Simple, yet complex. Sword and Shield is touted as a beginner-friendly weapon with a low skill floor, given that it has access to low-commitment attacks, fast sheath times, good mobility and a shield, all of which are great for easing newcomers into Monster Hunter.

However, it has a surprising amount of depth in its kit as the Swiss Army knife of blademaster weapons. The Sword and Shield has access to a large toolbox, which increases decision complexity, and has very short attack times, which means that the player must make snap decisions on the fly regularly.

This document attempts to be a comprehensive guide to the Sword and Shield (henceforth abbreviated as SnS).

The scope of this guide will include the basics of SnS play, all the way to how to play the weapon at a more advanced level.

Play recommendations are backed up by mathematical calculations, as well as in-game frame-by-frame moveset analysis to keep recommendations aligned with what works in game.

If you have any comments, suggestions or questions, feel free to message me on Reddit (/u/dragonbronze) or on Discord (BK#4225). Check out the #sword-and-shield channel in the Monster Hunter Gathering Hall Discord server too!

1.1. Update Log

15/10/2022: Work on this guide was started.

22/10/2022: TU2 version is complete.

10/11/2022: Mid-TU2 update for raw/poison due to an error on my part. The change is that the Wroggi SnS (Dirty Graf) is now the best raw/poison SnS for general use, over the Lunatic Rose. My apologies for the oversight.

26/11/2022: Work on TU3 was started.

11/12/2022: TU3 version is complete.

07/02/2023: Work on TU4 was started.

14/02/2023: TU4 version is complete.

20/04/2023: Work on TU5 was started.

26/04/2023: Partial update with Embolden sets.

14/05/2023: TU5 version is complete.

1.2. Terminology

Here’s a list of some terminology and their definitions/meanings:

MV/s: motion value per second. All attacks have a motion value (it’s kind of like their raw damage value) and take time to complete. MV/s measures how efficient an attack is in dealing damage per unit time.
Ele/s: elemental modifier per second. All non-shield attacks have an elemental modifier that represents how much elemental damage is tacked on per hit. Some attacks have more, some have less. Ele/s measure how efficient an attack is in dealing elemental damage per unit time.
HZV:EHZV: the raw hitzone value to element hitzone value ratio. For more details, please see this.

2. Builds (TU6 WIP)

For links to the older build guides, see here:

[TU2]
[TU3]: Especially if you’re an XBox/PS player, look at this document.
[TU4]

For links to even older build guides (written by some other fantastic people), see here:

[Base Rise] by CookBook
[Sunbreak] by CookBook
[TU1] by Mopop

2.1. What Changed in TU6?

Malzeno is back and angrier than ever.

The TU6 update is WIP.

(10/07/2023) Sorry for the long dead period, Mopop and I have been pretty busy. I will continue to be busy for the next few weeks but I will eventually put out the update to this guide to close off Sunbreak hopefully soon. The content below is still correct up to TU5.

In TU6, we get Blood Awakening and the new Primordial Malzeno SnS. I don’t have the time to whip up set images, but based off my and Mopop’s calcs which were done pretty early into the release of the bonus title update, Blood Awakening isn’t a skill that we really want unless we have a large skill budget (aka you have god augs and charms), it hurts the set to fit it in assuming practical uptime numbers. The Primordial Malzeno SnS is pretty good though, and you should look to craft it as a viable competitor to the Valstrax or Chaotic Gore Magala SnS, it can edge them out slightly.

That’s really about it for the bonus title update. I’ll create some sample image sets and do a matchup chart maybe, and then we’ll probably see each other again for MH6.

2.1.1. New Augments, Decorations and Charms

Before we talk about the elephant in the room that is the new melding options, let’s cover the other new things. Dragon Conversion and Frostcraft are now possible augments for armour, which frees them up from the subpar equipment that they were tied to.

Decorations wise, we have the following new decorations:

Attack 4 (Attack Boost)
Expert 4 (Critical Eye)
Trigger 4 (Status Trigger)
Intrepid 3 (Intrepid Heart)
Embolden 4 (Embolden)
Bloodlust 4 (Bloodlust)
Capacity 4 (Ammo Up)
Challenger 4 (Agitator)
Bladescale 4 (Bladescale Hone)
Shockproof 1 (Shock Absorber)
Wirebug 1 (Wirebug Wrangler) (Rampage Decoration)

The new charm melding options are unlocked after defeating Amatsu, and boy, are they absolutely insane. The new qurio charms that can be obtained have a much higher efficiency floor and cap, and also allow for charms to now hold skills that they previously could not, such as Mail of Hellfire, Frostcraft, Buildup Boost, Dragon Conversion, and more.

We recommend using both melding methods (Vigor and Cyclus) continuously. Vigor melding can produce talismans which can have skills that do not have corresponding decorations (like Mail of Hellfire or Buildup Boost), which is valuable for freeing up space on your armour augments. Cyclus on the other hand cannot produce such talismans, but allows for you to target specific skills like Attack Boost or Weakness Exploit, and it is easy enough to get a high quality charm from this melding (6 points efficiency or better), while for Vigor, you will need to be quite a bit more lucky to get a good talisman with specific skills on it (aka the skills with no decorations for them).

As such, we will be making our new builds with 6-point efficiency charms that are easy to get from Cyclus, or 4-point efficiency charms featuring the no-decoration skills from Vigor.

Examples include:

[Cyclus]: Attack Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 1, with 2-2-0 slots
[Vigor]: Buildup Boost 2, with 2-2-0 slots

If you have better augments or charms, please put them into the set builder and let the set builder calculate a better build for you! We can only suggest baseline builds with easy-to-obtain charms and augments, and we cannot feasibly account for everyone’s qurio melding/crafting results.

2.1.2. New Skills

2.1.2.1. Heaven-Sent

Heaven-Sent is a new skill from the Amatsu armour. Heaven-Sent starts a hidden internal timer when you’re in close proximity to a monster or begin combat against it. The start of this timer is shown in-game with an aura of wind around the hunter.

As long as you do not get hit (specifically knocked back) or run away too far from the monster, the timer will continue to tick down (it stops and resets otherwise). When it finishes, it activates various effects as listed below.

HS Lvl

Timer

30s

15s

Effect after timer ends

Stamina usage reduced.

Decreases the next instance of damage taken (and cancels the skill).

Restores 50 units of sharpness on switch skill swap.

Same as level 1

Stamina usage negated.

Sharpness usage negated.

Decreases the next instance of damage taken (and cancels the skill).

Restores 50 units of sharpness on switch skill swap.

Removes or reduces status ailments on switch skill swap.

Effects of Heaven-Sent per level.

Heaven-Sent is an interesting skill. If you play very well and do not get hit, you can use Heaven-Sent to restore 50 units of sharpness per switch skill swap. It’s fairly easy to get 1 point of Heaven-Sent from the boots, which are pretty good, and the chest piece is also decent. Hence, Heaven-Sent is a potential sharpness management option for high-level play that allows SnS to forgo Master’s Touch and Destroyer Oil/Whetstone entirely.

However, for general play, we will not be explicitly recommending any level of Heaven-Sent, given that its benefits are contingent on you not being hit for 30 seconds at level 1 (15 at level 2, but it costs quite a bit more for builds to reach level 2), and that it is not a substantial boost in effective DPS compared to just using Master’s Touch and/or Destroyer Oil (it’s really just a small benefit that can matter at the speedrunning level). Given that most players do not play perfectly, Heaven-Sent cannot be relied upon as the only sharpness management skill for general play, and most players will benefit much more from using Master’s Touch and/or Destroyer Oil.

One thing to note is that Intrepid Heart, once active, absorbs the knockback from the first instance of damage, and this instance of damage will hence not affect Heaven-Sent. Hence, it is highly recommended that you slot in Intrepid Heart if you want to use Heaven-Sent, as it will make keeping Heaven-Sent active much easier.

If you think you play well enough to use the skill and you want to min-max your DPS, you can drop Master’s Touch from the set and put in 1 or 2 points of Heaven-Sent using the set builder. Use the skill priority guide if you’re not sure which skill to drop.

2.1.2.2. Frenzied Bloodlust

Frenzied Bloodlust is a new skill from Risen Shagaru Magala armour. After overcoming Bloodlust, Frenzied Bloodlust triggers, granting an additional wirebug. This additional wirebug stacks with any 3rd wirebug collected in the field, resulting in a total of 4 wirebugs that can be held simultaneously. How long this additional wirebug can be held for depends on the skill level, as shown below.

F. BL Lvl	1	2	3
Duration of additional wirebug (while weapon is unsheathed)	30s	60s	90s
Duration of additional wirebug (while weapon is sheathed)	1s	3s	3s

Effects of Frenzied Bloodlust per level.

It is important to note that the additional wirebug duration drastically decreases when you sheathe your weapon (either on purpose or from Wirefall), as shown above. You will need to unsheathe your weapon before the shortened countdown elapses to keep the additional wirebug. Sheathing your weapon does not shorten the normal (unsheathed) duration of the additional wirebug beyond however much time elapses while sheathed.

Frenzied Bloodlust is a very powerful skill in practice for the SnS. Metsu and Windmill are powerful counter moves with high DPS, and an extra Wirebug significantly increases the potential times you can use them in combat. However, Frenzied Bloodlust is also very restrictive, because as soon as you sheathe (or Wirefall), the wirebug essentially will disappear. This means that Frenzied Bloodlust is a skill which has more benefit the less hits you take in a hunt, because if you get hit and need to heal, you would need to sheathe to do that, losing the wirebug. You only can get it back the next time you overcome Bloodlust.

However, for the SnS, we have a special feature that we can use to mitigate most of this - we can use items unsheathed, which really helps with keeping the wirebug even if we take some damage. Just crack an Ancient/Max/Mega Potion while unsheathed and you can get back into the action with your wirebug still in your pocket. You can also sharpen while unsheathed, but you will need to hold guard to do that.

Furthermore, at level 2 of Frenzied Bloodlust, the extra wirebug takes 3 seconds to leave when sheathed. Hence, you actually still can Wirefall out of attacks and keep the bug, provided that you unsheathe as soon as you touch the ground.

Hence, given the powerful benefits of Frenzied Bloodlust, as well as how SnS can ignore its major drawback, SnS is in a unique position among the weapons to capitalise on Frenzied Bloodlust. Expect Frenzied Bloodlust to be a key part of most sets moving forward (except Frostcraft or scripted runs where the runner only needs the extra wirebug that can be picked up on the field).

Of course, Frenzied Bloodlust being such a powerful skill means that Bloodlust sets are probably going to be the mainstay moving forward. It’s by far the easiest life-drain skill to manage, given that you’ll only have that slow life drain 33% of the time with good play, and you get all your red health back when you overcome the Frenzy. I do highly recommend trying it out again even if you were not comfortable with the life drain before, especially now that Frenzied Bloodlust represents a huge amount of power tied to Bloodlust.

2.1.2.3. Shock Absorber

Shock Absorber is a new skill granted by the Shockproof 1 decoration that works similarly to Flinch Free 1, but with two important twists:

It works both ways - it disables the damage reaction if you hit your teammate or if your teammate hits you.
It does not apply during stun, meaning that you can hit your teammates with Shock Absorber out of stun, which you previously could not do if they had Flinch Free 1.

It doesn’t apply to enemy attacks, but generally that was not the main point of bringing Flinch Free 1. Shock Absorber will be the new skill replacing Flinch Free 1 in sets moving forward for multiplayer use.

