MHW Long Sword Guide: Trees & Attacks

The Long Sword is designed to cut and slash with a wider arching reach that fluidly incorporates these attacks with some footwork and stance changes.

Every strike that hits your enemy charges up your spirit gauge, increasing the power of your attacks and allowing you to chain your combos as well as unleash the helm splitter attack which slashes once with multiple instances of damage.

This guide will discuss the most powerful craftable Long Swords of Monster Hunter World and the various attack styles you can perform along with their pros and cons.

Also Read Below The Other Long Sword Guides

Note: If you are on Mobile device swipe table to the left to see the below full table information completely.

Long Sword Trees

Defender

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Defender Katana V	726	Immortal Dragon Scale x1	0%	Blast	300	0

Ore

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Iron Katana III	330	Earth Crystal x2, Machalite Ore x2, Iron Ore x 5	0%	None	0	0
Iron Grace III	462	Carbalite Ore x8, Dragonite Ore x5, Dragonvein Crystal x2	0%	Water	(120)	1
Iron Gospel II	594	Elder Dragon Blood x2, Fucium Ore x13, Carbalite Ore x20, Firecell Stone x1	0%	Water	(180)	2

Nergigante

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Extermination’s Edge	693	Xeno’jiiva Horn x2, Nergigante Horn+ x5, Nergigante Talon x5, Nergigante Gem x1	0%	Dragon	120	1

Tzitzi-Ya-Ku

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Flickering Glow II	462	Legiana Tail Webbing x2, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Claw x3, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Photosphore x2, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Claw x3, Sharp Claw x3,	0%	None	0	0
Dazzling Flash III	594	Daora Webbing x2, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Claw+ x5, Bird Wyvern Gem x1, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Photosphore+ x3	0%	Thunder	(360)	1

Kulu-Ya-Ku

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
First Dance III	429	Odogaron Claw x2, Kulu-Ya-Ku Beak x2, Kulu-Ya-Ku Plume x4, Warped Bone x3	15%	None	0	0
Last Dance III	561	Nergigante Talon x2 Kulu-Ya-Ku Plume+ x4, Kulu-Ya-Ku Beak+ x5, Bird Wyvern Gem x1	20%	Sleep	(270)	0

Uragaan

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elem Dmg	Slot
Brazenridge II	660	Teostra Carapace x4, Uragaan Jaw x2, Uragaan Scute x4, Uragaan Ruby	0%	Fire	120	2

Rathian

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Wyvern Blade “Holly”	627	Elder Dragon Blood x3, Rathian Spike+ x5 Pink Rathian Scale x6, Rathian Ruby x1	10%	Poison	330	1

Rathalos

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Wyvern Blade “Indigo”	627	Teostra Horn+ x2, Azure Rathalos Scale+ x6, Azure Rathalos Tail x3, Rathalos Ruby x1	15%	Fire	240	1

Bone

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Bone Shotel III	396	Monster Bone M x2, Ancient Bone x1	0%	None	0	0
Hard Bone Shotel III	528	Monster Keenbone x2, Monster Bone+ x2, Quality Bone x2	0%	Sleep	(210)	1
Bone Reaper II	627	Elder Dragon Bone x4, Monster Hardbone x6, Quality Bone x20, Dragonbone Relic x1	0%	Sleep	(270)	1

Bazelgeuse

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Bazel Varga Rookslayer	660	Xeno’Jiiva Wing x3, Bazelgeuse Wing x4, Bazel Geuse Talon x4, Bazelgeuse Gem	-10%	Blast	210	2

Anjanath

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Blazing Shotel II	528	Rathalos Marrow x1, Anjanath Fang x4, Anjanath Nose Bone x1, Anjanath Tail x1	-20%	Fire	210	0
Anja Scimitar III	693	Teostra Mane x2, Anjanath Fang+ x6, Anjanath Nosebone+ x2, Anjanath Gem x1	-20%	Fire	390	0

