How to Get the Claymore in Dark Souls 3
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How to Get the Claymore in Dark Souls 3
Why the Claymore Is One of the Best Weapons
The Claymore is a Dark Souls series tradition — in every game it appears as an early, accessible greatsword that outperforms almost everything else available at its stage and remains competitive through the entire game. Dark Souls 3’s version is no exception. Picking it up on your first run through the High Wall of Lothric is one of the best early decisions you can make, regardless of your build. Even if you eventually switch to a more specialised weapon, a Claymore at +10 with the right infusion is a reliable fallback that handles every encounter in the game including the final boss without feeling underpowered.
FAQ
⚡ Quick Answer
How to Get the Claymore
The Claymore is found on the High Wall of Lothric — on a corpse on the bridge where the fire-breathing wyvern perches. Walk onto the bridge from the dragon side, hug the right wall to avoid the fire breath, and collect it from the body at the far end. It is available within the first 20 minutes of the game.
1
Reach the High Wall of Lothric. The Claymore is in the very first area of the game. From the High Wall of Lothric bonfire — the second bonfire after the tutorial — descend the tower and progress through the area until you reach the long bridge with the wyvern perched on the far end. You will see the dragon’s tail hanging over the bridge from a distance.
2
Navigate the dragon bridge safely. The wyvern breathes fire down the center of the bridge in a wide cone. To survive: hug the right wall of the bridge as you advance — the fire breath hits the center and left side but the right edge has a safe corridor. Sprint forward along the right wall without stopping. The fire has a delay before it activates so a fast sprint is safer than cautious walking.
3
Collect the Claymore from the corpse. Partway along the bridge on the right side, there is a corpse slumped against the wall holding the Claymore. Walk up to it and press the interact button to collect the weapon. The wyvern will continue to breathe fire periodically — collect it quickly and sprint back to cover or forward off the bridge.
4
Equip it immediately if you meet the requirements. The Claymore requires 16 Strength and 13 Dexterity — requirements most starting classes meet or come close to on Day 1. If you chose the Knight class you can wield it immediately. Level up Strength to 16 if needed — it is worth doing as early as possible.
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Excellent reach and damage for a greatsword: the Claymore sits in the greatsword category — longer reach and higher damage than straight swords but faster than ultra greatswords. It hits a sweet spot of range, speed, and damage that makes it one of the most versatile weapons in the game from start to finish.
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Best infusion — Refined or Heavy: for quality builds (40 Strength / 40 Dex) use Refined infusion — the Claymore achieves exceptional AR with balanced stats. For pure Strength builds use Heavy infusion. Both make it one of the highest-damage greatswords in the game at +10. Apply infusions via the whetstone knife at any bonfire.
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Two excellent movesets: the Claymore’s one-handed moveset has a fast horizontal sweep useful for crowds, while the two-handed moveset has a powerful thrust that reaches surprisingly far. The thrust is particularly effective in tight corridors and for catching rolling enemies in PvP.
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Two-hand for early game power: two-handing the Claymore boosts your effective Strength by 1.5x for damage purposes. With just 12 Strength you can two-hand wield it as if you had 18 Strength — making it usable by virtually every starting class immediately with minimal levelling investment.
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Upgrade with Titanite Shards: the Claymore uses standard Titanite upgrades — Titanite Shards and Large Shards are abundant throughout the game. Upgrade it to +3 as soon as possible using Shards from early enemies, then push to +10 once Large Shards become available in the mid-game. A +6 Claymore already outperforms most weapons found naturally at that point.
Where exactly is the Claymore on the High Wall of Lothric?
The Claymore is on a corpse on the right side of the bridge where the wyvern perches, halfway along the bridge. Hug the right wall to avoid the fire breath and collect it from the body against the wall. It is visible as you approach — look for the glowing item prompt on the corpse.
What stats do I need to use the Claymore in Dark Souls 3?
The Claymore requires 16 Strength and 13 Dexterity. Most starting classes are close to or meet these requirements from the start. Two-handing the Claymore reduces the effective Strength requirement to 11 — making it wieldable by every starting class immediately with no levelling needed if you use two hands.
Is the Claymore good in Dark Souls 3?
Yes — the Claymore is widely considered one of the best weapons in the game. It has excellent reach, good damage, a versatile moveset, and scales well with both Strength and Dexterity. At +10 with a Refined infusion and 40/40 stats it is one of the highest-damage greatswords in Dark Souls 3 and performs well in both PvE and PvP.
Can I kill the wyvern on the High Wall of Lothric?
Yes — the wyvern can be killed by shooting arrows at its neck from the tower above the bridge, or by attacking it while it lands on the lower bridge area later in the area. Killing it rewards a significant number of souls and permanently removes the fire hazard on the bridge, but is not required to collect the Claymore.