Updated on February 5, 10:02 a.m. (GMT+8): Improved relevancy.

There are few heroes in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang who can hang with Claude in terms of mobility and damage output. But the Master Thief, like all heroes in the Land of Dawn, is only as effective as the items you purchase for him.

That is why when playing as the marksman, you must purchase equipment that builds on what makes him lethal on the battlefield — his Basic Attacks.

GET AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION WITH OUR COLLECTION OF MLBB GUIDES
Full list of Mobile Legends hero guides, counters, best build, and advanced combos
Full list of Mobile Legends guides: Role guides, how to rank up, terms

There are pieces of equipment that are indispensable to maximize his full potential. These core items provide significant boosts to his attack speed, amplify his basic attack damage, and grant him powerful on-hit effects.

This, combined with his unique skillset, will allow you to deal massive damage to enemies while staying relatively safe from harm.

These 3 core items make Claude a whirlwind of destruction in Mobile Legends

Demon Hunter Sword

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Attack equipment Demon Hunter Sword on Claude
Credit: ONE Esports

The Demon Hunter Sword is arguably your most critical item when playing Claude. This equipment increases your attack speed and provides you additional physical lifesteal, allowing you to partake in early fights and objective takes.

Likewise, the item also makes your Blazing Duet ultimate even more stingy, as the ability’s rate of fire and total damage is dependent on your Attack Speed.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MLBB ROLES WITH OUR COLLECTION OF GUIDES
What is a gold laner in Mobile Legends? Know how to be effective in this role
What is a mid laner in Mobile Legends? Learn how to be the best in this role
What is an EXP laner in Mobile Legends? Learn how to excel in this role
What is a jungler in Mobile Legends? Here’s how to impact the game in this role
What is a roamer in Mobile Legends? Learn the things to do and the best heroes for this role

But what makes it even truly attractive is the equipment’s unique passive, Devour, which gives you the ability to deal bonus damage equal to a certain percentage of your target’s current HP with each basic attack.

This means that even as a Gold laner you are faced with tanky EXP laners or Roamers, you are more than capable of melting their HP bars.

Start with the Demon Hunter Sword as your first core item to maximize your early-game damage output.

Golden Staff

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Attack equipment Golden Staff on Claude
Credit: ONE Esports

The Golden Staff is your next go-to item. It works well with the Demon Hunter Sword by allowing Basic Attacks to hit multiple times quickly, albeit with reduced damage per hit. It multiplies the on-hit effects from the Demon Hunter Sword, effectively raising your damage output.

Claude’s ability to steal attack speed from enemies benefits immensely from the Golden Staff. His passive skill, Battle Side-by-side, allows him to share a percentage of his attack speed with his mirror image, created using his second skill, Battle Mirror Image.

Mobile Legends Plunderous Pirate Claude wallpaper with a caption about counters
Credit: Moonton Games, ONE Esports
Mobile Legends Claude guide: Best build, skills, emblem by Cignal Ultra’s Hadess
The 3 best heroes to counter Claude in Mobile Legends

When equipped with the Golden Staff, this combination turns you into a veritable storm of bullets, boosting your attack output and maximizing your DPS.

If you’ve played Claude before, you will notice that your gameplay style will be noticeably different without the Golden Staff. You still possess high mobility and good damage output, but your potential to quickly eliminate enemies is significantly reduced.

MORE MLBB GUIDES
The 3 best heroes to counter Kaja in Mobile Legends
Mobile Legends Hylos guide: Best build, skills, emblem, combos
The 3 best heroes to counter Irithel in Mobile Legends
The 3 best heroes to counter Aulus in Mobile Legends
What is a jungler in Mobile Legends? Here’s how to impact the game in this role

Your basic attacks are singular and, although powerful, lack the rapid-fire onslaught enabled by the Golden Staff. This is why you should always have this in your core item build.

Corrosion Scythe

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Attack equipment Corossion Scythe on Claude
Credit: ONE Esports

The Corrosion Scythe is the final piece of your core item build. The item offers additional physical attack, a percentage boost in movement speed as well as percentage attack speed, providing a substantial boost to your offensive capabilities.

But it’s the unique passive ability – Corrosion – that sets this equipment apart. Every time your basic attack hits a target, it has a chance of reducing your target’s movement speed by a certain percentage for a duration. This effect can stack multiple times, making it a potent tool in your arsenal.

What is the Trinity build in Mobile Legends and why it’s so popular among marksman mains

The added physical attack from the Corrosion Scythe directly boosts your damage output, while the increased attack speed synergizes perfectly with your passive skill, Battle Side-by-side.

The Corrosion Scythe’s passive ability also proves invaluable in many situations. For instance, when chasing down an enemy hero, the reduced movement speed effect can prevent them from escaping, allowing you to secure the kill.

Alternatively, if you find yourself being pursued, you can use his basic attacks to slow your pursuers and make a swift getaway.

It’s best to purchase this item after acquiring the Demon Hunter Sword and Golden Staff, which will maximize your Claude’s attack speed and damage output. Once you have the Corrosion Scythe, aim to engage enemies in one-on-one fights where the scythe’s slowing effect can be fully utilized.

Follow ONE Esports on FacebookInstagram, and TikTok for MLBB esports news, guides, and updates.

READ MORE: Want to destroy enemies with Karrie? Make sure you have these 3 core items