherwise it would have been fixed in the beginning. As for huge enemies and bosses much taller than the player I’ve noticed it’s easier to land full damage hits and partial damage can be seen from the range of the shockwaves in other words it doesn’t look bugged. On regular enemies try to judge how close you need to be for the hammer to strike their head rather than be centred with their legs when it hits the floor. You have to be right up close either way
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No mention about the sword R2 consuming 1.5x more stamina than hammer R2 both uncharged and charged, what‘s that about?
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It’s almost time for my first full kirkhammer playthrough. Oh I can’t wait ..... I just can’t wait!
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COME ON AND SLAM, AND WELCOME TO THE JAM! COME ON AND SLAM I-IF YOU WANNA JAM!
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This weapon is the male ***** star of weapons. No precision or grace. All force and unrelenting stamina drain. You equip this thing, Amelia, Blood starved, Paarl and any other huge boss big enough you can't miss them will cry when they see you enter the boss room. The only downside of this thing is your character's spine is powder if you ever use the sword form. There is no feesable way you could climb a ladder with this clump or iron on your back
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Plan A: Skillfully dispatch one's opponent's with artful swordplay and dazzling technique. Plan B: B O N K
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Eustace Bagge build everyday. Origin:Violant Past Vit:50 End:30 Str:99 Ski:10 Bdt:6 Arc:7 Rules are you can't take it out of tricked form no matter what and you can't use any other weapon or gun. You have to wear the Sweaty Shirt, Church pants, Sullied Bandage and Gascoigne's hat to complete the farmer look. Have fun, it's hard but absolutely fun.
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I could be wrong, but I believe Kirk is in reference to the Old Norse word, crudely meaning "dwell in church". I believe the same logic was applied when naming the Cathedral of Deep invader, Longfinger Kirk.
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How do you equip it if it said you dont have the right requirements??
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Bruh why call it the "Kirk" hammer if it isn't covered in thorns
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I really wish the hammer part wasn't so huge. If it was about the size of a book or smth, i could've used it for an exorcist build in normal mode, and said the thing on the back is a bible, but like this it just looks strange IMO.
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I don't like using this out of personal preference and getting second-hand uncomfortable when a PC is wearing or carrying something that looks impractical (a jacket in the desert, naked in cainhurst etc) but let me tell you. I slammed 3 cursed adept gems on this baby which all added some 30ish% blunt dmg, and absolutely nuked a guy who invaded me at mergo's loft. For reference, the character I was using was at BL200 and wasn't even a strength build, at 30 I believe. Used it for luls and ended up 2shotting someone basically by accident. This thing terrifies me
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One of the weirdest sights is lighting it on fire in its trick mode, “ a giant brick won’t do the job? Here’s giant FLAMING brick”
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Rotted Isz [yn25ttgu] (F/R/-) L1: Great Deep Sea+150 (first side area) L2: Great Lake+5% L3: Lost Kirkhammer Patches the Spider will appear in main room of L2
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Rotten Lower Pthumeru [jgvt6g6c] (F/R/-) L1: Uncanny Kirkhammer (first side area) L2: Formless Oedon +2
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Sure this weapon is cool and all but have you ever felt the weight, the pure power of sending enemy bodies flying with a nice charged R2 from the hunters axe?
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why does it say it has a B scaling with Arcane but when I add stats i see no increase? 2019 noob
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It might not be as fancy and flashy as the DLC weapons, but there is still no better weapon if you want to stunlock something to death. It can stagger larger enemies that other weapons take many hits to stagger. The best attacks are the jumping attack, and the charged R2 to followup charged R2. The jumping attack does considerably more damage than regular attacks, and a charged R2 almost always staggers long enough to hit with the followup charged R2 (which comes out quickly) leading to massive damage. Its main weakness is poor ability to deal with multiple enemies or fast enemies in hammer mode. Also for some reason, some bosses just refuse to be staggered easily by anything which makes the hammer less than ideal in those fights.
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I used lots of tools for calculating Weapon AR. Kirkhammer have A scaling with STR, Whirligig Saw have S scaling. However, STR bonus always is higher in Kirkhammer. How is it even possible? With 40STR/40SKL, kirk get 149 from STR (A scaling) and 43 from SKL (E scaling). Whirligig get 148 from STR (S scaling) and 40 from SKL (D scaling) ... Why are smaller numbers with better scaling??
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Few things are more satisfying than hitting a troll or a troll-sized boss with a fully charged R2 in hammer form.
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lost kirkhammer pre lamp side area (FRC Isz) hyjzta5d (DeGrape83)
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im sure that the text on the side is gospel of the holy church
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Looking at the etchings in the Kirkhammer, don't they look familiarly close to the etchings on titanite shards, chunks and slabs form the souls series? Could it be that titanite still exists after possibly eons and somebody found it?
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Kirkhammer, heavy metal weapon
Kirk Hammett, heavy metal band member
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has nobody noticed that it has a sweetspot on r1's (hammer mode) where it does more then double the listed damage? it cant just be me. I have a whirligig character that uses a +10 gemmed whirligig, and for lols I pulled out a +9 kirk with no gems in it and can hit for almost 1000 when I hit that sweet spot... what the heck. 45 str, 12sk, whirli has 27.2/27.2/25.3 gems in it with almost 800 listed damage, kirk has around 400 listed damage
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IRL, the blade would snap in half under the weight of the hammer on top
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This is the most lesbian weapon i have ever seen, miss me with that **********. The blades of mercy are far superior as they have the ability to ***** your mum 2 times (since there are 2 blades). Also summons allow you to gangbang which is much more efficient!
It carried me for the whole NG and a good chunk of NG+ until I started levelling up SKL and a hybrid STR-SKL with Ludwig's outdamaged it (high level PvE, as I don't care for PvP).
Frm that point of view, the hammer has more stopping power when close and personal and can stunlock small to large sized enemies unless they use a hyperarmor move. The sword is shorted than Ludwig's, but since I went from the hammer to that one I felt it was a little bit slower and was used to the shorter range. I suppose it is not too different from the difference there is between Balder's side sword and a longsword's R1 in Dark Souls.
My approach with the Kirkhammer was quickstep to the side of an enemy and hitting R1, which comes out very quickly and chaining R1s. Or letting them close to me and do a R2 stab, which is crazy effective for that sword. I would rarely use the hammer option unless attacking slower enemies and usually baiting an attack to squash them with a barrage of R1s (against common knowledge I upped Vitality up to 40 for maximum stamina gain, which is very useful if you don't care for the meta). Maybe not the most elegant way of playing, but it was pretty darned effective.
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I'm astonished reading a lot of users hating this weapon. In the right hands, the Kirkhammer is simply devastating.
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The AR modifiers for this weapon's moveset, as listed here, are entirely wrong. Check the page for Ludwig's Holy Blade to get a better idea of how this weapon performs, since the scaling factors are very similar for both of these weapons.
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It has some kind of Italian influence. "The Hammer" is title of the family executioner, the one who directly eliminate all the threats and the guiltied.
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I found the lost saw spear in the lower pthumerian root chalice, not the lost kirkhammer. And yes I did the offering. Ugh what a waste of time
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when i try to equip it it tells me requierments not met help please
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Just came here to show off honestly, I made a isz root dungeon with full curses and, as well as awesome blood gems, I got a lost kirkhammer I might give the glyph for it if I can figure out how lol but it's privacy is open anyway so there hah
I found one in some chalice on yt, can't remember the name, it was Pthumerian Labyrinth tho
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