Jyuratodus

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Jyura Shotel III	462	Monster Bone+ x2, Jyuratodus Fang x4, Jyuratodus Shell x3, Gaju Whisker x3	0%	Water	210	0
Dipterus III	627	Elder Dragon Blood x3, Jyuratodus Fin+ x6, Jyuratodus Fang+ x5 Wyvern Gem x1	0%	Water	360	1

Vaal Hazak

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Hazak Grosser II	660	Xeno’Jiiva Veil x3, Vaal Hazak Talon x6, Vaal Hazak Tail x2, Vaal Hazak Gem x1	0%	Dragon	270	1

Tobi-Kadachi

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Pulsar Shotel II	462	Monster Bone+ x2, Tobi-Kadachi Electrode x2, Tobi-Kadachi Membrane x2, Warped Bone x2	10%	Thunder	180	0
Kadachi Fang III	594	Elder Dragon x3, Tobi-Kadachi Electrode+ x4 Tobi-Kadachi Claw+ x6, Wyvern Gem x1	15%	Thunder	270	1

Legiana

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Glacial Shotel II	462	Paolumu Wing x4, Legiana Claw x4, Legiana Tail Webbing x3, Legiana Plate x1	0%	Ice	240	1
Legia Stealer	528	Daora Claw+ x2, Legiana Claw+ x5, Legiana Hide+ x3, Legiana Gem x1	0%	Ice	360	1

Hornetaur

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Dark Shotel II	429	Odogaron Fang x2, Hornetaur Shell x5, Hornetaur Wing x4, Hornetaur Head x2	0%	None	0	0
Dark Scimitar	528	Vaal Hazak Fang+ x3, Hornetaur Carapace x8, Hornetaur Innerwing x6, Wyvern Gem x1	0%	Paralysis	(240)	1

Dragonbone

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Dragonbone Stabber III	528	Elder Dragon Bone x10, Brutal Bone x4, Dragonbone Relic x2, Wyvern Gem x1	0%	Dragon	420	1

Zorah Magdaros

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Magda Facultas II	726	Xeno’Jiiva Shell x4, Zorah Magdaros Ridge x2, Zorah Magdaros Pleura x2, Firecell Stone x3	-20%	Blast	360	1

Black Steel

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Blacksteel Long Sword II	363	Firecell Stone x1, Fucium Ore x5, Carbalite Ore x10, Wyvern Gem x1	0%	Dragon	150	0
Imperial Shimmer	627	Xeno’Jiiva Soulscale x5, Teostra Horn+ x5 Teostra Claw+ x2, Teostra Gem x1	0%	Blast	300	0

Xeno’Jiiva

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damege	Slot
Xeno Cypher	594	Xeno’jiiva Claw x4, Xeno’jiiva Shell x6, Xeno’jiiva Tail x2, Xeno’jiiva Gem x1	15%	Dragon	180	2

Workshop Weapon

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Divine Slasher	693	Ace Hunter Coin x5, Brute Coin x4, Flying Coin x4, Wyvern Gem x2	0%	Dragon	(150)	1

Deviljho

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Reaver “Calamity”	759	Elder Dragon Blood x5, Deviljho Scalp x2, Deviljho Tallfang x5, Deviljho Gem x1	-25%	Dragon	210	0

Azure Star

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Azure Star “Dragon Dance”	495	Azure Stargem x2, Dodgama Talon x4, Rathalos Ruby x1, Novacrystal x1	30%	Water	180	1

Lunastra

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Empress Sword “Blaze”	594	Research Commission Ticket x1, Lunastra Horn x2, Teostra Horn+ x3, Bazelgeuse Gem x1	20%	Blast	180	2

Lunastra/Nergigante

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Empress Sword “Ruin”	627	Research Commission Ticket x1, Lunastra Wing x3, Nergigante Horn+ x3 Nergigante Gem x1	0%	Blast	150	2

Lunastra/Xeno’Jiiva

Weapon Name	Attack	Materials Required	Affinity	Element	Elemental Damage	Slot
Empress Sword “Styx”	594	Research Commission Ticket x1, Lunastra Tail x2, Xeno’jiiva Horn x3, Xeno’jiiva Gem x1	10%	Blast	240	2

Attacks

Spirit Meter/Spirit Gauge

Normal melee attacks charge your Spirit Meter and when you level it up, the glow of the Spirit Gauge and your blade indicates its strength.

