Great Sword

great sword mhw

A mighty sword that makes up for its lack of mobility with huge, punishing attacks. The Great Sword can also block attacks, making it a good all-around weapon.

Weapon Type Melee
Damage Type Cut & Blunt Damage
Upgrades Bone Blade
Buster Sword

Great Sword (大剣 dai ken, "big sword") is a weapon category in Monster Hunter World (MHW). Like all Weapons, it features a unique moveset and an upgrade path that branches out depending on the materials used. Please see Weapon Mechanics for details on the basics of your hunter tools.

The great sword has a long reach and powerful attacks. Because its sheer weight limits the speed of your movement and attacks, it lends itself well to hit-and-run combat tactics.

 

Great Sword Weapon Tree

For full details, including tier 9 and above weapons added with Iceborne please see Great Sword Weapon Tree

You can also see Master Rank Iceborne Great Swords.

 

Great Sword Traits & Abilities

  • Large, heavy sword that has the highest damage per hit of all the weapons.
  • It is capable of quickly blocking at the expense of sharpness. 
  • Has powerful charge attacks. 

 

Great Sword Guide

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

A slow, heavy weapon with massive damage potential, the Greatsword is the heavy artillery of melee weapons. While simple at first, the Greatsword requires skilled timing and spacing in order to get the most out of it. On offense, the Greatsword attacks with slow, ponderous swings that hit with high damage and stagger.

 

Charged Attacks

The true power of the Greatsword lies in its charged attacks. You can chain Charged Slashes up to three times for a powerful finishing blow, the True Charged Slash. 

 

Tackle

Great Sword can make up for its slow mobility by its defensive abilities. Tackle allows the weapon to hyperarmor through any attack all while maintaining the charge level for your Charged Slash combos.  

 

Great Sword Advantages

  • Highest damage per hit in the game
  • Great range
  • High stagger multipliers make part breaks and flinching easier
  • Can be used to guard, although it's very sharpness consuming
  • Very low sharpness consumption if you're not guarding

 

Great Sword Disadvantages

  • Poor mobility with the weapon unsheathed
  • Charged attacks are slow to wind up, leaving hunters open to attack
  • Missing a big hit means missing a lot of damage

 

Great Sword Controls

Each move has its own Motion Value (MV), which is used when calculating Raw (physical) Damage. See the article on Attack Power for more information.

Note: most Greatsword attacks can be charged up to 3 levels. The MVs are shown for Lv1/2/3 respectively when available.

  • forward ps4 controls small + triangle ps4 controls small with weapon sheathed: Overhead Slash. MV: 48
  • triangle ps4 controls small (Hold): Charged Slash. MVs: 48/77/110
  • forward ps4 controls small + triangle ps4 controls small (Hold) after Charged Slash: Strong Charged Slash. MVs: 82/111/131
    • circle ps4 controls small after Strong Charged Slash: Strong Wide Slash. MVs: 59/66/78
  • forward ps4 controls small + triangle ps4 controls small (Hold) after Strong Charged Slash: True Charged Slash. MVs:
    • 1st hit: 15/20/22
    • 2nd hit: 120/175/211
    • 2nd hit (if 1st hit connects with a weakspot): 144/210/264
  • triangle ps4 controls small + circle ps4 controls small: Rising Slash. MV: 38 (41 after Strong Charged Slash)
  • circle ps4 controls small: Wide Slash. MV: 26 (29 after Strong Wide Slash)
  • circle ps4 controls small while charging or after rolling/attacking: Tackle (deals blunt damage, has hyperarmor and can replace one step of the Charged Slash combo). MVs: 26/35/48
  • circle ps4 controls small after Tackle: Jumping Wide Slash. MVs: 75/98/118
  • triangle ps4 controls small after Overhead Slash/Charged Slash (any)/Jumping Wide Slash: Side Blow (blunt damage). MV: 16 (18 after Strong Charged Slash) 
  • r2 ps4 controls small: Guard
  • r2 ps4 controls small + triangle ps4 controls small: Kick (blunt damage). MV: 5
  • Midair triangle ps4 controls small: Midair Charged Slash (can be repeated indefinitely off a ledge). MVs: 58/69/87
  • triangle ps4 controls small while sliding: Charged Rising Slash. MVs: 48/72/98
    • triangle ps4 controls small after Charged Rising Slash: Plunging Thrust. MVs: 16/22/27 * number of hits
  • l2 ps4 controls small + triangle ps4 controls small: Slinger Burst (can be performed after a Charged Slash to go directly into True Charged Slash)

