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Best Long Sword Builds for Iceborne 2023-2024

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Want to learn about the best Long Sword Builds for Monster Hunter World (MHW) Iceborne? Look no further than our best endgame builds for Long Sword! This build is made on Iceborne's last patch and is a build that is centered around Iceborne's Meta Endgame builds.

List of Contents

Long Sword Endgame Meta Build

Fatalis Armor Set

Weapon Decorations
Fatalis Zaggespanon Mighty/Maintenance Jewel 4 x2
Armor Decorations
Head Dragonhead Beta + Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel+ 4 x2
Armor Dragonhide Alpha + Mighty/Maintenance Jewel 4 x2
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Dragonclaws Alpha + Mighty/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Waist Dragonbarbs Alpha + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Shaver Jewel 3 x1
Mighty Jewel 2 x1
Legs Rimeguard Greaves Gamma + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Charm Challenger Charm V ---

Fatalis Armor Set Skill List

Skills
Agitator 7 Critical Eye 7
Attack Boost 5 Maximum Might 5
Tool Specialist 5 Stun Resist 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Handicraft 3 Evade Window 2
Quick Sheath 2 Peak Performance 3
Clutch Claw Boost 1 Fatalis Legend 4
hunter guide A Long Sword build that utilizes a high affinity rate from Agitator and Critical Eye. The amount of affinity it gains from Agitator, Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Maximum might is enough to reach a 100% affinity when striking weakspots despite having a negative affinity from the Fatalis Zaggespanon.

Long Sword Meta Builds

Raging Brachydios Build

Raging Brachydios Build Punishing Draw Build
Safi Blast Awakening Build Safi Paralysis Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Lightbreak Edge Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Armor Decorations
Head Kaiser Crown Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Challenger/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Brace Jewel 3 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Challenger/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Challenger/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Charm Attack Charm V None

Raging Brachydios Build Skill List

Skills
Agitator 7 Critical Eye 7
Attack Boost 7 Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Blast Attack 2 Heat Guard 1
Latent Power 1 Flinch Free 1
Brachydios Will Teostra's Technique
hunter guide An agitator build featuring the Lightbreak Blade for the Long Sword! It makes use of the top 3 affinity boosting skills (critical eye, agitator, and Weakness Exploit) to make your afffinity reach more than a 100%.

Punishing Draw Build

Raging Brachydios Build Punishing Draw Build
Safi Blast Awakening Build Safi Paralysis Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Shatterblade Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Frostfang Helm Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
KO Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
KO Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Brace Jewel 3 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1
Challenger Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Challenger Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Teostra's Essence Attack Increase VI Attack Increase V x3

Punishing Draw Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Agitator 7 Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Blast Attack 2 Slugger 2
Heat Guard 1 Flinch Free 1
Teostra's Essence (Awakening) Frostfang Absolute Art 1
hunter guide The Punishing Draw Build is centered around the sheath moves of the Long Sword to maximize the Punishing Draw skill. It improves the damage of your Iai Strike as well as your draw attacks which can greatly improve your DPS.

Safi Blast Awakening Build

Raging Brachydios Build Punishing Draw Build
Safi Blast Awakening Build Safi Paralysis Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Shatterblade Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Kaiser Crown Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Brace Jewel 3 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Challenger Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Attack Increase VI Attack Increase V x4

Safi Blast Awakening Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Agitator 7 Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Blast Attack 2 Heat Guard 1
Latent Power 1 Flinch Free 1
Teostra's Technique
hunter guide Another Brachydium Set featuring the Safi Blast Weapon. It has a higher base damage than Lightbreak Edge if fully augmented and thus, sports a higher DPS.

Safi Paralysis Awakening Build

Raging Brachydios Build Punishing Draw Build
Safi Blast Awakening Build Safi Paralysis Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Bindblade Para Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Brachydium Helm Beta + Para Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Kaiser Mail Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Brachydium Braces Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Brace/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Charm Challenger Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Teostra's Essence Element Increase VI Element Increase V x3

Safi Paralysis Awakening Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Agitator 7
Attack Boost 5 Paralysis Attack 4
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Health Boost 3 Blast Attack 2
Flinch Free 1 Latent Power 1
Teostra's Essence (Awakening) Brachydios Will
hunter guide One thing to remember about status ailments is that the threshold needed to proc it is higher in multiplayer. The Safi Paralysis build is more for solo play for several paralysis procs for easy free damage.

Long Sword Progression Build

Early Iceborne Progression Build Mid-Late Iceborne Build MHW Related Links

Starter Iceborne Build

Weapon Decorations
Defender Katana V ---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Guild Cross Circlet Beta Steadfast Jewel 1 x3
Armor Kushala Cista Beta Critical Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Alpha Attack Jewel 1 x1
Waist Bazel Coil Beta Handicraft Jewel 3 x1
Legs Empress Greaves Beta Protection Jewel 1 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Charm Earplugs Charm III None

Starter Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Health Boost 3 Divine Protection 3
Stun Resist 3 Earplugs 5
Weakness Exploit 3 Handicraft 3
Critical Boost 1
hunter guide A general safe build for players starting out in Iceborne. It has a healthy amount of skills that provides safety such as Health Boost, Divine Blessing, and Stun Resist. On the other hand, the damage it provides is also not lacking thanks to Critical Boost 1 and Weakness Exploit which, if used properly, can give up to 50% affinity which can allow you to rack up damage quickly when hitting wounded monster parts.

