MH Rise Sunbreak: Your Ultimate Greatsword Guide

Alright, fellow hunters! If you're looking to dominate the fields of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak with the mighty Greatsword, you've come to the right place. This beast of a weapon is all about landing those massive, charged attacks that can absolutely wreck a monster's day. But let's be real, going from zero to hero with the Greatsword can feel like a whole quest in itself. This guide is gonna break down everything you need to know, from your very first swing to becoming a true Greatsword master in Sunbreak. We'll cover the best gear, skills, and some sweet strategies to keep you smashing those monsters like the legends you are. So, grab your biggest blade and let's get charging!

Getting Started: Your First Greatsword Steps

So, you've picked up the Greatsword, huh? Good choice, guys! It's one of those weapons that feels incredibly satisfying when you land a perfectly timed True Charged Slash. When you're just starting out in Monster Hunter Rise, especially before you hit Sunbreak, your main goal with the Greatsword is to learn the fundamental combos and charge levels. You've got your basic horizontal slash, your overhead slash, and then the charged versions. The key here is to understand the charge levels. A level 1 charge is quick but deals less damage. A level 2 charge is better, and the True Charged Slash (TCS) is your bread and butter – the ultimate damage dealer. Mastering the timing of when to release your charge is crucial. You don't want to whiff it, leaving yourself wide open! Practice on the Great Izuchi or the Arzuros; these early monsters are perfect for getting a feel for the weapon's weight and hit stun. Don't worry too much about fancy armor skills just yet. Focus on getting comfortable with the weapon's moveset, learning monster tells, and figuring out where those openings are to land your big hits. Remember, even a charged slash is better than no charged slash, so always be looking for opportunities. As you progress, you'll start to unlock more skills and better gear, but that foundational understanding of the Greatsword's rhythm is what will carry you through. Think of it like learning to walk before you can run. We're building that solid base so you can eventually unleash devastating combos that will make even the toughest monsters tremble. Patience is key with the Greatsword, and understanding its strengths and weaknesses will make all the difference in your hunts.

Early Game Greatsword Builds (Low & High Rank)

Alright, let's talk about gearing up when you're still climbing those early ranks in Monster Hunter Rise. The Greatsword in these stages is all about raw power and getting those hits in when you can. You won't have access to the insane gear from Sunbreak yet, but that doesn't mean you can't build a solid foundation. For low rank, focus on weapons with high raw attack power. Don't get too caught up in elemental damage; the Greatsword scales best with raw. The Tigrex Greatsword is often a fantastic early choice due to its high attack. For armor, you're looking for skills that boost your damage output and survivability. Attack Boost is your best friend, obviously. Even a few points in Attack Boost can make a noticeable difference in your damage. Critical Eye is also great for increasing your affinity, meaning more critical hits, which is exactly what we want with those big charges. If you're finding yourself getting knocked around a lot, skills like Health Boost are invaluable. Seriously, guys, don't underestimate Health Boost; it's a lifesaver and gives you more room for error, especially when you're still learning monster patterns. Guarding isn't a primary Greatsword strategy, but if you're really struggling, some points in Guard might help you mitigate minor chip damage or block quick, less powerful attacks. However, prioritize offensive skills first. As you move into high rank, things get a bit more serious. You'll want to upgrade your weapon to the highest raw attack option available. Look for weapons that have good sharpness, too. The brown sharpness is okay, but white sharpness is where it's at for maximizing damage. Armor sets might start to offer more specialized skills. The Rathalos set, for instance, often comes with Weakness Exploit, which is phenomenal for the Greatsword as you'll be hitting monster weak spots often. The Nargacuga set can give you Evade Extender, which is super helpful for repositioning and dodging attacks. Remember, you can mix and match armor pieces to get the specific skills you need. Use decorations to fill in the gaps! A good starting point for high rank is to aim for Attack Boost 4 (for the affinity bonus), Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Health Boost 3. Don't forget about sharpn ess management skills like Handicraft if your chosen weapon has poor sharpness. Getting that white sharpness is a significant damage increase. Keep an eye out for armor pieces that naturally come with these skills. It's all about building a balanced set that lets you hit hard and stay alive. Don't be afraid to experiment a bit with different armor combinations to see what feels best for your playstyle. The goal is to make each hunt smoother and more rewarding as you ascend the ranks.

Mid-Game Greatsword Builds (Early Sunbreak)

