DARK SOULS 3 Claymore: Location, Stats & Build Guide

Where to Find the Claymore

The DARK SOULS 3 Claymore gives you sweeping attacks for crowds and a long thrust for punishing openings. You can collect it at the High Wall of Lothric, then adapt it to different builds through infusions and upgrades. Getting past the fire-breathing wyvern is the immediate challenge.

The sword lies on the raised platform covered by the wyvern’s flames, near the area’s first bonfire. Looking onto the platform from the stairs, search the far-left corner. You can reach it before defeating Vordt of the Boreal Valley.

To collect it while the wyvern remains:

1. Approach the stairs leading onto the platform.
2. Deal with pursuing enemies before stepping onto the exposed platform.
3. Wait for a gap between fire attacks, then sprint toward the far-left corner.
4. Pick up the Claymore and retreat when an opening appears.

Spend your carried souls before attempting the run. Avoid stopping to fight on the exposed platform, where another blast can interrupt you.

For a slower route, use a bow from outside the wyvern’s fire range and damage it until it retreats. That also awards a Large Titanite Shard and leaves the platform open for looting.

Claymore-wielding Irithyllian Slaves in Irithyll of the Boreal Valley also drop the weapon at a 1.50% drop rate.

Official page: DARK SOULS™ III (bandainamcoent.com)

Claymore Stats and Requirements

The Claymore requires 16 Strength and 13 Dexterity. Its unupgraded form has 138 base physical attack, with D scaling in both attributes.

Image: Steam / FromSoftware, Inc.

Attribute	Value
Weapon class	Greatsword
Physical attack at +0	138
Strength requirement	16
Dexterity requirement	13
Starting Strength scaling	D
Starting Dexterity scaling	D
Physical damage types	Standard / Thrust
Weapon skill	Stance
Skill follow-up FP costs	17 / 20
Maximum reinforcement	+10

The base attack value is only part of the damage calculation. Attribute scaling adds damage, while the attack you use and the target’s defenses affect the actual hit.

Meet the requirements before investing heavily in offensive stats. For an early character, put additional levels into Vigor and Endurance to support the health and stamina needed to use a greatsword safely.

Choosing a Claymore Infusion

The sword accepts infusions, allowing its damage scaling to fit your character. Choose around the attributes you are developing.

Image: Steam / FromSoftware, Inc.

Infusion	Effect or build direction
Heavy	Consider when investing in Strength
Sharp	Emphasizes Dexterity scaling
Refined	Develops Strength and Dexterity scaling
Fire	Adds fire damage and removes attribute scaling
Chaos	Scales with Intelligence and Faith
Dark	Adds dark damage that scales with Intelligence and Faith

Early melee characters

Use a Fire infusion to remove attribute scaling while putting early levels into Vigor, Endurance, and Vitality.

Keep reinforcing the sword while building your health and stamina. Reconsider its infusion when you begin putting more levels into damage attributes.

Strength, Dexterity, and quality builds

Use Heavy when Strength is your main offensive investment, or Sharp when Dexterity is your focus.

A quality build develops both attributes, with 40 Strength and 40 Dexterity providing a concrete target supported by a Refined infusion. This also gives the character access to a broad selection of other melee weapons.

Pyromancer builds

A Fire infusion supplies fire damage without requiring offensive scaling investment. Meet the sword’s requirements, then develop Vigor alongside the Intelligence and Faith used by your pyromancies.

Later, Chaos lets the weapon benefit from those casting attributes. Dark offers another damage type for the same general attribute investment and requires the Profaned Coal from Irithyll Dungeon.

A Fire-infused Claymore cannot receive temporary weapon buffs.

Upgrading the Claymore to +10

Andre reinforces the Claymore with regular Titanite. The final upgrade to +10 requires one Titanite Slab.

Image: Steam / FromSoftware, Inc.

Material	Total needed to reach +10
Large Titanite Shard	12
Titanite Chunk	12
Titanite Slab	1

Collect Titanite while exploring the High Wall and Undead Settlement, and reinforce the sword whenever you have enough. If you also use a Pyromancy Flame, budget materials for both pieces of equipment.

For later supplies, give the Dragon Chaser’s Ashes to the Shrine Handmaid to expand her inventory with most types of Titanite.

Completing Siegward’s questline awards a Titanite Slab. Reaching +10 with the Claymore also fulfills Supreme Weapon Reinforcement, the achievement for fully reinforcing a weapon.

Using the Moveset and Stance

The Claymore’s versatility comes from choosing attacks that fit the space and the enemy. Its reach helps you punish missed swings, while its thrust gives you a focused attack against a single target.

Sweeps and thrusts

Use one-handed sweeping attacks when enemies gather beside each other. In narrow spaces, favor the thrusting heavy attack to keep your offense directed down the passage.

Two-handed heavy attacks also thrust. Charge one when an enemy commits to a long recovery, but use a shorter attack when the opening is brief. Leave enough stamina to dodge afterward.

Stance against shields

Holding the skill input prepares Stance, which has two follow-ups:

• Light attack: an upward attack designed to break a blocking enemy’s guard.
• Strong attack: a forward lunge into an upward slash.

Use the guard-breaking follow-up against enemies that keep their shields raised. Save the lunging follow-up for an opening where its forward movement will connect safely.

Two-handing in PvP

Two-handing provides access to the greatsword’s hyper armor during applicable attacks, helping you finish a swing through certain incoming hits. Armor poise affects which attacks you can trade through; it does not make every swing uninterruptible.

Space your attacks and punish an opponent’s recovery before attempting a trade. Mix thrusts and delayed attacks into your offense instead of repeating predictable light attacks.

For equipment support, the Ring of Favor increases stamina. The Leo Ring strengthens thrust counterattacks, making it relevant when you land the sword’s thrust during an enemy’s attack.