Today, I'll delve into why the Claws dominate as the top weapon choice in Elden Ring. We'll explore various weapons within this category, breaking down their strengths, weaknesses, and preferred play styles. My goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about using them in your builds.

Pros &Cons

First, let's talk about the pros and cons of using Claws as weapons in Elden Ring.

Pros

• Attack Speed - Claws are among the fastest attacking weapons in the game, allowing for rapid hits. This high attack speed helps build up attack power quickly when paired with items like Rotten Winged Sword Insignia and enables setting status effects more efficiently, even after recent nerfs.
• Paired Weapons - Claws are always paired, meaning you can wield 2 Claws with the weight of one equipped. This results in a lighter Equip Load and allows simultaneous buffs to both weapons. Buffs like Bloodflame Blade, Lightning Armament, or Scholar's Armament applied to the right-hand Claw also apply to the left-hand Claw, enhancing their attack ratings.
• Lightweight - Claws are extremely light, with weights ranging from 1.5 to 3. This makes them easy to carry without significantly impacting your Equip Load.
• Dual-Wield Moveset - Claws have an excellent dual-wield moveset, enabling rapid strikes and effective crits. Most Claws have a 110 crit rating, which is better than most other weapons.
• Status Effects - All Claw types naturally have status effects, making it easier to apply these effects during combat.

Cons

• Low Attack Rating - Claws have a low attack rating, though not the lowest among weapons. This can result in lower overall damage output.
• Nerfed Dual-Wield Status Effects - Previous patches have reduced the effectiveness of dual-wield status effects, meaning Claws don't set up status effects as easily as they used to.
• Short Reach - Claws have a shorter reach compared to many other weapons, limiting their effective range in combat.
• Low Stance Damage - Claws have relatively low stance damage, making it difficult to achieve stance breaks against enemies.

Playstyles

In terms of playstyles, I think the vast majority of people who are using Claws are simply going to use them in some sort of hybrid build where they cast spells and then dual-wield. While they buff their Claws with something, they cast spells when they want.

But most people are going to lean into the paired nature of Claws, dual-wield them, and attack rapidly with them, trying to set status effects or build up their attack power in that manner. You can also throw in some Elden Ring Runes to get the most out of your Claws.

List Of All Claws

Now, let's delve into the Claws themselves. There are no unique Claws in the Elden Ring. All 4 Claws are infusible weapon. So, let's explore them.

Hookclaws

First up is the Hookclaws. The Hookclaw shares the default moveset of most other Claws and deals with physical damage. It's one of the lightest Claws in Elden Ring, weighing 2, and requires 8 strength and 14 dexterity to use effectively. They are the longest Claws in Elden Ring, the second lightest, and have native Bleed buildup on hit. They can be found early on in Stormveil Castle.

However, they deal less damage than all but the Raptor's Talons. In terms of infusion, fire and lightning yield the highest attack rating at 532, followed closely by magic at 527, and sacred and flame art at 505. Keen outperforms heavy, with cold almost tied with keen.

I recommend using this weapon with the Flaming Strike and Flame Art to buff both weapons with fire, enhancing their attack rating. This setup allows effective casting of incantations because of high faith, achieving over 1,000 attack power when fully buffed.

The bleed effect is a bonus. Use talismans like Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Fire Scorpion Charm, and Shard of Alexander to further boost damage, and ensure you have 51 Poise to trade damage without interruption.

Venomous Fang

Up next is the Venomous Fang. This Claw shares the default moveset of most other Claws and deals with physical damage. It's the second heaviest Claw in Elden Ring, weighing 2.5, and requires 9 strength and 9 dexterity for effective use. It boasts native deadly Poison buildup, inflicting more damage than regular poison but over a much shorter duration.

With the lowest requirements of all Claws and the highest attack rating, it appears promising. However, it falls short in reach, being significantly shorter than other Claws, and has the lowest crit rating. In terms of infusion, magic, fire, and lightning are virtually tied at 576 and 575, with sacred and flame art following closely behind at 545. Keen outperforms heavy, 504 to 498, with cold also at 504, and quality at 471.

You can use these weapons with blood infusion since the arcane scaling also impacts the Poison buildup, and bleed is often more advantageous than poison, even in its deadly variant. Utilize Endure to withstand hits and maintain a barrage of attacks on bosses, setting both status effects. Talismans like Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, Lord of Blood's Exultation, and Kindred of Rot's Exultation enhance attack power further.

Bloodhound Claws

Next up are the Bloodhound Claws. They share the default moveset of most other Claws and deal with physical damage. As the heaviest Claw in Elden Ring, weighing 3, they require 10 strength and 15 dexterity to use effectively.

The Bloodhound Claws are the preferred choice for players aiming for a Strength-based Claws build, boasting native Bleed buildup on hit. Some of their damage bypasses shields, and they possess the second-highest attack rating among all Claws. However, they are the second shortest Claws, and acquiring them can be delayed until reaching Volcano Manor.

Regarding infusion, fire, lightning, and magic share the top spot with an attack rating of 549, while sacred and flame art follow closely behind at 528. Heavy infusion slightly outperforms keen, and cold sits at 450, not far behind.

I prefer using this weapon with a heavy infusion, leveraging its decent Strength scaling, and buffing it with Bloodflame Blade to enhance Bleed buildup for each Claw. With tools like Endure, you can withstand hits while swiftly swinging, easily triggering hemorrhage and boosting attack rating. Talismans such as Lord of Blood's Exultation and Rotten Winged Sword Insignia further amplify damage, complemented by the Thorny Cracked Tear.

Raptor Talons

And lastly, we come to the Raptor Talons. This Claw features a unique heavy attack that jumps and deals with physical damage. As the lightest Claw in Elden Ring, weighing 1.5, they require 6 strength and 14 dexterity for effective use.

The Raptor Talons are distinguished by their sole possession of an alternate moveset, with their jump attack inflicting approximately 10% more damage than other Claws, assuming similar attack ratings. They also possess native Bleed buildup like other Claws but have the lowest attack rating among all Claws in Elden Ring.

In terms of infusion, fire and lightning rank highest at 518, with magic following at 511, and sacred and flame art at 478 attack rating. Keen outperforms heavy, 469 to 444, while cold trails closely behind keen. You can utilize these weapons in a jump attack build to capitalize on their unique properties, akin to the Cold Blooded Raptor build.

This strategy involves utilizing the Claw Talisman, Raptor's Black Feathers, and Royal Knight’s Resolve to enhance jump attacks. The Sacrificial Axe in the off-hand can refund FP when enemies are slain. Furthermore, the Ritual Sword Talisman complements this build well, as it minimizes the likelihood of being hit during jump attacks.