Great Sword

The Great Sword is a weapon of immense power and deliberate strikes in Monster Hunter Wilds. It rewards patience and precise timing, allowing hunters to unleash devastating charged attacks that can shatter monster defenses and inflict massive damage. Mastering its charge mechanics and positioning is key to wielding this iconic weapon effectively.

For those who prefer to end fights with a single, decisive blow, the Great Sword is an unparalleled choice in Monster Hunter Wilds. This weapon class focuses on charging up powerful attacks, culminating in the devastating True Charged Slash. While slow, its damage potential is immense, capable of staggering even the largest monsters and breaking tough parts with ease. Learning its charge timings and finding openings is crucial for success.

Core Mechanics:

Charged Attacks: The Great Sword's primary mechanic involves charging its attacks. Holding the attack button initiates a charge, with different levels of charge offering increased damage and wider hitboxes.
True Charged Slash (TCS): The pinnacle of the Great Sword's offensive capability. A fully charged attack that, when landed correctly, deals catastrophic damage. Mastering the timing and positioning for TCS is essential.
Tackle: A quick, forward-moving attack that can be used to initiate charges or cancel out of certain animations. It's also a key component in chaining attacks.
Guard: While not its strong suit, the Great Sword does possess a basic guard. However, it consumes significant stamina and is generally less effective than dodging.

Basic Combos and Flow:

A typical Great Sword offensive sequence involves:

Initiate Charge: Start charging your attack.
Tackle (Optional): Use Tackle to reposition or cancel into a higher charge level.
Release Charged Attack: Unleash your charged strike.
Follow-up: Depending on the situation, you might follow up with another charge, a Tackle, or reposition for the next opening.

Key Moves to Master:

Level 1, 2, and 3 Charged Slash: The bread and butter of Great Sword combat. Learn the timings for each.
True Charged Slash (TCS): The ultimate goal. Requires precise timing and understanding of monster openings.
Tackle: Essential for transitioning between attacks and repositioning.
Jumping Charged Slash: Performed after jumping, allowing for aerial charges.

Skills to Prioritize:

To maximize the Great Sword's potential, focus on skills that enhance damage and survivability:

Attack Boost: Increases raw attack power.
Critical Eye: Improves affinity (critical hit chance).
Weakness Exploit: Greatly increases affinity when attacking monster weak points.
Focus: Speeds up charge times for your attacks, allowing for more frequent charged strikes.
Guard Up: Allows you to block previously unblockable attacks (situational).
Health Boost: Increases your maximum health, crucial for surviving powerful hits.
Artillery (for specific builds): If using impact damage, this skill boosts its effectiveness.

Playstyle Tips:

Patience is Key: Don't force attacks. Wait for clear openings where you can safely land your charged strikes.
Positioning: Learn where to stand to hit weak points and avoid monster attacks.
Understand Monster AI: Study monster attack patterns to predict when you'll have opportunities to charge and attack.
Practice Your Charges: Spend time in training areas or on easier monsters to get a feel for charge timings and TCS execution.

The Great Sword demands discipline and a keen understanding of combat flow, but the reward for mastering it is the ability to deliver some of the most satisfying and impactful hits in Monster Hunter Wilds.