Whats so bad about the hook claw?

[Reac]

I've seen a lot of complaints about the hook claw before Iceborne released and really ,what is so bad about it? Maybe it's because I'm a hammer main and the issues dont show? I love the mobility and utility of the thing and the fact that you can use it to dodge some attacks (specifically the Glavenus, if you stick quickly to their sides or face ,none of their tail attacks every hit you) and I love the fact that some weapon combos lead into a hook claw combo (for hammer that is the aerials and double charge uppercut). Most of the complaints ive seen back then were also diffused by saying that "Its optional" which I 100% agree with (though it sure helps a lot for me to be able to hit some resistant faces well with my hammer).
So ,are there actually rational reasons to hate the thing?
Edit: I forgot to mention that its a blessing that with the hook claw you can actually reach flying monsters, flash pods always felt cheap ,Im glad they nerfed them (though that opinion might be controversial)

[Foogley]

Originally posted by Compa Desu:

because it's a trash mechanic to fool the player
try hooking on the black diablo and got shook off, say good bye to 25% of your HP and i was having health boost Lv3 + 50 food

do no use this crap on MR

Open Low/High Rank optional quests, go to 1 star, finish the clutch claw tutorial.

[JebKerman]

Originally posted by Floridian281:

They all get these moments where they sit still begging for a clutch, but I'm not sure if you can wallbang them if they're enraged.

You can't. If they're enraged either take it as a free soften or treat it like any other opening.

Btw, the clutch claw 'slaps' you'd normally use to turn the monster also partially soften the part. Though It's not super efficient, but can probably be done in shorter openings. Takes 1 light attack + 3 slaps to soften a part this way

[General Jelly Jiggler]

There are complaints because people don't like change. That's literally it. There's always a small sub community in MH that rejects anything new handed to them because they just want to do the same thing on repeat.

The Claw is fine. It gives slinger ammo more to do in fights.

[Vahnkiljoy]

It's because people can't stand hunts that apparently last longer than 5 minutes it seems, take your time, learn the monsters moves, learn when its best to go for that wall bang/wound/ammo drop, it's not that difficult.

[Washing Machine]

I don't see the problem. They toned down a lot of other CC and MR monsters feel way more active compared to pre-IB. I haven't used it much anyway, just realized today it's meant to be used during the drooling flinch.

[Faust Wither]

i can't imagine smooth hunt without it in master rank now, i think it very usefull.

[Blackdark]

Originally posted by Washing Machine:

I don't see the problem. They toned down a lot of other CC and MR monsters feel way more active compared to pre-IB. I haven't used it much anyway, just realized today it's meant to be used during the drooling flinch.

Really? I didn't know that. Honestly I don't really clutch claw too often and I've been getting along just fine, but I've mostly just been applying it when I counter with my Lance.

I think its mostly the MAX DPS ONLY crowd thats upset that an extra step has been added to reach OPTIMAL MAX DPS. It's the the same crowd that screams "It's not viable because it's not optimal."

People get weirdly competitive about cooperative games.

[DaBa]

TL/DR: People don't like change. They judge a mechanic based on it's surface appearance, and without fully undersatanding it. Also, some people feel like they're being forced to use it in order to achieve MAX DEEEPS, but that's that's their personal problem, not an issue with the game.

They did the same thing when mounting and other mechanics were introduced, they were wrong every time.

[twiggy]

its not bad. you can use it solo to knock the monster into a wall for massive damage which knocks it down and you can do even more free damage to it.

[No' Name]

I've made a post about what I dislike about it. Nothing changed much from my post, but, I am getting more used to using the Clutch Claw now. I still don't use it to the full extent it can be used, but am now having a better understanding of how, and when to use it.

Like someone previously stated before, I think being one of the older players, and having played all the games in the series, I don't really enjoy quests that "Should not" be over 10 minutes, to be over 10 minutes, simply because in the back of my mind, I know certain monsters shouldn't take that long to kill, however, I can understand why these changes are happening now.

