One of the best things about the Monster Hunter franchise is the different weapons available to hunters to get the job done. For players hoping to master the use of the Great Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds, this guide will set you up for success.
Best Way To Use the Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds
The Long Sword is a versatile weapon that combines speed and damage potential depending on how you want to use it. It has combos that can be chained, as well as counterattacks to defend yourself.
All Moves
| Command | Move | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Triangle/Y | Standard Attack | Spirit Blade attacks are slashing attacks that consume the Spirit Gauge. The direction of Spirit Blade I and Spirit Blade II can be adjusted with the analog stick. |
| Circle/B | Thrust | Press Circle/B after Thrust to perform a Rising Slash |
| R2/RT | Spirit Blade I | Spirit Blade attacks are slashing attacks that consume the Spirit Gauge. The direction of Spirit Blade I and Spirit Blade II can be adjust with the analog stick. |
| R2/RT x 4 | Spirit Blade Combo | Spirit Blade attacks are slashing attacks that consume the Spirit Gauge. The direction of Spirit Blade I and Spirit Blade II can be adjusted with the analog stick. |
| Holding R2/RT | Spirit Charge | A Spirit Charge fills the Spirit Gauge and, once unleashed, allows you to perform a Spirit Blade attack. The level of Spirit Blade attack depends on the length the charge is held.Charing completely allows you to unleash a Spirit Roundslash. If the Spirit Gauge is red, you won’t have any damage reactions to attack that knock you back or send you flying while the Roundslash is in motion. |
| Triangle/Y + Circle/B | Fade Slash | A slashing attack performed while moving backwards. The direction can be controlled using the analog stick. |
| R2/RT + Circle/B During Combo | Foresight Slash | The Foresight Slash is an attack that can be performed mid-combo and provides a large window of invulnerability. Foresight Slashes consume the entire Spirit Gauge. However, landing one after dodging a monster’s attack will fill the gauge completely. Press R2/RT to chain it into a Spirit Roundslash. When the Spirit Gauge is empty, the effect decreases, but if it is red, you can follow up with a Foresight Whirl Slash. |
| R2/RT + Triangle/Y | Spirit Thrust | Landing a Spirit Thrust will lower the Spirit Gauge one level (when the gauge is White or higher) but will allow you to chain into a Spirit Helm Breaker. This can be followed up with a Spirit Release Slash when the gauge is red. Use Square/X to cancel Spirit Helm Breaker. |
| R2/RT + Cross/A | Special Sheath | A special action that sheathes your weapon. |
| After Special Sheath, Triangle/Y | Iai Slash | After Special Sheath, landing Iai Slash will cause the Spirit Gauge to fill up automatically for a short time. |
| After Special Sheath, R2/RT | Iai Spirit Slash | After Special Sheath, you can time Iai Spirit Slash with an enemy’s attack to counter and raise your Spirit Gauge by one level. |
| L2/LT + R1/RB | Focus Strike: Unbound Thrust | A thrusting attack that is effective against wounds. Hitting a wound or weak point will unleash a slash attack, increasing the Spirit Gauge by one level. The more wounds you destroy, the more levels the Spirit Gauge will increase. Use the analog stick to change the direction of the attack. |
Spirit Gauge
The Spirit Gauge is unique to the Long Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds, serving as an enhancement to the damage potential of the weapon. The higher the level, the more damage you will deal, and at its maximum, it changes the basic attacks with powerful follow-up attacks.
To charge the Spirit Gauge, players will need to land attacks on the monster. To increase the level, hunters must use Spirit Blade attacks and land the final Spirit Roundslash or land a Focus Strike. When the gauge is red, landing a Spirit Roundslash or a Spinning Crimson Slash will extend the duration, as the gauge will decrease with time.
In terms of damage increases:
- White – 1.02x
- Yellow – 1.04x
- Red – 1.1x
Combos
There are a few combos that feed into Long Sword combat in Monster Hunter Wilds, and by combining all of these, you can become a fast-moving damage dealer.
Spirit Gauge Filling Combo/Spirit Gauge Leveling
By chaining four of the basic Overhead Slashes using Triangle/Y, the Spirit Gauge can be filled to the maximum quickly. This then allows for Spirit Blade attacks to increase the level of the Spirit Gauge.
For that to happen, it is also a four-chain of R2/RT presses, and while you can miss with the first three attacks, the key is to land the final Spirit Roundslash. This ensures that the Spirit Gauge gets pushed up to the next level.
Crimson Slash Combo
With the Spirit Gauge at the maximum level and red, your basic attacks now change to Crimson Slashes. Chaining three of them using Triangle/Y will complete the swift combo with increased damage.
Stationary Combo
Similarly, with a maxed out Spirit Gauge, you can use this combo to stay stationary by using the combo of Triangle/Y + Circle/B + Triangle/Y, which sees a Crimson Slash follow a Rising Slash, and then finish with another Crimson Slash. This helps you stay in place while dealing damage to the target, removing the hassle of aiming and moving.
Long Sword Tips
The Spirit Gauge is the core aspect of the Long Sword, and there are a few ways in which you can maximize the damage output using this mechanic.
Spirit Charge
By holding down R2/RT, players can start the Spirit Charge. Fully charging the move will allow the Spirit Roundslash to be unleashed without the preceding chain and will increase the Spirit Gauge immediately. Just make sure you are relatively safe when charging up.
Spirit Helm Breaker/Spirit Release Slash
The highest damage that can be dealt using the weapon is the Spirit Helm Breaker. It will consume the current level of the Spirit Gauge, but you can make full use of the Crimson Slashes first before trying this move.
Once you manage to hit the enemy with the Spirit Thrust, followed by the Spirit Helm Breaker, you can follow up with R2/RT for the Spirit Release Slash. This will deal plenty of damage at high speed, while looking cool simultaneously. If you have friends distracting the monster, it will become easier to unleash this combo.
Free Spirit Gauge Levels
By attacking wounds with the Focus Strike, players using the Long Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds will gain one level of the Spirit Gauge per wound. If you have inflicted several wounds on a monster, using the Focus Strike can instantly get your Spirit Gauge to the red without a fuss.
If not, this shortcut can work with just one wound as well. After the Focus Strike lands, you can immediately trigger the Spirit Blade combo and end with a Spirit Blade Roundhouse, increasing the gauge by one more level instantly.
Countering with Iai Spirit Slash
With no ability to block damage, the only way to defend yourself is to be faster than the enemy. This comes in the form of the Iai Spirit Slash from Special Sheathe. After an attack, press R2/RT and Cross/A for Special Sheathe. Now, wait for the enemy to attack and press R2/RT in time to perform the powerful Iai Spirit Slash through the attack. This will prevent you from taking damage, while punishing the monster instead.
That’s all you need to know about mastering the Long Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds. Be sure to check out the rest of Moyens I/O for more help with the game.
Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.