Beast Claw Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

As a seasoned Elden Ring adventurer with countless hours spent traversing the Lands Between, I must say that this Beast Claw build is nothing short of a masterpiece! The variety of offensive options it offers, coupled with its powerful defensive choice, makes for an incredibly versatile playstyle.

As an enthusiastic explorer delving into the enigmatic world of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, I’ve stumbled upon a variety of intriguing weapons. From the heavy-hitting Great Katanas and the tactically sound Duelling Shields, to the lightning-quick Hand-to-Hand Arts and Beast Claws. In this build guide, I’ll be focusing on the latter, offering insights into maximizing the potential of the first Beast Claw weapon you can uncover in the DLC expansion.

Discovering the initial Beast Claws in the game Shadow of the Erdtree might seem straightforward due to their location near the DLC starting point. Known as “Beast Claws”, these items can be infused and modified with different Ash of War abilities, making them versatile for various playstyles. This guide will focus on a build that showcases their unexpected compatibility with Cold Infusion, but it will also recommend other builds later on which leverage the Beast Claw’s unique attributes.

Where to Find the Beast Claw

Beast Claw Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

In the initial region of the DLC (Downloadable Content), known as the Gravesite Plains, you’ll discover the starting point. Upon ascending the steps immediately upon entering the DLC, veer right and delve into the woods to the southeast. Within these woods lies a potentially hostile NPC named “Logur the Beast Claw”. Equipped with the Beast Claw as his preferred weapon, he can be somewhat elusive but is often found in the heart of the woods. You’ll notice a bird-like squawk when you approach him closely, and beware, for he will aggressively attack you upon spotting you. Given that he may locate you before you can find him, it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with this full guide on locating him.

Weapon Overview

Beast Claw Build Guide in Shadow of the Erdtree

The Scythe is a versatile weapon, acting as a more agile substitute for the assortment of claws in the base game. It propels you forward with many of its attacks, increasing the likelihood that your blows connect with your target, even if they retreat. Moreover, these strikes are often swift, enabling you to accumulate status effects rapidly and also facilitating quick evasions following their use due to a minimal recovery period.

One useful aspect of this weapon category is its access to a special retreating attack. By charging up a heavy attack and tapping dodge during the charge, you can slash while stepping back, allowing you to retreat while dealing some damage. The Beast Claw is also the only weapon that can use the and .

The Build

As a seasoned gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the intricate world of video games, I must say that this particular build is truly a masterpiece for those who enjoy a balance between melee and ranged combat. The emphasis on the Beast Claw’s Cold Affinity, combined with the strategic use of Sorcery, creates an engaging and versatile playstyle. The ability to rapidly deplete an enemy’s health bar while maintaining a safe distance is both satisfying and effective.

Stats (Level 150, Wretch Starting Class)

Stat	Total
Vigor	60
Mind	40
Endurance	10
Strength	20
Dexterity	11
Intelligence	60
Faith	18
Arcane	10

In this character setup, we’re focusing primarily on Sorcery, so we’ll have 60 Intelligence. It’s almost essential to have 60 Vigor to withstand attacks without getting knocked out. We’ll also have 40 Mind for a good supply of Focus Points (FP) to use both Weapon Skills and Sorceries. Since the claws scale well based on Strength, even with a Cold Infusion, we’ve set Strength at 20. Dexterity is set at 11 to meet the minimum requirement for using the claws. With 18 Faith, we can use all Magma Sorceries, including Rykard’s Rancor, and increase it further beyond level 150 for access to Golden Vow and other potent Incantations if desired. Since Arcane doesn’t impact Frostbite build-up, we can keep it at 10.

Equipment & Talismans

Equipment Slot	Item
Helm
Gauntlet
Chest
Leg
Right-Hand 1
Left-Hand 1
Right-Hand 2 (Optional)

Due to our limited stamina, we’ll need to opt for lighter armor. For an aesthetic appeal and decent protection, consider the Blue Cloth Set. You’ll wield the Beast Claw in combat with your right hand, while keeping the Carian Regal Scepter in your left for quick spell-casting when needed. If you aim to boost the damage of your Magma Sorceries, keep a Gelmir Glintstone Staff ready in your secondary Right-Hand Slot and switch to it just before casting Magma Sorcery with the Regal Scepter. This swap will grant you a 10% bonus damage to Magma Sorceries while maintaining the superior scaling of the Regal Scepter.

