The claw thingy.

[Toffe]

How often am I supposed to use it? Which attack should I use when mounted?

Another thing, in wild swing what do you need to use the LT combo? Seems nothing happens when I press.

Sorry for being lazy, long time since I played this game. Also lost my save so I'm back to zero.

[FauxFurry]

There is an Optional Quest named Learning the Clutch that can teach you everything that you need to know about the Clutch Claw.

[JebKerman]

By "LT combo" do you mean the slinger burst? (I don't actually know controller bindings) If so, you'll need slinger ammo of some sort in your slinger beforehand.

[Toffe]

Originally posted by FauxFurry:

There is an Optional Quest named Learning the Clutch that can teach you everything that you need to know about the Clutch Claw.

Will check if I've gotten it. Just been doing main quests trying to get back my hunter rank.

Originally posted by JebKerman:

By "LT combo" do you mean the slinger burst? (I don't actually know controller bindings) If so, you'll need slinger ammo of some sort in your slinger beforehand.

True, now I feel stupid. I'll make sure to pick up some rocks or something from the beginning of a hunt.

[Faust Wither]

and try to not spam the claw, instead watch for chance to use it.

[Wicked]

If you punch 2 times and then use the burst to wallbang -> monster will enrage
If you punch 0 or 1 times and get a wallbang, while the damage doesn't surpass a certain limit, you can punch between 1 or 2 times more once it gets up and wallbang it again before it enrages.

Also, punching counts torwards tenderizing.

[Greb]

Depends on your weapon. I'm a Hammer user so I use it basically every 10 seconds. Honestly can't speak for other weapons, although the Lance likes to show off with theirs doing counters too, probably the coolest weapon to use it with.

Otherwise the only times I use it without it being attached to a combo is when the monster is not enraged so I can flinch it into a wall, or when someone has mounted it - I'll tenderise the tail and head while the mount is underway to prepare it for an asswhuppin when the mount finishes.

You can also use it to avoid certain attacks, I.E clutching Velkhanas face when she's doing her downwards breath attack, and if you're really clever you can clutch a monster like Glavenus while he prepares his big tail swipe, and then leap off and over the attack at the right moment.

There's also a strategy where you put on your Glider Mantle, clutch a monster, let go, trigger the aerial gust swoop thing and then proceed to perform an aerial attack, to spam aerials for damage or to get an easy mount.

Also some people use it on a sleeping monster because even if the monster is enraged, it won't be temporarily while asleep, so you can get easy flinch shots into walls doing that. Some people just put barrel bombs on its head and thwack it like me, other people like to shoot it into a wall...different strokes, I guess?

Some people combine the two and flinch them into a wall and a big pile of barrel bombs, too.

[mewlynx]

Use claw attacks it as often as you feel like you need. The primary uses for claw are just to tenderize parts you want to do more damage to and/or break, to flinch shot the monster into a wall, or to enrage the monster to activate Agitator. Some weapons have more incentive to use claw attacks than others (Greb mentioned hammer, Switchaxe can zero sum if your sword is charged, Glaive might choose to claw if they wanted to generate slinger ammo for their kinsect, etc).

Also, the only attack you CAN do when grappled is the standard "claw attack," you don't get to choose. "Light weapons" take two claw attacks to tenderize a part and generate slinger ammo with each attack while "heavy weapons" only need one but don't generate slinger ammo. There's a skill called "clutch claw boost" that basically combines both of these and allows either classification to reap the benefits of the other.

Slinger burst is a little different from claw. Most weapons will have some way to slinger burst, and usefulness varies. You'll need slinger ammo to do them, and the option activates under specific circumstances. For switch axe, you can do it during a wild swing for an emergency evade and after some of the axe attacks to instantly redirect your character and do a fast overhead chop.

[Toffe]

I mostly use GS/SA that's what I had as most played before I lost the save at least. Anyway, the claw is to flinch the monster into walls / other monsters (I guess?) and the one where you use your weapon is to weaken that part?

Still not sure I understand this whole flinching part but I'll get there. Thank you all for taking your time to write replies.

Edit: Got some good info out of this, I think I get it now. Claw is mostly to generate slinger ammo and slinger is for the flinching? :)

[Kawalorn]

Originally posted by Toffe:

Edit: Got some good info out of this, I think I get it now. Claw is mostly to generate slinger ammo and slinger is for the flinching? :)

Only light weapons generate ammo. Long Sword, Dual Blade, Light Bow Gun, Bow, Sword & Shield, Gun Lance and Insect Glave do that. Unless you get "Clutch Claw Boost" decoration.

You can usually get ammo for slinger easy enough, so IMO it's more about tenderizing body parts. You don't have to do it at all if you don't want to, but if there is a tough part that keeps getting in your way it's good to soften it.

[MelvinSmiley]

When you have agitator in your builds it becomes really important to manage the aggro phases of the monster. Besides, some monsters like fatalis and alatreon take more damage in agitator mode regardless (10% and 20% I think).
So when you see the monster icon on the minimap turn from red to yellow which means that it's not enraged anymore, just clutch its head, turn the monster 3 times and do the tenderize move to enrage him and activate agitator.
This will make the icon on the minimap turn red again. You see this technic in a lot of speerunner videos. Rocksteady and temporal mantle help obviously.

You can do wallbangs too of course but I just stopped bothering with this mechanic completely, too cumbersome.

[Faust Wither]

Originally posted by Toffe:

I mostly use GS/SA that's what I had as most played before I lost the save at least. Anyway, the claw is to flinch the monster into walls / other monsters (I guess?) and the one where you use your weapon is to weaken that part?

Still not sure I understand this whole flinching part but I'll get there. Thank you all for taking your time to write replies.

Edit: Got some good info out of this, I think I get it now. Claw is mostly to generate slinger ammo and slinger is for the flinching? :)

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2270079665

0:47 crash landing(wallbang like)
1:20 tenderize monster part
1:34 flinching (increase timer of exaust animation)

[River Victor]

When a monster just stands there, drooling, grab it and tenderize it with Clutch Claw. Grabbing it extends the drooling time so you will always wound it successfully, and also extends the time your team can attack it.

[Toffe]

Thank you all for your replies! Got some solid info out of this.