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Master Long Sword Techniques in Monster Hunter Wilds: Moves and Combos Guide

Author : Stella

Apr 27,2025

The *Monster Hunter* series is renowned for its diverse arsenal of weapons, and mastering the Great Sword in *Monster Hunter Wilds* can significantly enhance your hunting prowess. This guide is designed to equip you with the knowledge and strategies needed to wield this powerful weapon effectively.

Best Way To Use the Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds

The Long Sword in *Monster Hunter Wilds* is a dynamic weapon that blends speed with formidable damage potential, offering a variety of combos and counterattacks that can be tailored to your combat style. Mastering its use involves understanding its moves and utilizing the Spirit Gauge effectively.

All Moves

Command	Move	Description
Triangle/Y	Standard Attack	Spirit Blade attacks are slashing attacks that consume the Spirit Gauge. The direction of Spirit Blade I and Spirit Blade II can be adjusted with the analog stick.
Circle/B	Thrust	Press Circle/B after Thrust to perform a Rising Slash.
R2/RT	Spirit Blade I	Spirit Blade attacks are slashing attacks that consume the Spirit Gauge. The direction of Spirit Blade I and Spirit Blade II can be adjusted with the analog stick.
R2/RT x 4	Spirit Blade Combo	Spirit Blade attacks are slashing attacks that consume the Spirit Gauge. The direction of Spirit Blade I and Spirit Blade II can be adjusted with the analog stick.
Holding R2/RT	Spirit Charge	A Spirit Charge fills the Spirit Gauge and, once unleashed, allows you to perform a Spirit Blade attack. The level of Spirit Blade attack depends on the length the charge is held. Charging completely allows you to unleash a Spirit Roundslash. If the Spirit Gauge is red, you won’t have any damage reactions to attacks that knock you back or send you flying while the Roundslash is in motion.
Triangle/Y + Circle/B	Fade Slash	A slashing attack performed while moving backwards. The direction can be controlled using the analog stick.
R2/RT + Circle/B During Combo	Foresight Slash	The Foresight Slash is an attack that can be performed mid-combo and provides a large window of invulnerability. Foresight Slashes consume the entire Spirit Gauge. However, landing one after dodging a monster’s attack will fill the gauge completely. Press R2/RT to chain it into a Spirit Roundslash. When the Spirit Gauge is empty, the effect decreases, but if it is red, you can follow up with a Foresight Whirl Slash.
R2/RT + Triangle/Y	Spirit Thrust	Landing a Spirit Thrust will lower the Spirit Gauge one level (when the gauge is White or higher) but will allow you to chain into a Spirit Helm Breaker. This can be followed up with a Spirit Release Slash when the gauge is red. Use Square/X to cancel Spirit Helm Breaker.
R2/RT + Cross/A	Special Sheath	A special action that sheathes your weapon.
After Special Sheath, Triangle/Y	Iai Slash	After Special Sheath, landing Iai Slash will cause the Spirit Gauge to fill up automatically for a short time.
After Special Sheath, R2/RT	Iai Spirit Slash	After Special Sheath, you can time Iai Spirit Slash with an enemy’s attack to counter and raise your Spirit Gauge by one level.
L2/LT + R1/RB	Focus Strike: Unbound Thrust	A thrusting attack that is effective against wounds. Hitting a wound or weak point will unleash a slash attack, increasing the Spirit Gauge by one level. The more wounds you destroy, the more levels the Spirit Gauge will increase. Use the analog stick to change the direction of the attack.

Spirit Gauge

The Spirit Gauge is a unique feature of the Long Sword in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, enhancing its damage potential. The higher the gauge level, the more damage you can deal. At its maximum, it transforms basic attacks into powerful follow-ups. To charge the Spirit Gauge, land attacks on the monster. To increase its level, use Spirit Blade attacks and successfully land the final Spirit Roundslash or a Focus Strike. When the gauge is red, landing a Spirit Roundslash or a Spinning Crimson Slash will extend its duration.

In terms of damage increases:

White – 1.02x
Yellow – 1.04x
Red – 1.1x

Combos

Monster Hunter Wilds Long Sword Combos

Image Source: Capcom via The Escapist

Long Sword combat in *Monster Hunter Wilds* relies on a variety of combos that can turn you into a fast-moving damage dealer. Here are some key combos to master:

Spirit Gauge Filling Combo/Spirit Gauge Leveling

Chain four basic Overhead Slashes using Triangle/Y to quickly fill the Spirit Gauge to its maximum. This allows you to perform Spirit Blade attacks, which can then increase the Spirit Gauge level. A four-chain of R2/RT presses is necessary, and while you can miss the first three attacks, landing the final Spirit Roundslash is crucial to push the Spirit Gauge to the next level.

Crimson Slash Combo

With the Spirit Gauge at its maximum and red, your basic attacks transform into Crimson Slashes. Chain three of them using Triangle/Y for a swift combo with increased damage.

Stationary Combo

With a maxed-out Spirit Gauge, use the combo of Triangle/Y + Circle/B + Triangle/Y. This sequence involves a Crimson Slash followed by a Rising Slash, finishing with another Crimson Slash. It allows you to deal damage while staying in place, eliminating the need to aim and move.

Related: How to Capture Monsters in Monster Hunter Wild

Long Sword Tips

Monster Hunter Wilds Long Sword Tips

Image Source: Capcom via The Escapist

The Spirit Gauge is central to maximizing the Long Sword's damage output. Here are some tips to enhance your gameplay:

Spirit Charge

Hold down R2/RT to start the Spirit Charge. Fully charging allows you to unleash the Spirit Roundslash without the preceding chain, immediately increasing the Spirit Gauge. Ensure you are safe while charging up.

Spirit Helm Breaker/Spirit Release Slash

The Spirit Helm Breaker delivers the highest damage possible with the Long Sword. It consumes the current Spirit Gauge level, but you can maximize its impact by using Crimson Slashes beforehand. After hitting the enemy with a Spirit Thrust, follow with the Spirit Helm Breaker, then press R2/RT for the Spirit Release Slash. This sequence deals significant damage quickly and looks impressive, especially if teammates are distracting the monster.

Free Spirit Gauge Levels

Attacking wounds with the Focus Strike will gain you one level of the Spirit Gauge per wound. If you have inflicted multiple wounds on a monster, using the Focus Strike can instantly elevate your Spirit Gauge to red. Even with just one wound, this technique can work efficiently. After landing the Focus Strike, immediately trigger the Spirit Blade combo and conclude with a Spirit Blade Roundhouse to increase the gauge by another level.

Countering with Iai Spirit Slash

Without the ability to block damage, speed is your defense. Utilize the Iai Spirit Slash from Special Sheathe to counter enemy attacks. After an attack, press R2/RT and Cross/A for Special Sheathe. Then, time your R2/RT press with the enemy's attack to perform the Iai Spirit Slash, avoiding damage while dealing a powerful counterattack.

Mastering the Long Sword in *Monster Hunter Wilds* requires practice and understanding of these techniques. For more tips and guides, be sure to explore the rest of The Escapist.

Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.