Alruna is a pair of whip weapons that first appeared in Bayonetta 2, that can be equipped to both the hands and feet. They serve as a successor to Kulshedra from the first game but, unlike it, Alruna can be equipped to both hands and feet simultaneously. Its name and backstory are shared for Bayonetta and Jeanne alike.
The whips secretly make a return in Bayonetta 3, having a similar moveset enriched by the use of Demon Masquerade.
In Game Description[]
Bayonetta 2[]
Those who can hear the crack of the whip can feel Alraune whisper its curse in their ears.
Bayonetta 3[]
With a design that resembles the Alraune flower bud, even touching them slightly will fill a person's mind with Alraune's cursed screams, driving those with a weaker constitution mad instantly.
A set of four whips in total, they are worn on the hands and feet and shoot out vines that stretch and contract at will, lashing enemies. The vines are supple, but as strong as steel wires and covered with sharp thorns that tear the flesh of opponents.
When these weapons are used in tandem with Demon Masquerade, the user can control Alraune's power as if it were their own, sprouting vines all over and using them to attack at various ranges and in all directions.
Design[]
Alruna is a pair of pink rose-themed bracelets and high heeled boots with dark pink gems and golden details. They can project from their wrists and heels multiple thorny vine projections that can be used as whips. When equipped, instead of butterflies, Bayonetta's steps and jumps generate red rose petals.
How to Obtain[]
Bayonetta 2[]
Upon defeating the demon Alraune in order to rescue Jeanne's soul, Rodin intervenes before Bayonetta can issue her killing blow. He proceeds to seal the demon inside the weapon's shell and gives them to Bayonetta shortly after. An alternate pair can be later bought at the Gates of Hell to allow use on both hands and feet.
Bayonetta 3[]
Finding all three Umbran Tears of Blood in Chapter 3 unlocks Phenomenal Remnant 3. It consists of a combat challenge with a few Infernal Demons followed by Alraune herself. Defeating her unlocks both Alruna as a weapon and Alraune as a Demon Slave.
Unique Traits[]
Like Kulshedra before it, Alruna functions as a whip weapon, though it is generally much more effective in this regard than Kulshedra was in the first game. It is unique among Bayonetta's arsenal in that it has great range with no damage fall off, and also usually hits all enemies in broad 270-to-360 degree sweeps, making it an excellent choice for crowd control. It should be noted that it tends to do more damage when equipped to the feet slot.
Bayonetta 2[]
Bullet Climax: Bayonetta will spin the weapons out around her in a huge circle, striking everything around her several times for relatively high damage.
Charge Modifier: Alruna will attempt to wrap around one or two enemies, pull them up into the air, and then slam them down into the ground either directly in front of, or behind, Bayonetta. This attack deals very high damage, especially if two enemies have been grabbed, as they will slam into each other. While in Witch Time this Charge Modifier can be used against nearly any enemy in the game, even bosses. Using this modifier is key to dealing with significant damage with Alruna.
Stiletto & Heel Slide: Like Kulshedra, Alruna doesn't dash Bayonetta towards her target, instead she will project a spiral vine towards the target, hitting it and everything on the way to it several times. Heel Slide tends to do more damage than its Stiletto counterpart.
Wicked Weaves & Umbran Climax: In place of typical Wicked Weaves, Alruna's attacks become empowered, growing in size and strength to crush and bash enemies. In Umbran Climax, the Alruna summons Baal for its feet finishers, who will use her spiked tongue like a whip in big sweeping arcs. When equipped to the hands, Alruna summons Hydra which acts in a similar manner by swinging her multiple limbs around Bayonetta and causing massive damage.
Bayonetta 3[]
Alruna returns with very similar mechanics, but with the added punch of Demon Masquerade. Additionally to whips, she can also create massive thorned tendrils to attack enemies.
Pressing fires off green thorns from the weapon.
Unique to Alruna, Bayonetta can jump up to four times thanks to the Cereus skill, or six times if near a wall that can be bounced off of.
Skills[]
Demon Masquerade[]
- Berceau Pur (+ x2)
- Move quickly across the ground on a creeping tangle of thorny vines.
- Cereus (Hold )
- Create a flower platform in midair that remains for a short time.
- Piercing Sweetness (+ x2)
- Charge and deliver a powerful tail attack.
Punch[]
- Side Shoot (Hold , +)
- Swing an arm-mounted whip upward, launching enemies.
- Twisted Love (Hold , + or +)
- Deliver a multi-hit spiral lash with an arm-mounted whip.
- Damask Addiction ( soon after )
- Perform a rising drill attack with a thorny vine.
- Grind Stripper (+)
- Spin at high speeds while lashing out with thorny vines from both arms. Move with .
- Jealous Interlude (+)
- Stab with elongated, thorny vines.
Kick[]
- Frill Shoot (Hold , +)
- Swing a leg-mounted whip upward, launching enemies.
- Entwined Heart (Hold , + or +)
- Deliver a multi-hit spiral lash with a leg-mounted whip.
- Basal Shoot
- ( soon after ) Launch into the air with a thorn-wrapped kick.
- (Midair, +) Deliver a thorn-wrapped dive kick from the air. Hold to keep going after impact.
- Rose Hip Knockout (+)
- Contort and deliver an overhead slam with thorny vines extending from your leg.
- Code Of Rose (+)
- Lash out with thorny vines in all directions.
Shoot[]
- Bondage Whip (Hold or )
- Grab enemies with whips or vines and pull them close while slamming them into the ground. This is ineffective against larger enemies unless they are stunned.
- Wild Thorn (+)
- Fire thorn shots quickly in all directions. Change the direction of fire with , and hold to keep shooting.
- Rigid Thorn (Hold )
- Charge then release to fire an enlarged thorn with more stopping power.
Masquerade Rage[]
- Érosion De L'Amour (+)
- Grow a nest of vines and then consume your own poison, causing them to explode with giant thorns that pierce all nearby enemies.
Trivia[]
- Alruna is a reference to the German novel, from Hanns Heinz Ewers, Alraune, whose main character is the product of an experiment involving the artificial insemination of a prostitute with semen from a hanged man, a substance that is believed to grow the mandragora plant. The plant is said to scream when uprooted, killing anyone who hears it, and was majorly used by witches and practitioners of magic in the Middle Ages, not unlike the crystallized compound found in the series for item creation. This connection is further enforced by the vine motif that is apparent when the weapon is in used and during its Wicked Weaves as well as the name of the demon that creates the weapon's power.
- The Alruna were some of the first new weapons teased for Bayonetta 2 in the first development trailer shown in 2013.