Top Monster Hunter Rise Longsword High Rank Build
Hey guys! Ready to slice and dice your way through Monster Hunter Rise's High Rank with the Longsword? This guide will walk you through some killer builds to maximize your damage output and keep you looking stylish while doing it. Let's get started!
Understanding the Longsword in High Rank
The Longsword in Monster Hunter Rise is a fantastic weapon known for its reach, fluid combos, and the iconic Spirit Gauge. Mastering the Longsword involves building up your Spirit Gauge through successful attacks and then unleashing powerful Spirit Blade combos. In High Rank, monsters hit harder and have more health, so optimizing your build is crucial. We're talking about skills, armor, and decorations that synergize to keep you in the fight and dealing consistent damage. You need a balance of offense and defense to survive the tougher hunts. High Rank monsters also have new attack patterns, requiring you to be more strategic with your dodges and counters. Understanding these nuances will help you choose the right skills and armor pieces to complement your Longsword playstyle. Are you an aggressive player who loves to stay on the offensive? Or do you prefer a more patient approach, waiting for openings to strike? Your playstyle will influence your build.
To make the most of the Longsword in High Rank, you've got to understand a few key mechanics. First off, the Spirit Gauge is your best friend. This gauge fills as you land attacks, and once it's full, you can perform Spirit Blade combos that deal massive damage. Maintaining this gauge is key to maximizing your damage output. Next, mastering the Foresight Slash is crucial. This move allows you to evade attacks while maintaining your combo, and if timed correctly, you'll counter with a powerful strike. Practice this move until it becomes second nature! Don't forget about the Iai Spirit Slash, a powerful attack that can deal significant damage if you land it. However, it leaves you vulnerable, so timing is everything. Experiment with different combos to find what works best for you. The Longsword offers a lot of flexibility, so don't be afraid to mix things up. And finally, pay attention to monster attack patterns. Knowing when to dodge, when to counter, and when to unleash your Spirit Blade combos is essential for success in High Rank.
Core Skills for Longsword Builds
When crafting your Longsword build, certain skills are non-negotiable. These skills provide significant boosts to your damage output, survivability, and overall effectiveness in hunts. Here's a breakdown of the core skills every Longsword user should prioritize:
- Attack Boost: This is a no-brainer. Attack Boost increases your raw attack power, making every hit deal more damage. Aim for at least level 4, but the higher, the better.
- Critical Eye: Critical Eye increases your affinity, which is the chance to deal critical hits. Critical hits deal 25% more damage, so increasing your affinity can significantly boost your damage output.
- Weakness Exploit: This skill grants you additional affinity when hitting weak points on monsters. Since the Longsword is all about precision strikes, Weakness Exploit is a must-have.
- Critical Boost: Critical Boost increases the damage multiplier of critical hits. Combine this with Critical Eye and Weakness Exploit for maximum critical damage.
- Quick Sheathe: The Longsword relies heavily on its special sheathing moves like Iai Spirit Slash and Iai Double Slash. Quick Sheathe speeds up the sheathing animation, allowing you to use these moves more frequently and react faster to monster attacks.
- Focus: Focus speeds up the charging of your Spirit Gauge, allowing you to reach the powerful Spirit Blade combos faster. This skill is especially useful for maintaining your damage output throughout the hunt.
- Evade Window: While not strictly damage-related, Evade Window increases the invulnerability frames during your dodges, making it easier to avoid monster attacks. This can significantly improve your survivability, especially against faster monsters.
These skills form the foundation of any good Longsword build. They provide a balance of damage, survivability, and utility, ensuring that you can handle anything High Rank throws your way.
Build 1: The Raw Powerhouse
This build focuses on maximizing raw attack power and critical hit chance. It's perfect for players who prefer a straightforward, aggressive playstyle.
- Weapon: Rampage Sword S (Fully upgraded with Attack Surge and Affinity Surge)
- Head: Nargacuga Helm S (Critical Eye +2, Evade Window +2)
- Chest: Rathalos Mail S (Attack Boost +2, Weakness Exploit +1)
- Arms: Kaiser Vambraces S (Critical Eye +2, Critical Boost +1)
- Waist: Anjanath Coil S (Attack Boost +2, Evade Extender +1)
- Legs: Hunter Greaves S (Critical Eye +1, Quick Sheathe +1)
- Charm: Quick Sheathe +2 (or any charm with good slots)
Skills:
- Attack Boost: 7
- Critical Eye: 7
- Weakness Exploit: 3
- Critical Boost: 3
- Quick Sheathe: 3
- Evade Window: 2
- Evade Extender: 1
Decorations:
- Attack Jewel 2 x2
- Critical Jewel 2 x2
- Expert Jewel 1 x2
- Quick Sheathe Jewel 1 x1
Explanation:
This build is all about maximizing your raw damage output. Attack Boost and Critical Eye significantly increase your attack power and critical hit chance, while Weakness Exploit and Critical Boost ensure that your critical hits deal massive damage. Quick Sheathe allows you to quickly sheathe your weapon for Iai Spirit Slash and Iai Double Slash, and Evade Window provides some extra survivability. The Rampage Sword S is a great choice for this build because it can be customized with Attack Surge and Affinity Surge, further boosting your damage output.
