Players diving into the dark and atmospheric world of Bloodborne often find themselves puzzled by the many intricate elements of the game’s interface. One such curiosity is the small yellow dot that sometimes appears under the quicksilver bullets icon on the HUD. While it may seem insignificant at first glance, this small visual cue holds deeper meaning and can impact how you approach gameplay. Understanding what this yellow dot represents is essential for those looking to fully master the mechanics of Bloodborne and optimize their character’s effectiveness in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
Understanding the Bloodborne HUD
Before diving into the specifics of the yellow dot under quicksilver bullets, it’s important to understand the basic components of the Bloodborne HUD. Located at the top-left corner of the screen, the HUD shows vital stats such as health (red bar), stamina (green bar), blood echoes, and your currently equipped consumables and weapons. Quicksilver bullets appear as a numerical icon with a symbol resembling bullets, representing your available ammo for firearms and arcane tools.
Typically, players focus on the number of quicksilver bullets they have left. However, just beneath this number, a small yellow dot may occasionally appear. This subtle indicator is often overlooked, but it carries a crucial gameplay function related to the game’s mechanics and resource usage.
What Does the Yellow Dot Under Quicksilver Bullets Mean?
The yellow dot under quicksilver bullets signifies that your character is under the effect of the Oath Memory mechanic. Specifically, it indicates that your character has an active Oath Rune equipped one of the special Caryll Runes associated with factions or covenants in the game. These runes provide various passive bonuses and allow players to join groups like the Vilebloods or the Executioners.
Oath Runes and Their Function
Oath Runes are distinct from standard Caryll Runes in that they mark your allegiance to a faction within Bloodborne. When equipped, they not only grant specific buffs but also enable multiplayer interactions aligned with your chosen covenant. The yellow dot is a visual cue confirming that your character is currently aligned with one such group and that the benefits of that Oath Rune are active.
Common Oath Runes That Trigger the Yellow Dot
- Corruption: Aligns you with the Vilebloods, allowing you to collect Blood Dregs during multiplayer.
- Radiance: Associates you with the Executioners, giving you access to rewards from defeating Vilebloods.
- Hunter of Hunters: Tied to Eileen’s questline, this rune enables you to invade players who have become blood-addled.
- Impurity: Part of the League covenant, granting you Vermin upon helping others in co-op hunts.
Equipping any of these will cause the yellow dot to appear under your quicksilver bullet count, serving as a persistent reminder that your character is under a specific allegiance’s influence.
Why the Yellow Dot Is Important
Though it may seem like a minor detail, the yellow dot has several important implications:
Multiplayer Interactions
When the dot is visible, your character becomes eligible for certain online features. For example, players aligned with the League can summon or be summoned more easily to help others, earning Vermin in return. Similarly, those aligned with the Vilebloods can collect Blood Dregs from cooperative or PvP engagements. The dot lets you know these mechanics are live and functioning.
Progression and Rewards
Covenant-based rewards depend on participation while the Oath Rune is active. Without the rune equipped (and thus no yellow dot), any activity related to your covenant won’t count toward progression. If you’re farming Blood Dregs or Vermin, you must ensure the dot is visible to confirm that rewards will be granted.
Visual Confirmation
In a game as complex and detail-oriented as Bloodborne, having small yet reliable visual confirmations is valuable. The yellow dot eliminates guesswork and lets players focus on gameplay instead of worrying about whether their covenant status is active.
How to Equip an Oath Rune
To trigger the yellow dot and activate your chosen Oath, you’ll need to equip a specific Caryll Rune:
- First, acquire the rune from your covenant source, such as Alfred for Radiance or Annalise for Corruption.
- Return to the Hunter’s Dream and access the Memory Altar, located next to the Insight Shop building.
- Equip the Oath Rune in one of the available memory slots.
- Exit the menu and check your HUD the yellow dot should now appear beneath the quicksilver bullets icon.
This system ensures that players are consciously choosing to align themselves with a group, rather than doing so by accident or passive interaction.
How the Yellow Dot Affects PvP and Co-op
For players engaging in PvP or co-op, the yellow dot can affect matchmaking parameters. Certain covenants have opposing goals (e.g., Executioners vs. Vilebloods), and the matchmaking system may prioritize interactions that support in-game rivalries or objectives. Additionally, some multiplayer items behave differently depending on whether an Oath Rune is active.
Items Impacted by the Yellow Dot
- Silencing Blank: May react faster or have different interactions when covenant effects are in play.
- Beckoning Bell: More likely to connect with players aligned under the same or compatible Oath.
- Chalice Dungeon Rewards: Some dynamic content within dungeons changes slightly based on your Oath alignment.
Whether you’re aiming to defend your covenant’s honor or simply co-op with friends, knowing your status via the yellow dot is a subtle but important part of the experience.
Can the Yellow Dot Be Disabled?
The yellow dot is purely tied to the presence of an equipped Oath Rune. If you prefer not to display it or are no longer interested in covenant activities, simply return to the Memory Altar and remove or replace the rune with a non-Oath Caryll Rune. Once done, the dot will disappear from your HUD.
This allows players to seamlessly switch between different builds or gameplay goals without being locked into a single faction’s effects.
The yellow dot under the quicksilver bullets icon is a small but significant detail in Bloodborne’s deep gameplay design. It confirms your active covenant status, affects multiplayer interaction, and ensures you gain the appropriate rewards from your actions. For those exploring the full breadth of Bloodborne’s mechanics, keeping an eye on this little yellow indicator can make a big difference. Whether you’re pledging loyalty to the Vilebloods or serving the Executioners, the yellow dot is your silent companion guiding and reminding you of your chosen path.