In Elden Ring, weapon choice can dramatically affect your playstyle, effectiveness in combat, and overall experience. Among the many Colossal and Curved Greatswords available, two of the most frequently compared are the Omen Cleaver and the Bloodhound’s Fang. These two weapons offer high damage, unique movesets, and distinct scaling paths, making them favorites among players who enjoy heavy, aggressive melee builds. Whether you’re starting a new strength-based run or refining a dexterity hybrid build, understanding the differences between Omen Cleaver and Bloodhound Fang will help you determine which blade suits your combat style best.
Weapon Overview
Omen Cleaver
The Omen Cleaver is a Curved Greatsword wielded by the grotesque Omen enemies found throughout the Lands Between. It has a raw, brutal look and matches that with devastating slashing power. The weapon scales primarily with Strength, with decent Dexterity scaling, and offers flexibility thanks to its compatibility with Ashes of War.
- Weapon Type: Curved Greatsword
- Base Stats: High base physical damage
- Scaling: Strength (primary), Dexterity (secondary)
- Weight: Moderate-heavy
- Skill: Default is Spinning Slash (can be changed)
Bloodhound’s Fang
The Bloodhound Fang is a curved greatsword obtained early in the game by defeating the Bloodhound Knight Darriwil. It is notable for its high Dexterity scaling and unique weapon skill that combines powerful mobility with lethal damage. While not as customizable as the Omen Cleaver, it makes up for this with a built-in bleeding effect and powerful scaling as you upgrade it.
- Weapon Type: Curved Greatsword
- Base Stats: High physical damage with innate bleed
- Scaling: Dexterity (primary), Strength (secondary)
- Weight: Slightly lighter than Omen Cleaver
- Skill: Bloodhound’s Finesse (unique, cannot be changed)
Scaling and Build Synergy
Omen Cleaver Scaling
Omen Cleaver favors Strength-focused builds, but its Dexterity scaling is decent enough to make it viable in quality builds (where both Strength and Dexterity are balanced). When infused with heavy or keen Ashes of War, its scaling can be tailored to better suit your character’s attributes.
This makes the Omen Cleaver incredibly versatile. Want a pure Strength monster that can stagger bosses? Go heavy infusion. Prefer a bleed-infused weapon for Dexterity builds? Go with a keen + bleed combo. This adaptability makes it a top-tier weapon for late-game tweaking and PvP experiments.
Bloodhound’s Fang Scaling
Bloodhound Fang is built primarily for Dexterity-based characters. Its scaling improves significantly as you upgrade the weapon, and it remains one of the best choices for dex builds throughout the game. It cannot be infused with Ashes of War, meaning its scaling path is fixed, but the built-in bleed and weapon skill are so powerful that it rarely feels like a drawback.
Strength contributes to its damage, but the weapon truly shines in pure or hybrid Dexterity builds. It’s also a great option for those wanting a simple yet effective weapon without having to experiment with multiple infusions or stat rebalances.
Move Sets and Weapon Skills
Omen Cleaver Moveset
The Omen Cleaver uses the standard Curved Greatsword moveset, offering wide, horizontal sweeps ideal for dealing with groups of enemies. The strong attacks are slower but deal massive stagger damage, especially effective against larger enemies. When combined with a good Ash of War like Flaming Strike or Sword Dance, it becomes an incredibly potent boss-slaying tool.
Its weapon art can be customized, allowing players to fine-tune its combat use. Want a charged explosion? Use Flame of the Redmanes. Prefer mobility? Add Quickstep or Bloodhound’s Step. This flexibility is its main advantage over Bloodhound Fang.
Bloodhound’s Finesse
Bloodhound’s Fang features a unique skill called Bloodhound’s Finesse, which performs a quick upward slash followed by a powerful backward somersault. This not only deals solid damage but also grants great evasive utility, making it hard for enemies to retaliate. It’s one of the few weapon skills that seamlessly combines offense and defense in a single motion.
This skill is particularly deadly in PvP, where the mix of mobility and burst damage makes it difficult for other players to counter. In PvE, it allows you to pressure bosses while dodging large-area attacks without using stamina on a separate dodge roll.
Bleed Potential
Omen Cleaver and Bleed
While the Omen Cleaver doesn’t have innate bleed, it can be infused with bleed Ashes of War to become a formidable hemorrhage weapon. With high Dexterity and Arcane, players can turn this into a massive bleed machine especially useful for boss fights and enemies weak to hemorrhage effects.
Combining Seppuku or Bloodflame Blade with the Omen Cleaver unlocks its full bleed potential. Although it requires more setup than Bloodhound Fang, the results can be devastating when built correctly.
Bloodhound Fang and Bleed
Bloodhound’s Fang has a natural bleed effect, causing hemorrhage buildup on each hit. While it’s not as high as dedicated bleed weapons like Rivers of Blood or Reduvia, it stacks quickly due to its fast moveset for a heavy weapon. This makes it an excellent choice for players who want consistent bleed without sacrificing raw damage.
The passive bleed is a nice bonus, particularly in early to mid-game, and it continues to scale reasonably well into the endgame with the right stats and talismans.
PvP and PvE Viability
Omen Cleaver in PvP and PvE
Omen Cleaver performs excellently in both PvE and PvP when used with the right build. Its versatility means it can adapt to nearly any situation. The large sweeping attacks are great for crowd control in dungeons, and its high poise damage allows players to interrupt enemy combos and stagger bosses with ease.
In PvP, its slower swings can be punished, but with proper spacing and timing, it can dominate opponents, especially with bleed or fire builds. The ability to swap Ashes of War gives it an edge in unpredictability.
Bloodhound Fang in PvP and PvE
Bloodhound Fang is one of the most beginner-friendly and effective PvE weapons. It deals high burst damage, comes with bleed, and its unique weapon art provides both offense and evasion in one package. It’s commonly considered one of the best early-game weapons and holds up well into NG+ runs.
In PvP, the backward flip after the skill attack can be tricky to punish, giving the user a strong tactical advantage. However, because it’s a popular weapon, experienced players may anticipate its moveset more easily compared to more customizable options like the Omen Cleaver.
Final Comparison and Verdict
When comparing Omen Cleaver vs Bloodhound Fang, the decision ultimately comes down to build preference and playstyle. Each weapon has clear strengths and a few limitations:
- Choose Omen Cleaver if: You want full Ash of War customization, higher potential for bleed builds, or a strength/quality hybrid weapon that adapts to various roles.
- Choose Bloodhound Fang if: You prefer agility, fixed but powerful skills, and innate bleed for a straightforward Dexterity build.
Both weapons are excellent in the right hands. Omen Cleaver wins in terms of flexibility and late-game scaling potential, while Bloodhound Fang dominates early to mid-game with raw power and built-in utility. No matter which path you choose, each blade brings something deadly and memorable to the battlefield.