Best Great Sword Builds for Iceborne 2023-2024

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

Great Sword Endgame Meta Build

Full Fatalis Armor Build

Weapon		Decorations
Black Fatalis Blade		Attack Jewel+ 4 x2
Armor		Decorations
Head	Dragonhead Beta +	Critical/Protection Jewel 4 x3
Armor	Dragonhide Beta +	Mighty/Maintenance Jewel 4 x3
Vambraces	Dragonclaws Beta +	Mighty/Maintenance Jewel 4 x 2 Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Waist	Dragonbarbs Alpha +	Expert Jewel+ 4 x1 Handicraft Jewel 3 x1 Charger Jewel 2 x1
Legs	Dragonfeet Beta +	Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1 Charger/Protection Jewel 4 x2
Charm	Challenger Charm V	None

Fatalis Armor Build Skill Set

Critical Eye 7	Agitator 7
Maximum Might 5	Tool Specialist 5
Divine Blessing 5	Attack Boost 4
Stun Resist 3	Weakness Exploit 3
Critical Boost 3	Focus 3
Handicraft 1

Game8 strategy team	An endgame Great Sword set featuring all Fatalis Armor pieces. It's set allows us to run Agitator 7 and Maximum Might for a full 100% affinity together with Critical Eye. Making use of Weakness Exploit allows users to offset the True Fatalis Blade's negative affinity while Critical Boost further augments its damage. Feel free to switch the Handicraft Jewel with a Shaver Jewel to get monster ammo.

Great Sword Meta Builds

Frostcraft Velkhana Build

Frostcraft Velkhana Build

Raging Brachydios Armor Build

Velkhana Awakened Safi Build

Weapon		Decorations
Black Fatalis Blade		Attack Jewel+ 4 x2 ---
Armor		Decorations
Head	Rimeguard Helm Gamma +	Expert Jewel+ 4 x2 Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor	Rimeguard Mail Gamma +	Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1 Critical Jewel 2 x1 Attack Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces	Frostfang Braces Beta +	Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x2
Waist	Rimeguard Coil Gamma +	Critical/Evasion Jewel 4 x1 Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs	Rimeguard Greaves Gamma +	Handicraft Jewel+ 4 x1 Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Charm	Challenger Charm V	None

Frostcraft Velkhana Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7	Attack Boost 6
Agitator 5	Health Boost 3
Ice Attack 3	Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3	Focus 3
Critical Draw 3	Peak Performance 3
Quick Sheath 3	Coalescence 3
Handicraft 2	Resuscitate 1
Evade Window 1	Velkhana Divinity 2
Velkhana Divinity 4

	A Frostcraft Build for the Great Sword for a draw attack playstyle. Make sure to sheath your weapon to increase your draw attack's damage when using this build.

Raging Brachydios Armor Build

Frostcraft Velkhana Build

Raging Brachydios Armor Build

Velkhana Awakened Safi Build

Weapon		Decorations
Lightbreak Blade		Attack Jewel+ 4 x1 Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor		Decorations
Head	Brachydium Helm Beta +	Attack Jewel+ 4 Charger/Vitality Jewel 4 x1 Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor	Damascus Mail Beta +	Expert Jewel+ 4 x1 Critical Jewel 2 x1 Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces	Brachydium Braces Beta +	Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x2
Waist	Ruinous Coil Beta +	Earplugs Jewel+ 4 x1 Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs	Brachydium Greaves Beta +	Earplugs Jewel+ 4 x1 Expert Jewel 1 x2
Charm	Challenger Charm V	None

Raging Brachydios Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7	Agitator 7
Attack Boost 7	Earplugs 5
Focus 3	Weakness Exploit 3
Critical Boost 3	Health Boost 3
Brachydios Will

	An Agitator Build for the GS featuring the Brachydium Armor Build. It comes with the necessary skills needed for Great Sword's damage.

Velkhana Awakened Safi Build

Frostcraft Velkhana Build

Raging Brachydios Armor Build

Velkhana Awakened Safi Build

Weapon		Decorations
Safi's Shattersplitter		Flawless/Vitality Jewel 4 x1 ---
Armor		Decorations
Head	Rimeguard Helm Beta +	Charger/Vitality Jewel 4 x1 Flawless Jewel 2 x1
Armor	Frostfang Mail Beta +	Critical Jewel 2 x1 Charger Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces	Rimeguard Vambraces Beta +	Charger/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Waist	Escadora Might Alpha +	Critical Jewel 2 x1 Sheath Jewel 1 x1
Legs	Rimeguard Greaves Beta +	Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1 Sheath Jewel 1 x1
Charm	Challenger Charm V	None

Awakened Ability
Velkhana Essence	Attack Increase VI	Attack Increase V x3

Velkhana Awakened Safi Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7	Agitator 5
Dragon Resistance 3	Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3	Focus 3
Critical Draw 3	Quick Sheath 3
Divine Blessing 3	Peak Performance 2
Flinch Free 1	Frostfang Absolute Art
Velkhana Divinity 2