Build 2: The Elemental Striker
This build focuses on exploiting monster weaknesses by using elemental Longswords. It's perfect for players who enjoy a more strategic approach to hunting.
- Weapon: Anjanath Flameblade (Fire), Mizutsune Longsword (Water), Thunderlord Blade (Thunder), Daora's Razor (Ice), or Archdemon Sword (Dragon)
- Head: Zinogre Helm S (Attack Boost +1, Thunder Attack +2)
- Chest: Rathalos Mail S (Attack Boost +2, Weakness Exploit +1)
- Arms: Kaiser Vambraces S (Critical Eye +2, Critical Boost +1)
- Waist: Anjanath Coil S (Attack Boost +2, Evade Extender +1)
- Legs: Jyuratodus Greaves S (Water Attack +2, Evade Window +1)
- Charm: Elemental Attack +2 (for your chosen element)
Skills:
- Attack Boost: 5
- Critical Eye: 2
- Weakness Exploit: 1
- Critical Boost: 1
- Evade Extender: 1
- Elemental Attack: 5 (for your chosen element)
Decorations:
- Attack Jewel 2 x1
- Elemental Jewel 2 x2 (for your chosen element)
- Expert Jewel 1 x2
- Evade Window Jewel 1 x1
Explanation:
This build is designed to take advantage of monster elemental weaknesses. The core skills remain the same, with Attack Boost, Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost providing a solid foundation for damage output. However, the focus shifts to maximizing elemental damage with the Elemental Attack skill. The charm and decorations are used to further boost the elemental damage of your chosen weapon. Remember to switch weapons depending on the monster you're hunting to maximize your damage output.
Build 3: The Comfort King/Queen
This build prioritizes survivability and comfort, making it perfect for players who are new to High Rank or who struggle with tougher monsters.
- Weapon: Any Longsword with good sharpness and decent attack
- Head: Barroth Helm S (Defense Boost +2, Guard Up +1)
- Chest: Rathalos Mail S (Attack Boost +2, Weakness Exploit +1)
- Arms: Barroth Vambraces S (Defense Boost +2, Guard +1)
- Waist: Anjanath Coil S (Attack Boost +2, Evade Extender +1)
- Legs: Ingot Greaves S (Handicraft +2)
- Charm: Evade Window +2 (or any charm with good defensive skills)
Skills:
- Attack Boost: 4
- Weakness Exploit: 1
- Defense Boost: 4
- Evade Window: 4
- Evade Extender: 1
- Guard: 1
- Guard Up: 1
- Handicraft: 2
Decorations:
- Attack Jewel 2 x1
- Defense Jewel 1 x2
- Evade Window Jewel 1 x2
- Handicraft Jewel 1 x1
Explanation:
This build focuses on providing a comfortable and forgiving hunting experience. Defense Boost increases your defense, reducing the damage you take from monster attacks. Evade Window and Evade Extender make it easier to dodge attacks, while Guard and Guard Up allow you to block attacks that you can't dodge. Handicraft increases the sharpness of your weapon, preventing it from dulling too quickly. While this build may not deal as much damage as the other two, it will keep you alive longer, allowing you to learn monster attack patterns and improve your skills.
Tips and Tricks for Longsword Users
Alright, now that you've got your build sorted, let's talk about some tips and tricks to help you become a Longsword master:
- Master the Foresight Slash: This move is your bread and butter. Practice timing it perfectly to evade attacks and counter with a powerful strike. It's essential for maintaining your Spirit Gauge and dealing consistent damage.
- Use Iai Spirit Slash Wisely: The Iai Spirit Slash is a powerful attack, but it leaves you vulnerable. Use it strategically, when you know you have a clear opening.
- Maintain Your Spirit Gauge: Keep an eye on your Spirit Gauge and make sure to keep it filled. The higher the level of your Spirit Gauge, the more damage you'll deal.
- Exploit Monster Weaknesses: Pay attention to monster weaknesses and use elemental Longswords to deal extra damage. Remember to switch weapons depending on the monster you're hunting.
- Learn Monster Attack Patterns: Knowing when to dodge, when to counter, and when to attack is crucial for success in High Rank. Take the time to learn monster attack patterns and adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Use Wirebug Skills: Experiment with different Wirebug skills to find what works best for you. Some popular choices include Soaring Kick and Serene Pose.
- Don't Be Afraid to Experiment: The Longsword offers a lot of flexibility, so don't be afraid to experiment with different combos, skills, and playstyles to find what works best for you.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it – some top-tier Longsword builds to dominate High Rank in Monster Hunter Rise! Remember, the best build is the one that suits your playstyle and helps you enjoy the game. Experiment with different options, adapt to the challenges, and most importantly, have fun out there, hunters! Happy hunting, and may your blades always be sharp!