Alright, let's dive into the Sunbreak expansion, where the game really starts to heat up! As soon as you unlock Sunbreak, the monsters hit harder, and you'll need to step up your Greatsword game. Your primary focus remains on raw damage, but we can start incorporating some more advanced skills and better gear. For weapons, you'll want to aim for the highest raw attack values you can get your hands on. Weapons crafted from new Sunbreak monsters will generally be superior. Keep an eye out for weapons with good sharpness levels, especially white or even purple sharpness if possible, as this significantly boosts your damage output. Skills are where things get really interesting. Focus becomes a much more important skill for the Greatsword in Sunbreak. It reduces the charge time for your attacks, meaning you can land more charged slashes in a given opening, or get to your True Charged Slash faster. Aiming for Focus 3 is highly recommended. Combine this with Weakness Exploit and Critical Boost. Critical Boost amplifies the damage of your critical hits, and since you'll be aiming for weak spots with Weakness Exploit, this combo is pure devastation. Don't forget about Attack Boost still, especially to reach Attack Boost 4 for that sweet 5% affinity bonus. Handicraft can be crucial if your weapon's natural sharpness isn't cutting it; getting that purple sharpness can be a massive damage increase. For survivability, Health Boost 3 is non-negotiable. Seriously, guys, these Sunbreak monsters hit like trucks, and having that extra health buffer is vital. Guard is still generally not a priority unless you're specifically building around a counter-style play. Evade Extender can be useful for repositioning, but Focus often takes precedence for sheer damage output. Armor-wise, you'll start seeing pieces with better skill combinations. The Garangolm armor pieces, for example, often come with good raw damage skills. The Aurora set (from Frost Islands) can also offer valuable skills. Mix and match is key here! You might grab a helmet from one set, chest from another, and so on, to create your perfect build. Decorations play a huge role in fine-tuning your set. Make sure you're crafting and slotting in the best decorations you have available. For early Sunbreak, a solid goal is to aim for: Focus 3, Weakness Exploit 3, Critical Boost 2-3, Attack Boost 4, and Health Boost 3. If you can fit it in, some Offensive Guard can also be incredibly potent, rewarding you with a damage boost after a perfectly timed block or guard tackle. This adds another layer of skill and reward to your Greatsword gameplay. Remember to always check the sharpness of your weapon and invest in skills or items that help maintain it, like the Whetfish Fin+. The better your sharpness, the more damage you’ll deal.

Late Game Greatsword Builds (Endgame Sunbreak)

We've made it to the endgame, hunters! This is where the Greatsword truly shines with some absolutely killer builds. In Sunbreak's endgame, you're looking for the absolute best raw damage, the sharpest sharpness (purple, preferably!), and all the crucial skills that maximize your damage and survivability. Your weapon choice is paramount. You'll want to target the Greatswords with the highest raw attack stats available, often from monsters like Scorned Magnamalo, Gaismagorm, or even special event weapons if they become available. Purple sharpness is the goal, as it provides the highest damage multiplier. If your weapon doesn't naturally have it, Handicraft becomes even more essential. Skills are where you really refine your playstyle. Focus 3 is still a must-have for faster charges. Weakness Exploit 3 and Critical Boost 3 are non-negotiable for maximizing your critical hit damage. The synergy between these two skills is what makes the Greatsword so terrifying. Attack Boost to at least level 4 for the affinity bonus is standard. Some players even push it to level 7 for the extra raw attack, but it depends on how many other essential skills you can fit. Offensive Guard is incredibly powerful in the endgame. If you can consistently trigger it with your tackle or guard points, the damage boost is substantial. It requires practice, but the payoff is huge. Guard Up might be situationally useful for specific monsters that have unblockable projectile attacks, but generally, you'll be dodging rather than blocking. Resentment can be another strong skill if you're comfortable with managing your health, as it provides a significant attack boost when your health is slightly depleted. This pairs well with skills like Bloodlust. Valor Mode (if you're playing with that specific switch skill) or specific charge attack buffs can also be incorporated depending on your playstyle. Armor sets like the Wyvern's Ire armor (from Scorned Magnamalo) or the Regios set (if available through event quests or specific monster unlocks) are often top-tier choices due to their excellent skill combinations and slots. However, mix-and-match is still the king of endgame builds. You'll be combining pieces from various monsters to get the perfect skill synergy. For example, you might use a helmet with good slots, a chest piece that offers Weakness Exploit, gauntlets with Critical Boost, leg armor with Focus, and a charm that provides Handicraft or Attack Boost. Decorations are your final touch. You'll be slotting in the best decorations you have, focusing on filling out any missing levels of your core skills or adding utility skills. A typical endgame Greatsword build might look something like: Focus 3, Weakness Exploit 3, Critical Boost 3, Attack Boost 4-7, Offensive Guard 3, and Health Boost 3. If you can fit them, skills like Charge Master (for faster charge attacks) or Burst (for increased attack after specific actions) can further enhance your damage. Remember, the goal is to optimize every aspect of your build to deal the most damage possible while maintaining survivability. Experiment with different combinations, practice your charging and TCS timings, and you'll be one-shotting monsters in no time. The beauty of the endgame is the sheer power you can achieve with the right setup and a lot of skill.