2.1.2.3. Wirebug Wrangler

Wirebug Wrangler is a new skill granted by the Wirebug 1 Rampage decoration that extends the duration of the third wirebug collected in the field by an additional 30 seconds:

Normal duration: 90s
Wirebug Whisperer 1 duration: 117s (+30%)
Wirebug Whisperer 1 and Wirebug Wrangler duration: 147s (+30% and +30s)

Wirebug Wrangler is a situationally good skill over Species Exploit. We will still recommend Species Exploit as the go-to rampage decoration as the 1.05x effective multiplier on raw damage is still very powerful, but Wirebug Wrangler can in certain situations outperform this multiplier. We recommend trying both out in a hunt against a single monster and seeing whether the extra wirebug duration is significantly better (i.e. you get to do many more Metsus/Windmills in that extra 30 seconds) for you.

2.2. Build Notes

2.2.1. The Math Behind the Builds

For the sets, I have attached my math sheet. It contains frame data for most of the relevant SnS DPS rotations, DPS analysis, build recommendations, matchup calculations, etc.

The math sheet have been tested in the field to ensure that the damage formulae used results in the actual damage numbers seen in-game.

All MV/s and Ele/s data are determined based on calculations from the frame data analysis to ensure accuracy.

All builds are computer-generated with a set searcher using a comprehensive list of armours with all relevant Qurio augmentations (about 3000+ armour pieces in total loaded into the set searcher) and baseline charms.

The non-Embolden builds are ranked primarily based on the Lateral Loop DPS.

The Embolden builds are ranked primarily based on a custom damage rotation that takes into account Lateral Loop DPS, Guard Slash into average Perfect Rush response DPS and Metsu Shoryugeki DPS. This damage rotation is much more raw-focused than the Lateral Loop rotation.

All poison resources by DreamingSunTide that were used in calculations:

2.2.2. Assumptions

Uptimes are as follows:

Offensive Guard: assumed 40% uptime for singleplayer, based on some preliminary rough uptime analysis from my own speedrun videos and also watching some other runs. This is post TU2 and Guard Slash.
Adrenaline Rush: assumed 10% uptime for singleplayer, based on some preliminary rough uptime analysis from my own speedrun videos. Number may vary quite a bit in practice because each proc of Adrenaline Rush can increase the uptime percentage by quite a bit, but in practice it should be quite low because you rarely use a roll to avoid attacks.
Agitator: using calculated 50% uptime for afflicted monsters, as per EchoesPartOne’s work here at https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHunterMeta/comments/w8hhzq/afflicted_monsters_and_agitator_a_mechanical/ .
Grinder (S): Assumed 80-90% uptime with assumed 1 minute to burn through the initial 50 units of sharpness on the Phecda’s Asterism.
Burst: 1st tier (+5 attack, +5 element) is assumed at 100% uptime and 2nd tier (+5 attack, +3 element) is assumed at 70% uptime for good play (analysed from the uptime mod, in afflicted hunts)
Bloodlust: Assumed 66% uptime for good play (analysed from the uptime mod, in afflicted hunts.
Coalescence: Assumed 33% uptime as a function of Bloodlust uptime. The uptime can be higher if you get hit in afflicted hunts and contract Bloodblight.
Strife: For non-Embolden sets, assumed 50% due to chip from Metsu Shoryugeki. For Embolden sets, assumed 0% as the shield strength is higher resulting in little or no chip from Metsu Shoryugeki or Guard Slash.
Powder Mantle: Powder Mantle math is complicated as shown by DreamingSunTide here. The values inputted into the calculator across builds are:

0 seconds spent sheathing, because of our need to play around Frenzied Bloodlust, and that we can always use items while unsheathed.
10 hits per 10 seconds as a “decent play” estimate (which is also the estimate that has been used for Grinder math from the first title update until now). The better you play, the larger this number, the worse Powder Mantle will be (because your overall DPS is higher so the damage from Powder Mantle will be lower in proportion).
Chance of reaching Blue is set to 1. This value is difficult to get in practice, but the better you play the closer it will approximate 1.
Given these values (aka assuming good play), Powder Mantle 1 boosts your damage by 5%, and Powder Mantle 2 and 3 boosts your damage by a further ~1%. Most skills will boost your damage by slightly more than 1%. These values were calculated using raw sets, so elemental sets will benefit slightly less from Powder Mantle.

I will just add that uptimes are meant to be an estimate, and they will vary between hunts and between players. If you want a better estimate of your skill uptimes, you will need to perform the uptime analysis yourself so as to get an individualised and specific set of numbers that apply best to you.

2.2.3. Charms

The new qurio charms that can be obtained post-Amatsu have a much higher efficiency floor and cap, and also allow for charms to now hold skills that they previously could not, such as Mail of Hellfire, Frostcraft, Buildup Boost, Dragon Conversion, and more.

As such, we will be making our new builds with 6-point efficiency charms that are easy to get from Cyclus, or 4-point efficiency charms featuring the no-decoration skills from Vigor.

Examples include:

[Cyclus]: Attack Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 1, with 2-2-0 slots
[Cyclus]: Attack Boost 3, with 2-2-2 slots
[Vigor]: Buildup Boost 2, with 2-2-0 slots

2.2.4. Qurious Armour Crafting

All builds are made assuming that each armour piece has been augmented via Qurious Crafting to have one level two/three slot skill or equivalent (e.g. Weakness Exploit, Critical Eye, Critical Boost, Attack Boost, Buildup Boost, Bloodlust, Offensive Guard, etc).

Hence, these builds are late endgame builds (AR241+). You will not be able to craft these builds immediately (or even soon) after beating the game. Rather, these builds are meant to serve as guidelines on what to strive for. You will need reasonably augmented armour to have sets show up in the set builder for you.

We will show the exact augments used for each build.

The builds are also all sample builds. They are meant to be an example of one possible way to achieve the build query (attached in each build), and to also give an idea of the kind of charm and armour augments that are required to make these builds. You are highly encouraged to follow the Set Builder Tutorial to come up with a build that works with the charms and augments that you have on hand.

2.2.5. Set Builder Tutorial

Because of the complexity in possible charms and Qurious Crafting, a set builder has never been more helpful for optimising builds: https://gamecat.fun/e/.

Instructions on how to use the set builder:

Firstly, go to the website linked above.
Input all of your best charms into the set builder.

For GameCat, click the Auto Search toggle button at the top of the screen, near the middle right hand side, then at the Edit row in the purple box, click Talisman List.

Input all Qurious Crafted augmented armour (you only need to input the changes in skills and slots, you don’t need to input the changes in elemental resistance and defence for set-building purposes).

For GameCat, click the Auto Search toggle button at the top of the screen (if you haven’t already), then at the Edit row in the purple box, click Qurious crafting list.

Close the website. Now, click on the set builder query link I have set up for the build you want to use in the builds below.
Click Start search in the purple box.

FAQ:

Nothing happens when I load the set builder query link from one of the builds below and click search!

Make sure all of your charms and armour are loaded properly (clearing cookies clears all of the charms and armour saved on the website), and then press search again. If nothing shows up still, you do not have a charm and augmented armour combination that allows for the combination of skills. Consider cutting skills as per this guide from the search query, to get a less demanding build that you can make.

I have better armour augments and charms! What do I do?

If you have better augments or charms, please put them into the set builder and let the set builder calculate a better build for you! We can only suggest baseline builds with easy-to-obtain charms and augments, and we cannot feasibly account for everyone’s qurio melding/crafting results.

2.2.6. HZV:EHZV Ratios - How to Understand and Interpret Them

It is important to understand how the HZV:EHZV ratio affects which build (raw or elemental) comes out on top in a specific context.

The basics are that raw builds are better when the HZVs are higher, and elemental builds are better when the EHZVs are higher.

This can be related to the HZV:EZHV ratio as follows:

A high HZV:EHZV ratio means that the HZV is high and the EHZV is low, which means that raw builds are favoured.
A low HZV:EHZV ratio means that the HZV is low and the EHZV is high, which means that elemental builds are favoured.

When comparing two different weapons (e.g. a raw weapon and an elemental weapon), I may specify a calculated HZV:EHZV ratio for this comparison.

(Note: this calculated HZV:EHZV ratio is meant for comparison of Lateral Loop DPS)

Above this HZV:EHZV ratio, the raw weapon should be used (it deals more DPS on Lateral Loop).
Below this HZV:EHZV ratio, the elemental weapon should be used (it deals more DPS on Lateral Loop).

I will try to write the ratio with the HZV being set at 45 (the minimum value at which WEX activates).

You may convert this ratio into a more appropriate ratio for your context by dividing and multiplying.

For example, let’s say I want to compare the Kaktus Geheiden (Fire) Embolden build with the Shining Wyvern Blade Embolden build.

Both are fire weapons, but the Kaktus Geheiden is the raw-leaning weapon, and the Shining Wyvern Blade is the element-leaning weapon.

The calculated HZV:EHZV ratio is 45:29.

This can be read as:

If the body part you’re hitting has a ratio that is higher than this value (e.g. 45:15), then the Kaktus Geheiden is better.
If the body part you’re hitting has a ratio that is lower than this value (e.g. 45:30), then the Shining Wyvern Blade is better.

Essentially, the HZV:EHZV ratio tells you that for a body part with a HZV of 45, you need an EHZV of minimum 29 and above for the Shining Wyvern Blade to be dealing more damage.

This ratio can be converted into other ratios.

Let’s say we want to be hitting a 65 HZV hitzone, and we’re not sure what’s the minimum EHZV at which the Shining Wyvern Blade is better.

This minimum EHZV can be calculated by taking 29 (the EHZV from 45:29) and multiplying by 65/45. You will get 41.9.

Hence, when hitting a body part with a HZV of 65, you need an EHZV of minimum 41.9 and above for the Shining Wyvern Blade to be dealing more damage.

2.2.7. Poison and Multiplayer

It’s not a secret that Poison is less effective in multiplayer. The question is by how much.

This is the EFD (effective damage, basically EFR that takes poison damage into account) calculation table from DreamingSunTide’s poison calculator for a sample Lunatic Rose (Gold Rathian SnS) build.

The rows represent the number of hunters in a hunt. As the number of hunters increases, EFD decreases until 4 players, at which point it increases slightly from 3 players.

This is as increasing the number of hunters increases the HP of the monster, which decreases EFD (as EFD is calculated based on the % HP damage that poison does), but increasing the HP of the monster also increases the number of poison procs.

Basically, there is a slight decrease in EFD when the number of players increase, but this is counterbalanced by being able to get more poison procs, hence the magnitude of the decrease is low.

The columns represent the number of hunters using poison weapons in a hunt. Let’s take the row with 4 hunters as an example. As the number of hunters using poison weapons increase, the EFD decreases. This is as the available poison procs are being spread equally (assumption) among the poison-using hunters, so each individual hunter has less poison procs (and thus lower EFD).

Basically, there is a decrease in EFD when the number of poison weapons in a hunt increases, and the magnitude of this decrease is higher than that of just increasing the number of hunters.

Let’s assume that you play in 4-player hunts (e.g. Join Request lobbies) and want to know what’s the decrease in EFD. I don’t think most of the playerbase is using poison, so let’s say you and perhaps one other person are using poison weapons. The EFD decrease is calculated:

919/940 = 2.2% decrease in EFD if you are the only hunter with a poison weapon in a 4-player lobby.
899/940 = 4.3% decrease in EFD if there are two hunters (one of them being you) with a poison weapon in a 4-player lobby.