My biggest complaint with the Clutch Claw, is it feels like some battles are being dragged out now, due to the fact you're not able to flash monsters constantly out of the air. While yes Tempered/Arch Tempered monsters become immune to such effects after a while, you really only get to flash a flying monster such as a Legiana (Shrieking), Nightshade Palumou, or Rathalos every so often, and as mainly a Melee user, I end up having to chase the monsters around for far longer than the quest would actually take. It wouldn't be so bad, if you could use the Clutch Claw to knock monsters out of the air, but this can rarely happen to my understanding, as I've been told multiple times that the Claw can't be used to smash a monster into walls while they're enraged.

Beat Iceborne, and in end game content now, but the monsters that fly non-stop, I try to avoid as much as possible now, because it's just far too big of a chore to want to do them for fun, knowing I can go as prepared as I want to be, but forced to use a Clutch Claw as soon as the monsters take Flight, knowing it's going to take forever to bring them down to the ground without flashing them out of the sky.

I may still need to get better used to the Claw still, but, It would be better (if it's not already a thing I don't know about), to clip, and or weaken the wings of monsters so they can't fly as long as they do, or become tired out quicker while flying. That would greatly increase the usage of the Clutch Claw against flying enemies, VS using flashes, as I would be more tempted to aim for the wings, opposed to spam flashing.

My opinion of course.

[cruste]

the precision of the claw annoys me, you aim for the head, claw hits the head and you end on the wings....

same stuff happens when you aim for a wing of a knocked out monster

[AnemoneMeer]

It's finnicky in terms of its accuracy because of how it determines what you latch onto.

You don't hit what you aim at, you hit the first monster part you collide with. If you shoot the head and hit the wing, you're on the wing now.

-------------------------

People are honestly pretty dumb about it. You don't need to soften all monsters all the time. That's actually a damage loss, not a damage gain unless you're running very specific setups, then yes, yes you do.

Clutch Claw softening increases the weakness of the area based on how durable the area was before you softened it up. If it's a sturdy part you're trying to break, clutch claw it first and soften it. If it's squishy soft goodness, you're probably better not bothering unless you're running weakness exploit 3 and need that extra 20% affinity to hit 100% affinity with Master's Touch. While this is the top DPS setup, it's also an unholy pain in the neck to maintain and demands constant clawspam. Also that DPS is merely theoretical and other sets have more practical DPS unless you're basically a speedrunner.

It's particularly bad for people using lighter weapons like S&S, LS, LBG, or similar because it takes two passes to soften. Longsword actually gets it the worst because LS hits like 8 times and you had better believe the game is going to apply full sharpness damage to every hit. People with heavy weapons take longer to carry out the animation, but only need to do it once, so throw on rocksteady, grab the monster's head, and open it up.

Also, claw spamming gets you hit a lot, like, a LOT. Don't do it. Claw intelligently when you have an opening. One of the best times to shoot the claw is when the monster is going to do either a tail or a head attack that involves the creature spinning and you aren't currently in optimal smashing range. Aim for the part that isn't a hitbox, fire, and soften for free when otherwise you wouldn't have even been hitting it. Bonus points in that you're now right on top of the monster when you weren't before.

I uh... might be a little salty. Watching someone get horribly horribly murdered because of claw spam does that to a person.

[Vahnkiljoy]

There is one key factor people are forgetting about wounding parts, ALL wounded parts take a good chunk of wall bang damage so you can get multiple breaks if someone can keep the wounds up, to the poster that cried about flying monsters, they don't get immunity, they get resistance now, first flash will knock a flyer down, others not so much but they will be blinded, MOST flinch shots on a flyer will take it down and do good damage and help with breaks.

[Leoscar]

I have 2 minor problems with the claw. It's that with the auto targetting, you aim, for example, at the head but the travel time of the claw is so long you end up grabbing a wing or something because the monster moved.

There's also how inconsistant it can be. You're attached to a monster but some attacks will kick you from the monster for no reason when you can sometimes stay attached when you really shouldn't.
You can be kicked from a Diablos tail while it charges but can stay attached to a rolling Uragaan...

[NeoA]

because it's annoying af and doesn't make any senses for me when i try to clutch claw/wounded the tail while the monster charge forward and i took full damage like as if i'm standing right in front of it.