Let’s delve into the topic of protective charms, specifically Talismans. In many situations, the Carian Filigree Talisman would be an ideal choice for defense, offering a significant 20% decrease in physical damage received. The Crystal Tear Talisman enhances your Magma Sorcery by 14%, whereas the versatile Radagon’s Soreseal offers general damage enhancements as you keep attacking. With proper timing, the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia can also augment your spell power.

The fourth Talisman Slot could hold several useful options. The can provide you with FP regeneration, helping to reduce your use of Blue Flasks when exploring and making sure you can always use your Ash of War if you want to. FP Regeneration is always handy, but this is especially true of spell-heavy builds. Alternatively, the is a fantastic choice for keeping your stamina bar topped up. Attacking, casting spells, dodging, all of it uses stamina, and you’ll need to manage it carefully with this build, making this talisman a very attractive option.

Spells and Weapon Arts

Spell	Effect
	Create a ring of giant fingers around you that deflect spells and deal damage to nearby foes. Can be charged to deal more damage in a wider radius.
	Throws rocks that deal physical damage, and deals good poise damage too.
	Creates six light rings that launch towards the target after a short delay, dealing magic damage and inflicting frostbite build-up.
	Fires a chargeable gravity missile that draws in enemies before exploding. It will pull enemies in twice before exploding when uncharged, and thrice when charged.
	Fires a clump of Magma, dealing fire damage on impact. Can be charged to deal more damage.
	Fires a large clump of magma that sticks to the terrain and then explodes a short while later, dealing a lot of fire damage. Charging it causes it to deal more damage and further delays the explosion.
	Summons a searing spirit (skull) that homes in on the target while leaving a trail. Flame explosions occur along the path it traces a short moment later, potentially dealing damage multiple times if it passes through a target more than once.
	Summons a void above you to rain meteorites on the target, potentially dealing damage in a wide area.

As a seasoned adventurer with countless battles under my belt, I’ve learned the value of having a well-rounded spell list that provides both offensive and defensive options. This particular build is no exception; it offers a solid selection of close-combat moves to build up frostbite on enemies, triggering the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia, followed by long-range attacks with Magma Sorceries to reset the frostbite.

The Astel Meteorite is another feature, capable of inflicting immense damage on larger enemies such as dragons and usually causing them to stagger. Offensively, Cherishing Fingers serves as an area-of-effect attack if you find yourself in a tight spot, but it also offers defensive benefits by deflecting incoming spells. This makes fights against spellcasters noticeably less challenging.

For those who prefer Weapon Arts, this build excels with several distinct weapon arts, making it an ideal option for inflicting damage. Notably, it attacks with both claws even when wielded one-handed, allowing for reasonable melee combat without needing to sheathe your staff. Furthermore, its successive strikes can activate the Rotten Winged Sword Insignia. Another favorable Weapon Art alternative is, which aids in accumulating frostbite while also dishing out a moderate amount of magical damage. The exclusive Ash of War for Beast Claws can also prove useful in this scenario. Lastly, provides a dashing move (with invincibility frames) that enables you to navigate in any direction and subsequently execute a slashing attack. This can be advantageous for repositioning or seizing an opportunity.

Alternative Build Ideas

Of course, being adaptable for infusions, the Beast Claw weapon offers versatility across various character builds. One possible strategy involves enhancing its natural bleed property with a blend of Arcane and some Strength, creating an effective bleeding build. The claws’ unexpectedly good strength scaling on a Bleed infusion is another appealing factor. Moreover, they exhibit remarkable strength scaling when heavily infused, suggesting that a pure Strength build could be optimized as well. Lastly, a blend of Strength and Faith focusing on Crucible and Bestial Incantations might offer an engaging playstyle by leveraging the Beast Claw’s unique abilities.

2024-08-20 10:04