The Claymore is a beast. It hits harder than any other blade in Valor Mortis, and if you build it right, you can stay in enemies’ faces while healing yourself on every swing. But it takes commitment — no parrying, no sidearm, and no flask healing once you go all in.
This guide covers the best Claymore build in Valor Mortis — the right stats, the Ambers you need, the upgrades to take, and how to actually use it in fights.
Key Takeaways
- The Claymore is a two-handed weapon — no gun or Transmutation in your off-hand
- Best build focuses on Fire damage, Ignite, and healing through melee hits
- Butcher’s Carnage is the core Amber — it lets you heal on every melee hit but removes flask healing
- Top stats to level: Maximum Health, Melee Damage, Healing Effectiveness
- Best upgrade path: Rampage (L2) → Bulwark or Willpower (L5) → Flesh Wound (L8) → Bloodlust (L10)
- Flaming Whetstone helps apply Ignite to enemies that resist Fire
What Makes the Claymore So Good?
The Claymore starts at 50 damage per hit at level 1 and climbs all the way to 100 at level 10. That makes it the highest-damage blade in the entire game. It also deals 15 posture damage with every swing, which adds up fast when you stay aggressive.
The trade-off is that you give up your secondary weapon slot entirely. No pistol, no musket, no Transmutation in your hand. The Claymore compensates by having its own built-in elemental shot — tap the skill button for a Burning Wave, hold it for a Wave of Stasis. This build leans on Fire, so the Burning Wave is your main elemental tool.
Want to see how the Claymore compares to other weapons? Check out the Valor Mortis all swords and guns weapons list for a full breakdown.
Best Stats for the Claymore Build
Because you’re fighting at close range and giving up flask healing, survivability comes first. Here’s the stat priority order for this build:
- Maximum Health — Your most important stat. More health means more room to breathe, especially since Butcher’s Carnage cuts you off from flask heals.
- Nephtoglobin Sufferance — Helps you handle the risks of Nephtoglobin effects, which tie into your melee Transmutation attacks.
- Maximum Endurance — The Claymore burns through Endurance fast. You need plenty to keep swinging, blocking, and dodging without running dry mid-fight.
- Blocking — Since you can’t parry with the Claymore, your block has to work harder. This stat makes it more reliable.
- Melee Damage — Increases the raw damage of every Claymore swing.
- Melee Endurance Cost — Reduces how much Endurance each attack uses. Combine this with Maximum Endurance and you can sustain much longer attack chains.
- Status Buildup — Faster Ignite buildup on enemies. Since Ignite is the backbone of this build’s damage loop, this matters.
- Transmutation Damage — Boosts the Fire Transmutation wave attached to your Claymore.
- Healing Effectiveness — Makes every healing tick from Butcher’s Carnage restore more Health.
If you’re not sure which stats to invest in first, see our guide on Valor Mortis best stats to level first.
Best Ambers for the Claymore Build
Ambers are where this build really comes together. You have five Amber slots, and the right combination turns the Claymore into a self-sustaining aggression machine.
Butcher’s Carnage — Core Amber
Effect: Restores Health on every melee hit. Removes flask healing.
This is the reason the build works. Every Claymore swing heals you, which means as long as you keep attacking, you keep recovering. The catch is brutal — your Ferrofluid Flasks stop healing you entirely. This forces you to play aggressively and commit to fights rather than backing off to chug.
Butcher’s Carnage has 3 ranks. Find all three copies in The Battlefield (Field Encampment Lantern), Vale of Wrath (Ship Graveyard Lantern), and The Outskirts (Harbour Lantern).
Life Diverted — Second Healing Source
Effect: Heals you through Fire Transmutation damage.
Since Butcher’s Carnage locks your flasks, Life Diverted gives you a second healing avenue. Use the Claymore’s built-in Burning Wave or apply Ignite to an enemy, and you get health back through Fire damage too. It synergises directly with the Ignite loop this build runs.
Fire Breathing — Ignite on Dodge
Effect: Attacking while dodging triggers a burning explosion.
