How do you use the Monster Hunter Wilds Great Sword? This staple Monster Hunter weapon returns in Wilds, and we couldn’t be happier for it. The Great Sword is ideal for players who prefer to charge into battle and inflict massive damage with slow and deliberate slashes. It boasts the highest damage per hit out of any weapon, making it a worthwhile pick regardless of skill level.
The Great Sword is the best weapon to get to grips with the slower and heavier cadence of combat in Monster Hunter Wilds. Its skill ceiling is also high enough that the investment in learning how to use it doesn’t go to waste. An effective Great Sword build should comfortably see you through all the hunts in the RPG game, so let us walk you through how to use one of the most iconic Monster Hunter Wilds weapons in the series.
How to use the Monster Hunter Wilds Great Sword
The Great Sword’s core ability is the True Charged Slash, and the combo to reach it is fairly straightforward. Beginning with an Overhead Slash, use Charge to chain through to a Strong Charged Slash and then a true charged slash. Cut down on the charge duration by performing a Perfect Tackle. Once a monster has been wounded or its weak point has been revealed, incorporate the Perforate finisher into this rotation.
This fairly lengthy combo sequence should be familiar to experienced Great Sword users. Charging your attacks is more integral in Wilds, but whereas earlier entries in the series would often see Great Sword users whiffing their strongest attacks against agile monsters, the Monster Hunter Wilds Focus Mode has brought unprecedented accuracy, letting you rotate in place to track monsters as they move. So, while it’ll take longer to execute the Great Sword’s core combo in Wilds than in Worlds, you have a much greater capacity to land a True Charged Slash.
The Great Sword also has defensive properties that can keep you alive in encounters with hyper-aggressive monsters. A straightforward guard lets you soak up damage and prevent knockdown, but aim to land a perfect guard to transition into a power clash and inflict stagger. You can also transition from a defensive to an offensive posture with an offset rising slash, letting you counter monsters to knock them off-balance. This gives you time to swig a health potion, whip out your whetstone, or commit to a cross slash to push your offensive.
All in all, the Great Sword is an exercise in patience. It’s easy to overcommit to a full combo and lock yourself into an animation that leaves you vulnerable. Don’t be afraid to reset your core combo, and take advantage of its ability to counter and clash to interrupt a monster’s assault.
Monster Hunter Wilds Great Sword moveset
Here are all the moves and combos for the Great Sword:
- Overhead Slash: Standard overhead attack.
- Charge: A slash attack that can be charged to deal more damage.
- Strong Charged Slash: A basic Charge combo attack. Hit Charge after performing a Charged Slash.
- True Charged Slash: An advanced Charge combo attack. Hit Charge after performing a Strong Charged Slash.
- Tackle: An offensive attack that can be performed while charging. Time your tackle just before a monster’s attack to execute a perfect tackle and preserve your charge level.
- Wide Slash: Standard horizontal attack.
- Leaping Wide Slash: An advanced Wide Slash combo attack. Hit Wide Slash after performing a Tackle.
- Strong Wide Slash: An advanced Wide Slash combo attack. Hit Wide Slash after a Strong Charged Slash.
- Rising Slash: Standard mid-range attack.
- Offset Rising Slash: A charged rising slash that doubles as an offset attack. Execute a follow-up cross slash by timing your offset rising slash to coincide with a monster’s attack.
- Guard: Standard defensive shield.
- Kick: Defensive attack performed while guarding.
- Focus Slash – Perforate: A powerful sweeping attack effective against wounds or weak points with an optional finisher.
Now that you know how to use the Great Sword, it’s time to hunt down all the Monster Hunter Wilds monsters. Check out the MHW characters and how they’ll assist you on your expedition through the Forbidden Lands, and prepare for the next Monster Hunter Wilds beta with the latest MHW system requirements for your rig.