Sword and Shield

sword-shield_mhw-weapon

A mobile weapon with fast recovery time between attacks. You can even use items or attack while blocking.

Weapon Type Melee
Damage Type Cut & Blunt Damage
Upgrades ??

Sword and Shield (片手剣 kata te ken, "paired hand and 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.

 Lightweight and easy to use, the sword & shield also boasts outstanding attack speed. The shield can be used to guard, though it may not hold up to certain attacks. 

Sword and Shield Weapon Tree

For full details, including rare 9 and above weapons added with Iceborne please see Sword & Shield Weapon Tree 

You can also see Iceborne Sword and Shields.

Sword and Shield Traits & Abilities

  • Hunters can use Items with their weapons drawn and whilst guarding
  • Fast recovery time, allowing for the chaining of attacks and blocks, at the expense of damage
  • One of the highest dps raw weapons

 

Sword and Shield Guide

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

If you were to look in a Moster Hunter dictionary for the word versatility, you would find a picture of the Sword & Shield. High mobility, 2nd highest attack speed in the game, a mix of cutting and blunt attacks, a decent blocking ability, and the ability to use items and the slinger while still drawn, the Sword & Shield can do it all. On the offense, the Sword & Shield demands tenacity of its user. Hunters must stay on top of the monster and never stop attacking. The Sword & Shield specializes in rapid slashing combos, with the ocasional shield bash thrown in. This makes it equally good at severing tails and stunning monsters. Thanks to the light, quick nature of its attacks, the Sword & Shield has good reaction time when it comes to defense. Hunters can run at full speed, and dodge attacks without worrying about being locked into attack animations. The Shield part of the Sword & Shield also allows hunters to block monster attacks. While it is not the strongest block in the game, it is still an invaluable part of the Sword & Shield fighting style. Lastly, Hunters are able to use items and their slinger while their weapon is still drawn. This ability is useful in countless ways, from healing and buffing yourself and teamates, to traversing the map and shooting at distant targets.

 

Actions with Weapon Drawn

If you use the Sword & Shield, you can still use items while your weapon is drawn by holding down the Guard button.

 

Claw Uppercut

Unlike most light weapons, Sword & Shield can soften the monster in one attack sequence by using the Claw Uppercut (l2-ps4-controls-small after evading) - also called Clawryuken - and following it up with a clutch attack. 

 

Falling Bash and Perfect Rush

Sword & Shield has access to two great burst damage combos after a backstep: Falling Bash, which can also deal blunt or mount damage, and Perfect Rush, one of the most damaging combos in the game.

 

Infinite Mount Finisher

Unique to Sword & Shield is the ability to extend the number of hits of its mount finisher almost indefinitely by delaying the button presses. This gives its teammates a huge window to attack all while building stun damage if done on the head.

 

 

 

Sword and Shield Advantages

  • One of the most versatile and free-form weapons in the game
  • The only weapon to be able to use items without sheathing
  • The only weapon to be able to perform a slinger burst from neutral position
  • Naturally deals sever and blunt damage
  • Perfect Rush has very high damage (similar to Hammer's Big Bang combo) and can be cancelled at any time
  • One of three weapons to be able to deal mounting damage without utilizing the environment or Glider Mantle (the other being the Insect Glaive and Lance)
  • Reasonably high Elemental Damage and Status Ailments buildup (note that shield attacks don't apply elemental or status damage)
  • Backstep has a high amount of i-frames

 

Sword and Shield Disadvantages

  • Very short reach
  • Consumes sharpness rather rapidly (note that shield attacks don't consume sharpness)
  • Weakest shield in the game
  • High execution requirements due to directional and timed inputs

 

Sword and Shield 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.

All attacks deal sever damage unless mentioned otherwise.

