Unleash Destruction: Ultimate Great Sword Build for Monster Hunter

Mastering the Monster Hunter Now Great Sword: A Sleep-Based Build Guide

The Great Sword in Monster Hunter Now is a powerful weapon, capable of devastating blows. However, its size can make it unwieldy. This guide details a build maximizing its potential using the sleep element.

To effectively utilize the Great Sword, you need to control the fight's tempo. Recent updates introduced sleep-inducing weapons, but you'll also need the right skills to reliably trigger sleep.

Optimal Monster Hunter Now Great Sword Build

Unlike the poison-focused Long Sword, the Great Sword excels with sleep. This build requires materials from a relatively rare monster, but the majority of equipment comes from more common hunts.

Complete Great Sword Build

Item	Effect
Weapon	Frilled Blade (Sleep element, Evade Extender I)
Helmet	Nightshade Paolumu Helmet (Rude Awakener I, II, Driftstone Slot)
Mail	Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Mail (Status Sneak Attack, Artful Dodger, Driftstone Slot)
Vambraces	Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Vambraces (Status Sneak Attack I, II, Driftstone Slot)
Coil	Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Coil (Evade Extender, Status Sneak Attack, Driftstone Slot)
Greaves	Nightshade Paolumu Greaves (Rude Awakener, Status Sneak Attack, Driftstone Slot)

Weapon Choice: Frilled Blade

The Frilled Blade is the optimal sleep-based Great Sword. Its Evade Extender skill adds crucial distance after dodging, improving survivability. This skill, while not essential, significantly enhances maneuverability. You'll need Somnacanth materials to craft it.

Helmet & Greaves: Nightshade Paolumu

The Nightmare Paolumu, introduced in an early paid event, provides key components. Its parts offer all three levels of Rude Awakener, boosting damage dealt to sleeping monsters by 100% on the first hit. While less common now, they appear in events or as rare spawns.

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

These pieces prioritize Status Sneak Attack, maximizing sleep buildup with rear attacks. You also gain additional Evade Extender and Artful Dodger points for enhanced evasion. Tzitzi-Ya-Ku is a more readily available monster.

Optimizing Driftstone Slots

This build features a low Driftstone slot requirement. Five slots are ideal for Sleep Attack. Alternatively, you can enhance dodging with Artful Dodger and Evade Extender, or boost damage with Sneak Attack.

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.

This build transforms the Great Sword into a highly effective sleep-inducing powerhouse. Remember to utilize the environment and your skills for maximum impact.