This is a strong gap-closer. Dodge into range and attack — the explosion fires off and starts building Ignite on nearby enemies. Even against enemies that don’t burn easily, Fire Breathing helps stack the effect when combined with your Burning Wave. Found in the Fortress, dropped by Remnants of the Iron Regiment (Main Gate Lantern).
Lunatic’s Grasp — Faster Status Buildup
Effect: Speeds up Ignite and Stasis buildup on enemies, at the cost of lowering your own resistance to those effects.
At rank 3, Lunatic’s Grasp gives you +50% Ignite buildup. That means enemies catch fire much faster, and you start benefitting from the increased melee damage bonus sooner. The resistance penalty is a real trade-off, so keep some Maximum Health on your side. Found in Caverns (Weeping Ledge), The Outskirts (Lighthouse), and University (Laboratories — trapped chest).
Payback — Emergency Counter
Effect: When your Health is low, taking a hit triggers a Stasis explosion.
This is your safety net. When you’re low on health and an enemy catches you, Payback fires off a Stasis burst that can stun nearby enemies and give you a moment to swing back and recover through Butcher’s Carnage. It’s a single rank Amber found in the University, dropped by Remnants of the Iron Regiment (Laboratories Lantern).
Best Claymore Upgrades
Upgrading the Claymore at James’s Iron Bench in the Abandoned Church is straightforward but you need to make smart choices. Here’s the full upgrade path and what each one does for this build:
Level 2: Rampage
Every attack you land builds Rampage. Spend Rampage to power up your next Heavy Attack (double damage and posture) or to reduce the cost of your next Nephtoglobin Transmutation. At level 10, Bloodlust makes spending Rampage restore Health too, giving you a third healing trigger alongside Butcher’s Carnage and Life Diverted.
Level 5: Bulwark or Willpower
You have to choose one:
- Bulwark — Reduces damage from projectiles and explosions while blocking. Recommended for this build since you’ve already given up flask healing. Any damage reduction helps.
- Willpower — Regenerates Endurance faster while holding block. Better if you find yourself running dry mid-fight.
Either works. Bulwark is the safer pick for newer players; Willpower rewards experienced players who block a lot.
Level 8: Flesh Wound
Reduces incoming damage while you’re actively attacking. This is huge for a build that wants to be swinging constantly. It essentially rewards you for committing to your offense instead of backing off — which fits the Claymore’s whole philosophy.
Level 10: Bloodlust
Restores Health every time you spend Rampage. Combined with Butcher’s Carnage (heals per hit) and Life Diverted (heals via Fire damage), Bloodlust gives you a third healing source and makes the build extremely self-sufficient at max upgrade.
Best Fire Transmutation Upgrades
Even though the Claymore takes your secondary weapon slot, you should still upgrade the Fire Transmutation because the Claymore can channel it directly through its built-in Burning Wave ability.
- First Fire Transmutation upgrade (Brittleness) — Enemies affected by Ignite take increased damage from Melee Attacks. This is the most important one. Get Ignite on a target, then swing away for significantly boosted damage.
- Last Fire Transmutation upgrade (Never-Ending Inferno) — Extends the duration of Ignite. This keeps the Brittleness damage bonus active for longer and reduces how often you need to reapply Ignite between swing chains.
These two upgrades are what elevate the Claymore from a heavy hitter to a fire-powered damage dealer.
How to Play the Claymore Build
The Claymore build rewards aggression, but it’s not a brain-dead rush strategy. Here’s the basic combat loop:
- Open with Fire — Tap your skill button to launch a Burning Wave, or dodge into range and attack to trigger Fire Breathing. This starts building Ignite on the enemy.
- Swing and build Rampage — Once Ignite is applied, your hits deal bonus damage thanks to Brittleness. Keep swinging to stack Rampage and heal through Butcher’s Carnage on each hit.
- Spend Rampage for Heavy Attacks — When Rampage is full, blow it on a Heavy Attack. At level 10 with Bloodlust, spending Rampage also heals you.
- Reapply Ignite as needed — Never-Ending Inferno extends the burn, but eventually you’ll need to refresh it. Use another Burning Wave or Fire Breathing dodge.