  • triangle-ps4-controls-small: Standard Attacks. MVs:
    • Chop: 14
    • Side Slash: 13
    • Sword & Shield Combo: 10 (blunt) + 20
  • any left-stick-ps4-controls (except forward-ps4-controls-small) + triangle-ps4-controls-small after any attack: Spiral Slash (MV: 16; 17 if backwards) -> triangle-ps4-controls-small: Thrust (MV: 22)
  • circle-ps4-controls-small: Strong Attacks. MVs:
    • Lateral Slash: 22
    • Return Stroke: 21
    • Roundslash: 30
  • forward-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small: Shield Combo (blunt damage). MVs:
    • Shield Attack: 8
    • Shield Bash: 16
    • Hard Bash: 31
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small after any attack: Roundslash
  • back-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small (or circle-ps4-controls-small after evading/using certain attacks): Backstep (has high invincibility frames; hold to charge)
  • circle-ps4-controls-small (Release) after charging Backstep: Falling Bash Combo. MVs:
    • Charged Slash: 29 + 40
    • Scaling Slash: 35
    • (triangle-ps4-controls-small after Scaling Slash) Jumping Slash: 20 
    • (circle-ps4-controls-small after Scaling Slash) Falling Bash: 43 + 39 (blunt damage)
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small while holding Backstep: Perfect Rush Combo. MVs:
    • Leaping Slash: 30
    • Perfect Rush I: 25 (blunt) + 23 + 30
    • Perfect Rush II: 35 (blunt)
    • Perfect Rush III: 45 + 45 (8 if failed)
    • Perfect Rush I (timed): 45 (blunt) + 45 + 60
    • Perfect Rush II (timed): 55 (blunt)
    • Perfect Rush III (timed): 65 + 70 (13 if failed)
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small while jumping off a ledge: Jumping Slash. MV: 20
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small (or left-stick-ps4-controls + triangle-ps4-controls-small while sheathed/release a non-fully charged Backstep): Advancing Slash. MV: 18
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small after Advancing Slash: Short Shield Bash. MV: 6 (blunt damage)
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small off a ledge: Jumping Advancing Slash (MV: 18) -> triangle-ps4-controls-small / circle-ps4-controls-small: Jumping Slash
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small against a ledge: Rising Advancing Slash (MV: 20) -> triangle-ps4-controls-small / circle-ps4-controls-small: Jumping Slash
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small against a special wall: Helm Breaker (aka Helmsplitter). MV: 14 * number of hits
  • triangle-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small down a slope: Sliding Slash. MVs: 10 + 35 -> triangle-ps4-controls-small / circle-ps4-controls-small: Jumping Rising Slash -> triangle-ps4-controls-small / circle-ps4-controls-small: Jumping Slash
  • r2-ps4-controls-small: Guard
    • triangle-ps4-controls-small during Guard: Rising Slash. MV: 14
    • circle-ps4-controls-small during Guard: Guard Slash. MV: 14
    • back-ps4-controls-small + circle-ps4-controls-small during Guard: Backstep
  • l2-ps4-controls-small after evading: Claw Uppercut (clutches onto the monster and applies softening). MV: 8
  • l2-ps4-controls-small: Ready Slinger
  • l2-ps4-controls-small + r2-ps4-controls-small: Fire Slinger
  • l2-ps4-controls-small + square-ps4-controls-small or r2-ps4-controls-small + square-ps4-controls-small: Use Items
  • l2-ps4-controls-small + r3-ps4-controls: switch between Aim Slinger and Slinger Burst Aim
  • r2-ps4-controls-small in Slinger Burst Aim: Slinger Burst -> triangle-ps4-controls-small: Leaping Slash (can be followed with Perfect Rush)
 

Sword and Shields are a type of Weapon in Monster Hunter World (MHW). This page shows a visual gallery of all different styles for Sword & Shield. 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 Sword & Shield Weapon Tree or by clicking each individual weapon below.

Iceborne Sword & Shields are Master Rank Sword & Shields 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 Sword & Shields