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Anja Direfang I ---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Jagras Helm Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Armor Bone Mail Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Alloy Vambraces Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Lumu Coil Alpha + Attack Jewel 1 x2
Legs Alloy Greaves Alpha + Handicraft Jewel 3 x1
Charm Handicraft Charm III None

Early Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Attack 4 Speed Eating 2
Health Boost 3 Defense Boost 2
Speed Sharpening 3 Divine Blessing 3
Windproof 2 Weakness Exploit 2
Handicraft 4
hunter guide A decent balance of protection skill (divine blessing, health boost), QoL skills (speed eating, speed sharpening) and offensive skills (handicraft, Attack, weakness exploit). A decent overall armor build that can allow you to reach the mid stages of Iceborne.

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Deepest Night ---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Nargacuga Helm Alpha + Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Nargacuga Mail Beta + Elementless Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Damascus Vambraces Beta + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Waist Shara Ishvalda Coil Beta + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x2
Legs Nargacuga Greaves Alpha + Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Earplugs Charm III None

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Peak Performance 3 Piercing Shots 1
Evade Window 3 Handicraft 2
Critical Eye 3 Health Boost 3
Attack Boost 4 Non Elemental Boost
True Razor Sharp/Spare Shot
hunter guide This build relies on consistent damage instead of huge damage bursts from critical strikes. You get a steady 40% affinity from your skills and Deepest Night but its true build defining skill is True Razor Sharp. It allows you to continue fighting until a monster dies/ retreat without having your sharpness dull. The Non-Elemental Boost also further augments Deepest Night's damage since its status effect is sealed making it a non-elemental weapon.

Best Long Sword Weapons and Skills

Best Weapons for Long Sword

Weapon Explanation
Fatalis Zaggespanon
[Atk] 1155 | [Affinity] -30%		 ・Weapon with the highest raw damage
・ High Sharpness
Lightbreak Edge
[Atk] 990 | [Affinity] 0%		 ・Blast sword with high raw damage and excellent sharpness
・ Has ④ and ③ slot
Dark Claw "Demise"
[Atk] 924 | [Affinity] 0%		 ・Has a high Dragon Element value
・ Very effective against monsters weak against Dragon Element

Best Skills for Long Sword

Skill Explanation
Health Boost
( ★★★ )		 Increases maximum health to increase your survival rate
A must have for beginners
Weakness Exploit
( ★★★ )		 Significantly increases your attack by targeting weakpoints
Critical Boost
( ★★★ )		 Increases the damage of critical hits. Best used when paired with Weakness Exploit
Critical Eye
( ★★★ )		 Increases your Affinity
Clutch Claw Boost
( ★★★ )		 Allows you to wound monsters easier
Teostra Technique
(★★)		 Prevents sharpness loss with critical hits
Agitator
(★★)		 Increases damage against enraged monsters
Handicraft
(★★)		 Increases sharpness gauge
Attack Boost
(★★)		 Improves attack power and affinity at level 4
Peak Performance
(★★)		 Increases attack power when HP is full. Works well with Health Regen Augment

Best Skills for Long Swords

MHW Related Links

Best Builds

Best Builds Banner.png

Best Endgame Builds and Weapon Progression Builds

Best Builds Per Weapons

Melee Weapons
Long Sword Icon.jpegLong Swords Great Sword Icon.jpegGreat Swords Sword & Shield Icon.jpegSword and Shield Dual Blades Icon.jpegDual Blades
Hammer Icon.jpegHammer Hunting Horn Icon.jpegHunting Horn Lance Icon.jpegLance Gunlance Icon.jpegGunlance
Switch Axe Icon.jpegSwitch Axe Charge Blade Icon.jpegCharge Blade Insect Glaive Icon.jpegInsect Glaive
Ranged Weapons
Bow Icon.jpegBow light bowgun icon.pngLight Bowgun
Heavy bowgun icon.pngHeavy Bowgun

Best Counter Builds

Monster Counterbuilds
fatalis icon.pngFatalis alatreon icon.pngAlatreon

Comment

12 DragonMaster30 days

Also a little suggestion for a build I run is kulve chest and legs, safi drakeblade with slots 3 and 4 stygian zin arms, coil and head shaver charm with aff sliding sheath crit draw etc or (optionally) safi shatterblade w/2 sharp lvl 5 1 zin essence and atk lvl 5 and replace zin gloves with frostfang barioth gloves

11 Shaded4 months

The reason that’s done is that way even when the monster not enraged you still get 100% Crit then when the monster is enraged you get a good dps boost they don’t really use agitator for Crits just the dps boost

See more comments (12 Comments)

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