Like Battle Fury, Cleaving Blow is most useful for the extra damage bonus that Axe Strike does not provide; however, most players prefer Lord of Moria and other passives effects to build up damage bonuses and save deck space for straight strength pumps, such as Their Halls of Stone or Best Company.

Cleaving Blow becomes almost entirely redundant by the Reflections expansion, where damage bonus artifact rings and powerful strength pumps like Battle Tested and Honed become available to the stable of skirmish events.