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

Quick Search of All Sword & Shields 

Name Attack Affinity Element Rare
Chrome Knight Sword I gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
308 0% Sleep Sleep 270 9
Chrome Knight Sword II gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% Sleep Sleep 300 10
Chrome Knight Sword III gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 0% Sleep Sleep 330 11
Corona + gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
308 20% fireblightFire 210 10
Blue Corona gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 20% fireblightFire 240 10
Legacy Bang gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder (390) 10
Legendary Bang gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder (450) 11
Rogue Wave IV gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
294 0% waterblightWater 330 9
Laguna Blossom I gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
308 0% waterblightWater 360 9
Laguna Blossom II gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% waterblightWater 420 10
Icicle Spike -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
294 20% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 210 10
Icicle Spike + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
308 20% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 270 10
Nardebosche -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 20% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 330 11
Legia Rimespire + gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
294 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 360 10
Hoarcry Rimespire gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
308 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 450 10
Nephilim Glacia gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 480 11
Royal Rose + gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
308 10% PoisonPoison 270 9
Rose Highness gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 10% PoisonPoison 300 10
Lumu Nightmare I gem level 3gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% Blastblight Blast 360 9
Lumu Nightmare II gem level 3gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% Blastblight Blast 480 10
Nyx Tabar I gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
308 0% Sleep Sleep 270 9
Nyx Tabar II gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% Sleep Sleep 330 10
Datura Florescence I gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
280 0% PoisonPoison 420 9
Datura Florescence II gem level 2gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% PoisonPoison 450 10
Dios Edge -- 
 
 
 
 
 
322 0% Blastblight Blast 300 10
Booming Barrage gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% Blastblight Blast 360 11
Naaga Seax I -- 
 
 
 
 
 
280 20% Paralysis Paralysis 270 9
Naaga Seax II -- 
 
 
 
 
 
336 20% Paralysis Paralysis 300 10
Hidden Edge -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
294 10% PoisonPoison 270 10
Hidden Edge + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
308 15% PoisonPoison 330 10
Flash in the Night -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 20% PoisonPoison 390 11
Radobaan Os I gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
322 0% Paralysis Paralysis (330) 9
Radobaan Os II gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% Paralysis Paralysis (330) 10
Radobaan Os III gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
392 0% Paralysis Paralysis (360) 11
Icegale decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 210 11
Noble Ana Palas decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 0% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 270 12
Radobaan Osseus I -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
322 0% Sleep Sleep 240 9
Radobaan Osseus II -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% Sleep Sleep 270 10
Acid Razor I decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
378 0% Paralysis Paralysis 180 10
Acid Razor II decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
406 0% Paralysis Paralysis 210 11
Saber's Gullet I gem level 3gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
322 0% waterblightWater 390 9
Saber's Gullet II gem level 3gem level 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 0% waterblightWater 450 10
Rex Talon -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 -20% Blastblight Blast 180 10
Rex Talon + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 -20% Blastblight Blast 210 10
Tigrex Sword -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
392 -20% Blastblight Blast 300 11
Lightning Nemesis IV gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
308 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 240 9
Usurper's Firebolt gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 300 10
Usurper's Firebolt + gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 330 11
Barroth Slicer I gem level 2gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
336 -10% Paralysis Paralysis 240 9
Barroth Slicer II gem level 2gem level 2 
 
 
 
 
 
378 -10% Paralysis Paralysis 270 10
Glavenus Razor I gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% fireblightFire 150 10
Glavenus Razor II gem level 1gem level 1  
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% fireblightFire 240 10
Gnashing Flammensucher + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
322 -20% fireblightFire 330 9
Lohensieger -- 
 
 
 
 
 
378 -20% fireblightFire 450 10
Donnersieger -- 
 
 
 
 
 
336 5% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 210 10
Donnersieger + -- 
 
 
 
 
 
350 10% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 240 10
Fulguration's Talon -- 
 
 
 
 
 
364 15% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 270 11
Dragonseal Aldsword I gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
294 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 480 10
Dragonseal Aldsword II gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 540 11
Manifested Lotus gem level 1gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
392 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 450 12
Ephemeral Fulminator -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
336 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 510 11
Hydros Discus gem level 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 10% waterblightWater 360 11
Teostra's Medal -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 15% Blastblight Blast 270 11
Brimstren Drakescale gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 180 11
Stygian Luxuria gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 240 12
Fate's Shear -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
392 -20% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 240 12
Ruinous Eradication 
 
 
 
 
 
 
406 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 180 12
Shining Wyvern Blade 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 20% fireblightFire 390 12
Lunatic Rose 
 
 
 
 
 
