The Ultimate Elden Ring Claymore Strength Build-Ashes of War
This article breaks down the full build guide, the best Ashes of War, the talisman choices, stat priorities, armor setups, how to make Elden Ring Items and a variety of PvP showcases. If you're looking for a Claymore setup that dominates invasions, duels, and DLC PvE alike, this is it.
Why the Claymore Still Slaps in the DLC
Some weapons are great because of damage. Others because of speed. The Claymore's strength lies in versatility.
Its heavy attack is a thrust, giving access to counter-attack modifiers.
Its neutral R1 chain is quick and reliable.
It has excellent spacing tools for roll catches.
It benefits heavily from hyper armor when two-handed.
And in Elden Ring, you can customize it with nearly any Ash of War you want.
In short, Claymore rewards good fundamentals and clever timing-exactly what experienced invaders thrive on.
Top Ashes of War for Claymore Strength Builds
1. Piercing Fang-The King of Roll Catches
Piercing Fang comes out in a straight-line thrust with perfect timing to punish panic rollers. If your opponent rolls as soon as they get hit or staggered, Piercing Fang will skewer them every time.
Why it works:
Lines up directly after Claymore stuns.
Has deceptively long reach.
Easily chains into a heavy attack for mix-ups.
Excellent as a finishing tool.
2. Impaling Thrust-Faster, More Flexible
Similar to Piercing Fang but slightly quicker. That faster startup means it doesn't always auto-catch rolls, but it excels as an opener.
Impaling Thrust → Instant Charged Heavy
This catches late rollers trying to escape the opener and creates some nasty consecutive hits.
3. Storm Stomp / Stormcaller-For High-Latency or Aggressive Fights
Storm Stomp and Stormcaller have always been Claymore favorites. In the DLC areas-many of which involve cramped catacombs, tight corridors, and uneven terrain-they shine even more.
Benefits:
Staggers multiple opponents in tight spaces.
Grants free heavy attack follow-ups.
Perfect for trading into aggressive players.
Extremely reliable when latency is high.
Stormcaller in particular provides massive pressure while still enabling Claymore's thrust-heavy mix-ups.
The Optimal Claymore Strength Build
Pure Strength.
Heavy-infuse the Claymore to maximize two-handed STR scaling.
You want your AR as high as possible because Claymore trades and counterattacks hit extremely hard.
Talisman Loadout
This is where the build really comes alive.
1. Shard of Alexander
Boosts Ash of War damage.
Mandatory if you're rotating between Piercing Fang, Impaling Thrust, and Storm Stomp.
2. Two-Handed Sword Talisman
Massively boosts damage when two-handing.
Claymore gets more hyper armor and poise when two-handed, so this talisman fits perfectly.
3. Spear Talisman
The secret MVP of this build.
Claymore heavy attacks are thrusting attacks, and many crouch pokes and trades benefit from counter-hit modifiers. With the Spear Talisman, trades become devastating.
Chase repeatedly deletes players by tanking a hit, staying in hyper armor, and obliterating them with a thrust counter.
4. Bull-Goat Talisman
You want high poise-no exceptions.
This talisman ensures you can complete your heavy attacks even when hit.
Optional Swap:
If your Ash of War doesn't benefit from Shard of Alexander (e.g., Storm Stomp spam), you can replace it with the Retaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman for enhanced light and crouch attacks.
Armor: The Solitude Set
The Solitude Set offers:
Excellent poise
Strong physical defense
High resistance for trading duels
It also complements the Claymore's hyper armor playstyle.
Claymore Gameplay Breakdown-Invasion Highlights
Here are some standout moments and the lessons behind them.
Backstab Mind Games in Tight Corridors
In Darklight Catacombs, Chase runs circles around players-literally-using baited rolls to set up backstab punishes just like in DS3.
Key takeaways:
Positioning still wins fights.
Running behind players forces panic rolls.
Claymore's vertical R2 is perfect for punishing corner pressure.The "Just the Tip" Heavy Attack Trades
One recurring theme: players severely underestimate Claymore's heavy thrust hitbox.
Even when opponents try spacing, Chase repeatedly catches them with the very edge of the blade. Combined with Spear Talisman counter damage, these trades often remove half a health bar.
Small-Area Mayhem: Storm Stomp Dominates
When latency gets messy-or when players like to face-tank-Storm Stomp becomes the great equalizer. Chase's highlight moments:
Stomp → Heavy → Roll Catch
Stomp through light weapon spam
Catching two players at once with the stomp shockwave
In one fight, he melts a dual-katana and backhand blade duo purely through pressure and stomp trades.
Reading Panic Rolls and Punishing With Piercing Fang
Whenever a player panic rolls backward, the Claymore becomes a prediction machine.
This fight showcases:
Why Storm Stomp is critical in high-latency duels
How to maintain bubble tier uptime to avoid one-shots
The importance of isolating phantoms before fighting the host
Wizard Ambushes and Punishing Spells
Spellcasters with high damage but no poise get obliterated by Claymore's thrusts.
There's a moment where Chase gets sandwiched between a wizard and a slug. Even then, crouch pokes and counter-hits let him delete the mage before turning the pressure on the host.
Lesson:
If a caster can't interrupt your hyper armor, they die.
The Classic Heavy → Piercing Fang Finisher
Time after time, this classic combo ends fights:
1.Fully charged heavy attack
2.Opponent rolls away
3.Piercing Fang tracks them perfectly
4.Claymore fundamentals, executed flawlessly.
Final Thoughts-Why Claymore Is Still the GOAT
The Claymore is still one of the best, most satisfying Strength weapons in Elden Ring.
It offers:
Massive hyper armor trades and Elden Ring Runes
Excellent thrust-heavy counter damage
Swappable Ashes of War for any situation
Consistency and reliability in both PvE and PvP
A deep moveset for players who love timing and spacing
Whether you use Piercing Fang for clean roll catches, Impaling Thrust for opener pressure, or Storm Stomp for tight brawls, the Claymore adapts to any situation.