'Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak': Advanced Longsword Gameplay And Build Tips

The longsword is an extremely versatile weapon that can be devastating against any monster in the game.

This weapon is easy to pick up, but total mastery over it will take time and dedication. Here are some advanced pointers.

Repositioning with Iai Slash

The recovery animation for every longsword attack can be canceled using Special Sheathe. Use this opportunity to dodge incoming attacks by facing away from the monster before sheathing the sword and immediately using Iai Slash. The attack will move players two steps forward, which is often enough to dodge most attacks.

This is particularly useful for evading double attacks. Keep in mind that the counter-attack of Foresight Slash can be canceled using this technique, allowing players to dodge in essentially two consecutive directions.

Fastest Way to Charge The Spirit Gauge

To start a fight with a full red gauge without wasting time on smaller monsters, players should begin their attack with a Silkbind Sakura Slash, use Iai Spirit Slash to counter a monster's roar, then finish with another Sakura Slash. This will result in a red Spirit Gauge before the fight even starts.

If the target monster does not have a strong roar, players will need to chain three Sakura Slashes together by collecting another Wirebug beforehand.

Switch Skills

Try having Spirit Reckoning and Sacred Sheathe on the same scroll. Hitting a fully charged, red-bar Sacred Sheathe combo lets players perform Spirit Reckoning immediately, which can pile even more damage on a monster.

This will consume the entire Spirit bar, so make sure to have Silkbind Sakura and the normal Special Sheathe skills in the other scroll and use the combo mentioned above.

Comfort Build

Hunting isn't always about dealing the most damage. For longsword, armor skills that help with evasion are extremely useful. Here's a sample setup:

• Quick Sheathe Lv. 3
• Evade Extender Lv. 2
• Evade Window Lv. 5
• Free Meal Lv. 3
• Any elemental resistance skill

Quick Sheathe affects the speed of Special Sheathe, making dodging and countering with either Iai attacks more reliable. Meanwhile, Evade Window affects the invulnerability frames of all dodges and counters, including Foresight Slash and Iai Spirit Slash.

The Nargacuga Armor X set from Master Rank can serve as a great foundation for this comfort build.