 
406 10% PoisonPoison 390 12
Accursed Claw 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
392 -30% Sleep Sleep 180 11
Stonebite 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
406 -30% Sleep Sleep 210 12
Despot's Crookbolt 
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 0% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 360 12
Soulfire Barb "Blaze" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
360 20% Blastblight Blast 270 12
Soulfire Barb "Ruin" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 0% Blastblight Blast 150 12
Soulfire Barb "Styx" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
360 10% Blastblight Blast 240 12
Rajang Club decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
406 -15% mhw thunder damage s Thunder  60 11
Banned Rajang Club decoration level 4 mhw wiki 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
434 -15% mhw thunder damage s Thunder  90 12
Xeno Mabura + decoration level 4 mhw wikidecoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
392 15% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 330 12
Safi's Hellfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% fireblightFire 90 12
Safi's Aquafang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% waterblightWater 90 12
Safi's Boltfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% mhw thunder damage s Thunder 90 12
Safi's Frostfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 90 12
Safi's Drakfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 90 12
Safi's Bindfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% Paralysis Paralysis 90 12
Safi's Dreamfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% Sleep Sleep 90 12
Safi's Shatterfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% Blastblight Blast 90 12
Safi's Venomfang decoration level 4 mhw wiki
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 5% PoisonPoison 90 12
Witcher's Silver Sword ++gem level 2gem level 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
364 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 480 12
Guild Palace Sword gem level 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 10% waterblightWater 330 10
Royal Nova Sword gem level 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 15% waterblightWater 420 11
Demonlord Mace
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
406 15% mhw thunder damage s300 12
Lightbreak Sworddecoration level 4 mhw wikigem level 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
420 0% Blastblight Blast 180 12
Alatreon Sword gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
350 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 450 11
Alatreon Star gem level 2gem level 2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
392 0% mhw dragon damage s Dragon 570 12
Silverbosche
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
378 15% iceblight severe mhw status efect sIce 420 11

 

Sword & Shield Gallery MHW

 

Sword and Shield Ore Weapons

 

 

 

 

 

Sword and Shield Bone Weapons

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kulve Taroth Swords & Shields

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safi'jiiva Weapons:

 

 

 

 




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    • Anonymous

      A complaint i have with this weapon is that outside of the perfect rush the MVs are really low. Sunbreak fixed this but they nerfed the perfect rush, which i don't like. As much as i enjoy sunbreak SnS especially the shoryugeki I find myself missing IB perfect rush whenever i perform the move.

      • Anonymous

        If used properly, one of the highest damage weapons in the game. If you time it right, perfect rush can easily deal over 1k without crazy rare decos. Not to mention sns arguably uses the environment best. Do not think this is just a beginner or support weapon. I’ve ran support for many safi sieges and still get the attention of the monster. Just try to learn the openings for perfect rush. Most moves can combo into a back step, which is when sns is most dangerous. Falling shield bash can be comboed with back step then perfect rush to help them hammer bros. Just for the love of god use flinch free if in multiplayer.

        • Anonymous

          Some note about certain combos/moves being only available if you purchased the expansion would have been nice. Tried for an hour to get the perfect rush combo to work with multiple youtube videos and finally found some info that i need the expansion for it to work. The same goes fot the claw uppercut i think?

          • Anonymous

            "One of two weapons to be able to deal mounting damage without utilizing the environment or Glider Mantle (the other being the Insect Glaive)" This line is wrong as there are three weapons that can mount without having to use the environment or glider mantle: The sword and sheild, the insect glaive, and the lance due to being able to leap up while doing it's charging move.

            • Anonymous

              I’m playing the iceborne beta and got to say the sns doesn’t really get anything except one combo I’ve activated twice on accident. If it did get something it’s kinda hard to notice. Kinda feels like it’s kinda got nothing but a order to share it’s toys.

              • Anonymous

                an interesting note I found is that striking monsters with just the shield does not deplete sharpness (tested on a Great Jagras), but its damage output will be based on the current sharpness level. Therefore you can technically beat up a monster with the sword and shield and never have to re-sharpen your blade if you exclusively shield bash combo (just don't strike it with the blade), which is amusing but I doubt many people will actually use that tactic...as you won't be able to use any elements if you exclusively shield bash...

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