Elden Ring Claws of Night Build Guide (Shadow of The Erdtree Guide)
Aug. 14, 2024Elden Ring Claws of Night Build Guide (Shadow of The Erdtree Guide)
In this Shadow of the Erdtree guide, I’m going to introduce you to my Nightclaw build. This build revolves around the Claws of Night, one of the new weapons from the DLC. It’s a claw weapon and has quickly become one of my favorites in the DLC. Let’s dive into the details of this weapon and how it works.
In this Elden Ring Build Guide, I’ll be showing you my Storm Blessed build. This is aShadow of the Erdtreebuild that takes place after level 160. A build that utilizes the claw weaponClaws of Nightto deal both physical and magical damage
We have over 110 Elden Ringbuilds. Each one is meticulously crafted to offer unique playstyles, strategies, and experiences, ensuring there’s something for every adventurer in the Lands Between. Whether you seek the raw power of heavy weapons, the finesse of spellcasting, or the versatility of hybrid builds, our collection has you covered. Explore the depths of the game’s mechanics and unleash your full potential with our diverse array of builds.
TheClaws of Nightis aclaw weaponthat only scales with dexterity. Despite its lowstrengthrequirement and primary focus ondexterity, it deals both physical andmagicdamage, which is rare for a weapon that doesn’t scale withintelligenceorarcane. This makes it quite distinctive, offering both damage types while relying solely ondexterity.
The weapon also features a native bleed buildup on hit, which is highly effective, and it boasts a 110 critical rating like many other claw weapons. One of the standout features of theClaws of Nightis its ability to throw the claws during heavy attacks, similar to a throwing knife. This makes it a versatile hybrid weapon that functions both as a melee weapon and a ranged weapon, depending on whether you use light or heavy attacks.
Additionally, the weapon’s skill,Scattershot Throw, excels in building up bleed, especially in boss fights. While its damage might not be overwhelming unless used point-blank, it’s invaluable for handling multiple enemies, allowing you to strike several targets simultaneously despite the weapon’s limited reach.
An interesting aspect of theClaws of Nightis how well it synergizes with theSmithing Talisman, which boosts the damage of thrown attacks, whether you’re dual-wielding, single-wielding, or even attacking while on horseback. While the damage increase might not be substantial, using this talisman can enhance your safety by allowing you to engage enemies from a distance while mounted.
TheAxe Talismancan further boost your damage by enhancing charged heavy attacks, which, in this case, involve throwing the weapon. Although I don’t typically recommend this playstyle due to its proximity requirement and modest damage output, it’s worth noting for those interested in crafting their build around this mechanic.
Another cool feature of theClaws of Nightis the ability to perform a feint and throw your weapon by executing a charged heavy attack and then backstepping mid-action. Similarly, a block counter triggers a backward spin and a forward throw, both benefiting from theSmithing Talisman’sdamage boost. For block counters, theCurved Sword Talismancan further enhance your damage. However, I prefer not to rely heavily on heavy attacks or block counters, as claw weapons generally have low stance damage, making it challenging to break enemy stances with these moves.
For myClaws of Nightbuild, I’ve emphasized the weapon’s rapid attacks, high attack rating, and native blood loss buildup. TheScattershot Throwability is especially useful for hitting enemies and bosses from a distance until they close in for melee combat. I also use theMessmer Soldier Shieldin my offhand, which complements the build’s low strength requirement of 10. This shield offers excellent guard boost and can be useful for blocking certain attacks before switching back to dual-wielding or throwing ranged heavy attacks. While the need for a shield is rare, it provides valuable defense when needed.
For armor, I’m using three pieces of theBlack Knight Gauntlets,Black Knight Greaves, andBlack Knight HelmandLeda’s Armorfor the chest piece. This increases your damage when you dash, backstep, or roll. Since we roll a lot with this build, popping up and attacking with our R1 combo will boost our damage. This is very nice for this build. Sometimes you will also do dashing R1 attacks, so it works well.
The talismans for this build remain largely unchanged. I primarily useMillicent’s Prosthesisand theRotten Winged Sword Insigniato boost rapid attacks, which work really well with this setup. If you don’t have both, you can substitute with theRotten Winged Sword InsigniaalongsideMillicent’s Prosthesis. The bonus five dexterity from Millicent’s Prosthesis is a great perk for this weapon since it scales with dexterity. These talismans quickly build up attack power in boss fights, making them super effective.
A few other solid talismans include theTwo-Headed Turtle Talisman, which shines in boss fights by helping manage stamina drain from using your weapon skill and constant R1 flurries. You won’t need it as much when exploring or running dungeons since you’re not attacking continuously, but it’s invaluable during boss encounters.
