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The Long Sword is a devastating weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, packed with combo-heavy attacks and powerful counters. With its new mechanics, it is both fun to use and incredibly deadly. In this guide, I will cover the best Long Sword builds and progression, from Low Rank to Endgame.
This guide will be updated regularly along with future content!
Long Sword Gameplay and Best Combo
The main goal when using Long Sword in MH Wilds is to reach Red Spirit gauge and then maintain it. Once in Red Spirit, you'll want to spam the Crimson Combo (Crimson Slash I followed by Spirit Blade I, repeated as quickly as possible). This combo is extremely fast and now stronger than the previous Spirit Helmbreaker + Spirit Release Slash strategy.
While Crimson Combo is generally better, Spirit Helmbreaker still has specific uses. Use it when your Red gauge is almost depleted, when you need super armor during monster attacks, or when a monster is about to leave the area and you want to get in some final damage. Or if you want to see satisfying cinematic slashes, obviously.
- Iai Spirit Slash is the fastest way to level up your gauge and does good damage.
- Foresight Slash offers a generous counter window and leads to Spirit Roundslash.
- Focus Strike provides quick progress by giving a level of gauge.
In Red Spirit, both ISS and Roundslash will restore small amounts of gauge instead of leveling it up. Foresight Slash transforms into Foresight Whirl Slash with a backflip animation. The key is to keep countering effectively while maximizing your time using the Crimson Combo whenever the monster gives you an opening.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the best builds and progression.
Long Sword Low Rank Builds and Progression
When using the Long Sword, Quick Sheathe is the most important skill to prioritize from the early game, as it enhances your counterplay and overall combat flow.
With that in mind, here are the best builds for Low Rank hunts and assignments:
HR 1-5
The Balahara and Alloy combination provides Quick Sheathe Lv. 3, giving you faster sheathing speed for smoother counterattacks. It's a simple yet effective setup for Low Rank progression.
HR 5-10
The Hirabami set grants Evade Window and a higher base defense, making it useful for progressing through the story and handling tougher monsters. To compensate for the loss of Quick Sheathe, craft a Sheathe Charm.
Barina Flamberge is a solid choice for Low Rank hunts, thanks to its effective paralysis status, which helps immobilize monsters for easier combos. Alternatively, if you prefer poison damage over paralysis, the Rompo Hacker is another great option for consistent damage over time.
HR 10-15 (Until High Rank)
This armor set provides the offensive power needed to take on tougher monsters, all the way up to Low Rank bosses. Weakness Exploit and Burst are excellent skills since you'll be frequently using the Crimson Combo for consistent damage output.
For weapons, Veldian Ensis is a strong choice due to its high base damage and Dragon element. Other viable options include Rompopolo and Lala Barina.
Once again, Quick Sheathe is the most important skill. If you don't have Sheath Jewels, use Alloy Helm and Greaves instead, but make sure to upgrade them to maintain decent defense. However, if you prefer WEX, then keep using the G Rathalos set.
Best Long Swords for Low Rank
- Rompo Hacker I
- Windclaw Blade I
- Rey Tonitrus I
- Barina Flamberge 2
- G. Veldian Ensis I
Long Sword High Rank Builds and Progression
Congrats, you are now in High Rank! Starting the High Rank, you still use your previous low rank armor set. So Make sure to upgrade it at least to level 6.
HR 15-35
From HR 15 to HR 35, there are not much to be changed except the weapons. By switching the previous LR G Rathalos Mail to Kut-Ku Mail, you will get Agitator instead, which is quite useful for Long Sword.
At this stage, mastering your Long Sword combos and mechanics is essential, as they form the foundation of your success until you reach HR 35.
Late High Rank
Once you have defeated Blangonga and Guardian Rathalos, it's best to craft their armor set to enhance your defense and damage.
With this set, you get 3 Weakness Exploit, 4 Agitator, 3 Power Prolonger, and 3 Max Might. These are crucial for greatly enhancing your damage and critical hits.
Quick Sheathe and Counterstrike are supporting skills that maximize the potential of a Long Sword.
It is also the perfect time to farm materials for the Exploiter Charm, as it will be crucial for late to endgame progression.
Best Long Swords for High Rank
- Tonitrus Clairblade
- Stahlrecht
- Wyvern Blade Maple
- Lala Ornitochton
- Rompo Mytoxin
Long Sword Best Endgame Builds
For the endgame, your build choice will largely depend on your playstyle and preference. However, these are currently the best Long Sword endgame builds:
LS Endgame 4-Gore Meta Build
This build is the current meta, focusing on 4-piece Gore armor, which grants Black Eclipse II. This set skill, combined with level 3 Antivirus, provides an extra 25% Affinity and Attack boost, making it perfect for Long Sword.
