Monster Hunter Now: Best Great Sword Build for High Damage

In the vast arsenal of *Monster Hunter Now*, the Great Sword stands out as a devastating weapon capable of unleashing colossal damage. However, its size makes it somewhat unwieldy. To maximize its potential, a strategic build is crucial, focusing on maximizing sleep effects to exploit monster vulnerabilities.

Recent updates have introduced sleep-inducing weapon crafting, but achieving optimal sleep application requires specific skills and equipment. This guide details the optimal Great Sword build for maximizing damage output.

Best Monster Hunter Now Great Sword Build

Unlike the poison-focused Long Sword, the Great Sword shines with a sleep-based strategy. While this build requires materials from a relatively rare monster, the majority of equipment comes from more common hunts.

Full Monster Hunter Now Great Sword Build

Weapon: Frilled Blade

The Frilled Blade is the optimal sleep-based Great Sword. Its Evade Extender skill enhances defensive maneuvers, providing crucial distance after dodging attacks. This isn't essential, but significantly improves survivability. You'll need Somnacanth materials to craft it.

Helmet & Greaves: Nightshade Paolumu Gear

The core of this build utilizes Nightmare Paolumu materials, obtained from the first paid event (and occasionally as rare spawns). These provide crucial Rude Awakener skills, boosting damage dealt to sleeping monsters by 100% on the first hit. While initially event-exclusive, they are becoming more accessible.

Mail, Vambraces, & Coil: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Gear

Completing the build, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku gear maximizes Status Sneak Attack, guaranteeing sleep buildup with rear attacks. Additional skills like Evade Extender and Artful Dodger further enhance survivability and maneuverability. Fortunately, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku is a relatively common monster.

Best Monster Hunter Now Great Sword Driftstone Slots

This build offers a significant advantage with its relatively low Driftstone slot requirements. Five Sleep Attack slots are ideal, but you can also utilize them to boost Artful Dodger, Evade Extender, or Sneak Attack for increased damage and evasion.

• Sleep Attack (Azure): Increases sleep buildup (50 at Rank 1, 150 at Rank 5).
• Sneak Attack (Pale): Increases damage from rear attacks (10% at Rank 1, 30% at Rank 5).
• Artful Dodger (Azure): Improves evasion ease.
• Evade Extender (Pale): Extends evasion distance.