"A weighty weapon with slower movement and attacks, but each blow packs a powerful punch. Suitable for hit-and-run tactics or even guarding, the Great Sword is highly adaptable."
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Overview
Do you like heavy hits? How about big damage numbers? The Great Sword is a heavy weapon that is capable of devastating damage. Armed with the ability to stun, guard, and a big combo finishing move, no monster will survive your hulking mass of a weapon.
The Hammer is also similar to the Great Sword, dealing slower, more powerful hits. But while the Great Sword slashes through monsters, the Hammer looks to bonk monsters' heads to knock them out.
Still unsure of which Weapon to pick? Check out our breakdown of every Weapon to pick the right one for you.
This guide was written by JourneyFar.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Highest raw damage output with charged attacks:
- Each charged attack can do an extensive amount of damage alone but also can combo leading up to a combo finisher. These charge attacks do not just happen in the start but in the middle of the combo, too.
- Long reach:
- Regular attacks like the Charged Slash can reach enemies that are even airborne or reach in a wide arc around you with Wide Slash. This means that a hunter does not have to aim so much with their attack and just focus on where they are standing instead.
- All-around weapon type:
- A fast block that can be utilized in a pinch so long as you’re not locked in another attack animation. Has a stun move that can also act as a weak guard. Also, being able to expend a ton of damage, this weapon is capable of everything.
Weaknesses
- Slow in both movement and sheathing:
- When unsheathed, this weapon restricts your movements heavily. Even sheathing this weapon can cause a big opening so pay attention to where one is standing.
- Has to position well:
- Because of the slow movements, a hunter has to position themselves well enough to score a hit whilst dodging a monster’s own retaliation. This can cause many hunters to whiff their attacks. Waiting out and observing a monster’s attack patterns will help tremendously when wielding this weapon.
- Long attack animations:
- Every attack that a hunter has to make with this weapon is a commitment. It takes more seconds than every other weapon to complete its attack. So recklessly attacking is not a good tactic for this weapon because of the opening a hunter exposes themselves to.
Changes from Monster Hunter World
- With the inclusion of the new Focus Mode, doing damage on a broken body part will inflict more damage into the monster.
- Removed Slinger Burst Combo so now hunters cannot spam True Charged Slash as often and must go through an attack route more now.
Moveset Highlights
Most regular attacks can be charged when holding down the button.
Charged Slash (â–³; can be charged)
Slash downwards; proper charge timing is releasing the move button when the hunter pops and glows red.
Strong Charged Slash (â–³; can be charged) - Slash downwards
- True Charge Slash (After a Strong Charged Slash,â–³; can be charged) - Must have used a combo of slashes or tackles before and not much leeway to reposition; 2 damage instances resulting in one full body swing.
Tackle (in the middle of a combo, â—¯) - Shoulder tackle that can be used between slashes to reposition and stun a monster if hitting the head; quick animation.
Guard (R2) - braces against the blade to block an attack in front
Wide Slash (â—¯)
Arcing horizontal slash.
Tackle (in the middle of a combo, â—¯) - Shoulder tackle that can be used between slashes to reposition and stun a monster if hitting the head; quick animation.
- Leaping Wide Slash (â—¯) - Arcing Horizontal slash with forward movement in the facing direction.
- Guard (R2) - braces against the blade to block an attack in front.
Offset Rising Slash (â–³+ â—¯; can be charged)
Parry move that slashes upward in an arc and can reposition; a successful parry leads to a powerful move.
Tackle (in the middle of a combo, â—¯) - Shoulder tackle that can be used between slashes to reposition and stun a monster if hitting the head; quick animation.
Midair Charged Slash (while midair, â–³)
A slash downwards that can be charged but only done in mid-air; gives a small lift with this move.
Plunging Strike (while midair, R2)
Points sword down into the ground and falls fast, small damage but multiple damage instances all the way through.
Guard (R2)
Braces against the blade to block an attack in front; if enough attacks have been guarded, another successful guard can lead to a power clash (can only be done on certain monster attacks, not all attacks).
Kick (â—¯)
A simple kick that does a paltry amount of damage; does not find much use and a remnant of the old games in the franchise.
Focus Mode (L2)
Mode that shows the Wounds on a monster as bright red glowing spots.
Focus Mode Strike: Perforate (while holding L2, R1) - A successful Focus Mode Strike will have the hunter run the length of the blade across the wound and deal good damage
Recommended Combos
True Charged Slash Combo - â–³, â–³, â–³
The bread and butter combo of the Great Sword. Hunters will want to use it whenever an opening presents itself. Does a huge amount of damage when timed properly. Proper timing involves releasing the move button as soon as the hunter glows and sparks red from charging.
Wide Slash Combo - â—¯,â—¯,â—¯
Combo that involves wide arcing moves. This combo hits monsters all around and moves the hunter forward. Moderate damage.
Stationary Combo - â—¯, â–³+ â—¯, â—¯, â–³+ â—¯, etc...
A stationary combo that can be done infinitely. Slow but has no directional movement whatsoever. Moderate damage.
Tactics
- Great Swords are known to whiff a lot. However, utilizing the new Focus Mode can allow Great Sword users to hit their attacks more.
- Using Riding Attacks on a relocating monster can help deal small damage before it outspeeds you and leaves for the next location.
- Using Dismount Attacks can make for mounts if there are no ledges around
- Manipulating an edge that you can fall off of can allow a hunter to use a Midair Charged Slash repeatedly
- Sometimes, using the old tactic of one Charged Slash and running is better than constantly trying to hit a True Charge Slash
- Knowing the attack routes for True Charge Slash can also help a hunter use True Charge Slash on a sleeping monster to deal a ton of damage at once.
- Using Tackle can help hunters endure some common attacks, while also stunning a monster if hit on the head. It can only be used in the middle of a combo so using Tackle for a quick animation to reposition or run away helps well enough too.
Recommended Skills
Depending on your Great Sword build, here are the sort of skills you'll often see GS players using.
| Increases attack power and affinity when large monsters become enraged. |
|---|---|
| Slightly increases recovery rate after contracting the Frenzy. Affinity +3% if cured. |
| Continuously landing hits gradually increases attack and elemental attack (Amount increased depends on weapon). |
| Increases affinity if stamina is kept full for a long period of time. |
| Makes it easier to break large monster parts, and increases damage dealt when destroying a wound with a Focus Strike. |
| Increases the affinity of attacks that exploit a monster's weak points and wounds. |
Video
From the official Monster Hunter channel