TheCrusade Insigniais also great for boosting your attack power after killing an enemy, making it useful overall, especially when you’re out in the open world. Another excellent talisman isLord of Blood’s Exultation, particularly in boss fights. With this build, it’s easy to trigger bleeding, especially with your weapon skill. In these fights, I usually swap out theCrusade InsigniaforLord of Blood’s Exultationto increase attack power, often using my weapon skill a few times at the start to trigger blood loss and get the extra damage boost before diving into R1 combos.
A couple more useful talismans are theLacerating Crossed-Tree Talisman, which increases damage for dash attacks, and theRetaliatory Crossed-Tree Talisman, which boosts damage for backstep attacks, roll attacks, or attacks after rolling. Since rolling is frequent with this build, the talisman that enhances roll attacks might be more beneficial, especially in boss fights where you’re rolling more often than dash attacking.
For this build at level 168, my attributes are as follows:55 Vigor, 30 Mind, 40 Endurance, 10 Strength, 85 Dexterity, 16 Intelligence, 7 Faith, and 9 Arcane.
TheIntelligence,Faith, andArcanestats are from my starting class and aren’t needed for this build. Although the weapon deals magic damage,Intelligencedoesn’t benefit it, so you can ignore that stat.
Dexterityis set at 85, including the five points gained fromMillicent’s Prosthesis—without it, it would be 80. I found that 80Dexterityoffers solid damage, which is why I stopped at 85. Eventually, you’ll want to pushDexterityto 99 to maximize damage since that’s the only way to increase damage from scaling with this weapon.
The10 Strengthis just enough to use the shield. If you decide not to use the shield, you can dropStrengthdown to 8, which is what most starting classes have or are very close to.
40 Enduranceprovides ample stamina for blocking, R1 combos, and using the weapon skill, which this build relies on heavily. It also gives a high equip load, which is useful if you want to wear heavier armor for better protection. This build is hyper-aggressive and often trades damage, so more poise and protection would be advantageous.51 poiseis crucial for tanking through attacks, but having 56 or more would be even better depending on the weapon you’re facing.
30 Mindallows you to use your weapon skill liberally. You don’t really need 30Mind—25 or even 20 could suffice earlier in the build. Eventually, though, it makes managing FP in boss fights much easier.
Lastly,55 Vigorprovides a solid health pool for trading damage. As you progress, you’ll want to take this up to 60, but there’s no need to go higher.
For theFlask of Wondrous Physick, I use theThorny Cracked Tearto further boost damage with successive hits. Paired with two talismans that already do this, it becomes a third boost, which is perfect for an aggressive build focused on quickly taking down bosses. In the other slot, I’ve got theWinged Crystal Tear, which lets me light roll during boss fights, even with heavier armor. Light rolling significantly improves mobility, making many encounters easier. If you prefer, you can swap in theGreenburst Crystal Tearfor faster stamina recovery, which is another solid option.
I decided to avoid using theBloodsucking Cracked Tearin this build, even though I usually like it for aggressive, boss-killing strategies. The main reason is that this build requires you to attack so rapidly that you end up trading damage more often, which can be risky. If your health starts dropping too quickly, you might end up getting killed. Most players won’t take down a boss fast enough to avoid getting hit at all, so I generally don’t recommend it for this build. However, if you’re confident and know the build and bosses well, you could try it instead of the Winged Crystal Tear. But for those just getting into this build, I wouldn’t suggest it.
When it comes toGreat Runesfor this build, there are a few good choices.Radahn’s Great Runeprovides extra health, stamina, and FP, all of which are beneficial here.Malenia’s Great Runerestores health after taking damage and then retaliating, which is great since this build involves frequent damage trading.Morgott’s Great Runeis also a solid pick for the extra health, allowing you to take hits without worrying too much about your health pool.
That wraps up myNightclaw build. It’s been an absolute blast to play. Bosses go down surprisingly fast, and I’m really impressed with how effective it is. I’ve done Claw builds before, but none quite like this with the DLC. This one is amazing, offering a mix of melee and ranged attacks. You can pick off enemies from a distance or get up close and shred them—it all works really well. With the shield, you even have the option to block, block counter, or parry if you want to go that route.
As always, let us know if you have questions or other tips in the comments below. We have a ton more builds coming forElden RingandShadow of the Erdtreeso stay tuned for those. If you need help finding the spells, items, or equipment in this build, and securing some personal objectives, make sure to check theElden Ring Map.
Castielle
Senior Editor at Fextralife. I enjoy gaming, playing and watching sports, cooking yummy food, watching a good movie and hanging out with Fex.
