This (potentially) early fight is quintessential Blodborne, rewarding the player for daring to get right in the skullface of a large, agile, and fearsome foe.
For this fight, I wore Henryk's Hunter Set for its high shock resist. I used the two-handed Hunter's Axe for its length.
My stategy was simply to get in the Darkbeast's skullface, baiting it into a swipe attack, and then rolling underneath its belly. Fom this position you can whack the Paarl's legs out from under it with a charged R2 attack, stunning it, and allowing time for another charged strike. Then it'll dodge away, and it's sorta rinse and repeat, as they say, from there.
Note: When the Darkbeast charges up its lightning, don't run! Such lengthy animations are great opportunities to get a good whack in. Hitting the Darkbeast's skullface will de-electrify and momentarily stun it, allowing for even more whackage.
Bloodborne™
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