Greatsword Switch Skills & Silkbind Attacks

In Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, your Greatsword has access to some awesome Switch Skills and Silkbind Attacks that can drastically change your playstyle and open up new damage opportunities. Let's break down the essentials, guys. For Switch Skills, you have choices that affect your fundamental play. Strongarm Stance is a game-changer for Greatsword. It allows you to charge your attack while performing a guard tackle. This means you can hold your charge, react to a monster's attack by tackling, and then immediately unleash a charged slash, often a TCS, right after. It’s incredibly powerful for maintaining pressure and capitalizing on openings. The alternative, Power Prolonger, extends the duration of your charged attacks, which can be useful in certain situations, but Strongarm Stance is generally the preferred choice for most players due to its offensive and defensive utility. Then there's the choice between Hunting Edge and Adamant Charged Slash. Hunting Edge is a leaping aerial attack that deals significant damage and can be chained into other moves. Adamant Charged Slash, on the other hand, is a more grounded, albeit slower, charged attack that deals massive damage and can be charged up to level 3. For most endgame Greatsword users focusing on TCS, Adamant Charged Slash is the go-to for its sheer damage potential. Now, let's talk about those flashy Silkbind Attacks. Power Sheathe Attack is your bread and butter for extending combos and repositioning. It's a quick upward slash followed by a forward dash. Crucially, it can be used to cancel out of certain animations, allowing you to reposition or set up for another attack. Impact Crater is your other major Silkbind Attack. This is a powerful, downward plunging attack that deals massive damage and builds up KO (stun) damage. It's fantastic for punishing openings and is often used to finish off a combo or to land a big hit when a monster is down. You can chain Impact Crater into a True Charged Slash if timed correctly. The synergy between Strongarm Stance and Impact Crater is particularly potent. You can use Strongarm Stance to charge up, tackle through an attack, and then immediately unleash an Impact Crater for devastating results. Another crucial aspect is the Sunbreak addition of 'Charge Master' skill, which can speed up your charge attacks and make them even more potent. Understanding how to weave these Switch Skills and Silkbind Attacks into your combos is what separates a good Greatsword user from a great one. Experiment with them! See how Strongarm Stance feels for you, practice landing those perfect Impact Crater follow-ups, and find the rhythm that makes you feel unstoppable. These tools aren't just for show; they're essential for maximizing your damage and control over the hunt.

Greatsword Playstyle & Tips

So, you've got the gear, you've got the skills, now what? It's all about the Greatsword playstyle and honing those skills, guys! The Greatsword is a commitment weapon. It rewards patience, precise timing, and excellent monster knowledge. Your primary goal is to land the True Charged Slash (TCS). This means you need to learn monster attack patterns inside and out. You need to know exactly when a monster will finish an attack animation, leaving an opening long enough for you to charge and land your TCS. Don't just mash buttons; think about each attack. Every swing should have a purpose. One of the most common mistakes new Greatsword users make is overcommitting. You see an opening, you start charging, but the monster moves or attacks unexpectedly, and you're left wide open, taking a massive hit. Learn to let go of your charge early if needed, or use your tackle (ZL + B on Switch) to cancel your charge and reposition. The tackle is your best friend for dodging while charging. It's a smaller repositioning tool that can save your life. Strongarm Stance, as we discussed, is revolutionary for this. It allows you to charge during your tackle, making it much easier to bait out monster attacks and punish them. Positioning is also key. You want to be in a position where you can charge safely and hit the monster's most vulnerable parts, usually the head for KO potential or the legs to trip it. Aiming your charges matters! Practice hitting specific hitboxes. Don't be afraid to start with charged slashes that aren't TCS. A well-timed level 1 or level 2 charge can still interrupt a monster or deal good damage, and it's safer than whiffing a TCS. The monsters in Sunbreak are aggressive, so anticipating their moves is more important than ever. Use your Silkbind attacks effectively. Impact Crater is amazing for punishing knockdowns or long attack animations. Power Sheathe Attack is great for closing gaps quickly or repositioning after a blocked hit. Learn the animation timings for everything. Another tip: Headlocking. This refers to repeatedly KOing a monster by hitting its head with charged attacks. It requires good positioning and timing, but it can trivialize certain fights. If a monster is charging at you, often you can charge your own sword and meet it head-on with a charged slash for a massive punish. Don't underestimate the power of environmental traps or the wirebugs around the map to give you extra mobility or set up opportunities for big damage. Finally, review your hunts. Watch your replays if you can, or just mentally go over what you could have done better. Did you miss a TCS? Why? Was it a positioning error? A misjudgment of the monster's animation? Continuous improvement is the name of the game with the Greatsword. It’s a weapon that demands respect, but when wielded by a master, it is utterly devastating.

Conclusion: Master the Greatsword

There you have it, hunters! We've journeyed from the early days of learning the basic charges to crafting endgame builds that can absolutely flatten the toughest monsters in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. The Greatsword is a weapon of incredible power and satisfaction, but it requires dedication. Understanding its core mechanics, prioritizing the right skills like Focus, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost, and mastering the timing of your True Charged Slash are the keys to success. Don't forget the game-changing utility of Switch Skills like Strongarm Stance and Silkbind Attacks like Impact Crater. They aren't just flashy moves; they are integral parts of a powerful Greatsword arsenal. Remember, patience is your greatest ally. Learn your monsters, anticipate their attacks, and position yourself for those devastating blows. The journey with the Greatsword is about continuous improvement, refining your timing, and making every swing count. So keep practicing, keep experimenting with builds, and most importantly, keep hunting! You've got this, and soon you'll be seeing those massive damage numbers pop up with every single hit. Go forth and unleash the fury of the Greatsword!