What’s the significance of this decrease? In multiplayer, element weapons start to pull ahead at lower HZV:EHZV ratios than what is stated in all of the builds below (i.e. EHZV does not need to be as high as before for element weapons to be better than raw weapons).

However, given that the EFD decrease of poison weapons is multiplayer, the HZV:EHZV ratio changes maybe by one or two EHZV points. Hence, overall, raw weapons are still likely to be better than element weapons in multiplayer for most cases, given that the hitzone being targeted has a good HZV. This is consistent with DreamingSunTide’s findings in this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHunterMeta/comments/xy3bq1/the_impact_of_multiplayer_on_poison_and_status/ where the effectiveness of poison weapons in multiplayer are not significantly decreased.

2.2.8. Bloodlust and Frenzied Bloodlust

Bloodlust (BL) is a skill that inflicts the Frenzy virus on you for a certain time upon monster aggro. The Frenzy virus drains your health slowly until you deal 600 MVs in total before the internal timer expires. After doing so, you’ll restore all of the red portion of your health and gain a +20% affinity buff (at level 1); this also triggers Coalescence and Frenzied Bloodlust, giving you an extra wirebug.

In general terms Bloodlust sets gain around 2 to 3% increase in damage at the expense of being harder to play due to the temporary health drainage until you clear out the Frenzy virus. This does not take into account the extra wirebug that Frenzied Bloodlust gives, which will be a significant source of extra damage. For this reason, many of the sets in this guide will include both skills.

Remember that for Frenzied Bloodlust play, you can always heal and sharpen unsheathed. You don’t need to sheathe and heal/sharpen, and this is relevant for Frenzied Bloodlust so you can keep the wirebug.

2.2.9. Mail of Hellfire Mode

We almost always go Mail of Hellfire (Red Scroll) in general, because based on the math, we end up benefiting more from the extra attack than from the extra element in most cases. This may not be the case for specific matchups where element is heavily favoured or with god augments and charms (where sets can be built to be even more element-heavy), however, but as a rule of thumb, Mail of Hellfire (Red Scroll) is probably not wrong.

2.2.10. Dragon Conversion and Furious - To Use Blue Scroll or Not?

We will generally want to use Blue Scroll at the start of a fight to build up the Dragon Conversion elemental resistance buff before swapping back to Red Scroll, if we are running Dragon Conversion and Furious. This is as this outdamages the alternatives of using Red Scroll for the entire fight, unless you take more than 25% of the fight (approximate and changes based on the specific build) to charge the buff up.

You just need to hit the monster 30 times (remember the counter resets if 10 seconds pass without you hitting the monster) to activate the buff, so it’s really not that hard.

2.3. Embolden Builds

Take note that all Embolden builds come with Embolden 2 and Guard 5 to allow for general use even in multiplayer (because Guard 5 is always active), compared to Embolden 3 and Guard 3.

Embolden 2 and Guard 5 combination is meant for general purpose use. You may need more (Embolden 3 and Guard 5) or less (cut to Guard 3 or 1) depending on the monster matchup, but that is matchup-specific information that is outside the scope of this guide.

When should you consider using Embolden builds?

You like having a decent shield to use.
You are a Perfect Rush enjoyer.
You like a counter-centric playstyle.
You are playing singleplayer.

I recommend using Embolden builds in singleplayer mainly because Embolden is not as active in multiplayer, and you’ll be much less likely to use Guard Slash in multiplayer as well. You can still use Embolden builds in multiplayer, just don’t expect to have 100% uptime on Embolden.

You think that the Guard Slash into Perfect Rush response is a better answer into certain monster attacks than Metsu/backhopping.

In the TU5 update, element Embolden sets are still practically not worth using. The Embolden damage rotation is raw-centric because of the many shield attacks in Perfect Rush (and Lateral Loop is actually kind of raw-centric too compared to stuff like Spiral Slash in DBs).

Many of the current element Embolden sets require unrealistic HZV:EHZV ratios of 45:30 or 45:35 to be worth using over the raw Embolden sets. These ratios are extremely lopsided and are generally not encountered in game.

Hence, I will no longer recommend element Embolden sets for general use.

The only exception is Kaktus Gedeihen; Kaktus is still hanging on this patch, while Lugen/Verite has been consigned to the same fate as the rest of the elemental weapons.

FAQ:

Nothing happens when I load the set builder query link from one of the builds below and click search!

Make sure all of your charms and armour are loaded properly (clearing cookies clears all of the charms and armour saved on the website), and then press search again. If nothing shows up still, you do not have a charm and augmented armour combination that allows for the combination of skills. Consider cutting skills as per this guide from the search query, to get a less demanding build that you can make.

I have better armour augments and charms! What should I do?

If you have better augments or charms, please put them into the set builder and let the set builder calculate a better build for you! We can only suggest baseline builds with easy-to-obtain charms and augments, and we cannot feasibly account for everyone’s qurio melding/crafting results.

I get hit often and Intrepid Heart 1 seems like a pretty good skill for me, what should I do?

If you like Intrepid Heart 1, you can add it into the search query. You may find that you need to cut some other skill to fit it in, especially for Embolden sets, given the skill tax for Embolden and Guard (this is also why it is not recommended as part of the default search query for Embolden sets). For the skill priority list, see here.

2.3.1. Dirty Graf

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 8 ATK 2 STATUS

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

Our lord Wroggi returns triumphant once more.

Upgrade with (a layered weapon skin) more points of Buildup Boost, Critical Eye, Wirebug Whisperer, Wind Mantle, etc.

2.3.2. Spirit Stealer

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 8 ATK 2 STATUS

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

I’ve decided to include Spirit Stealer this time owing to Risen Valstrax being a prominent end-game fight. Spirit Stealer is normally outperformed by Dirty Graf. As a rule of thumb, Spirit Stealer will only outperform Dirty Graf on targets where it can get more than twice the number of blast procs vs. poison procs (e.g. poison-resistant and blast weak monsters like Risen Valstrax). Dirty Graf will normally win against the vast majority of matchups, so treat this set as more of an inclusion for specific matchups and not as an alternative for general play.

Upgrade with (a layered weapon skin) more points of Wirebug Whisperer, Wind Mantle, Critical Eye, etc.

2.4. Non-Embolden Builds

When should you consider using non-Embolden builds?

You like backhoppping.
You don’t really care about Perfect Rush and like spamming Lateral Loop.
You are playing multiplayer (exception being the Phecda’s Asterism Grinder (S) build which should really be played only in singleplayer).
You think that the Guard Slash into Perfect Rush response doesn’t really matter for the monster matchup.

All non-Embolden sets should use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll, not Blue Scroll. Read here for why.

Dragon Conversion doesn’t change up a lot of the math here. Many sets still don’t really have the slots to fit in DC3 without sacrificing other skills like Critical Element, which ends up putting them back where they started. The only exception is Lügen/Verite, because it doesn’t have any need for Critical Eye, freeing up a lot of slots.

When should you use element over raw? Simply look at the monster’s HZV and EHZV (found in Hunter Notes in game, or you can also look at kiranico or robomeche, especially for monsters who have changing hitzone values throughout the fight). We will specify a HZV:EHZV ratio at which point element will start to give better results over raw, in the description of each build. To learn how to interpret this ratio, see this.

If you want a rough rule of thumb, you can use the element sets over the raw sets when the elemental hitzone value is 30% or greater that of the raw hitzone value (e.g. 65:20, 60:18, 50:15, etc).

FAQ:

Nothing happens when I load the set builder query link from one of the builds below and click search!

Make sure all of your charms and armour are loaded properly (clearing cookies clears all of the charms and armour saved on the website), and then press search again. If nothing shows up still, you do not have a charm and augmented armour combination that allows for the combination of skills. Consider cutting skills as per this guide from the search query, to get a less demanding build that you can make.

I have better armour augments and charms! What should I do?

If you have better augments or charms, please put them into the set builder and let the set builder calculate a better build for you! We can only suggest baseline builds with easy-to-obtain charms and augments, and we cannot feasibly account for everyone’s qurio melding/crafting results.

I get hit often and Intrepid Heart 1 seems like a pretty good skill for me, what should I do?

If you like Intrepid Heart 1, you can add it into the search query. You may find that you need to cut some other skill to fit it in, especially for Embolden sets, given the skill tax for Embolden and Guard (this is also why it is not recommended as part of the default search query for Embolden sets). For the skill priority list, see here.

I play in multiplayer and don’t really find myself using Offensive Guard much, what should I do?

Cut Offensive Guard from the search query and add in whatever upgrades are stated in the build description. Technically, using Offensive Guard 3 and Burst 2 is a slightly better combination (0.2% better) than the many of the below combinations of Offensive Guard 2 and Burst 3, but the Burst 3 combination will be stronger especially on downs without OFG activated. The more Metsus you use, the more you will want to lean towards the former combination.

2.4.1. Raw Builds

2.4.1.1. Dirty Graf

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 8 ATK 2 STATUS

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

Unlike for the Embolden sets where Wroggi still reigns, for the non-Embolden sets, Wroggi is finally facing some competition from some of the weirder sets below, but is still the go-to for conventional building and play.

Upgrade with (a layered weapon skin) more points of Offensive Guard, Critical Eye, Powder Mantle, Coalescence, etc.

2.4.1.2. Phecda’s Asterism

Build query: link

Weapon augment: Rampage Slot Upgrade and 6 ATK

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

Grinder (S) returns once again, albeit in a new form. We all thought it was dead at the very start of TU5 with the addition of yet another 10 units of sharpness in the weapon augments, but turns out that Heaven-Sent has good synergy with Grinder (S), allowing for practically 100% Grinder (S) uptime once the first 50 units of sharpness have been burnt through.

Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWElG9Jnuec (vs. Special Investigation Risen Kushala Daora) to see the build in action (with some Status Trigger on top).

This set can outperform the Dirty Graf, but there are some caveats as outlined below.

The main thing you need to take note of is that you need to not get hit too much while playing this set, so that Heaven-Sent is active when you need to sharpen, or your Grinder (S) uptime will suffer and this set will no longer be worth using. Intrepid Heart 1 is included to help maintain Heaven-Sent if you don’t make too many mistakes, but very confident players can remove it from the query.

This set may not be very good in multiplayer because if the monster runs away from you, your sharpness consumption per unit time will drop, which may also affect Grinder (S) uptime, affecting the viability of this build.

This set plays out as follows:

You grind through the 50 units of sharpness (40 purple and 10 white) in the first minute (ideally and practically easily achievable) of the fight, ultimately reaching blue sharpness.
You switch scroll swap from red scroll to blue scroll, sharpening your weapon from blue sharpness to purple sharpness, and hence activating Grinder (S).
You switch scroll swap back to red scroll to maintain Mail of Hellfire’s raw buff. Repeat these 2 steps whenever you hit blue again.

Math has been done to take into account the following factors:

The weapon’s sharpness is essentially 80% purple and 20% white rather than full purple.
The initial minute or so of Grinder downtime (hence approx. 80% uptime on Grinder in a short 5 minute fight, 90% in a longer 10 minute fight).
That unlike the other sets with access to MT3 and Destroyer Oil which need to sharpen once (by switch skill swapping to use Oil) for every 250 units of sharpness burnt, this set needs to sharpen once (by switch skill swapping which triggers Heaven-Sent) for every 50 units of sharpness instead, meaning that this set needs to sharpen essentially 5 times more than normal sets, resulting in more downtime that affects the overall output of the set.

