A horizontal range claw attack whose cooldown is inversely tied to missing HP — the more health the player has lost, the shorter the cooldown between attacks. This is the mechanical inverse of Kick's full-HP damage bonus: where Kick rewards health preservation, Metal Claw rewards low health states. Deliberately sustaining near-empty HP turns Metal Claw into a high-frequency melee weapon.

The horizontal attack arc covers enemies to the left and right of the player simultaneously, providing wide lateral coverage without directional management. The risk-reward structure of low-HP sustain benefits from Weapon Power-Up's Revival +1 — the revival safety net allows playing at dangerous health levels without the run ending on a single miscalculation. Parmigiano regen creates a "rolling low-HP" loop where health can be partially recovered and spent down again to maintain the cooldown reduction window.

Max Metal Claw (Lv 8), carry Weapon Power-Up, and open an elite-drop chest after 10:00 to evolve. The post-evolution weapon name is currently unconfirmed.

• Missing HP directly reduces cooldown — low health is the DPS multiplier, not a liability
• Horizontal attack arc covers enemies from both sides simultaneously without requiring directional planning
• Weapon Power-Up's Revival +1 mitigates the death risk inherent in the low-HP playstyle
• Colonel Bahamut DLC character likely has native synergies with the damage-at-low-HP mechanic

• Evolution destination currently unknown
• Requires DLC ownership and 15-minute survival with a specific DLC character to unlock
• Deliberately maintaining low HP is mechanically demanding and carries continuous death risk
• Full effectiveness requires accepting and managing a near-lethal health state

• Colonel Bahamut: the unlock character; likely has native synergies with the low-HP cooldown mechanic
• High-HP characters: larger health pools allow sustained low-HP relative positions with more buffer above death
• Imelda: +10% Growth levels Metal Claw faster for earlier evolution timing

• Weapon Power-Up: mandatory for evolution; Revival +1 reduces death risk from the low-HP playstyle (top priority)
• Parmigiano: HP regen enables a "rolling low-HP" loop — recover partially then deplete again to maintain the cooldown reduction window
• Spinach: +10% Might raises damage per claw strike across the high-frequency attack cycle
• Armor: damage reduction per hit slows HP drain, giving more time at the low-HP sweet spot before falling to dangerous levels

• IX Divine Bloodline: crit compounding on the high-frequency claw strikes raises total DPS significantly
• VI Sarabande of Healing: healing compounding may offset some HP drain while preserving the low-HP window

• Early (0–10 min): Level Metal Claw and secure Weapon Power-Up for Revival +1 first — the low-HP strategy requires a safety net before it can be executed reliably. Add Parmigiano to establish the HP management loop.
• Mid (10–20 min): Carry Weapon Power-Up and push to Lv8 for evolution. Begin deliberately maintaining the 20–30% HP range — at this level, cooldown reduction is substantial and attack frequency rises noticeably. The horizontal arc clears left-right enemy formations rapidly at this rate.
• Late (20+ min): At near-empty HP with established Revival and regen, Metal Claw fires at maximum frequency continuously. The horizontal arc clears enemy clusters rapidly. Position inside enemy groups and let regen and revival maintain the low-HP window through sustained combat.

Q: How do I unlock Metal Claw?
A: Survive 15 minutes using the Colonel Bahamut DLC character. DLC ownership and unlocking the character as playable are prerequisites.

Q: Isn't playing at low HP too risky?
A: The risk is real — which is why Weapon Power-Up's Revival +1 is the mandatory first passive. With Revival as a safety net and Parmigiano providing regen, the rolling-low-HP approach becomes manageable. The key is maintaining the low-HP window without crossing into instant-death territory.

Q: How much cooldown reduction does missing HP actually give?
A: The reduction scales with the amount of HP missing relative to maximum. Near-full health provides minimal reduction; near-death health provides maximum reduction. The optimal sustained position is the lowest HP level that can be maintained without dying, which requires balancing regen input against damage intake.