Best Fists And Claws In Dark Souls 3

Summary

• Fists & Claws in Dark Souls 3 have a limited selection, short range, and moderate speed, making them a niche choice.
• Despite this, they offer unique movesets, skills, and other advantages for specialized builds, especially in PvE.
• Some weapons, like the Crow Talons and Demon’s Fist, stand out with striking designs and powerful skills, making them deadly tools.

Unlike Greatswords, Fists and Claws are far from the most popular weapon choices in Dark Souls 3, as they feel a bit underwhelming compared to their counterparts in Dark Souls 2 or Elden Ring. In Dark Souls 3, Fists and Claws have the shortest melee range of all weapons, even lagging behind most daggers while offering similar attack speed and damage. As a result, these weapon types lack any significant advantages, making them a niche choice for most players. Additionally, the selection is quite limited, with only three Fists and three Claws available in the game.

That said, some Fists and Claws feature unique movesets and weapon skills, making them intriguing options for specialized character builds in Dark Souls 3, especially in PvE. Best suited for seasoned players looking for new ways to spice up their playstyle, Claws and Fists allow for an up-close-and-personal approach to bosses and elite enemy encounters, relying entirely on reflexes and precise dodging to survive. They also excel as parrying tools due to their fast parry frames, making it possible to play Dark Souls 3 with a combat style reminiscent of Bloodborne’s fast-paced action. With that in mind, let’s rank all Fist and Claw weapons in Dark Souls 3, breaking down their stats and unique advantages.

6

Claw

The default Claw weapon in Dark Souls 3 is far from bad — it’s just average. With a simplistic design and a solid, yet unremarkable moveset, it doesn’t particularly stand out. When two-handed, Claws are equipped in both hands, giving players a Wolverine-like appearance. With practice and proper use of the Leaping Slash weapon skill, Claws can be surprisingly effective, provided players account for their short attack range. As with all Claws, they also grant moderate Bleed buildup (30).

Activating Leaping Slash triggers a dynamic jumping attack, where the character flips over an opponent’s head. If timed correctly, this move counts as a headshot, inflicting heavy damage and significant Bleed buildup, making Claw a powerful but skill-dependent tool.

How to get the Claw:

One major drawback of the Claw is how late in the game it becomes available. Players can find this weapon in the optional Consumed King’s Garden area of Lothric Castle, beneath the central platform patrolled by Pus of Man enemies.

5

Manikin Claws

Trading Damage For Slightly Better Range

The Manikin Claws return from Dark Souls 2, retaining their distinctive curved design. While slightly weaker than their predecessor and one of the easiest weapons to miss in Dark Souls 3, the Manikin Claws still offer some unique perks. Like all Claws, they come with an innate Bleed buildup (30), allowing players to deal massive HP damage once the Bleed threshold is exceeded. Several bosses in Dark Souls 3 are vulnerable to Bleed, including Crystal Sage, Dancer of the Boreal Valley, and Lothric, Younger Prince, along with additional bosses from the DLC.

One of the Manikin Claws’ standout advantages is their superior range — the longest of all Claws in the game. However, this comes at the cost of lower damage output, making them the weakest in raw DPS. On the plus side, they feature the fan-favorite Quickstep skill, allowing players to swiftly maneuver around enemies and evade attacks with ease, similar to Bloodborne’s aggressive combat style.

How to get the Manikin Claws:

As mentioned earlier, the Manikin Claws are easy to miss. To obtain them, players must antagonize Yuria of Londor, the enigmatic NPC tied to the Usurpation of Fire questline. This can be achieved in several ways: killing the Pilgrim of Londor in the Church of Yorshka to save Anri of Astora, healing the Dark Sigil, or simply attacking Yuria of Londor upon meeting her. Once these conditions are met, the Manikin Claws can be obtained by defeating the Londor Pale Shade invader in Irithyll of The Boreal Valley, or the Dark Spirit Londor Pale Shade invader in Farron Keep.

4

Dark Hand

A Truly Unique Non-Upgradable Weapon With No Requirements

The Dark Hand is a one-of-a-kind Fist weapon in Dark Souls 3, capable of unleashing a unique Hollow combat art while doubling as a makeshift (albeit weak) shield. Unlike most Fist weapons, it cannot be two-handed — unless players equip one in each hand — and it occupies a middle ground between Pyromancy Flames, spell catalysts, and traditional Fist weapons.

