This is a guide about the best skills for Great Swords. Read on to know which skills to look out for when making a Great Sword build and why.

Offensive Skills

Critical Eye, Critical Boost, Weakness Exploit, Critical Draw

Great Swords have the highest base damages in the game. Investing in any of these Affinity Skills is definitely recommended for an immense increase in overall damage.

Critical Draw increases the affinity of Draw Attacks by 100% at level three and is a great skill to compliment the Great Sword's general sheath-heavy playstyle.

Agitator

The introduction of the Clutch Claw made the Agitator Skill a community staple when making builds. When active, Agitator grants hunters +20 attack and affinity by 10% at level five. (Level six and seven are unlocked via the Agitator Secret Skill.)

The Clutch Claw, specifically its Flinch Shot Attack, gave hunters the ability to enrage the monster whenever the opportunity presents itself. This gave hunters a way to maintain their Agitator's up-time.

Attack Boost

Ran out of skills to fill those vacant gem slots? Boosting a Great Sword's already high base damage is a good way to fill them up!

Airborne

Strange as it may seem, The Great Sword is considered to be one of the best mounting weapons in the game. This is due to their insanely high Jumping Attack damage.

Airborne increases Jumping Attack Power by 30% and is definitely worth considering when making Great Sword builds.

Elemental Attack Skills

Hunters who use the full Velkhana Divinity armor set bonus and elemental Great Swords may find Elemental Attack Skills (Fire Attack, Water Attack, Dragon Attack, etc..) worthy additions to their builds.

These synergize well with the True Element skill bonus from Velkhana Divinity.

Defensive Skills

Divine Blessing

Divine Blessing is an excellent defensive skill that when activated, reduces the incoming damage by 50% at level three from the attack that triggered it. This skill offers a much needed extra layer of suvivability for Great Swords. Divine Blessing levels four and five are unlocked via the Divine Blessing Secret.

While Great Swords can block attacks with its huge blade, it is important to note that Great Swords blocks are not as efficient in blocking as Gunlances, Lances, and Charge Blades are.

Evade Extender

Evade Extender greatly increases the distance covered by dodge rolls at level three. This is a great defensive option for Great Swords as their dodges when unsheathed are short and heavy.

Earplugs

Every swing matters for a Great Sword. Earplugs offer complete protection against monster roars at level five and ensures that hunters are uninterrupted mid-swing!

Health Boost

It never hurts to pump up one's HP! Health Boost increases a hunter's Health by 50 at level three, making it a solid addition to any build - especially early on in the game.

Utility Skills

Mind's Eye

A monster's hide can be so thick in specific areas that even the Great Sword's massive hits can bounce off of them. Mind's Eye/Ballistics is the perfect solution to this problem as it prevents attacks from being deflected no matter how thick a monster's hide is.

Quick Sheath

Positioning matters a lot when hunting with a Great Sword. Quick Sheath greatly increases sheathing speed at level three and allows hunters to quickly relocate to a more advantageous spot if the need arises.

This skill synergizes well with Critical Draw.

Handicraft

Most Great Swords have vacant spaces in their sharpness guages. Handicraft increases weapon sharpness by 50 at level five and is definitely something to consider when making Great Sword builds.

Take note that Handicraft will NOT exceed a weapon's maximum sharpness.

Related Monster Hunter World (MHW) Guides

All Skills

List of All Skills

Best Skills for Each Weapon

Recommendations for Other Weapons
Charge Blade	Dual Blades	Long Sword	Sword & Shield
Switch Axe	Insect Glaive	Hunting Horn	Great Sword
Lance	Gunlance	Hammer	Bow
Heavy Bowgun		Light Bowgun

Weapon Related Guides

Melee Weapons
Great Swords	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Great Sword for Each Element
	Best Great Sword for Iceborne
Long Swords	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Long Sword for Each Element
	Best Long Sword for Iceborne
Swords and Shields	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Sword and Shield for Each Element
	Best Sword and Shield for Iceborne
Dual Blades	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Dual Blades for Each Element
	Best Dual Blades for Iceborne
Hammers	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hammer for Each Element
	Best Hammers for Iceborne
Hunting Horns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hunting Horn for Each Element
	Best Hunting Horn for Iceborne
	Hunting Horn Notes and Effects
Lances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Lance for Each Element
	Best Lance for Iceborne
Gunlances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Gunlance for Each Element
	Best Gunlance for Iceborne
Switch Axe	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Switch Axe for Each Element
	Best Switch Axe for Iceborne
Charge Blade	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Charge Blade for Each Element
	Best Charge Blades for Iceborne
Insect Glaive	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Insect Glaive for Each Element
	Best Insect Glaive for Iceborne

Kinsects
Kinsects	Kinsect Tree and Complete Kinsect List	Best and Recommended Kinsects

Ranged Weapons
Bows	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Bow for Each Element
Light Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Light Bowgun for Each Element
Heavy Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Heavy Bowgun for Each Element