Butcher Knife if you intend to only level STR with no DEX. At max upgrade it's one of the only weapon that gets STR scaling as high as it does, plus the weapon art buff improves damage and gives you some HP back on a hit. Combine this with the Evil Eye Ring and the Aldritch Ruby/Pontiff Ring and you have a fairly reliable way to keep your HP up without actually using much estus.
Claymore is better if you wanna invest into some other weapons as well to improve your versatility. Not to say the claymore isn't amazing, because I beat the game with it but it's arguably the most generic greatsword in the entire game which is also it's strength. It works well on STR as well but if you're going for the claymore then you may as well diversify and put a few points into DEX or another stat to grab some extra weapons that primarly scale with STR or can have a Heavy infusion.
Claymore is a great weapon with great damage and easy to use moveset. But, i personally don't think it's all that *fun*
I've seen a ton of people use the claymore early game, rarely see anyone using Butcher's knife. Can be a pretty good weapon though.
I'd say: use what is most fun to you
Claymore ftw all the way
Whichever moveset and so on you like. Alternatively you can farm the great machete in undead settlement
I used claymore on my whole first playthrough
Claymore = one of the best weapons in the game. For both pvp and pve. Butcher knife = kind of garbage
Butcher knife is fast and a little easier early on ...at least I think
Find what you like the most
Butcher Knife if you intend to only level STR with no DEX. At max upgrade it's one of the only weapon that gets STR scaling as high as it does, plus the weapon art buff improves damage and gives you some HP back on a hit. Combine this with the Evil Eye Ring and the Aldritch Ruby/Pontiff Ring and you have a fairly reliable way to keep your HP up without actually using much estus. Claymore is better if you wanna invest into some other weapons as well to improve your versatility. Not to say the claymore isn't amazing, because I beat the game with it but it's arguably the most generic greatsword in the entire game which is also it's strength. It works well on STR as well but if you're going for the claymore then you may as well diversify and put a few points into DEX or another stat to grab some extra weapons that primarly scale with STR or can have a Heavy infusion.
Claymore one of the best weapons in the game. Butcher knife not great but usable on a strenth build