Despite the above three factors acting as effective damage reductions in the EFR calculations, the set is still overall an extremely powerful set and will outperform the Dirty Graf set as long as the player does not make too many mistakes (basically if Heaven-Sent is active every time the player needs to sharpen), and especially on Metsus or on poison-resistant monsters. This set does not call for speedrun-level perfect play, because you still have Intrepid Heart to fall back on and can still take a hit every so often.

Some build notes

Heaven-Sent 1 is used, but you can cut 1 point of Burst and 1 point of Powder Mantle to add one extra point of Heaven-Sent. You do lose like 1-2% damage (mostly from losing the extra point of Powder Mantle, losing Burst 2 is inconsequential), but Heaven-Sent now takes 15 seconds instead of 30 to activate, which will be good if you make more mistakes and find Heaven-Sent 1 to not be up often when you need to sharpen.
The build actually has a ton of hidden room. Run Heaven-Sent 1, cut Critical Eye down to 5 (because 7 was almost free, but it does mean you overcap on affinity post-BL cure) and Burst down to 1. You will find that you can fit quite a few more skills, especially if you have a better charm than the build card’s (which is a very basic MoH2 talisman).

Credits to Visby and Sanny in the MHGH Discord’s #sword-and-shield channel for discussions on Grinder (S) and the preliminary build idea for investigation.

2.4.2. Elemental Builds

2.4.2.1. Fire - Kaktus Gedeihen

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

Kaktus makes every other Fire SnS wish they were anywhere as good as this guy. Kaktus wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:9 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll.

Upgrade with more points of Buildup Boost, Offensive Guard, Critical Eye.

The CE and WEX in the above build are over the normal amounts (CE2 and WEX3). This is what GameCat has generated off the search query above that includes CE2 and WEX3, and it did not find anything particularly more efficient . Your own sets of armour and charms will likely not give you this weird result.

2.4.2.2. Water - Agamemnon

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

Agamemnon is still an extremely strong water option due to its gigantic base element. It however is the only elemental option that needs Protective Polish (it cosily outDPSes all the other options even when you take into account that they use Master’s Touch). Agamemnon wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:13 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll. Upgrade with points of Offensive Guard, Powder Mantle, Element Exploit, etc. If you have a lot of points, you could consider adding 4 Handicraft and changing out the Protective Polish for Master’s Touch.

2.4.2.3. Thunder - Atomic Mind

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

The Narwa SnS remains a worthy contender. Atomic Mind wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:14 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll.

Upgrade with points of Offensive Guard, Burst, Powder Mantle, Element Exploit, etc.

2.4.2.4. Thunder - Oppressor’s Bounty

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

You guys know the jig by now, for the Thunder element, there’s always a pretty close competition between several weapons in the element. Oppressor’s Bounty wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:14 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll.

Upgrade with points of Offensive Guard, Burst, Powder Mantle, Element Exploit, etc.

Comparing the Atomic Mind to the Oppressor’s Bounty, Atomic Mind normally wins out on the Lateral Loops. Oppressor’s Bounty will only start to win out the more Metsus you do because of its raw-focused nature.

2.4.6.1. Ice - Daora’s Maelstrom

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

The Kushala Daora SnS is back again from the previous title updates. Daora’s Maelstrom wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:13 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll. Upgrade with points of Critical Eye, Element Exploit, Powder Mantle, etc.

The CE in the above build is over the normal amount (CE3). This is what GameCat has generated off the search query above that includes CE2, and it did not find anything particularly more efficient (basically the extra Crit Eye comes free).

2.4.6.1. Ice - Noble Ana Palas

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

The Velkhana SnS is still pretty good, serving as the raw-oriented Ice SnS, similarly to what Oppressor’s Bounty is to Atomic Mind. Noble Ana Palas wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:12 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll.

Upgrade with points of Critical Eye, Powder Mantle, Element Exploit, etc.

Comparing the Daora’s Maelstrom to the Noble Ana Palas, Daora’s Maelstrom normally wins out on the Lateral Loops. Noble Ana Palas will only start to win out the more Metsus you do because of its raw-focused nature.

2.4.2.3. Dragon - Gates of Heaven

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

The Valstrax SnS is still here after so many title updates. You can treat this as the base Dragon SnS with no twists to gameplay. Gates of Heaven wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:14 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll. Upgrade with more points of Critical Eye, Powder Mantle, Element Exploit, etc.

2.4.2.4. Dragon - Lügen/Verite [Furious 3]

Set query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

The Lügen/Verite can fit Dragon Conversion 3 without losing too much, because it doesn’t need to fit in Critical Eye. This set will outperform the Valstrax set in longer fights (e.g. more than 10 minutes). However, you will need to be okay with the Dragon Conversion + Furious mechanic, and you will also lose access to Destroyer Oil (you will be locked into red scroll for most of the fight).

To use the set:

Charge your Dragon Conversion elemental resistance buff in Blue Scroll when starting the fight, and go Red Scroll once done (you will see the shield buff appear at the top left hand corner with your other buffs, once you hit the monster enough times)
If you are taking 30% or more of the fight to charge the buff in Blue Scroll (which should not happen unless you’re speedrunning some weak monster or something, or if you cart when the monster is almost dead), don’t bother with Blue Scroll. Instead, use Red Scroll for the entire fight.

Lügen/Verite wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:15 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll. Upgrade with more points of Attack Boost, Offensive Guard, Burst, Mail of Hellfire.

2.4.2.5. Dragon - Lügen/Verite [Dragonheart 5]

Set query: link

Weapon augment: 2 ATK 8 ELE

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

We can take the Lügen/Verite one step further and use Dragonheart instead of Furious to provide the elemental resistances for Dragon Conversion. This build will perform a bit better than both the Valstrax set (5% better) and the Lügen/Verite Furious set (2% better), but you must have Dragonheart active (which means playing at 80% HP and below).

Do not use the Valstrax Soul Rampage Decoration! The correct Anti-Species Rampage Decoration will always outperform Valstrax Soul on all dragon-weak matchups in the game, even on Risen Shagaru Magala, and especially when using Metsus.

Lügen/Verite wins against the Dirty Graf at a HZV:EHZV ratio of 45:13 and smaller. Use Mail of Hellfire on Red Scroll (if you can get some, and yes, Red Scroll buff still wins even with the obscene amount of element this set has). Upgrade with points of Attack Boost, Mail of Hellfire, Critical Element, Burst.

2.5. Frostcraft Builds

Frostcraft SnS is still very much a speedrunning-focused build and playstyle, favouring Felyne Heroics and usage of endemic life.

Examples of play are as follows:

[TU4] ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_vfHNqkG88 (vs. Risen Valstrax)
[TU4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3T2w0CCeAk (vs. Velkhana)
[TU4] https://youtu.be/By900dZKiwg (vs. Furious Rajang)
[TU4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eJhMuS31ac (vs. Scorned Magnamalo, from me!)
[TU4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSgesq0sm0A (vs. Gold Rathian)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-fThBn3Ov4 (vs. Amatsu)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUidi2UKM0o (vs. Furious Rajang with Windmill)

Frostcraft SnS heavily relies around the monster being stunned or downed to execute.

If the monster is not down, you cannot Bomb Metsu, and you have to rely on the monster to attack you to Metsu Shoryugeki him. While doing so, you’re losing DPS by not attacking.
If you attack normally, you lose your Frostcraft gauge charge, and the current Frostcraft builds lose a lot of skills and regular DPS compared to normal builds.

Essentially, Frostcraft builds are only effective (8.6% more Metsu Shoryugeki damage) if you’re a speedrunner who can execute a scripted run in a manner similar to that shown in the video, and you will be losing a substantial amount of damage otherwise (approximately 16% DPS loss). Something else to consider is that Frostcraft does not synergise with Frenzied Bloodlust, which is a very powerful skill.

I hence do not recommend Frostcraft SnS for general play. For builds, you can refer to the videos linked above for some of the monster-specific Frostcraft builds.

It is important to note that Velkhana weapons allow the Frostcraft gauge to charge 25% faster (full in 2.66s).

For more information on how to play Frostcraft, consider reading this.

2.6. Dragonheart Builds

Dragonheart is a skill that provides a 10% bonus to display raw and sets all elemental resistances to the maximum value of 50, when the hunter is at 80% HP and below. It also inflicts a special type of Dragonblight, which negates all element and status on your weapon besides Dragon element.

Dragonheart builds come in two distinct variants:

raw-focused builds using non-status weapons (e.g. Kamura, Tigrex, Amatsu) to maximise Metsu Shoryugeki damage, because Metsu does not proc Buildup Boost, apply status or element. These builds are mainly speedrunning builds which sacrifice Lateral Loop damage to increase Metsu Shoryugeki output for Metsu spam using a speedrunning script. Examples of such runs include:

[TU4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ez6BVnv4Wo (vs. Risen Valstrax)
[TU4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-72iV93bqzc (vs. Risen Valstrax)
[TU4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX2-44IRMsY (vs. Violet Mizutsune)

Dragon-element weapons in combination with Dragon Conversion, which converts elemental resistance into element attack. Dragonheart maxes out all elemental resistances which is handy for Dragon Conversion. These sets often use the Lügen/Verite because it has more skill freedom than the other dragon element weapons, allowing it to fit in Dragonheart and Dragon Conversion without sacrificing too many other core skills in the process. An example of such a build is here.

2.7. Status Trigger Builds

Status Trigger is a popular and effective build type for very late endgame TU5 SnS, with the accumulation of many efficient ways to slot in Status Trigger, Adrenaline Rush, etc through the introduction of new 4-slot decorations across the title updates (Status Trigger 4 just here in TU5) and the Qurio augmenting system.

The appeal of Status Trigger builds is that after dodging an attack using a roll (not a backhop!), you get a variety of skills that activate:

Status Trigger: for 12 seconds (level 3), instead of applying status once every 3 hits, apply status on every hit. This synergises extremely well with Buildup Boost, which applies its effective damage increase to every hit that applies status (normally only every 3rd hit).
Adrenaline Rush: for 30 seconds, gain +30 attack (level 3). This is an extremely efficient 3-point skill that grants a metric ton of raw for use, and which lasts for a long time.
Bladescale Hone: has a 50% chance (level 1) to recover 20 units of sharpness. Will very often be combined with Master’s Touch 3, effectively granting around 100 units of sharpness when it activates. Allows you to skip sharpening manually via whetstone or via Destroyer Oil, minimising downtime during the fight.

Status Trigger builds are effective when you are fighting a monster with moves that are not answered well by Metsu Shoryugeki, but can be rolled through with enough iframes.

Oftentimes, Embolden 3 or Evade Window 4-5 (depending on which one is easier to fit into a build - the answer to this question is often given by GameCat) is employed to help grant enough iframes to roll through attacks.

Examples:

[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bszz9lICRg (Special Investigation Jyuratodus)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue2Hc5X0psE (Special Investigation Scorned Magnamalo)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPtPyUGuq84 (AR300 Risen Kushala Daora)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU74kjOvzwI (Special Investigation Risen Valstrax)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fpwgFo-huM (Hazard Violet Mizutsune)
[TU5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWElG9Jnuec (Special Investigation Risen Kushala Daora)

The poison weapons are used mainly (because Blast isn’t very good compared to Poison in Sunbreak).

