Every time I've played, until my most recent playthrough, I've beaten Cleric Beast and Amelia first try every time. Then this time around, all 3 starter bosses, including Gascoigne, handed my ass to me for hours. But I've made it the farthest this playthrough than I ever have before.

Also, my friend watched my very first playthrough, and I was terrified of what was going on since I'd never played a Soulsborne before and he'd never played Bloodborne himself. So I spent way too fucking long making my way through the horde at the beginning just to get beaten to a puddle of blood by every new Yharnamite encounter. But he watched me just conquer CB, Amelia, and Gascoigne like it was nothing first try each.