	A Safi Build for the Velkhana's Frostcraft effect. You can also opt to switch to elemental Great Swords to counter certain monsters to make use of the Velkhana set's Critical Element skill

Great Sword Progression Build

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Mid-Late Iceborne Build

MHW Related Links

Starter Iceborne Build

Weapon		Decorations
Defender Great Sword V		--- ---
Armor		Decorations
Head	Bazel Helm Beta	Critical Jewel 2 x1 Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Armor	Damascus Mail Beta	Protection Jewel 1 x3
Vambraces	Bazel Vambraces Beta	Critical Jewel 2 x1
Waist	Damascus Coil Beta	Steadfast Jewel 1 x3
Legs	Empress Greaves Beta	Critical Jewel 2 x2
Charm	Earplugs Charm III	none

Starter Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Divine Blessing 3	Health Boost 3
Stun Resist 3	Earplugs 5
Critical Draw 3	Focus 3
Critical Boost 3

Game8 strategy team	A starter set that pretty much covers what the Great Sword needs! Focus, Critical Draw, and Critical Boost is pretty much the game for a greatsword's hit and run playstyle. It's also coupled with some defensive skills to avoid an untimely death. The Earplugs skill also allows a greatsword user to start the fight with a full combo while a monster roars.

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon		Decorations
Jagras Deathclaw I		Tenderizer Jewel 2 x2
Armor		Decorations
Head	Jagras Helm Alpha +	Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Armor	Bone Mail Alpha +	Elementless Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces	Kulu Vambraces Alpha +	Expert Jewel 1 x1 Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Waist	Beo Coil Beta +	Challenger Jewel 2 x1
Legs	Rath Heart Greaves Alpha +	Challenger Jewel 2 x1 Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Charm	Earplugs Charm III	none

Early Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Attack 4	Speed Eating 2
Health Boost 3	Weakness Exploit 3
Critical Boost 1	Pro Transporter
Earplugs 5	Tool Specialist 3
Agitator 2	Critical Eye 1
Non-elemental Boost	Windproof 1

Game8 strategy team	A great beginner greatsword loadout. It comes with the staple non-elemental boost for elementless weapons as well as earplugs 5 and tool specialist 3 to get free true charge slashes while monsters roar. All the critical skills summed up totals to 65% on wounded parts so make sure to wound the monster on its weak parts before going for the kill!

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon		Decorations
Hidden Blade II		Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor		Decorations
Head	Pride Helm Alpha +	Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1 Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Armor	Damascus Mail Beta +	Handicraft Jewel 3 x1 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces	Damascus Vambraces Alpha +	Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1 Expert Jewel 1 x1
Waist	Beo Coil Alpha +	Critical Jewel 2 x1
Legs	Pride Greaves Beta +	Elementless Jewel 2 x2
Charm	Master's Charm IV	none

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Earplugs 5	Critical Boost 2
Weakness Exploit 3	Critical Eye 7
Handicraft 3	Health Boost 3
Focus 2	Jump Master
Speed Sharpening 1	Guts (Secret)

Game8 strategy team

With the innate affinity from Hidden Blade II, Critical Eye and Weakness exploit alone is enough to exceed 100% affinity when striking wounded weakspots. Furthermore, Hiddenblade II is a non elemental weapon which is why an elementless jewel is equipped for more DPS. It also has the staple Great Sword Skills like Focus and Handicraft skills. Guts is there to avoid accidental deaths and can even allow you for some risky plays using tackle moves.

Best Great Sword Weapons and Skills

Best Weapons for Great Sword

Weapon	Explanation
Black Fatalis Blade [Atk] 1632 | [Affinity] -30%	・Weapon with the highest raw damage ・ High Sharpness
Lightbreak Blade [Atk] 1440 | [Affinity] 0%	・High attack damage and sharpness ・ Easy to craft

Best Skills for Great 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
Velkhana Divinity ( ★★★ )	Raises your attack when your weapon is sheathed Great skill for Great Sword
Critical Draw ( ★★★ )	Increases affinity when using draw attacks Great with Velkhana Divinity
Agitator ( ★★★ )	Increases damage against enraged monsters
Teostra Technique (★★)	Prevents sharpness loss with critical hits
Critical Boost ( ★★ )	Increases the damage of critical hits. Best used when paired with Weakness Exploit
Earplugs ( ★★ )	Nullifies most monster roars, allowing you to execute your attacks without flinching
Focus (★★)	Shortens the charge time, making it easier to land attacks
Non-elemental Boost (★)	Significantly increases the attack damage of non-elemental weapons

Best Skills for Great Swords

MHW Related Links

Best Builds

Best Endgame Builds and Weapon Progression Builds

Best Builds Per Weapons

Melee Weapons
Long Swords	Great Swords	Sword and Shield	Dual Blades
Hammer	Hunting Horn	Lance	Gunlance
Switch Axe	Charge Blade	Insect Glaive

Ranged Weapons
Bow	Light Bowgun
Heavy Bowgun

Best Counter Builds

Monster Counterbuilds
Fatalis	Alatreon