For the playstyle, note that you’re not supposed to roll through every attack. Metsu Shoryugeki counters are still a key part of your DPS.

What you’re supposed to do is to figure out which attacks in a monster’s arsenal cannot be effectively responded to with Metsu (e.g. first hit of a multi-hit attack, charging attacks, moving attacks, explosions that are far away from the monster, etc). and roll through those instead, hence granting you Status Trigger uptime throughout the fight, while Metsu’ing monster attacks that fit the profile for maximum damage application from the Metsu.

A very big caveat is that Status Trigger builds have a huge amount of skill tax (even with all the 4-slot decorations). Many of the above video examples use builds with god augments (2 augments per armour piece) and god charms (e.g. AB3 OFG2 2-2-2) to be able to fit skills into the build.

The builds below are sample builds with some important skills like Offensive Guard and Mail of Hellfire still missing, although the key skills are still present. The upgrade list is given in the build description.

Because the builds are missing various important damage skills, for some of the builds (basically everything but Wroggi), the required Status Trigger uptime will be unreasonably high, meaning that they’re most likely not worth using over their conventional counterparts. The more skills you can get (through better augments or charms), the lower the Status Trigger uptime needs to be for the build to be worth using.

Overall, I recommend not trying for Status Trigger in general unless:

you really like the playstyle
you know the monster matchup very well and can easily maintain high Status Trigger uptime while not giving up on Metsu DPS
you have a really good set of augments and charms (significantly better than what’s shown below).

2.7.1.1. Dirty Graf

Build query: link

Weapon augment: 8 ATK 2 STATUS

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

The more you use Lateral Loop, the more this build will win out over Phecda’s Asterism.

The build has 1001 EFD, which spikes to 1427 EFD while Status Trigger is active. In comparison, the quintessential Dirty Graf build has an EFD of 1223. Some napkin math shows that you need around 50% or better uptime on Status Trigger for this build to be worth it.

Upgrade with 1 point of Burst, 3 points of Offensive Guard and 3 points of Mail of Hellfire.

2.7.1.2. Phecda’s Asterism

Build query: link

Weapon augment: Rampage Slot Upgrade and 6 ATK

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

This build will hit better Metsus, and may also be more effective on poison-resistant monsters like Risen Valstrax. In general though, Dirty Graf is the better option, and it’s not very close.

The build has 1069 EFD, which spikes to 1317 EFD while Status Trigger is active. In comparison, the quintessential Dirty Graf build has an EFD of 1223. Some napkin math shows that you need around 75% or better uptime on Status Trigger for this build to be worth it.

Upgrade with 3 points of Offensive Guard and 3 points of Mail of Hellfire. If you have a lot of skill points, definitely consider adding Grinder (S) and Heaven-Sent 1.

2.7.1.3. Kaktus Gedeihen

Build query: link

Weapon augment: Rampage Slot Upgrade and 6 ATK

Rampage Deco: Species Exploit

This build will be effective on fire-weak monsters.

The build has 1015 EFD and 128 effective element, which spikes to 1218 EFD while Status Trigger is active. In comparison, the quintessential Kaktus Gedeihen build has an EFD of 1067.75 and 220 effective element. Some napkin math shows that you need around 90% or better uptime on Status Trigger for this build to be worth it.

Upgrade with 3 points of Mail of Hellfire, Fire Attack 5, Element Exploit 1, Critical Element 3, Teostra’s Blessing 2, etc.

3. Guide

This guide will attempt to go through every aspect of the SnS.

There is a helpful SnS move flowchart by the talented Famas_1234 at this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHunterMeta/comments/wb9zgy/mhrisesunbreak_weapon_moveset_chart_ig_sns_gs/

3.1. Basic Characteristics

The SnS consists of a sword and a shield (the discovery of the century, I know).

The sword is used only for offence, dealing Slashing damage, which can cut tails.

The shield can be used both offensively and defensively:

As a defensive tool, the SnS’s shield is the weakest shield in the game, and should only be used in a pinch, if you think you have no other options to evade/counter an attack. You take major knockback and a non-insignificant amount of chip without any level of the Guard skill from most monster attacks.
As an offensive tool, the shield is used to bludgeon, dealing Blunt damage.

If this Blunt damage is applied to the monster’s head, it also inflicts knockout (KO) status damage. If you stack enough KO damage, the monster will collapse and be stunned briefly, giving you a window of opportunity to deal damage to the monster with no fear of reprisal.
Furthermore, all shield attacks also inflict Exhaust status damage to the monster, regardless of the body part hit. If enough Exhaust status damage is stacked, the monster becomes Exhausted, in which it becomes significantly slower and more lethargic, and some of its attacks (depending on the monster) will fail or be executed much more slowly. After a while, the monster will attempt to move to another area to eat food to recover from being Exhausted.

The SnS has a fast sheathe speed, as well as a good movement speed when unsheathed, relative to other weapons. It is possible to dodge attacks by simply sheathing and running while sheathed.

The SnS has access to items while unsheathed.

3.2. Why Choose the SnS? - For New Players

Pros:

Easy to pick up
Lower attack recovery time (you are vulnerable for shorter periods of time in general after attacks compared to most other weapon classes)
Fast sheathe speed
Good mobility when unsheathed, can quickly sheathe to run
Access to shield when in trouble
Can use items like Potions and Mega Potions when unsheathed
Easy access to both Slashing and Blunt damage types, which makes you able to cut tails and KO monsters, both of which are valued for multiplayer.
Has aerial moves in its kit, and we all know aerial moves are cool.
Can be built into a support weapon that buffs and heals other players.

Cons:

Very short reach
Easily flinchable - can be easily remedied with the skill Flinch Free 1
Shield isn’t very good for guarding - other weapons have better shields that allow for lower knockback and chip damage.
Not very flashy outside of the aerial moves.

3.3. Basic Moveset

I highly recommend going to the Training Area in game, so that you can try out the moves described in this guide to get a feel for them.

Controls are described with Nintendo Switch notation.

The conversion table for controls is as follows:

What does this button do when pressed, if my SnS is unsheathed in the Training Area?	Nintendo Switch	PC	XBox	PS
Chop	X	Left Click	Y	Triangle
Lateral Slash	A	Right Click	B	Circle
Roll	B	Spacebar	A	X
Sheathe Weapon	Y	Left Shift	X	Square
Guard	ZR	Side Mouse Button	RT	RB
Wirebug Reticle	ZL	Middle Click	LT	LB
Move around	Left Joystick	WASD	Left Joystick	Left Joystick
Run around (when sheathed)	RT	Left Shift	RT	RT

Notes on move notation:

X > X refers to pressing X, then pressing X again quickly. How quickly you need to press depends on the specific attack (A > A can be pressed slightly more slowly than X > X, for example). Pressing buttons in quick succession grant you access to follow-up attacks that can deal more damage and have different properties.
X+A refers to pressing both X and A at the same time.
D refers to directional input. You enter directional input using your left joystick, or with WASD if you’re using a mouse and keyboard. Directional input is used to move your character normally, but is also used as additional input for certain attacks. D+A refers to inputting directional input and pressing A at the same time.
Neutral stance or neutral refers to when your character can walk around with directional input, or roll. In Monster Hunter, attacks have recovery time, where you cannot walk or roll, until the recovery time is over. Once an attack’s recovery time is over, you go back to neutral stance, and can walk and roll again. Different attacks have different recovery time. A general rule of thumb is that harder-hitting attacks have longer recovery times, although this may not always be the case.

3.3.1. Slashing Attacks

The SnS has a couple of different slashing combo chains.

Press X to do a Chop.

Press X > X (Press X, then press X again quickly), to do a Chop into a Side Slash

Press X > X > X, to do a Chop, into a Side Slash, into a Sword and Shield Combo.

I will continue to refer to this in the guide as the X combo chain.

Press A while standing still to do a Lateral Slash.

Press A > A while standing still to do a Lateral Slash into a Return Stroke.

Press A > A > A while standing still to do a Lateral Slash, into a Return Stroke, into a Spinning Rising Slash.

I will continue to refer to this in the guide as the A combo chain.

The third attack of each combo chain (the Sword and Shield Combo for the X combo chain, or the Spinning Rising Slash for the A combo chain) is known as a combo chain finisher. This will be important to keep in mind for later.

Takeaway: You can press X or A up to three times in succession (A should be pressed while standing still), to perform a three-hit slashing combo. Both combos differ from each other in terms of their damage.

3.3.2. Blunt Attacks

The SnS has a blunt combo chain.

Note: D refers to directional input, either using your left joystick, or your WASD keys.

Press D+A to do a Shield Attack.

Press D+A > D+A to do a Shield Attack into a Shield Bash.

Press D+A > D+A > D+A to do a Shield Attack, into a Shield Bash, into a Hard Bash.

I will continue to refer to this in the guide as the D+A combo chain.

The third attack of this combo chain(Hard Bash) is also known as a combo chain finisher. This will be important later.

Takeaway: You can input D+A up to three times in succession (A should be pressed with directional input) to perform a three-hit blunt combo. Remember that blunt attacks can deal KO status damage if they hit the head, and always deal Exhaust status damage if they hit any body part, including the head. For more information on what KO and Exhaust do, refer to here.

3.3.3. Spinning Reaper

Now, if you have been pressing buttons here and there, you may have noticed that after the third attack of each combo chain above (X, A or D+A), pressing X or A or D+A does nothing. You can either roll at the end of the third attack (this is known as roll cancel), or wait to go back to neutral stance (which is when your character can walk again).

This is what is meant when the third attack of each combo chain is called a combo chain finisher.

If you press X+A at the end of the third attack of each combo chain (aka the combo chain finisher), you can unleash a final, powerful attack that deals a lot of burst damage, the Spinning Reaper:

X > X > X > X+A
A > A > A > X+A
D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

Directional input with X+A (aka D+X+A) allows you to choose the direction in which the attack will be performed. This allows you to turn even completely backwards (180 degrees) to hit something behind you.

Unfortunately, after you use Spinning Reaper, pressing X, A, or D+A does nothing. For now, you will have to roll after Spinning Reaper, or wait to go back to neutral stance.

Quick note:

Shield Bash (switch skill) can be used to continue attacking after a combo chain finisher or Spinning Reaper, but it costs you one wirebug.
You can backhop, Windmill, Metsu Shoryugeki or Guard Slash after a combo chain finisher.
You can backhop, Windmill, Metsu Shoryugeki, but not Guard Slash after Spinning Reaper.

Takeaway: You can press X+A after the third attack of either an X, A, or D+A combo chain, to perform a Spinning Reaper finishing attack that does a lot of burst damage. You need to roll out or wait to go back to neutral stance after using Spinning Reaper. Use directional input to choose the direction of Spinning Reaper.

3.3.4. Stringing Together Combo Chains

We learnt that the 3rd attack of a combo chain is a combo chain finisher.

As long as you avoid the 3rd attack (Sword and Shield Combo) of the X combo chain, you can perform the X combo and then immediately follow-up with either the A three-attack combo, or the D+A three-attack combo:

X > X > A > A > A > X+A
X > X > D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

You can also perform this combo chain stringing while not using the 2nd attack (Side Slash) of the X combo chain either:

X > A > A > A > X+A
X > D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

However, the A and D+A combo chains cannot be stringed into the X combo chain or each other directly.