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of the Dark Hand is that it cannot be upgraded and has no stat requirements, making it both overpowered in the early to mid-game and underwhelming later on, as upgraded weapons eventually surpass it in damage output. However, with one of the highest base damage values (alongside good Dark split damage), strong scaling, and the ability to be obtained shortly after defeating Vordt of the Boreal Valley, the Dark Hand is a viable choice for almost any character build. In the right hands, it can obliterate early to mid-game bosses such as Dancer of the Boreal Valley, Oceiros, the Consumed King, and even Champion Gundyr.

The Dark Hand’s weapon skill, Lifedrain, does exactly what its name suggests — stealing HP from enemies upon hit. However, this skill only works against human enemies, which significantly limits its usefulness in Dark Souls 3, dominated by undead and demonic foes.

How to get the Dark Hand:

Acquiring the Dark Hand is relatively straightforward: it can be purchased from Yuria of Londor at Firelink Shrine for 12,000 Souls.

3

Crow Talons

Beautiful And Deadly, With Effective Spinning Flurry Skill

Easily the best Claws in Dark Souls 3, the Crow Talons are both stunning and lethal, featuring five razor-sharp Claws that inflict heavy Bleed buildup with every slash. Exclusive to the Ashes of Ariandel DLC, these weapons are obtained relatively late in the game, but they stand out as one of the most enjoyable PvE weapons, especially effective against NPC invaders. The Crow Talons allow spamming their powerful skill, Raptor Flurry, which grants very high hyper armor to players while unleashing a slash sequence that deals massive damage.

Activating Raptor Flurry causes the player to spread both talons like wings before launching into a whirlwind of consecutive strikes. The skill is both stylish and devastating, making the Crow Talons an incredibly fun choice against both bosses and high-level DLC enemies. Combined with their aggressive and fluid moveset, these Claws could be very handy for those who enjoy an offensive playstyle.

How to get the Crow Talons:

To obtain the Crow Talons, players must progress through the Ashes of Ariandel DLC and reach Corvian Village. The weapon is located on the rooftop of one of the buildings, guarded by two fast, magic-wielding Corvians.

2

Caestus

Effective Multi-Purpose Tool

Simple yet highly effective, the Caestus is one of the most popular Fist weapons in Dark Souls 3, despite its unremarkable design — thick leather straps reinforced with iron rivets. While it can be dual-wielded, most players, especially in PvP, prefer to equip it in their off-hand due to its exceptionally fast parry frames and ultra-light weight of just 0.5 units. This makes the Caestus one of the best parrying tools in the game, offering a quick and reliable counter to incoming attacks.

Beyond its parrying prowess, the Caestus can be infused with Blessed or Simple infusions, providing passive HP or FP regeneration as a neat bonus to any combat build. Its weapon skill, Perseverance, is familiar and reliable, granting a temporary boost to poise and damage reduction, allowing players to withstand enemy attacks while countering with their own.

How to get the Caestus:

One of the Caestus’ greatest advantages is how easily and early it can be obtained. The weapon is looted from a corpse in the sewers of Undead Settlement, making it accessible within the first few hours of gameplay.

1

Demon’s Fist

Standout Fire-Covered Design With A Devastating And Fun Skill

The Demon’s Fist stands as the best weapon in the Fist and Claw category of Dark Souls 3, and not just for its spectacular, fire-covered design, burning with a fiery orange essence. Statistically, it outperforms every other weapon in its class, dealing additional Fire damage, making it a fantastic choice for Strength builds, but also viable for other builds due to its scaling. With some Strength investment, Pyromancers can also wield the Demon’s Fist as a strong melee option, complementing their fire-based attacks.

The real highlight of this weapon is its signature skill, Flame Whirlwind. Upon activation, the wielder spins through enemies with flaming Fists outstretched, staggering and dealing damage to all foes in range while benefiting from solid hyper armor. Following up with a strong attack mid-spin results in a ground slam, unleashing an AoE explosion that hits nearby enemies. This combination makes the Demon’s Fist an absolute powerhouse in both PvE and PvP, even despite its notable weight.

How to get the Demon’s Fist:

The Demon’s Fist is the only boss weapon in its category in Dark Souls 3, requiring players to defeat the optional Fire Demon in the secret area of Smouldering Lake, located in the Catacombs of Carthus. The Soul of a Demon obtained from the boss can be transposed into either the Demon’s Fist or the Demon’s Greataxe.