Cleaver (Enemy)

This article is about the enemy. For the deployable skill, see Cleaver (Skill).

Cleavers are large enemies found in the Forgotten Sepulcher and the Morass of the Banished. They are slow, but have a lot of health and deal great damage.

Behavior

The Cleaver's only behavior is it will throw its axe at the player when aggroed. It will not attack again until the axe has returned to the Cleaver (or its equivalent time if the Cleaver was moved or disabled).

Moveset

Axe throw

Description: Tosses an axe that boomerangs back to the Cleaver.
Can be blocked, parried, and dodge rolled.
This attack also has a melee component that hits at close range when throwing the axe.
The axe can hit multiple times.
The axe will stop at a wall while it's going forward, then return as usual.
The axe disappears when it returns to the Cleaver or it hits a wall on its way back.
The Cleaver cannot "catch" the axe if it is frozen or stunned, causing it to go behind them.

Strategy

Cleavers are predictable but tanky enemies. They have only one attack, but it's dangerous and persists a long time. The axe has a large hitbox, long reach, and can hit multiple times. Do not be against a wall while an axe is hurtling towards you or it will spell certain death if you get hit.
The Cleaver is completely vulnerable from the rear. If you're close to the Cleaver, roll behind it before it throws the axe. If you're too far, roll through or jump over the axe first then jump or roll behind the Cleaver. Don't roll into the Cleaver too early or you might get hit by its melee attack.
Watch out for the axe when it comes back. If the Cleaver is stunned or frozen, the axe will continue its trajectory. Remember to jump over or dodge it.

Notes

Previously named Meat Grinder.
- Despite both the Cleaver enemy and the Cleaver skill sharing the same name, even sharing the name Meat Grinder prior to both being changed to Cleaver, this enemy does not drop the blueprint for said skill.
Cleavers were formerly found in the Stilt Village, then called Fog Fjord.
Before v1.7, aka the Bad Seed DLC, Cleavers could only be found exclusively in Forgotten Sepulcher. This marks it as the second enemy to lose biome exclusivity, with the first being the Slammer.
- However, if the player does not install the Bad Seed DLC, this enemy would still technically count as exclusive, as it doesn't spawn anywhere else.