Monster Hunter World (MHW)

Best Sword and Shield Builds for Iceborne 2020-2021

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

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Sword and Shield Recommended Skills

Want to create your own builds that suits your unique play style? Check out our best skills page for the Sword and Shield to make your set building session easier!
Best Skills for Sword and Shields

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Sword and Shield Endgame Meta Build

Full Fatalis Build

Weapon Decorations
True Fatalis Sword Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1
Evasion Jewel+ 4 x1
Augment: Health Regen/Affinity
Armor Decorations
Head Dragonhead Beta + Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x3
Armor Dragonhide Beta + Handicraft/Maintenance Jewel 4 x2
Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Greaves Dragonclaws Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x2
Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Waist Dragonbarbs Alpha + Attack Jewel+ 4 x2
Handicraft Jewel 3 x1
Shaver Jewel 3 x1
Legs Rimeguard Greaves Gamma + Attack Jewel 1 x1
Handicraft Jewel+ 4 x1
Charm Challenger Charm V None

Full Fatalis Skills

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Challenger Jewel 7
Attack 7 Handicraft 5
Tool Specialist 5 Peak Performance 3
Stun Resist 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Evade Window 3
Quick Sheathe 2 Clutch Claw Boost
hunter guide A sample endgame buid utilizing peak performance, critical eye, and agitator for increased damage and affinity. The usual critical boost and weakness exploit are there to further increase critical hit damage. Other QOL skills like clutch claw boost, evade window, and tool specialist are also mixed in to further improve performance.

Sword and Shield Meta Builds for Monster Hunter World Iceborne

Velkhana Armor Build

Velkhana Armor Build Blast Sword and Shield Build
Awakened Blast Build Paralysis Sword and Shield Awakened Build
Weapon Decorations
True Fatalis Sword Attack Jewel+ 4 x2
---
Armor Decorations
Head Rimeguard Helm Gamma + Handicraft Jewel+ 4 x1
Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Rimeguard Mail Gamma + Brace/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Rimeguard Vambraces Gamma + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
x1
Waist Dragonbarbs Alpha + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x2
Legs Rimeguard Greaves Gamma + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Charm Challenger Charm V None

Velkhana Armor Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Attack Boost 7
Ice Attack 6 Agitator 5
Health Boost 3 Recovery Up 3
Critical Draw 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Peak Performance 3
Coalescence 3 Handicraft 2
Quick Sheath 2 Resuscitate 1
Flinch Free 1 Clutch Claw Boost 1
Velkhana Divinity 4
hunter guide Sheath your weapon, focus on healing but don't neglect to use your charged attacks for Frostcraft's bonus damage! Elemental weapons are great for a Velkhana set due to the tru critical element bonus too!

Blast Sword and Shield Build

Velkhana Armor Build Blast Sword and Shield Build
Awakened Blast Build Paralysis Sword and Shield Awakened Build
Weapon Decorations
Lightbreak Sword Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Mind's Eye Jewel 2 x1
Armor Decorations
Head Kaiser Crown Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Brace Jewel 3 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Challenger Charm V None

Blast Sword and Shield 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
Mind's Eye/Ballistics 1 Teostra Technique 3
Brachydios Will 2
hunter guide When talking about Blast Weapons, the Raging Brachy weapon tree is always there for you. Featuring a passive 65% affinity without attacking weakspots, this build sports a lot of raw damage AND blast damage allowing you to demolish monsters with ease.

Awakened Blast Build

Velkhana Armor Build Blast Sword and Shield Build
Awakened Blast Build Paralysis Sword and Shield Awakened Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Shatterfang Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Brachydium Helm Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Brace Jewel 3 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Evasion Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Legs Garuga Greaves Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Evasion Jewel 2 x1
Evasion Jewel 2 x1
Charm Challenger Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Teostra Essence Sharpness Increase VI Attack Increase V x3

Awakened Blast Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Agitator 7
Critical Eye 6 Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Evade Window 3 Blast Attack 2
Flinch Free 1 Heat Guard 1
Teostra Technique Brachydios Will
hunter guide An alternative and better build to the previous blast weapon but sports a rarer weapon. The Safi blast weapon can dish out more damage than the Lightbreak Sword when it's fully awakened. Add your damage boosting skills and you become a huge source of DPS for your team.

Paralysis Sword and Shield Awakened Build

Velkhana Armor Build Blast Sword and Shield Build
Awakened Blast Build Paralysis Sword and Shield Awakened Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Bindfang Para Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Safi Crested Crown Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor Kaiser Mail Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Safi Crested Chest Beta + Brace/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Paralyzer Jewel 1 x2
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Safi Crested Boots Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Resistor Jewel 1 x1
Charm Attack Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Teostra Essence Status Effect Up VI Status Effect V

Paralysis Sword and Shield Awakened Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Paralysis Attack 4 Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Blight Resistance 3 Blast Attack 2
Latent Power 1 Evade Window 1
Flinch Free 1 Teostra Technique
Safi'jiiva Seal
hunter guide A paralysis build featuring the Safi + Teostra set build. increased affinity and status up from the Safi set makes the paralysis tick in faster resulting in more DPS. Just make sure to always be on the offensive to regain your health back!

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Sword and Shield Progression Build

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

Starter Iceborne Build

Weapon Decorations
Defender Warhatchet V
Armor Decorations
Head Guild Cross Circlet Beta Steadfast Jewel 1 x3
Armor Rathalos Mail Beta Protection Jewel 1 x1
Greaves Kushala Grip Beta Evasion Jewel 2 x1
Waist Empress Coil Beta Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Legs Death Stench Heels Beta Vitality Jewel 1 x2
Charm Handicraft Charm III None

Starter Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Healthboost 3 Divine Blessing 3
Stun Resist 3 Handicraft 5
Weakness Exploit 3 Evade Window 2
Tool Specialist 2
hunter guide A defensive skillset that utilizes weakness exploit and the blast ailment from the Defender series to deal damage to monsters. Its skills are enough to make you survive against the hard hitting monsters in Iceborne's quests.

Early Iceborne Progression Build

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

Early Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Fire Attack 2 Fire Resist 1
Attack Boost 2 Health Boost 3
Defense Boost 2 Speed Sharpening 3
Divine Blessing 2 Windproof 2
Handicraft 4 Weakness Exploit 3
hunter guide Sword and shield consumes a lot of sharpness quickly so this build focused on having speed sharpening and handicraft to avoid losing DPS in the middle of the fight. It also comes with essential defensive skills to lessen the risks of battle.

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Chrome Knight Sword III Vitality Jewel 1 x2
---
Armor Decorations
Head Nargacuga Helm Alpha + Attack Jewel 1 x2
Armor Nargacuga Mail Beta + Elementless Jewel 2 x1
Greaves Damascus Vambraces Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Odogaron Coil Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Legs Nargacuga Greaves Alpha + Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Handicraft Charm III None

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 3 Peak Performance 3
Evade Window 3 Health Boost 3
Attack Boost 4 Weakness Exploit 2
Non-Elemental Boost Handicraft 3
hunter guide A decent damage dealer build that focuses on the Sword and Shield's mobility to keep Peak Performance on. It also utilizes the Nargacuga set's secret to avoid Sharpness loss hence the dropping of Speed Sharpening skill.

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

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