As it fills up, you can perform powerful attacks that are called Spirit Blade attacks that work well with both critical builds and status effect builds.

Step Slash/Overhead Slash

This can be done before un-sheathing or moving forward as you attack which is also the start of your basic combo attacks that will generate Spirit Meter for your heavier attacks.

Forward Thrust

This forward thrust can be initiated also from a sheathing position which has a faster animation than the Step Slash but has no overhead reach that can be used to prepare other moves like Foresight Slash or Spirit Thrust.

Rising Slash

The Rising Slash is another basic attack and the last strike in the basic combo that can hit parts like the head or tail.

This also generates Spirit Meter which can be inserted in the Spirit Blade combo to generate some Spirit Meter to insure the Spirit Roundslash to be pulled off.

Foresight Slash

Both a defensive and offensive attack which can only be initiated after a basic attack, which allows the wielder to slide back a short distance and return quickly to the same position to make a quick slash.

There are 2 types of this which do the same animation but with different effects.

The other one triggers if you don’t have any Spirit Meter up which can only physically dodge but will not negate any damage if you get hit directly.

If you have some Spirit Meter up, it will drain it at any amount to use it to evade an attack, even in the direct path of the source of damage.

The added benefit of this complete dodge is that you can also initiate a Spirit Roundslash that upgrades your Spirit Meter.

Fade Slash

This is a Step Back move that can be used to reposition yourself or disengage your opponent which will use the momentum of your blade to hop backwards or to the side.

Falling Slash

This is the basic mounting attack of the Long Sword which can be done when falling off small ledges or from wall running.

Falling Spirit Slash

This attack is similar to the Falling Slash but does not initiate mounting but can deal multiple strikes if timed correctly.

Spirit Blade Combo

The Spirit Blade combo uses up your Spirit Meter and deals slightly increased damage which is the initial combo attack that will initiate the Spirit Roundslash as a final chain to the Spirit Blade combo.

Spirit Roundslash

The final attack of the Spirit Blade Combo which will cause the Spirit Gauge to go up by 1 if it hits a monster.

You will know if you initiated the Spirit Roundslash if you automatically sheath your weapon after the attack regardless of it hitting or not hitting your target.

Spirit Thrust

This charged thrust attack has a more extended reach and if it hits any target it will automatically make you leap up into the air to initiate the Spirit Helm Breaker.

Spirit Helm Breaker

A falling slash will not need to hit the monster directly but only needs to hit the area of the intended target for the Spirit Blade to deal damage.

After a very short delay, this will initiate multiple instances of damage that can be affected by affinity, elemental damage and status effects.

Although it will use up one level of your meter, the benefit of the Spirit Helm Breaker is that it will continuously generate Spirit Meter quickly depending on the level of the Spirit Gauge, allowing you to chain combos.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Self Damage Buffs
High Damage
Chain Combo Attacks
Wide Reach

Cons

Needs resource to take full effects
Attacks cannot be canceled

Overview

The Long Sword is a preferred weapon by most Monster Hunters due to its burst damage potential with its standard attacks alongside with its Spirit Combo, making it a powerful weapon to wield.

A perfectly timed combo attack of the Long Sword provides little to no time to a monster to counterattack and even if they can attack, a Foresight slash can negate the attack without issue and return punishment with your Spirit Helm Breaker.

Overall the Long Sword is a great weapon to master but can take some time understanding the timing and when to use your defensive attacks as well as when to be more aggressive.