[MakeshiftWalrus]

Guys, guys. While it's a 10-star weapon. Remember that it's a very rare Boss Drop. It doesn't fall in everyone's hands and therefore it should have the effects. So, my opinion on this is

Boss 10-star items are much more common than people think. They're not difficult to get at all, they just require a slightly more impressive attention span than the average gerbil.

I disagree ENTIRELY with the STR buff passive. It makes it worth the work.
The knockback okay as it is.
Knockdown with a chance of 2+UL (26%) on critical is fine too, it makes it on par with someone like Moonlight Mercy which has an instant kill if feared at a chance of 24% (If nobody knew of that effect.)

12 free point in a single stat is never okay. A Sanctity Vampire literally do not have to spec for this weapon, they hit 40 scaled without putting a single point into strength. You might argue that other items give stats, too. Yes, this is true, but not halfway to the soft-cap in a singular stat.

Moonlight Mercy's effect doesn't work on players as far as I'm aware, unless this was changed. Hands of the Giant does.

But try removing or nerfing down the effects?

Knockback by 1 tile every 8 UL?
On Critical Hit: 2+UL% Chance to knockdown the target?

I could see this working.

Do you forget that HotG has low accuracy and critical base stats to begin with? It's hard to build it to hit good every time and most people just use it for autohits. That new effect listed isn't even worthy of being on a Boss Drop 10-star. Let's compare it with the Polearm Deadly Smile.

If Feared: Knock down the target on hit.

Kensei/Monk, which is the thing you typically run it with unless you're a fire mage or Boxer, evens out the issues you mentioned.
Let's do some numbers, shall we?

Base: 5 crit
Upgrades: +6
Insect Remains: +8
Knuckle part - Elongated: +8
Wrist part - Weighted: +10 crit +5% crit damage
Serpent Strike: Ki-based, but often +30
Attrait: +30
In total: 92, not factoring in any of the Kensei passives, which only further boost it.

Duelist also gets a silly amount of hit-stacking, making the accuracy of the weapon barely relevant at all.

I'll just leave it at that and hope people see light in my opinion.

Your suggestion is fine, but I hope an elaboration of the shenanigans you can run with it spreads a bit more clarity.