should I be avoiding the clutch claw?

[aaronlg]

I started this game about a week ago, and based on various posts in this forum, I decided not to use the Defender armor and weapons. So far, I haven't been using the Clutch Claw either. In my most recent fight (Legiana) I got my first tutorial prompt to use it, but I just beat the monster without it.

In order to get the most out of the game, should I keep ignoring the Clutch Claw? I get that part of the criticism of Defender gear is that it's a "noob trap" because the unfair advantage disappears eventually. But more than that, I just don't want to ruin the game if it's so broken it's going to eliminate the challenge.

[LegacyXI]

It's fine to use the clutch claw as it can weaken parts of the monster, drop slinger ammo, and allow you to down them with a hit into walls/objects/monsters. Just know that you can enrage the monster by doing this.

[Qua2ar]

Use the claw to wound monster parts and use the claw weapon moves(some of them are really cool), try to avoid the flinch shots when possible, they take the fun out of most fights.
Weapons with cool claw moves:
Hammer, dual blades, sword and shield, lance

[LonesomeSparrow]

Well, the base game obviously wasn't balanced around it since it didn't exist back then but in Iceborne things look a little different. Using it to make monsters run into a wall and fall over is helpful, especially because monsters get a lot faster as you move on.
You do have to know how and when to use it tho, as some of the later monsters can seriously hurt you if you try using it at the wrong time.

So if you want the "true" experience (or whatever you wanna call it) you can just not use it as long as you are playing base game content.

[Bobucles]

For LR/HR, it doesn't really matter and the game is balanced without it. For MR, clutch claw is a staple of any fight.
There are a few major things to learn for the claw:
- When the minimap eye is yellow, you can flinch shot and wall bang them. EVERY class should be trying to wall bang monsters; the only exception is with extremely specific professional time attack builds that chain topple monsters.
- The agitator perk updates faster than the minimap icon and can reveal their status more quickly. You can flinch shot when the perk says so, even if the icon needs another few seconds to show it.
- Attaching to the face lets you slap them, this adds aggro and turns them 90 degrees. Slinger bursting into their face makes them run a bit, this is used for wall slams.
- When monsters recoil and start drooling, this is the claw stagger(clagger). It is the intended window for doing all your clutch claw actions. Attaching during the clagger will reset the timer and give enough time to line up and wall slam them.

Fast sheathe classes have a far easier time lining up monsters for wall bangs, so dual blades and such should be climbing all over monsters taking every wall bang they can get. Slow sheathe classes have a much more difficult time, and if they're the only ones trying then your hunt isn't going very well. The lance has a specific claw counter that can wall bang where no one else can, but the chance of lining it all up isn't that common.

[Rhyagelle]

I try to avoid using it myself, makes things way too easy, but in the end it is entirely up to you.

[Lunacy]

If you're in iceborne content, the clutch claw is basically mandatory to do damage and proc certain bonus effects.

[Hammer Of Evil]

for two reasons you should use it

1- smash monster into wall whenever its in yellow eye phase, to score free damage and to force it into rage mode, and activate your rank 5 agitator skill
2- weaken monster damage resistance, which is substantial in the long term of the fight.

[twiggy]

Originally posted by Hammer Of Evil:

for two reasons you should use it

1- smash monster into wall whenever its in yellow eye phase, to score free damage and to force it into rage mode, and activate your rank 5 agitator skill
2- weaken monster damage resistance, which is substantial in the long term of the fight.

bruh a new player isnt gonna have agitator and activating rage mode is just gonna cause problems for them cause the monster is gonna be going crazy and the new player is gonna struggle to keep up

[Bobucles]

A single point of agitator is a great QoL because it shows when monsters can be hit with a flinch shot. In single player the choice of fighting normal or fighting enrage is mostly a preference that changes between classes. Wall bang damage scales in multiplayer, so everyone should be aiming to score those.

[Feto]

Do not use it on Low Rank and High Rank. The base game didn't have it, so it breaks the 'balance'.
Use it on Master Rank.

[Hammer Of Evil]

Originally posted by twiggy:

Originally posted by Hammer Of Evil:

for two reasons you should use it

1- smash monster into wall whenever its in yellow eye phase, to score free damage and to force it into rage mode, and activate your rank 5 agitator skill
2- weaken monster damage resistance, which is substantial in the long term of the fight.

bruh a new player isnt gonna have agitator and activating rage mode is just gonna cause problems for them cause the monster is gonna be going crazy and the new player is gonna struggle to keep up

hey man thats the only justification i have for using it.

when he gets to ib, good chance he's got a few agitator ranks from decorations, and its an agitator friendly use - as most builds use that thing.

as for the unlimited rage mode, go talk to capcom i didnt design it, i just hit the monsters.

i actually hate the claw, its just more busywork given to an already overloaded player. worst thing since capcom decided to do their in-house drm

[Lochlann]

You can get by without the claw but you'll be making life harder for yourself (probably). Might be a good idea to at least get a feel for it now. Personally I'm still iffy on tenderizing but the wall slam is great idk why I never used it before lol

[.REEYAN.]

Originally posted by aaronlg:

I started this game about a week ago, and based on various posts in this forum, I decided not to use the Defender armor and weapons. So far, I haven't been using the Clutch Claw either. In my most recent fight (Legiana) I got my first tutorial prompt to use it, but I just beat the monster without it.

In order to get the most out of the game, should I keep ignoring the Clutch Claw? I get that part of the criticism of Defender gear is that it's a "noob trap" because the unfair advantage disappears eventually. But more than that, I just don't want to ruin the game if it's so broken it's going to eliminate the challenge.

just use it, why you so concern? its your game

[ChisaiiNeko]

You can do all content without it. MR hunts will just increase in time by maybe 5 minutes. Not a big deal honestly.

As for bonus effects, only a few monsters will need to be tenderized for that. For the most part, just break the part to gimp the damage and reach or disable the move altogether.

In basegame, usage of it for HR will not upset the balance that much and gives you some practice in it's usage in preparation for Iceborne. Don't not use it if you like it. In LR, the advantage is more profound but almost anything in LR dies quickly so there's that.

My thoughts? Use it if you want to and enjoy it. The "purist" and "mandatory in IB" crowd are some odd types that assume you will have a bunch of other things and specific builds.

Basically, you paid for all that content, play it as you want to and have fun. Don't let people tell you how to have fun unless it's about the Defender gear (armor and weapons) as that one actually actively teaches you bad habits in LR where it is OP but not so much HR where you get wrecked hard wearing it without at least some developed player skills.

Def Armor is a noob trap but only for LR as it lets you not bother with avoiding attacks and such. It's not that good in HR as it wears off there. If you really have issues dealing with one specific monster in LR and are unable to learn the moveset and tells (it happens. people will have issues with specific monsters), you can use the armor to not cart to it or dance with it until you finally figure it out and no longer need the armor. There is no shame in it's usage.

Don't use the Defender weapons though especially the ranged ones. The melee ones are too strong for both LR and HR as lots of monsters are affected by blast and the weapon itself has high raw stats. The ranged ones have more raw power but lacks shot/coating options and is generally unfun in comparison the other ones.

[DaBa]

Originally posted by Lunacy:

If you're in iceborne content, the clutch claw is basically mandatory to do damage and proc certain bonus effects.

It's so mandatory I beat the entire game solo without using it once :D So did others. Not as a challenge run or anything, I just didn't like it and didn't care to use it. Just like with mantles in the base game.