Critical Boost 5, Weakness Exploit 5, and Max Might 3 are the three core damage skills that are crucial for this build. Razor Sharp and Quick Sheathe further enhance efficiency and fluidity, maximizing the Long Sword’s potential.
Evade Window, Adrenaline Rush, and Burst serve as QoL (Quality of Life) skills, improving both damage and survivability.
For the Dimensius, Paralysis or Blast are the best status options for this build. Optimally, aim for all Attack infusion and 4 Attack + 1 Sharpness reinforcement. However, if you can’t achieve this setup, it’s still the best weapon choice, thanks to its three Level 3 jewel slots.
LS Endgame Zoh Shia Comfy Build
After Zoh Shia was introduced as a regular monster you can hunt in Title Update 1, you can craft a new comfort build thanks to its armor set. Zoh Shia's armor set grants you Zoh Shia's Pulse, which provides constant passive healing.
The health regeneration is not that fast—it's not as fast as G. Arkveld's healing. However, Arkvulcan and G. Arkveld's set bonuses require you to constantly hit or destroy wounds to activate the healing bonus, whereas Zoh Shia's set bonus regenerates your health passively without any requirements.
In this build, you still get 5 Weakness Exploit, 4 Agitator, 3 Max Might, and 3 Antivirus, which grants you 100% Affinity. So, a bit less damage than 4-piece Gore, but you get that sweet passive healing.
Recovery Up and Recovery Speed jewels are recommended to boost the passive healing from Zoh's set bonus. You can always change the Medicine jewels to Quick Sheathe if you prefer faster sheathing.
LS Endgame Mighty Agitator Build
Arguably head-to-head with the 4-p Gore meta build, this setup revolves around Agitator and Second Wind.
At max level, Agitator grants +20 Attack and +15% Affinity when the monster is enraged. Since monsters are frequently enraged, this build is always a solid choice. It was the main meta in Monster Hunter World and remains viable in Wilds.
The Second Wind set skill grants you a secondary stamina bar, making sure the Max Might is activated all the time.
Similar to the other build, this setup works best if you consistently use the Crimson Combo. The difference is that you need to be more active while the monster is enraged.
Counterstrike is a perfect damage addition for this build as you will frequently use your IAI Slash to counter enraged monster attacks.
LS Endgame Elemental Burst Build
This build is perfect if you are doing elemental matchups. Crimson Combo attacks are so fast and constant that the Burst skill is always activated. With Critical Boost and Weakness Exploit at full, this build maximizes landing crits while adding elemental damage from Burst.
Ebony Odogaron's set bonus provides an additional Burst boost, combine it with Gore's Black Eclipse, this build is a beast. As long as you land quick and constant hits, you're more than good to go.
Quick Sheathe is still irreplaceable, so make sure not to forget it. You still get Adrenaline Rush for free attack boost whenever you do a counterattack.
LS Endgame Adrenaline Rush Build
This build focuses on the Adrenaline Rush skill. If you frequently use Foresight Slash, you will consistently activate Adrenaline Rush, maximizing your damage output.
With Critical Boost 5, Weakness Exploit 5, Max Might 3, and Antivirus 3, this build ensures massive damage as long as you perform perfect counters.
LS Endgame Comfy Build
This build is perfect for a more casual and relaxed playstyle, as it provides Hasten Recovery and Decimator, both granting passive healing when hitting the monster or destroying an open wound.
With Recovery Up and Divine Blessing, this build reduces the risk of dying, making it ideal if you don’t mind slightly longer hunts against Apex monsters, typically 3 to 5 minutes extra.
Best Long Swords for Endgame
- Dimensius (All Attack infusion, 4 Attack + 1 Sharpness reinforcement)
- Tonitrus Clairblade
- Stahlrecht
- Wyvern Blade Maple
- Lala Ornitochton
- Rompo Mytoxin
- Righteous Lancelot
Dimensius reigns supreme as the best Longsword in Monster Hunter Wilds. It boasts massive base damage, compatibility with all elements, and, most importantly, three level 3 decoration slots. Grinding for Dimensius takes time, but that's what makes Monster Hunter fun.
These are the best builds for the Longsword in Monster Hunter Wilds. Don't forget to use Quick Sheathe from early on until the endgame. For the endgame, Weakness Exploit, Critical Boost, and Maximum Might are crucial skills, with Agitator, Burst, or Antivirus as the bread and butter. Good luck hunters!
