The ominous Clocktower is an iconic part of Yharnam's skyline in Bloodborne, and fans can finally explore it in the Old Hunters DLC. But this tower holds a secret that’s guarded by Lady Maria, one of the best hunters in the entire guild and one of the best bosses in any Souls-like game.
Once a member of the Cainhurst Vilebloods, Lady Maria became a hunter under the direct tutelage of Gehrman, the First Hunter. After taking part in an act of sacrilege, she, along with other hunters, were cursed at the Hunter’s Nightmare, where she guards the terrible truth of what they’d done. Players might also recognize her looking eerily similar to the Doll, who was built by Gehrman and resides in the Dream, helping players level up.
After making their way through the Research Hall and defeating the Living Failures Boss, players will be able to access the Clocktower, where Maria sits motionless in a chair at the other end. Once players approach, a cutscene plays, showing Maria grabbing the player's arm before getting up and readying for battle. Her first phase will be primarily to attack with the Rakuyo, a trick weapon that can switch between a twin-blade and dual-wielding a saber and dagger. She’s also armed with an Evelyn Pistol and possesses the quickening ability which allows her to dodge your attacks more effectively.
Her second phase begins after a third of her health is gone, where she’ll plunge both her blades into her chest, causing a damaging explosion of blood and enhancing her Rakuyo’s raw damage and range. It also gives her a new range of powerful moves that create an arc of blood with her sword swings. Her final phase begins once her health has been brought down by two-thirds, with her levitating off the ground and, after a few seconds, sparking a massive blood explosion. Her weapon will be enhanced again, this time adding fire damage in addition to blood damage, which traces each attack after finishing, making it possible to be hit two times with just one of her attacks.
Maria has low resistance to arcane and bolt damage, making weapons such as the Tonitrus or the Holy Moonlight Sword very effective to use. You could also apply the Empty Phantasm Shell or Bolt Paper for additional arcane or bolt damage respectively to weapons you prefer. Players with a high arcane skill can also use the Augur of Ebrietas Hunter Tool to briefly knock her down and give you some breathing room. In terms of armor to wear for this fight, the Charred Hunter Set might be best for resisting Maria’s fire attacks in her final phase. And the Old Hunter Bone could also be handy for dodging her attacks more easily.
Most of Maria's attacks can be avoided by dodging to her right side at the last second. Many of her moves require her to line up her attack first, giving players time to move or prepare a counter-attack. It’s also possible to parry Maria through all three of her phases, potentially finishing the fight much more quickly with visceral attacks. However, even if you successfully parry, her attacks in the last two phases add delayed ranged attacks that can damage and stun you, preventing you from performing the visceral.
In terms of regular attacks, players can focus on performing well-timed powerful attacks with two-handed weapon moves to stun her when the opportunity comes. Another option is to press R1 repeatedly with a quick weapon three or four times, then use a blunderbuss when she’s about to attack to parry her, opening the way for a visceral attack. Attacking her when transitioning between her phases can let you cause some easy damage, but don’t be greedy, as the explosions at the end will cause massive damage or even kill you instantly.
After defeating Maria, you’ll be rewarded with 39,000 blood echoes, the Celestial Dial needed to access the final area of the Nightmare, and the ability to purchase her attire within the Hunter’s Dream. As for the Rakuyo she wields, the weapon can be retrieved at the bottom of a well within the Fishing Hamlet and is guarded by two powerful Shark Giants. A good way to make fighting them easier is to use the Shaman Bone Blade so that they fight each other, allowing you to finish off whichever one survived. If you return to the Doll after this fight, it’ll trigger additional dialogue with her, further strengthening the character connection.