v.1 - Guide is expected to receive refinements and corrections

The specific (at the moment) save system in the game makes obtaining "no death" achievements a truly hardcore event. You don't get a chance to replay a chapter in case of failure! If you accidentally die in the second or third chapter, you'll need to start the game all over again to earn the corresponding achievements.

In this guide, we'll break down the basic principles of survival, highlight obvious but crucial points, and outline key strategies for each chapter. In this guide, I won't recommend anything I haven't personally tried.

I would strongly advise going through the game in this mode, only to those who have already completed all three chapters and are well acquainted with the mechanics, weapon characteristics, secrets, map and enemy characteristics.

During my playthrough, I identified three golden rules that serve as the foundation for completing Blood West in Hardcore mode:

Rushing = Death.
Panicking = Death.
Engaging in a fight without a plan = Death.

These three rules should be ingrained in your mind. Remember them every time you're tempted to do something reckless or embark on an ill-considered adventure. Any, even the simplest, encounter can turn into a catastrophe, because a battle without a plan and potential escape routes equals death.

Skills, weapons, and artifacts are the three components of your success. A diverse arsenal of weapons, artifacts, and skills offers various possibilities for progression. I'll be breaking down the setup that I personally used – a reliable gameplay approach with minimal risk.

This skill grid is designed for maximum character survival and durability.
We will talk more about which skills should be upgraded first and why - later, in the section dedicated to the Chapter 1.

Surprisingly, the two best weapons in the game, with which I completed all three acts, can be found already in Chapter 1. One of them, The Hermit Stick shotgun, we can obtain for free, while the second one - Orb of Night revolver, can be purchased from a vendor after saving up a bit of gold and completing a couple of quests right at the beginning of the game.

High damage combined with unique bonuses make this shotgun the best close-range firearm. Particularly effective against Death Stalkers.

High base damage, bonus to additional experience and bonus from Old Faithful hat (Chapter 2), make this revolver the best primary weapon in the game, at least until you get the Chain Revolver (Chapter 3).

A powerful "The Second Coming" gun can be found at the beginning of Chapter 2. It's main task is shooting large and dangerous monsters at long distances and boss fights. Free.

A unique bonus makes it an indispensable weapon for visiting the branching and confusing cultist caves in Chapter 2.

"Sting" - deadly power of the previous rifle + 4-round drum magazine. Gun for shooting almost any enemies in Chapter 3, especially Undead Hunter, Broken Scream, Demon, Hellbear and killing the final boss.

The only drawback - it's endgame gun.

Risky and questionable, yet still attractive and extremely deadly in skilled hands. "Bloody Hunt" - unique bow tempts us to take risks, because the less HP we have, the more damage it deals. Combined with the XP bonus for headshots, this is a very useful and most interesting weapon in the game.
Use with caution.

Great free shotgun for first half of Chapter 1, until you get The Hermit Stick. Health saving bonus can be very useful but still not enough to be used throughout the entire game.

The game has a large number of artifacts offering interesting gameplay and mechanics. Some of them are mandatory, others are situational. I made a selection of artifacts with which I played the game, depending on their usefulness.

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A few words about the most important artifacts:



Raven Skulls Necklace - the main life-saving artifact. Allows you to make mistakes. Must always be worn. Advise you to play as carefully as if you didn’t have it.


Old Faithful - perfectly stacks with revolvers.


Death Stalker's Heart - health-saving and restoring artifact. Suitable for constant wear until you get Hellbear Heart.


Hellbear Heart - replaces Death Stalker's Heart.
Highest health recovery bonus. Extremely effective in the third chapter.


Music Box provides instant and free health restoration. Additionally, this artifact doesn't take up any artifact slots; it resides directly in your inventory.


Chicken Feet Necklace - makes all ghosts neutral. Kill them for extra experience or pass by - it's up to you. Extremely useful for Chapters 2 and 3.


Tentacle Cyst - a great artifact for chapter two. Due to its specificity - relevant only for swamps.


Alvaro's Rib - secret artifact. High instant bonus to health and stamina. Stacks with Necklace of Alvaro from Chapter 3.


Ectoplasm - a good defensive artifact against ranged attacks, that can be obtained already in the Chapter 1.

The Chapter 1 serves as the foundation for your entire game walkthrough. Besides the aforementioned 3 golden rules of survival, I would like to highlight a few more crucial points:

• Get used to aim head only, as some weapons provide special bonuses for headshots.
  
• Keep both of your weapons always loaded. The best combination is close-range and long-range.
  
• Avoid engaging in combat with more than two enemies simultaneously.
  
• You are extremely vulnerable before you get Raven Skulls Necklace. Keep enemies at a distance and retreat if the fight doesn't go according to plan.
  
• Use dynamite against groups of enemies or large monsters.
  
• Never rest at camps and avoid teleporting between them.

Quick-access consumables
The character frequently sustains bleeding wounds, and the necessity to quickly replenish health or gain immunity to physical damage makes bandages, health potions, and invulnerability potions essential to carry in quick access.


Make sure that first aid consumables are always in the quick-access slots.

Chapter 1
Thoroughly clear all locations from enemies, taking down monsters one by one. Loot everything you can carry and sell it to the merchant. Your top priority is to get enough money for the "Orb of Night" revolver. Head to the cemetery behind the church ruins, where you can find the "Decapitator" shotgun.
Skills such as gaining additional experience, time slowdown when aiming, stamina, and resistance to bleeding should be prioritized for leveling up.

By the end of Сhapter 1, you should easily reach 9-10 levels and upgrade your core skills.

In the Сhapter 2, we gather survival-critical artifacts and complete the necessary character skill upgrades. Be especially vigilant in areas with a large concentration of enemies, such as the sawmill, town and the fort.

With Chapter 3, a curious situation arises. The map lacks interesting and survival-critical artifacts, and the character, in general, has all the required skills. All we need to do is run through the main questline and pick up two powerful weapons in the rift - "Chain Revolver" and "Sting". If you're not interested in earning additional achievements, there's really nothing more to do here.

Beating Blood West for achievements with one life is a truly exciting challenge. The game encourages attentiveness and teaches a measured and deliberate style of play. You will also carefully plan your route on the map and anticipate events several steps ahead.
Tell about your experience in the comments below!