 

Great Swords are a type of Weapon in Monster Hunter World (MHW). This page shows a visual gallery of all different styles for Great Swords. Weapons are often upgraded based on previous decisions, with different paths leading to different looks and necessitating different materials. You can find detailed upgrade path information in the Great Sword Weapon Tree or by clicking each individual weapon below.

Iceborne Great Swords are Master Rank Great Swords in Monster Hunter World Iceborne (MHW). These rare 9 and above weapons were added with the Iceborne Expansion and can only be obtained by players who own the expansion. The weapons use Master Rank Materials that can be obtained by completing quests and doing endgame content.

Iceborne Great Swords

 

You can search by Name, Rarity, Affinity, or Element. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.

Quick Search of All Great Swords 

Name Attack Affinity Element Rare
Chrome Deathscythe I gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1056 0% PoisonPoison 480 9
Chrome Deathscythe II gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% PoisonPoison 510 10
Chrome Deathscythe III gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1248 0% PoisonPoison 540 11
Purgation's Atrocity gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 150 8
Lightning Punisher IV gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1108 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 270 9
Severing Bolt I gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 390 10
Severing Bolt II gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 510 11
Frost Blaze III gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
960 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 420 9
Icicle Fang -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 20% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 480 10
Icicle Fang + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 30% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 510 10
Paladire -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 35% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 540 11
Jagras Deathclaw I gem level 3gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
1104 0% waterblightWater 450 9
Jagras Deathclaw II gem level 3gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1248 0% waterblightWater 600 10
Mammoth Greataxe I decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 450 9
Mammoth Greataxe II decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 600 10
Naaga Guillotine I -- 
 
 
 
 
 
960 20% Paralysis Paralysis 480 9
Naaga Guillotine II -- 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 25% Paralysis Paralysis 510 10
Hidden Blade I -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 20% PoisonPoison 480 10
Hidden Blade II gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 25% PoisonPoison 660 10
Pyre Cleaver I decoration level 4 mhw wikigem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
1104 0% fireblightFire 630 10
Pyre Cleaver II decoration level 4 mhw wikigem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% fireblightFire 660 10
Glavenus Blaze I gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1104 0% fireblightFire 420 10
Glavenus Blaze II gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% fireblightFire 450 10
Datura Hellspine I gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
960 0% PoisonPoison 600 9
Datura Hellspine II gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% PoisonPoison 660 10
Nyx Razor I gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1056 0% Sleep Sleep 510 9
Nyx Razor II gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% Sleep Sleep 540 10
Rathalos Glinsword + gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
1056 15% fireblightFire 300 10
Rathflame Glinsword gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 20% fireblightFire 330 10
Ogre's Jaw I gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
1104 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 390 9
Ogre's Jaw II gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 420 10
Ogre's Jaw III gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 480 11
Icewing decoration level 4 mhw wiki  
 
 
 
 
 
 
1248 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 330 11
Winged Seraphyd decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 450 12
Tiger Jawblade -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 -20% Blastblight Blast 390 10
Tiger Jawblade + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1248 -20% Blastblight Blast 420 10
Tigrex Great Sword -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 -20% Blastblight Blast 450 11
Monstrous Madness gem level 2gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1104 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 420 11
Don Monstro gem level 2gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 570 12
Gnashing Flammenzahn + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
1104 -30% fireblightFire 600 9
Lohenzahn -- 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 -30% fireblightFire 720 10
Donnerzahn -- 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 10% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 300 10
Donnerzahn + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 20% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 330 10
Fulguration's Edge -- 
 