Takeaway: In the middle of an X combo chain, as long as you haven’t used the third attack of the X combo chain, you can press A or D+A to go into the respective A or D+A combo chain.

3.3.5. Roundslash

We learnt that the 3rd attack of a combo chain is a combo chain finisher.

As long as you avoid the 3rd attack of any of the three combo chains (X, A or D+A), you can perform a Roundslash by pressing X+A after an attack.

Essentially, you can perform a Roundslash by pressing X+A after either the 1st or 2nd attack of any of the three combo chains:

X > X+A
X > X > X+A
A > X+A
A > A > X+A
D+A > X+A
D+A > D+A > X+A

There are three differences between the Roundslash and the Spinning Reaper.

The Roundslash is performed by pressing X+A after either the first or second attack in the X, A or D+A combo chain, while the Spinning Reaper is performed by pressing X+A after the third attack in the X, A or D+A combo chain
The Roundslash does about half (~58%) the Spinning Reaper’s damage.
Unlike the Spinning Reaper, which has essentially no follow-up, the Roundslash allows for a follow-up X combo chain to be performed.

Point 3 is the key reason why we use the Roundslash. Let’s take a closer look at this behaviour.

Pressing either X or A after a Roundslash leads us into the first attack of the X combo chain, the Chop.

A > A > X+A > X/A (treated as X by the game).

This is a unique behaviour for the Roundslash where regardless of which button you press (X or A), the first attack of the X combo chain is performed.

So, we can perform a follow-up X combo chain, all the way to Spinning Reaper, after a Roundslash:

D+A > D+A > X+A > X > X > X > X+A

We learnt earlier that we could string together X combo chains into A or D+A combo chains, as long as we avoided the third attack (Sword and Shield Combo), the combo chain finisher, of the attack.

A > A > X+A > X > X > A > A > A > X+A
D+A > D+A > X+A > X > A > A > A > X+A

To elaborate on the examples above, if you’re not sure what’s going on:

In the first example above, we start with the first two attacks of the A combo chain, leading into a Roundslash. From there, we can press either X or A to follow-up with the first attack of the X combo chain. We then string the X combo chain into the full A combo chain, by avoiding using the third X combo chain attack, and then finish the full A combo chain with a Spinning Reaper.
In the second example above, we start with the first two attacks of the D+A combo chain, leading into a Roundslash. From there, we can press either X or A to follow-up with the first attack of the X combo chain. We then immediately move from the X combo chain into the full A combo chain, because stringing works as long as you avoid using the third attack of the X combo chain. We then finish the full A combo chain with a Spinning Reaper.

We also know that if we avoid the third attack of any of the three combo chains (X, A or D+A), we can perform a Roundslash by pressing X+A, as described at the start of this section.

We can do something nifty by combining everything that we’ve learnt so far:

A > A > X+A > X > D+A > D+A > X+A > X > A > A > X+A > X > X > X+A > …

This is known as an infinite roundslash loop, and it can continue as long as you do not use the third attack of any combo chain.

You may modify this combo loop as follows:

the order of combo chains to use: you can use any order of the three combo chains, and you can even repeat the same combo chain over and over.

e.g. A > A > X+A > X > A > A > X+A > X > A > A > X+A > X > …

performing stringing: you can still string together the X combo chain into either the A combo chain or the D+A combo chain, into a Roundslash.

e.g. X > X > A > A > X+A > X > D+A > D+A > X+A > X > …

Takeaway: Use the Roundslash to string together combo chains, while turning mid-combat.

3.3.6. Advancing Slash

The Advancing Slash is performed by:

pressing X with directional input (D+X) when sheathed, or
pressing X+A when unsheathed and when you’re in neutral (recall that pressing X+A when attacking can lead to a Roundslash or a Spinning Reaper, depending on the previous attack)

The Advancing Slash moves you forward and lets you attack at the same time.

You should use this move instead of walking up to a monster.

Similarly to the Roundslash, the Advancing Slash can only be followed up with one attack, the Rising Slash (either X or A input), which then only leads to Chop (either X or A input), the first attack of the X combo chain:

X+A > X/A > X/A > X > X+A > X > A > A > A > X+A

To elaborate on the example above, if you’re not sure what’s going on:

We start with an Advancing Slash from neutral stance, and follow it up with a Rising Slash (either X or A is pressed here). We then continue into the first hit of the X combo chain (either X or A is pressed here), and then the second hit of the X combo chain, and then perform a Roundslash, which then leads into another Chop, that is then stringed into a full A combo chain that ends with a Spinning Reaper.

Advancing Slash has a special interaction with ledges:

Performing Advancing Slash into a ledge from below it, will result in you automatically performing a Jumping Rising Slash up the ledge.
Performing Advancing Slash off a ledge from above it, will result in you automatically performing a Jumping Advancing Slash off the ledge.

Takeaway: Advancing Slash is a fast gapclosing technique that can be used when you’re at a short-to-medium distance from the monster.

3.3.7. Backhop

The backhop is performed by inputting and holding down the backwards directional input on your right joystick, and pressing the A button (↓D+A) after any attack, including all combo chain finishers and Spinning Reaper:

A > A > ↓D+A
X > X > X > ↓D+A
D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A > ↓D+A

It can also be performed from the neutral stance, by pressing ZR, and then ↓D+A in very quick succession (ZR > ↓D+A). This can be difficult to execute on your first dozen tries:

ZR must be pressed before either ↓D or A is pressed.
↓D must be held down before A is pressed.
All three buttons must be pressed in very quick succession.

I recommend pressing quickly in this order: ZR > ↓D > A.

Oftentimes, you may find yourself using a Guard Slash instead, that may be because you’re pressing ZR > A > ↓D, in that order.

It can also be performed after a roll, by pressing A towards the end of the roll. You may specify a directional input when pressing A, which will cause you to backhop in the opposite direction of that directional input.

It can also be performed after a switch skill swap (ZL+X+A) into a swap evade (D+B), by pressing A.

It is very important that you learn how to backhop from any attack, as well as from the neutral stance, so I highly recommend practising in the training area until you get it down.

The backhop has a large invincibility period (0.66s, or 20 frames at 30fps), starting from the moment the backhop is initiated, all the way to the end of the backhop approximately when you touch the ground again.

The backhop has a couple of follow-ups:

Advancing Slash, if you don’t press any buttons after the backhop.
Rising Slash, if you hold down ↓D at the end of the backhop.
Charged Slash, if you press and hold A at the end of the backhop.
Leaping Slash that leads automatically into a Perfect Rush, if you press X at the end of the backhop.

The Rising Slash follow-up is the only follow-up that keeps you in position after a backhop.

The other follow-ups move you forward again after a backhop.

You can backhop from the Rising Slash, by pressing ↓D+A.

You can thus chain backhops by pressing:

ZR > ↓D+A > hold ↓D > ↓D+A > hold ↓D > …

This is useful if you need to use multiple backhops in a row, for example to evade multiple attacks.

Takeaway: The backhop is a strong defensive tool that can be accessed after any of your attacks, or from neutral, and has a variety of follow-ups.

3.3.8. Charged Slash

The Charged Slash is performed by pressing and holding down A at the end of a backhop.

Release A once your sword looks fully charged (there is a sound and a visual cue) to leap forward with your sword, covering a large distance.

Additionally, hold diagonally forward directional input (↗D or ↖D) while holding down and releasing A, to adjust the direction that you leap towards.

If your sword hits a monster during the leap, you will automatically perform a Scaling Slash that launches you into the air.

While in the air, you can do one of three things:

Do nothing, and fall back down.
Press X in the air, to do a Jumping Slash that deals Slashing damage in front of you.
Press A in the air, to do a Falling Bash that deals Blunt damage directly below you.

Regardless of which option you pick, once you’re back on the ground, you are immediately back in neutral stance, and can continue to attack.

Furthermore, take note that if you add a directional input to either follow-up, you turn in that direction to perform the attack. This allows you to choose the direction you’re facing when you land.

All aerial attacks deal mounting damage. Mounting damage works similarly to KO status damage and Exhaust status damage, in the sense that when you stack enough of it, the monster enters a mountable state where you can perform Wyvern Riding on it.

Takeaway: Use the Charged Slash after a backhop to cover a large distance forward and launch an aerial attack on the monster.

3.3.9. Perfect Rush

At the end of a backhop, press X to perform a Leaping Slash, which causes you to leap forward with your sword. Additionally, hold forward directional input (↑D) at the start of the Leaping Slash to leap forward further.

Regardless of whether you hit a monster with the Leaping Slash, upon finishing the Leaping Slash, your hunter will go into a stance with an audible sound cue and visual flash. Press X immediately when hearing that sound and visual flash to perform a correctly-timed Perfect Rush attack. This will occur an additional two times for a total of three Perfect Rush attacks:

Backhop > X > X (timed) > X (timed) > X (timed)

If you press X at the wrong time, or button mash X (the game is smart), you will perform an incorrectly-timed Perfect Rush. This failed version of Perfect Rush deals about half the damage of a correctly-timed Perfect Rush.

It is hence important to practise Perfect Rush and learn how to press X at the correct time.

If your third Perfect Rush attack (whether timed successfully or not) hits a monster, you will automatically perform a Scaling Slash that launches you into the air.

While in the air, you can do one of four things:

Do nothing, and fall back down.
Press X in the air, to do a Jumping Slash that deals Slashing damage in front of you.
Press A in the air, to do a Falling Bash that deals Blunt damage twice directly below you.
Press X+A in the air, to do a Plunging Thrust that deals Slash damage three times directly below you.

Furthermore, take note that if you add a directional input to any of the follow-ups, you turn in that direction to perform the attack. This allows you to choose the direction you’re facing when you land.

Regardless of which option you pick, once you’re back on the ground, you are immediately back in neutral stance, and can continue to attack.

Takeaway: Use the Perfect Rush after a backhop to cover a large distance forward and launch a high-damage flurry of blows that leads into an aerial finisher on the monster.

3.3.10. Guard Slash

The SnS’s Guard Slash is performed by pressing ZR+A, either from neutral, or after most attacks (except Roundslash and Spinning Reaper).

Performed by itself, it is a combo chain finisher of sorts, and it doesn’t deal a lot of damage.

If a Guard Slash is performed just before a monster’s attack hits, and if the player has enough guard level (often achieved through Guard + Embolden skills), the monster’s attack is guarded, and the player will automatically perform a Shield Bash.

You can then follow up with one of two moves:

press X to go into a Leaping Slash into a Perfect Rush. The Leaping Slash moves you forward.
press A to go into a Perfect Rush where you are standing.

3.4. Switch Skills and Wirebug Moves

Switch skills are ways of customising your weapon’s moveset to fit the monster matchup, as well as your own playstyle.

Wirebug moves are performed with either ZL+X or ZL+A. Depending on the Switch Skill that you have equipped, different Wirebug moves are performed.

All damage-dealing Wirebug moves also deal mounting damage, regardless of whether they deal damage on the ground or in the air. Mounting damage works similarly to KO status damage and Exhaust status damage, in the sense that when you stack enough of it, the monster enters a mountable state where you can perform Wyvern Riding on it.

3.4.1. Advancing Slash vs. Sliding Slash

I would highly recommend Advancing Slash over Sliding Slash.

Sliding Slash is a cool tech for aerial monsters, but it doesn’t actually deal much damage, so it’s more of a for-fun tech rather than an actually effective tech.

