Everyone loves a big sword, but that is especially true in the Monster Hunter series. Ask most people what comes to mind when they think of Monster Hunter, and they’ll say the ridiculously oversized weapons. The Greatsword in Monster Hunter Rise fits the bill nicely, giving players the chance to swing an impossibly big sword like their favorite characters.

Playing with a Greatsword is simpler than other weapons like the Switch Axe, but it still needs the right build for it to really shine. Here are a few of our favorite builds for this classic weapon.

The best Greatsword builds in Monster Hunter Rise

Critical Hit Build

This build stacks several Dragonheart skills to boost damage output as the battle rages on while raising Critical Hit chance as high as possible, making it a devastating weapon that gets more powerful over time.

  • Weapon – Dark of Night – This weapon has a good base Attack score of 180, but its Affinity of 35% puts us in a good place to land repeated Critical Hits once combined with the armor and skill sets below.Armor – Valstrax Set – This armor set offers multiple Dragonheart skills, which will boost your attack power once your health drops below 80%.Talisman – Critical Eye – This will give you a big boost to your Affinity, increasing your Critical Hit chance with every swing.Decorations – Three Critical Jewel 2, Three Charger Jewel 2, Three Steadfast Jewel 1Skills – Dragonheart Level 5, Weakness Exploit Level 3, Resuscitate Level 3, Critical Eye Level 3, Focus Level 3, Stun Resistance Level 3, Critical Boost Level 3, Resentment Level 3

Raw Damage Build

If you want to focus more on straight damage, then this build will do that for you. It focuses simply on hitting hard and often, not worrying about dealing out the devastating Critical Hits of the above build.

  • Weapon – Tigrex Great Sword – This sword comes with a -15% Affinity, making dealing Critical Hits highly unlikely, but it boasts a 210 base Attack score, putting it on par with some of the most powerful weapons in the game.Armor – Kaiser Helm, Vaik Mail, Lagombi Vambraces, Anjanath Coil, Ingot Greaves – This set of armor will give multiple Attack Boost skills, offering some devastating power behind each swing. It also offers up some Critical Eye skills to help offset that -15% Affinity issue with the Tigrex.Talisman – Weakness Exploit – This boosts your chance to land a Critical Hit while attacking a monster’s weak spot.Decorations – One Tenderizer Jewel 2, Two Critical Jewel 2, One Attack Jewel 2, Three Steadfast Jewel 1, Three Grinder Jewel 1, One Brace Jewel 1Skills – Critical Eye Level 7, Attack Boost Level 5, Critical Boost Level 3, Weakness Exploit Level 3,  Stun Resistance Level 3, Speed Sharpening Level 3, Ice Attack Level 1, Flinch Free Level 1