 
 
 
 
1248 25% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 360 11
Water Golem IV gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 0% waterblightWater 360 9
Laguna Golem I gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1056 0% waterblightWater 480 9
Laguna Golem II gem level 2 gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% waterblightWater 510 10
Beo Slasher I gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 390 9
Beo Slasher II gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 480 10
Barroth Greatedge I gem level 2gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 -20% Paralysis Paralysis 450 9
Barroth Greatedge II gem level 2gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 -20% Paralysis Paralysis 600 10
Acid Shredder I decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 0% Paralysis Paralysis 390 10
Acid Shredder II decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
1392 0% Paralysis Paralysis 420 11
Radobaan Grindblade I -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1056 0% Sleep Sleep 330 9
Radobaan Grindblade II -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% Sleep Sleep 390 10
Dios Blade -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1056 0% Blastblight Blast 360 10
Brach Attack gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% Blastblight Blast 570 11
Dragonseal Sword I gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 600 10
Dragonseal Sword II gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 720 11
Immovable Dharma gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 540 12
Emperor Thundersword -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 720 11
Daora's Tughril Beg gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1248 15% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 330 11
Consummate Blade -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 -30% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 390 12
Rathalos Gleamsword gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 25% fireblightFire 390 12
Accursed Blade 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 -30% Sleep Sleep 330 11
Wildbite 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1392 -30% Sleep Sleep 390 12
Magdaros Volcanblade 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 -20% Blastblight Blast 580 11
Ultra Wyvern Jawblade 
 
 
 
 
 
1392 0% Blastblight Blast 360 11
Infernal Executioner gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% DragonBlightDragon 330 11
Infernal Executioner + gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 0% DragonBlightDragon 420 12
Soulfire Edge "Blaze" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 25% Blastblight Blast 390 12
Soulfire Edge "Ruin" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 0% Blastblight Blast 330 12
Soulfire Edge "Styx" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 15% Blastblight Blast 480 12
Ruinous Atrocity -  gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon  240 12
Demon Rod decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1392 -15% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 150 11
Great Demon Rod decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1488 -15% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 180 12
Frozen Speartuna gem level 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
912 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 510 9
Freezer Speartuna gem level 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1008 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 570 10
Xiphias Gladius gem level 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1152 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 690 11
Xeno Maliq + decoration level 4 mhw wikidecoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 20% mhw dragon damage s Dragon  330 12
Safi's Hellsplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296  5%  fireblightFire 150  12
Safi's Aquasplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   waterblightWater 150 12 
Safi's Boltsplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   mhw thunder damage s Thunder 150 12 
Safi's Frostsplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 150 12 
Safi's Draksplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%  mhw dragon damage s Dragon 150 12 
Safi's Bindsplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   Paralysis Paralysis 150 12 
Safi's Dreamsplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   Sleep Sleep 150 12 
Safi's Shattersplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   Blastblight Blast 300 12 
Safi's Venomsplitter decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1296 5%   PoisonPoison 150 12 
Guild Palace Blade gem level 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 10% waterblightWater 480 10
Royal Venus Blade gem level 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 15% waterblightWater 570 12
Demonlord Goldrod
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1015 15% mhw thunder damage s300 12
Lightbreak Blade decoration level 4 mhw wikigem level 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1440 0% Blastblight Blast 360 12
Alatreon Greatsword gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1200 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 600 11
Alatreon Revolution gem level 2gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1344 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 810 12
Glacial Demon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1296 15% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 630 11

 

Great Sword Gallery MHW

 

Great Sword Ore Weapons

 

 

 

 

Great Sword Bone Weapons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kulve Taroth Great Swords

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safi'jiiva Weapons:

 

 

 

 

 