For mounting monsters, we have much better tools to mount monsters in the form of the Palamute Silkbinder (unless you’re doing TA or like the Palicos a lot), and Metsu Shoryugeki.

Picking Sliding Slash also messes with your moveset in multiple ways:

Sliding Slash straight into Falling Bash (32.2 MV/s and 0.846 Ele/s) has slightly higher MV/s but lower Ele/s than Advancing Slash (29.3 MV/s and 1.33 Ele/s). Both moves have low DPS in the first place, so the fact that the full Sliding Slash combo takes more than twice as long to complete compared to Advancing Slash means that you’re spending much more time at mediocre DPS output if you use Sliding Slash into Falling Bash. Even if Advancing Slash deals slightly less raw damage, it at least finishes really quickly, so you can go back to dealing high DPS with your normal rotations.
Also, because of Sliding Slash being slower, it’s less safe than Advancing Slash.

3.4.1.1. Advancing Slash

Please refer to this section for more information about Advancing Slash.

3.4.1.2. Sliding Slash

The Sliding Slash is performed by:

pressing X with directional input (D+X) when sheathed, or
pressing X+A when unsheathed and when you’re in neutral (recall that pressing X+A when attacking can lead to a Roundslash or a Spinning Reaper, depending on the previous attack)

Sliding Slash causes you to slide forward slowly on the ground, and after a short period of time, get up from the slide and perform a forward slash. This can be followed up with a Chop (first attack of the X combo chain) by pressing X.

If you hit a monster before getting up from the slide, you will automatically perform a Scaling Slash that launches you into the air.

While in the air, you can do one of three things:

Do nothing, and fall back down.
Press X in the air, to do a Jumping Slash that deals Slashing damage in front of you.
Press A in the air, to do a Falling Bash that deals Blunt damage directly below you.

Regardless of which option you pick, once you’re back on the ground, you are immediately back in neutral stance, and can continue to attack.

If you press the A button as you are sliding, you will leap forward into the air, automatically performing a Jumping Rising Slash. Press X or A after the Jumping Rising Slash to perform a Jumping Slash midair.

Sliding Slash is an option for flying monsters or if you like performing aerial manoeuvres.

Sliding Slash has a special interaction with ledges, similarly to Advancing Slash:

Performing Sliding Slash into a ledge from below it, will result in you automatically performing a Jumping Rising Slash up the ledge.
Performing Sliding Slash off a ledge from above it, will result in you automatically performing a Jumping Advancing Slash off the ledge.

Takeaway: Sliding Slash is a slower gapclosing technique that can be used when you’re at a short-to-medium distance from the monster. It is useful for aerial manoeuvres.

3.4.2. Hard Basher Combo vs. Drill Slash Combo

I would highly recommend Hard Basher Combo over Drill Slash Combo.

Drill Slash is interesting in that it is the burst damage combo rotation with the highest Ele/s:

To compare the various burst damage combo rotations:

Hard Basher Combo into Spinning Reaper: 50.1 MV/s and 0.368 Ele/s

Lateral Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper: 59.5 MV/s and 1.556 Ele/s
Drill Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper: 55.4 MV/s and 2.33 Ele/s

Drill Slash Combo may deal comparable damage (might not be higher) to Lateral Slash Combo for high element weapons into good elemental hit zones, but you lose out on the huge KO utility of Hard Basher Combo, which is often used to secure KOs that were set up by Metsu Shoryugeki.

If you need a burst damage combo rotation for pure damage, you honestly can’t go wrong with Lateral Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper. You don’t need another version of it, and you definitely don’t want to replace your utility combo with a redundant combo.

3.4.2.1. Hard Basher Combo

Please refer to this section for more information about the Hard Basher Combo.

3.4.2.2. Drill Slash Combo

Drill Slash Combo replaces Hard Basher Combo (the D+A combo chain).

It replaces the second and third hit of the D+A combo chain with a new elemental-focused set of Slash damage attacks.

It has very similar usage to the normal D+A combo chain:

The third attack is a combo chain finisher and can be followed up with a Spinning Reaper.

D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

The first and second attack can be followed up with a Roundslash:

D+A > D+A > X+A > X > …

Takeaway: The Drill Slash Combo is an elemental-damage focused alternative to the Hard Basher combo.

3.4.3. Sword and Shield Combo vs. Twin Blade Combo

I would highly recommend Twin Blade Combo over Sword and Shield Combo.

Back in the day, newbies to SnS would get taught to never use the third X attack in the X combo chain, and for good reason - the Sword and Shield Combo was horrible for DPS.

Twin Blade Combo is an almost direct upgrade to the Sword and Shield Combo. You trade off some small amount of KO (most of your KO comes from other sources anyway) to get quite a lot more damage (~38% more).

Furthermore, Twin Blade Combo has good utility in the sense that it can be used as a stringing tool, and it also opens up an alternate avenue in infinite roundslash loops looking to get a Guard Slash off.

You can’t beat damage and utility.

3.4.3.1. Sword and Shield Combo

Please refer to this section for more information about the Sword and Shield Combo.

3.4.3.2. Twin Blade Combo

Twin Blade Combo replaces Sword and Shield Combo (the third attack of the X combo chain).

It is the third attack of the X combo chain:

X > X > X

It trades the KO and Exhaust status damage of the Sword and Shield combo for higher damage.

Also, unlike the Sword and Shield combo, directional input with X (aka D+X) allows you to choose the direction in which the attack will be performed. This allows you to turn even completely backwards (180 degrees).

It can still be followed up with a Spinning Reaper, similarly to all other 3rd attacks in combo chains.

It is however not a real combo chain finisher, because it allows for stringing of combo chains in two new ways.

Twin Blade Combo can be immediately followed up with either the A or D+A combo chain:

X > X > X > A > A > X+A > X > …
X > X > X > D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

The second attack of the A or D+A combo chain can now be immediately followed up with the Twin Blade Combo.

A > A > X > A > A > X > A > A > X > …
D+A > D+A > X > A > A > X > …

Takeaway: The Twin Blade Combo opens up new stringing possibilities, while also possessing the turning property of the Roundslash.

3.4.4. Windmill vs. Metsu Shoryugeki vs. Destroyer Oil

Destroyer Oil goes into your alternative scroll for when you need to sharpen mid-fight on Master’s Touch sets.

The topic of Windmill vs. Metsu Shoryugeki on your main scroll has gotten a little more complex.

Take Windmill, give it 33% more MV/s, the ability to deal a metric ton of KO, and synergy with Offensive Guard, and you get Metsu Shoryugeki.

I would like to add a note acknowledging Windmill spam runs with chain dogs.

In general, the DPS difference between Metsu into Plunging Thrust and Windmill (both take approximately 2.4s to resolve) is about 13-20% (let’s ballpark it as 15%) for the various non-Embolden sets (which are the sets that have the element to want to use Windmill). Dogs spin when you use Metsu or Windmill.

Hence, comparing between two runs, one where you only used Metsu and one where you only used Windmill, you would roughly need to be able to use Windmill 15% more than Metsu for Windmill to outperform Metsu.

15% is a conservative estimate, because it doesn’t take into account:

The extra KO(es) you will get from Metsu into Plunging Thrust or Falling Bash
The significantly increased OFG uptime from Metsu usage.
Windmill not hitting the correct hitzones most of the time which can decrease its damage by quite a bit compared to its theoretical damage output.

Hence, the actual figure for how much more you need to use Windmill is likely to be around 20-30% more (my rough guess).

This may be achievable given any or multiple of the following conditions:

You’re spamming Windmill off cooldown, because Metsu is strictly a counter move, while Windmill can be used anytime.
The monster matchup favours Windmill by quite a bit, with quite a few monster attacks not Metsu-able, but Windmill-able, which will boost the Windmill usage rate versus Metsu’s usage rate.
You’re playing 3/4 player lobby multiplayer, where the monster focus is not on you most of the time, meaning that OFG uptime and Metsu usage will be significantly decreased, while Windmill remains mostly unaffected

tl;dr: Use Metsu for single player runs if you’re not sure what you’re doing, Metsu has much more raw power in its kit. For multiplayer, consider Windmill as a competitive or better option.

Destroyer Oil is nifty for partbreaking, but its true value comes in restoring 20 units of sharpness on use. With Master’s Touch 3 and an assumed affinity of 100% or close to it, Destroyer Oil effectively restores 100 units of sharpness. This is a very powerful tool for mid-fight sharpening, as Switch Skill Swap > Destroyer Oil > Switch Skill Swap back to your scroll with Metsu Shoryugeki takes less time than hopping on your dog to sharpen (even with Speed Sharpening 3).

3.4.4.1. Windmill

Windmill is the default ZL+A Wirebug move.

Windmill launches a whip-like attack with your sword attached to a Wirebug string, hitting seven times around you. During the attack, you are invincible and cannot be hit.

Takeaway: Windmill is a counter move that can be used when you’re about to be hit.

3.4.4.2. Metsu Shoryugeki

Metsu Shoryugeki is an alternative ZL+A wirebug move.

Metsu Shoryugeki puts you into a guarding stance for a short period of time, then launches you into the air with a vertical upwards bludgeon attack from your shield.

While in the air, you can do one of four things:

Do nothing, and fall back down.
Press X in the air, to do a Jumping Slash that deals Slashing damage in front of you.
Press A in the air, to do a Falling Bash that deals Blunt damage twice directly below you.
Press X+A in the air, to do a Plunging Thrust that deals Slash damage three times directly below you.

If you are hit during the guarding stance, the vertical upwards bludgeon attack is greatly enhanced (75% more damage).

In either case, the vertical upwards bludgeon deals a lot of KO status damage if it is applied on the head.

Takeaway: Metsu Shoryugeki is a high-damage counter move that can be used when you’re about to be hit, and can also be used to apply lots of KO if it can hit the head on the upwards strike.

3.4.4.3. Destroyer Oil

Destroyer Oil is an alternative ZL+A wirebug move.

Destroyer Oil causes you to coat your weapon in a special oil, and then perform a stabbing move that deals damage in front of you.

The oil lasts for 45 seconds (duration not affected by the Power Prolonger skill).

While the oil is applied, your weapon has a blue aura surrounding it, and gains increased partbreaking damage (a 1.2x multiplier that stacks multiplicatively with the Partbreaker skill).

Normally, monster parts (e.g. head, arms, wings) have an individual part HP associated with them. All damage that you deal to that part is dealt to the monster’s overall HP pool, and is also converted into part HP damage for that part in a 1:1 ratio.

When a part’s HP is fully depleted, it breaks, usually causing the monster to flinch or topple.

Partbreaking multipliers allow you to deal more partbreaking damage to part HP, but they do not enhance the damage dealt to the monster’s overall HP pool.

They allow you to break specific parts more quickly.

Destroyer Oil in TU3 also restores 20 units of sharpness. This does not activate Protective Polish, but does activate Grinder (S) if its conditions are met.

Takeaway: Use Destroyer Oil to enhance your partbreaking damage and sharpen.

3.4.5. Falling Shadow vs. Shield Bash

This one is a bit of a harder pick. I would recommend trying both out and seeing which one you like more.

Falling Shadow has a shorter effective gap-closing range than Shield Bash. Falling Shadow can travel further than its effective range, but that causes it to have a weak follow-up; you really want to hit the monster on the upwards trajectory so you can properly aim a Falling Bash or Plunging Thrust. You can still use Plunging Thrust on the downwards trajectory of Falling Shadow, but at that point it’s probably not going to hit.

