With the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring has expanded its universe with new weapons, movesets, and Elden Ring Runes intriguing mechanics, including the addition of the Beast Claws. These unique weapons immediately caught the attention of players due to their aggressive playstyle, rapid attack speed, and the ability to stack bleed damage, much like their counterparts in previous Souls games. If you’re looking to make the most of the Beast Claw in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, this guide will help you craft the ultimate build for maximizing their power.

Why the Beast Claw is So Powerful
The Beast Claws are a weapon type in Elden Ring that offers a swift and unique playstyle, perfect for those who prefer a fast-paced, aggressive combat style. Similar to claws in previous Souls games, the Beast Claw introduces a fresh moveset with rapid attacks that can quickly build up bleed on enemies. The Ash of War on the Beast Claws makes them even more deadly, unleashing a flurry of strikes that overwhelm opponents with speed and precision.

What makes the Beast Claws particularly powerful is their ability to stack bleed, causing enemies to take large chunks of damage as they bleed out over time. With the right build, these claws can dish out massive damage, especially when paired with Wondrous Physick and Talisman combinations designed to increase their potency.

Now let’s dive into the top 3 Beast Claw builds that will help you dominate Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

1. Best Frostbite Beast Claw Build
The Frostbite Beast Claw build combines the raw power of frostbite, fire, and bleed to create a devastating effect that can tear through bosses and mobs alike. The key to this build is the synergistic combination of frostbite, which debuffs enemies by increasing the damage they take, and fire to trigger additional frostbite buildup. By combining these elements, you can cause massive damage and trigger bleed much faster, making it one of the most effective and high-damage Beast Claw builds.

Gear Setup:
Right Hand: Beast Claw
Left Hand: Clawmark Seal (boosts Beast Roar and Beast Claw abilities)
Head: White Mask (boosts attack power on status buildup)
Armor: Rakshasa Armor (provides decent defense and enhances overall damage)
Hands: Rakshasa Gauntlets
Boots: Rakshasa Greaves
Wondrous Physick:
Bloodsucking Cracked Tear (restores HP on successful attacks)
Thorny Cracked Tear (boosts damage output)
Talismans:
Rotten Winged Sword Insignia (boosts successive attack damage)
Milicent’s Prosthesis (increases attack power after successive attacks)
Lord of Blood’s Exultation (boosts attack when bleeding occurs)
Two-headed Turtle Talisman (enhances stamina recovery)
How This Build Works:
This build leverages frostbite to debuff enemies, making them take 20% more damage while they suffer the frostbite status effect. By pairing frostbite with fire damage (using fire-based spells or weapon skills), you can consume the debuff and trigger a second round of frostbite buildup quickly, much like you would stack bleed. Frostbite and fire synergize effectively, as fire damage triggers frostbite buildup more rapidly and allows for higher damage output.

The Beast Claw’s rapid attacks ensure you can stack bleed while frostbite works its magic. This build can quickly overwhelm even the toughest of bosses by layering these debuffs for enormous damage chunks.

2. Best Bloody Beast Claw Build
The Bloody Beast Claw Build is all about utilizing Occult Infusion to maximize bleed buildup. By increasing the bleed buildup rate significantly, this build allows for relentless, rapid attacks that will cause enemies to flinch and stagger from the sheer frequency of bleed triggers. This build is straightforward and highly effective, especially in boss fights where rapid attack speed is essential for maximizing bleed damage.

Gear Setup:
Right Hand: Occult Beast Claw (boosted for bleed scaling)
Left Hand: Sacrificial Axe (for utility and additional damage)
Head: Horned Warrior Helm
Armor: Horned Warrior Armor (for poise and physical defense)
Hands: Lionel’s Gauntlets
Boots: Horned Warrior Greaves
Wondrous Physick:
Thorny Cracked Tear (boosts damage output)
Greenburst Crystal Tear (increases stamina regeneration)
Talismans:
Two-headed Turtle Talisman (boosts stamina recovery)
Lord of Blood’s Exultation (boosts attack when bleeding occurs)
Crusade Insignia (enhances overall damage output)
Shard of Alexander (increases skill damage)
How This Build Works:
The key to this build is using the Beast Claw's incredibly fast attack speed to maintain pressure on enemies. With the Occult Infusion on the Beast Claw, you double down on bleed buildup, which allows you to inflict bleeding much more frequently than other builds.

Pairing this with the Lord of Blood’s Exultation talisman will boost your attack power whenever an enemy is inflicted with bleed, making it easier to deal devastating damage. The Sacrificial Axe in your left hand can help with both closing distances and reducing costs for weapon skill usage, keeping you mobile and able to maintain pressure.

This build shines when you're up close and personal with enemies, dodging and attacking to trigger bleed and build pressure. The Thorny Cracked Tear helps increase your overall damage, while the Greenburst Crystal Tear ensures you have the stamina to keep attacking without running out of breath.

3. Best Strength-Based Beast Claw Build with Red Bear’s Claw
The Strength-Based Beast Claw Build incorporates the Red Bear’s Claw, making it an excellent option for players who prefer a more strength-focused approach. This build maximizes bleed damage with the help of Bloodflame Blade and Red Bear’s Claw, ensuring that your rapid attacks continue to deal massive damage. The Red Bear’s Claw is a perfect complement to the Beast Claw as it provides a much stronger scaling on strength, allowing you to take advantage of both strength and bleed mechanics.

Gear Setup:
Right Hand: Red Bear’s Claw
Left Hand: Beast Claw (for bleed application)
Head: Pelt of Ralva
Armor: Rakshasa Armor
Hands: Gaius’s Gauntlets
Boots: Gaius’s Greaves
Wondrous Physick:
Opaline Hardtear (increases damage resistance)
Thorny Cracked Tear (boosts overall damage)
Talismans:
Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman (boosts physical damage negation)
Shard of Alexander (enhances skill damage)
Rotten Winged Sword Insignia (boosts successive attack damage)
Godskin Swaddling Cloth (extends the duration of debuffs)
How This Build Works:
This build utilizes both the Red Bear’s Claw and the Beast Claw to provide flexibility in different combat scenarios. The Red Bear’s Claw scales excellently with strength, making it a powerful weapon for a more tanky, damage-dealing approach, while the Beast Claw excels at applying bleed through rapid attacks.

The Bloodflame Blade skill applies bleed to both claws, ensuring that the target will continue to take damage as they bleed out. The Red Bear’s Claw is perfect for dealing with tougher enemies or enemies resistant to bleed. For bleed-resistant bosses or foes, the Red Bear’s Claw’s weapon skill can finish the fight by dealing raw damage without relying on bleed buildup.

By focusing on strength scaling, poise management, and the dual-claw setup, this build can apply bleed early in the fight and finish off enemies with raw damage from the Red Bear’s Claw when needed.

Conclusion
The Beast Claw builds in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC offer a variety of playstyles, from frostbite-infused damage to rapid bleed buildup and strength-based tanky damage. Whether you prefer mobility, bleed damage, or raw strength, these builds provide players with powerful tools to take on Elden Ring’s most formidable challenges. By experimenting with the right gear, talismans, and Wondrous Physick, you can fine-tune these builds to suit your personal playstyle, making the Elden Ring Items buy Beast Claws an indispensable weapon in your arsenal.