Soldier's Claymore
The Soldier's Claymore is a lightweight two-handed metal weapon in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, valued for its accessible handling and decent durability.
Key Takeaways
Two-handed soldier weapon
The Soldier's Claymore is a metal, two-handed melee weapon designed for Hyrule's soldiers, with decent quality and durability rather than a unique named combat effect.
Lower-stamina charged attacks
Its easy-to-wield design reduces stamina consumption during charge attacks, making sustained charged swings its clearest mechanical distinction.
Metal handling trade-off
Because it is metal, the claymore conducts electricity and can attract lightning during thunderstorms; it also sinks in water and does not burn in fire.
Several intended acquisition routes
Soldier's Claymores can be found at locations including Hyrule Castle, the Coliseum Ruins, and the Royal Hidden Passage, and may also appear through compatible amiibo scans.
Useful for statue-related side quests
The weapon can be required for side quests involving statues, so keeping or replacing one may matter beyond combat.
Overview
The Soldier's Claymore is a two-handed metal melee weapon in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, built as a practical heavy sword for Hyrule's soldiers.
Its defining advantage is handling rather than a unique attack effect: the weapon is comparatively easy to wield, reducing stamina use during charged attacks. That makes it a useful conventional option for players who want heavy-weapon attacks without committing as much stamina to charge attacks.
As metal equipment, it conducts electricity and can attract lightning during thunderstorms. It also sinks in water and does not burn when exposed to fire, so its material properties matter outside direct combat.
The claymore appears as ordinary field equipment rather than a plot-critical weapon. It can be encountered in locations such as Hyrule Castle, Coliseum Ruins, and the Royal Hidden Passage, and it may also be relevant to statue-related side quests.
It is a straightforward heavy-sword choice for the main game and is not a separate DLC weapon or a fused weapon variant. Its role is distinct from lighter one-handed weapons mainly through its two-handed use, charge-attack stamina behaviour, and metal interactions.
Statistics
Attack and durability are the game’s own published values, not a 0–100 scale. Taken from the project’s verified weapons database, not from generated text.
- Attack8
- Durability17
- ClassTwo-Handed
- TraitCharge Atk. Stamina Up
- ConditionDecayed
- Compendium#377
Figures verified against Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
Compared to similar melee weapons
| Weapon | Attack | Durability | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier's Claymore | 8 | 17 | Two-Handed |
| Gerudo Scimitar | 8 | 10 | One-Handed |
| Zonaite Longsword | 8 | 15 | Two-Handed |
| Mighty Zonaite Spear | 8 | 27 | Spear |
| Zora Longsword | 8 | 20 | Two-Handed |
Attack and durability are the game’s own published values. From Consolidated Game Weapons Database.
How to Obtain
- 01Search the Royal Hidden Passage, Coliseum Ruins, or Hyrule Castle for a Soldier's Claymore placed as an exploration pickup. The weapon is not tied to a vendor, boss, or named mission, and no DLC or NG+ access is required.
- 02As an alternative, scan compatible amiibo for a chance to receive the Soldier's Claymore. Amiibo rewards are random rather than guaranteed, so exploring the listed locations is the more direct acquisition route.
Mechanics and Handling
The Soldier's Claymore uses the standard two-handed claymore handling: its attacks commit Link to broad, sweeping swings rather than the quicker single-handed weapon patterns. Its heavier movement is useful for catching nearby enemies, but the commitment makes spacing and timing more important than with a one-handed sword.
Easy-to-wield charge attacks
Its distinctive handling trait is that charged attacks consume less stamina than they otherwise would. This matters most when holding the attack to perform the claymore's spinning charge sequence, allowing more sustained use of that attack before Link must recover stamina. The trait reduces stamina demand; it does not remove the charge attack's timing or positioning requirements.
Metal behaviour and Fuse interactions
As a metal weapon, the Soldier's Claymore conducts electricity and can attract lightning during thunderstorms. It also sinks when dropped in water and does not burn when exposed to fire. Fusing a material can add that material's damage or effect and increases the weapon's durability, but the result depends on the chosen Fuse material rather than on a unique claymore-only attack.
Upgrades and Variants
Strengths, Weaknesses and Best Uses
Strengths
- Its easy-to-wield design reduces stamina consumption during charged attacks, making sustained spin or other charge-based offense less demanding than with many heavy weapons.
- As a two-handed claymore, it provides a dedicated heavy-weapon moveset while retaining the practical durability described for the weapon.
Weaknesses
- Using it occupies both hands, so Link cannot simultaneously use a shield for blocking or shield-based utility.
- Its metal construction conducts electricity and can attract lightning during thunderstorms.
- It sinks in water and does not burn, which can be a liability when environmental interactions matter.
Best uses
- Charge-attack-focused melee play where reduced stamina consumption helps maintain pressure.
- General two-handed combat when a durable metal weapon is preferred over a lighter one-handed option.
- Situations where shield use is unnecessary and the weapon's metal construction does not create an electrical or water-related hazard.
Compared With Similar Weapons
| Weapon | Shared role | Distinctive property | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soldier's Claymore | Easy to Handle: charged attacks consume less stamina | You want a manageable claymore for repeated charge attacks and general use | — |
| Knight's Claymore | Desperate Strength rewards fighting at very low hearts | Your combat setup intentionally uses the low-health condition | — |
| Royal Claymore | Improved Flurry Rush enhances its flurry-rush role | You rely on perfect dodges and flurry-rush openings rather than charge attacks | — |
| Royal Guard's Claymore | Breaking Point increases its threat as durability nears depletion | You can exploit its near-breaking state for high-risk finishing attacks | — |
Lore and Design
The Soldier’s Claymore is presented as a practical weapon designed for Hyrule’s soldiers rather than as a named relic or character-linked armament. Its description emphasizes a balance of light handling, decent quality, and durability, giving it the identity of dependable standard military equipment. No documented story relationship, unique historical episode, developer commentary, or real-world design attribution is established for this weapon.
Trivia
- As a metal weapon, the Soldier's Claymore conducts electricity and can attract lightning during thunderstorms. It also sinks when dropped in water and does not burn when exposed to fire.
- The weapon's description identifies it as a lightweight military design, an unusual distinction for a two-handed claymore and one associated with reduced stamina use during charged attacks.