Monster Hunter World (MHW)

How to Use Great Swords

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This is a guide on how to use the hardest hitting weapon in Monster Hunter World (MHW), the Great Sword. Read on more to learn about their controls and how to effectively use it.

Great Sword Basic Controls

Base Game Controls

Triangle button.png Overhead Slash
O button.png Wide Slash
Triangle button.png + O button.png
Rising Slash
While charging, O button.png
Tackle
R2.png Guard
L2.png Aim Slinger (unsheathed)
L2.png + R2.png
Fire Slinger

Iceborne Exclusive Controls

L2.png + O button.png
Fire Clutch Claw
After an Attack, L2.png
Slinger Burst

Great Sword Mechanics

Using a Great Sword may seem difficult to do, but it is rather fast and easy to get used to it. The Great Sword is very heavy weapon which makes the player's movement very slow when it is unsheathed. The trick to using the Great Sword is to attack whenever the monster the player is fighting shows an opening.

Charging

Charging is the key mechanic in using a Great Sword. Most of the time, it does not matter if you only hit the monster once because the Great Sword makes up for it with its big damage output.

Often times, the player can charge their attacks and hit the monster once and repeat this whenever there is an opening to attack. Most players will just fully charge their first attack and sheath the Great Sword immediately after the weapon hits the monster.

Tackle Invincibility

Tackling is an advanced mechanic for the Great Sword. Successfully executing a tackle against a monster will make the player invincible to attacks during the tackle animation. This allows players to stay in place and continue charging their attacks in case that a charging monster gets KO'd by the tackle.

Best Great Sword Combos

True Charge Slash

TCS.gif
The True Charge Slash is the highest damaging combo for the Great Sword. There are two variations for the True Charge Slash which are the True Charge Slash and the True Charge Slash (Power).

To accomplish the True Charge Slash you need to get to the third Charge Slash in a combo, charge that attack, and release when you reach the second charge.

The easiest way to accomplish the True Charge Slash is to follow this combo.

Triangle button.png > L stick.png + Triangle button.png > L stick.png + Triangle button.png

Tackle

The Great Sword tackle is a very versatile move in the game. You can use this to give yourself a moment to become invulnerable to attacks while also applying KO damage to the enemy hit.

There are two ways to accomplish a Tackle. You can either press O while charging and Overhead Slash or press △ immediately after evading.

While Charging an Overhead Slash > O button.png
X button.png > Triangle button.png

You can also use this to skip the 2 Overhead Slashes and go straight to the True Charge Slash.

Jumping Wide Slash

Jumping Wide Slash.gif

The Jumping Wide Slash is more often used as a evasive maneuver rather than an attack move. The move is mainly used when trying to reposition yourself to another spot when you know that commiting to the True Charged Slash will leave you significantly open to enemy attacks.

To accomplish the Jumping Wide Slash you just need to follow this combo.

After a Tackle > L stick.png + O button.png

You can also use your Left Stick while pressing O to control the direction of the Jumping Wide Slash for a more controlled maeuver.

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