Weapons
Bow  ♦  Charge Blade  ♦  Dual Blades  ♦  Gunlance  ♦  Hammer  ♦  Heavy Bowgun  ♦  Hunting Horn  ♦  Insect Glaive  ♦  Lance  ♦  Light Bowgun  ♦  Long Sword  ♦  Switch Axe  ♦  Sword & Shield
Great Swords
Aqua Slasher  ♦  Barroth Shredder  ♦  Blacksteel Chopper  ♦  Blooming Blade  ♦  Bone Blade  ♦  Bone Slasher  ♦  Buster Blade  ♦  Buster Sword  ♦  Carapace Buster  ♦  Chrome Razor  ♦  Datura Blaze  ♦  Dragonbone Cleaver  ♦  Flame Blade  ♦  Flammenzahn  ♦  Freeze Blade  ♦  Frost Blade  ♦  Frost Blaze  ♦  Giant Jawblade  ♦  Girros Blade  ♦  Jagras Blade  ♦  Jagras Hacker  ♦  Lava Blaze  ♦  Lightning Punisher  ♦  Magda Potestas  ♦  Malady's Kiss  ♦  Radobaan Slab  ♦  Spiked Blade  ♦  Thunder Blade  ♦  Thundersword  ♦  Water Golem



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    • Anonymous

      Protip: Greatswords can block. And if sheathed, the block comes out FAST.

      If you don't think you can dodge the attack and it's not a giant laser beam of death, block it.

      • Anonymous

        I played Sword and Shield for over 200. When I first played Monster Hunter, I tried Greatsword in the practice room and declared it too slow and useless. What kind of idiot would use such a slow and useless weapon over Sns?

        I currently have abandoned Sns and only use Greatsword now.

        • Anonymous

          In my opinion, they're much too big to be called a sword. They're too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough. Indeed, they're more like heaps of raw iron.

          • Anonymous

            Actually there is a scientific explanation why tackle fortifies the hunter. Tackle is a bashing attack with potentially high forward directing force this causes the force from the monster attack to cancel out and since force is rate of change of moment this means the net momentum experienced by the hunter is negligible like a getting hit by a paper ball. Though it doesn't explain why it fortifies you from all directions but that is not a point of concern because after all it is a video game.

            • Anonymous

              sometimes when im tired of doing combos with other weapons, GS helps to collate all the effort into 1 big damage. Using quick sheath to run around monster for an opening/weakness. also to kick anjanath in the throat or rajang's butthole

              • Anonymous

                You can use a longsword to do spirit helmbreaker and charge blade to do the SAED attack and the switch axe's elemental discharge but why do all that when you can do the GREAT SWORD'S MIGHTY KICK!!

                • Anonymous

                  I only use greatsword and dual blade. Dps/status ailments when needed and being able to break parts when needed; best combo.

                  • Anonymous

                    All the weapons are ok but lot of times using a greatsword at a high rank seems so unfair it makes me feel less like a "monster hunter" and more "like a monster abuser". Although I suppose I always feel a little like that. Idk, it just seems like the guy who came sailing out of nowhere with a gigantic weapon made of corpses and began savagely stabbing and disfiguring an unsuspecting animal in its natural habitat then waiting until it desperately limps away and passes out to continue pummeling it can't possibly be the good guy.

                    • Anonymous

                      Just a fun aside I'd never realized until recently: with the GS you can actually charge not only your jumping attacks (which also conveniently propels you for a bit in whichever direction you're attacking), but also your mounted finishers. Yes, when your character goes to bash whichever unlucky monster you're riding, for the first attack you're supposed to hold triangle/Y/whatever then release it with the timing you would a normal charged attack to do full damage. The follow up "finisher" attack very much seems like it might require some input as well, but I'm not totally sure what it is. All of which I learned from actually looking at the button prompts in the upper right hand side of the screen, which told me to hold Y during said attacks. Who know being too lazy to shut off the beginner control display after 70 hours of playing would pay off?

                      • Anonymous

                        The lame *****s made the hitbox on the low damage move on true charged sword larger so that you wake up monsters and ***** up the attack because they will wake up and scream or wake up and move backwards.

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