The Greatsword andMonster Huntergo hand in hand, and it’s one of the few weapons that hasexisted in the series since the originaldropped in 2004.
I’ve been a Greatsword main for over 2000 hours, and while the weapon often receives a few tweaks between titles,the core gameplay stays the same. It’s a mechanically simple weapon to use and can deal some of the craziest damage numbers in the entire game.
That power is offset bybrutal charge timesand sluggish movement. Fortunately, you’re able to mitigate the Greatsword’s weaknesses if you know how, solet me give you a crash courseon everything you need to learn.
Even if you’re a newcomer, you’ll be a force to be reckoned with if you combine what you learn here with ourbeginner tips and tricks.
Greatsword Playstyle Overview
Before we dive into specifics, let me sell you on the Greatsword and convince you thatthe beginner experience is worth slogging through.
As a Greatsword user, you focus on landing slow but powerful blows,inflicting tremendous damagewith every swing.
you may easily cut tails and even have a source ofKO damagewith your Tackle attack. The Greatsword doesn’t come with a Greatshield, butit doesn’t need one.
If you’re caught in the open, you can block with your blade, which is handy in a pinch. With practice, the Greatsword is a high-damage swiss-army-knife that can dominate all content inMonster Hunter Wilds.
Greatsword Combos
The Greatsworddoesn’t have many combos, but it doesn’t need them, which is one of the weapon’s greatest strengths. It’s almost impossible to mess up an input, so you can focus on positioning and timing. These attack strings may seem incredibly simple, but they arethe best tools in your arsenal.
True Charged Slash Combo
Your bread and butter combo is simplyTriangle, Triangle, Triangle, for three devastating vertical slashes. you may, and should,hold each Triangle input, which will ‘charge’ the attack to deal more damage.
When you hold the button, you will notice your character flashes. Each flash also comes with asubtle vibration ‘bump’if you play with a controller. Let go of Triangle just after the third flash to deal maximum damage.
Your third swing is special and is called theTrue Charged Slash. A good Greatsword player uses this attack as often as possible, as the damage is unrivaled. When you execute a True Charged Slash, you willflip forward, slamming your opponent with an almighty overhead smash.
If you land any other attacks in the combo, you can unleash the True Charged Slash at full power after two flashes instead of three. The full-power flash is quite recognizable, so you’ll see it coming.
In an ideal world, you could execute a fully charged volley of three attacks every time. However, the entiresequence takes almost 10 secondsand is unrealistic unless the monster is incapacitated or standing still. Fortunately, we have two great ways to activate our True Charge Slash a little faster.
Tackle Canceling
Tackle cancelingisn’t technically a combo, but you can weave it into any combination. Whenever you charge an attack, you can ‘cancel’ it by pressing Circle to barge with your shoulder instead.
Tackling counts as one of your vertical attacks in the True Charge combination, and if you’re following along, you’ve probably figured out you can quickly unleash two Tackles toimmediately jump to a True Charge Slash.
you’re able to use the Tackle move as a replacement for combo moves, but we will cover more of its applications in the tips and tricks section. Tutorials in Wilds explain a lot, but this utility of the Tackle attack is one of manythings the game doesn’t tell you.
Forward Lunging Attack Combo
You canreplace vertical slasheswith horizontal ones by pressing Circle instead of Triangle. The big difference is the application, ashorizontal strikes cannot be charged, and they do far less damage.
Your Hunter does a Tackle for the second hit, too, so you haveslight forward momentum, which can be useful in some situations.
The combination shines when dealing with low-level groups of monsters. Thanks to thewide arcing swings, you may hit multiple foes with each strike, and you don’t need to be accurate, either. You won’t use the horizontal slashes often, butthey have an important use.
Wounding Combo
The final combo we will cover is more of a ‘link’ than a combo, but it’s exclusive toMonster Hunter Wildsandworth mastering. As with most melee weapons, you canstrike a woundby holding L2 and hitting a red area on the monster with R1.
If the attack connects, your hunter will deal multiple hits to the monster. Quicklypress and hold Triangleafter those impacts to begin charging a True Charge Slash immediately.
Honestly, I’m still getting used to weaving this one into my gameplay, but it’sexceptionally powerful during solo playwhen you’re the only player striking wounds.
Greatsword Tips And Tricks
Now you know the combos to use, let’s finish off with a few tips and tricks whichseparate the Greatsword noobs from the pros. Even though you may understand how to wield a blade, ensure youbring the right tools to every huntso you’re prepared for every encounter.
Raw Damage Is Better Than Elemental
Elemental damage is a big deal inMonster Hunter, allowing you totailor your weapon choiceto the beast you’re fighting. It’s somethingworth checking before every hunt, although itdoesn’t really apply to youas a Greatsword user.
Elemental damage is much more viable on rapid fire weapons, like the Dual Blades and Bow. Thanks to the way damage is calculated, it’s usually a better bet for us lovers of high-damage numbers to stick with what we know.
Prioritize raw damagewhen picking a weapon. you’re able to get some use out of status weapons for a cheeky mid-hunt sleep or stun phase, but the highest DPS numbers will always be king.
By all means, try an elemental weapon out if you like how it looks, but it’snot the Greatswords area of expertise.
The Tackle Is Terrific
In the combo section, I alluded to the Tackle having more applications than just an animation canceler. The Tackledoesn’t deal much damagebut is a source of KO damage. This quirk means you canknock monsters outif you persevere and keep tackling them in the face.
I sometimes use the Tackle for KOs, but it also hasvaluable I-Frames, which give you superhuman properties. If you time it just right, you’re able to Tackle through the strongest attacks in the game. You can evenTackle through roarsand attack while the monster is still screaming without requiring earplugs.
The utility of the humble Tackle cannot be understated, andI highly recommend experimenting with itto see just how much you may get away with.
Hit And Run To Beat Quick Targets
The Greatswords’ glaringweakness is speed, and nimble monsters can run rings around an inexperienced hunter. It’s enough to make anyone drop the weapon, but you can remedy this somewhat with a different playstyle.
Make no mistake, the Greatsword’sbread and butter is the True Charge Slash, but you can still be effective with hit-and-run tactics. Strike your opponent with a regular vertical slash, then roll or sprint away to sheath your weapon, ready for another draw attack.
You can actually build into this playstyle with theCrit Draw Armor Skill, which amps up the power of your draw attacks. Is it meta? No, but it’s fun and viable for most hunts inMonster Hunter Wilds. If Frostcraft fromWorldreappears inWilds, we might be talking more about this niche style of Greatsword play.
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