- Use Flaming Whetstones on tough enemies — Against bosses or Fire-resistant enemies, equip a Flaming Whetstone consumable to make your basic attacks apply Ignite regardless.
Since you can’t parry, your main defensive tool is blocking. Use it to absorb attacks you can’t dodge, then counter immediately with a swing to restore Health.
For a great pairing strategy, see our guides on the best stats to level first and how to farm Catalysts and level up fast.
How to Upgrade the Claymore — Materials Needed
To take the Claymore from level 1 to level 10, you need:
- 6× Crude Blade Material
- 6× Pure Blade Material
- 3× Distilled Blade Material
- 1× Quintessential Blade Material
All upgrades are done at James’s Iron Bench in the Abandoned Church. Weapon upgrades and character stat upgrades are completely separate systems — stats go through the Lanterns, weapons go through the Bench.
Claymore vs Saber — Which Should You Use?
This comes up a lot. Here’s the honest take:
- Claymore — Highest damage of any blade at every level (50 to 100). Built-in Burning and Stasis Wave. Rampage system. Great for players who like aggressive, punishing melee. Can’t parry.
- Saber — Lower max damage (20 to 60), but the steepest scaling in the game. Can both block and parry. Multiple self-sustain upgrades. Better all-rounder, especially in fights where parrying is key.
If you enjoy playing offensively and don’t mind being locked out of parrying, the Claymore is the stronger choice for pure melee damage. If you prefer a more balanced fight with parry options, the Saber has an edge.
Check out more weapon guides: Saber guide | Rapier guide
Where to Find the Claymore
The Claymore is found in a chapel in the Cursed Hollow area. It’s the last of the three swords you’ll come across in the game. Once you have it, take it straight to James’s Iron Bench at the Abandoned Church to start upgrading.
More Valor Mortis Guides
Looking for more help? Here are some related guides:
- Best Parry Build
- Best Pistol Build
- Tips and Tricks for Getting Started
- All Chapters List
- All Achievements and Trophy List
Ready to grab the game? Pick it up on Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Claymore build in Valor Mortis?
The best Claymore build uses Butcher’s Carnage and Life Diverted Ambers to heal through melee hits and Fire damage. Pair it with Fire Breathing and Lunatic’s Grasp to apply Ignite fast, then swing to trigger the Brittleness damage bonus. Upgrade toward Rampage, Bulwark, Flesh Wound, and Bloodlust.
Can the Claymore use a gun or Transmutation in Valor Mortis?
No. The Claymore is a two-handed weapon, so it locks out your secondary weapon slot. However, it has a built-in elemental attack — tap the skill button for a Burning Wave or hold it for a Wave of Stasis — so you’re not completely without ranged options.
Should I pick Bulwark or Willpower for the Claymore?
For most players, Bulwark is the better pick in this build. Since Butcher’s Carnage removes your flask healing, any damage reduction helps survivability. Willpower (faster Endurance regen while blocking) is solid too, but Bulwark is more forgiving.
What does Butcher’s Carnage do in Valor Mortis?
Butcher’s Carnage heals you on every melee hit. The catch is that it makes your Ferrofluid Flasks stop working as a heal. It has 3 ranks and is found in The Battlefield, Vale of Wrath, and The Outskirts.
Is the Claymore better than the Saber in Valor Mortis?
For pure melee damage, yes — the Claymore deals the most damage of any blade at every level. But the Saber can parry, has steeper scaling relative to the fight length, and is more versatile. It depends on your playstyle. Aggressive, close-range fighters will prefer the Claymore.
What is the max level for the Claymore in Valor Mortis?
The Claymore’s maximum level is 10. At level 10 it deals 100 damage per hit, up from 50 at level 1. Maxing it out requires specific Blade Materials and is done at James’s Iron Bench in the Abandoned Church.
Where do I upgrade the Claymore in Valor Mortis?
All weapon upgrades are handled at James’s Iron Bench in the Abandoned Church. Character stats are levelled separately through Lanterns using Catalysts.