Falling Shadow however does have aerial utility, which can be useful for flying monsters.

For damage, Falling Shadow is generally the more complete DPS package (~44 MV/s and 0.677 Ele/s), as opposed to Shield Bash (~31.5 MV/s). Of course, Falling Shadow into Falling Bash does take three times as long to resolve compared to Shield Bash, so having higher DPS might not necessarily make it better, because Shield Bash resolving quickly means you can go back to your high DPS Lateral Loop rotation more quickly.

Shield Bash has a long gap-closing range compared to Falling Shadow. It also has KO value (25, which is more than Hard Bash, the third hit of the D+A combo), which contributes to its utility. It also has another very powerful utility in that it can be easily used to cancel the endlag or recovery of Spinning Reaper, or any of the other combo chain finishers. This leads to several interesting wirebug combos that have their own niches (will be covered later).

Falling Shadow also has a powerful followup in the form of Plunging Thrust, which is a powerful attack for elemental sets.

Falling Shadow also has iframes in the form of Scaling Slash which is executed when Falling Shadow hits a monster. As you go up from Scaling Slash, you have iframes (similar to that of backhop’s). This is often used in advanced play to iframe through attacks and gapclose at the same time.

3.4.5.1. Falling Shadow

Falling Shadow is the default ZL+X Wirebug move.

It launches you diagonally forward into the air, in a curved trajectory (an n-shape). While you’re flying upwards, all the way to the peak, if you hit a monster, you automatically perform a Scaling Slash that launches you into the air.

While in the air from a Scaling Slash, you can do one of four things:

Do nothing, and fall back down.
Press X in the air, to do a Jumping Slash that deals Slashing damage in front of you.
Press A in the air, to do a Falling Bash that deals Blunt damage twice directly below you.
Press X+A in the air, to do a Plunging Thrust that deals Slashing damage three times directly below you.

Regardless of which option you pick, once you’re back on the ground, you are immediately back in neutral stance, and can continue to attack.

If you fly past the peak of the curved trajectory without hitting a monster, and then hit a monster on the way back down to the ground, you will automatically perform a Falling Shadow (landing) follow-up that deals a small amount of damage.

Regardless of where you are in the trajectory (flying up or falling down), you can press X+A anytime in the air to immediately perform a Plunging Thrust that deals Slash damage three times directly below you.

Take note that Scaling Slash (the upwards movement after you hit a monster with Falling Shadow) has iframes. This is often used in advanced play to gapclose and i-frame at the same time.

Takeaway: Falling Shadow is a medium-distance gapcloser with a variety of follow-up attacks.

3.4.5.2. Shield Bash

Shield Bash is the alternate ZL+X Wirebug move.

It launches you directly forward if you are in neutral stance.

If you’re attacking, you can press Shield Bash and a directional input to have Shield Bash turn you around and launch you in that direction.

While you’re being propelled forward, if you hit a monster, you’ll immediately stop at the point of contact, dealing Blunt damage.

You immediately return to neutral stance upon contact, and can continue to attack.

Shield Bash is a medium-to-long distance gapcloser that can be followed up with any grounded attack. It also deals blunt damage, so it can be useful to apply KO status damage if it hits the head, and Exhaust status damage regardless of where it hits.

Shield Bash can also be used as a follow-up to all combo chain finishers and Spinning Reaper.

Takeaway: Shield Bash is a medium-to-long distance gapcloser that can be followed up with any grounded attack. It can also be used to continue attacking from normal combo chain finishers and Spinning Reaper.

3.5. Defensive Options

The SnS has a couple of defensive options to avoid being hit.

3.5.1. Sheathe and Run

Because the SnS has a fast sheathe speed, you can quickly sheathe and run around sheathed. The speed at which you run can help you avoid attacks.

When you sheathe, you’re not dealing damage, so sheathing and running, or sheathing and superman diving are both a DPS loss compared to the counter moves.

When to sheathe and run:

When the counter moves are not suitable for the monster attack (aka you will get hit if you try to use them - this is often the case for multi-hit attacks in the case of Metsu or Guard Slash, and long-duration attacks in the case of Backhop), and rolling will get you hit anyway.
When you need to get closer to the monster while evading an attack (normally you would use Advancing Slash, Falling Shadow or Shield Bash).

3.5.2. Sheathe and Superman Dive

A superman dive is a special evasion technique that is done automatically when you meet the following conditions:

You are in a fight against a monster.
You are running away from the monster (sheathed).
You attempt to roll, by pressing B.

You are invincible throughout a superman dive, from the moment you press the button to roll, all the way while you’re in the air, and even when you’re on the ground. You are no longer invincible when you start getting off the ground.

Because of the long invincibility period (alternatively referred to as invincibility frames, or iframes), the superman dive is useful for avoiding attacks that you cannot outrun.

When you sheathe, you’re not dealing damage, so sheathing and running, or sheathing and superman diving are both a DPS loss compared to the counter moves.

When to sheathe and superman dive:

When the attack cannot be avoided in any way other than by superman diving (e.g. Valstrax Ambush, although I’ve seen people backhop through it) - using a counter move, guarding, rolling, or running will still get you hit.

3.5.3. Roll

Rolling can be done by pressing B while sheathed or unsheathed. It allows you to move in a specified direction quicker than walking. This can be useful to avoid attacks by rolling away from them.

Rolling is the standard evasive manoeuvre available to most weapons to create space instantly between the player and where the monster’s attack is predicted to hit.

Rolling has a very short invincibility period in Monster Hunter Rise, starting from the moment you press the button, and lasting for about a tenth of a second (0.133s to be precise).

You may roll through monster roars, as well as certain fast monster attacks, but it requires a high level of precision to perform.

Rolling is a DPS loss compared to the counter moves (backhop, Guard Slash and Metsu), but it is not as bad as guarding, or sheathing and running or superman diving.

This is because rolling doesn’t take a lot of time to perform.

Some general rolling tips:

Sometimes, rolling inwards can be a way to avoid attacks.
For monster attacks that have tracking, you will need to roll as late as possible.

When to roll:

When the counter moves are not suitable for the monster attack (aka you will get hit if you try to use them - this is often the case for multi-hit attacks in the case of Metsu or Guard Slash, and long-duration attacks in the case of Backhop)

3.5.4. Guard

The SnS has a shield, which means that it can guard against monster attacks.

While in the neutral stance (while your character can walk), press ZR and hold it down to guard. Hold it for as long as you wish to maintain your guard for.

While guarding, you move very slowly, and you do not have access to your normal attacks, but if you get hit by a monster attack when guarding, you are not flung back, instead taking knockback. You also take a fraction of the damage you would have normally taken.

The shield of the SnS is a weak shield relative to other weapons with a shield. This means that other weapon classes’ shields allow for them to take less knockback when guarding monster attacks, and take less damage through the guard, compared to the shield of the SnS.

While holding down the ZR button to guard, press X to use a Rising Slash (ZR + X).

This is a vertical bottom-to-top slash.

While holding down the ZR button to guard, press A to use a Guard Slash (ZR + A).

The Guard Slash has lower recovery compared to the Rising Slash, meaning that it returns you to the guard state faster.

You can use items while guarding.

It’s really not worth it to guard normally on the SnS, especially if you don’t have any levels of Guard or Embolden, because the major knockback from guarding takes a while to recover from, which decreases your DPS more than other responses.

When to guard:

When the counter moves are not suitable for the monster attack (aka you will get hit if you try to use them - this is often the case for multi-hit attacks in the case of Metsu or Guard Slash, and long-duration attacks in the case of Backhop), rolling will get you hit anyway, and you don’t have enough time to sheathe and run.

3.5.5. Backhop

The SnS’s backhop has 0.66s (20 frames at 30fps) of invincibility frames, making it a powerful tool to avoid monster attacks.

This section describes how to better weave backhopping into the infinite roundslash combo.

This section discusses which backhop follow-up to use.

Remember that you can chain backhops.

Because the backhop and follow-ups have lower DPS than the other counter moves, we prefer to use the backhop only in certain cases.

When to backhop:

When the other counter moves are not suitable for the monster attack (some attacks are multi-hits and will hit you through Metsu and Guard Slash, but can be completely avoided with the long invincibility frames on backhop).
When you need to avoid multiple monster attacks in a row by chain backhopping
When the other counter moves are not available (e.g. not enough wirebugs for Metsu, or you just used a Roundslash which precludes usage of Guard Slash)

3.5.6. Guard Slash

There are two variations of Guard Slash, one where you perform Leaping Slash into Perfect Rush (by pressing X after a successful Guard Slash), and another one where you directly perform Perfect Rush, skipping the Leaping Slash (by pressing A after a successful Guard Slash).

It is important to note that the Leaping Slash variation has lower DPS than the direct Perfect Rush variation, so only use Leaping Slash if you need to gap close after the Guard Slash.

Remember that you can use Guard Slash after most attacks (except Roundslash).

Guard Slash guards only one attack, so multi-hit attacks will still hit you.

When to Guard Slash:

When Metsu Shoryugeki is not available for use (e.g. not enough wirebugs)
When the follow up Perfect Rush can hit the monster (with or without the aid of Leaping Slash)

3.5.7. Metsu Shoryugeki

Metsu Shoryugeki is the SnS’s most powerful counter move, possessing a lot of MV/s and applying a lot of KO damage if everything hits the head.

You can use Metsu after all attacks.

The attack needs to come from the front. That means that a Metsu can fail if you were behind the source of the attack (often occurs with roars).

Metsu Shoryugeki guards only one attack, so multi-hit attacks will still hit you.

When to Metsu Shoryugeki:

Whenever possible, because it is SnS’s highest MV/s move.
When Guard Slash’s follow-up cannot hit the monster.

3.6. SnS Move Discussion

Now that we’ve covered all the moves, it’s time to discuss SnS-specific weapon concepts, moves and combos at a higher level than what has been covered.

3.6.1. Slashing vs. Blunt Damage

In general, the highest regular DPS combos available to SnS are slashing damage combos.

Slashing damage combos have the following traits:

they consume sharpness (and often a lot of it)
they deal elemental damage per hit

However, that doesn’t mean that blunt damage combos do not have a place.

Blunt damage combos have the following traits:

they do not consume sharpness at all
they do not deal elemental damage
they deal KO damage when hitting the head

Hence, a mix of slashing and blunt damage is necessary in typical play.

Slashing damage combos are our bread-and-butter, used for most of our regular damage output, and especially while we have the sharpness to spare, either through Protective Polish or Master’s Touch.

Blunt damage combos are used to set up KOs, and are also used to conserve sharpness in certain scenarios (e.g. when Protective Polish has worn off, or at a sliver of purple sharpness).

Sharpness preservation is covered here.

3.6.2. Burst vs. Sustained Damage Combo Chains

SnS, by virtue of its combo chain finishers and Spinning Reaper, needs to weigh between performing burst damage combo chains and sustained damage combo chains at any given point in time.

Sustained damage combo chains involve infinite Roundslash loops, stringing X combo chains into A or D+A combo chains, as well as spamming Perfect Rush into Falling Bash on downs.

Burst damage combo chains involve using full X/A/D+A combo chains into their combo chain finishers (the 3rd attack), into Spinning Reaper.

Because you often need to cancel combo chain finishers or Spinning Reaper with a roll (unless you expend a wirebug to use Shield Bash), burst damage combo chains have poor sustained DPS.

However, burst damage combo chains have higher burst damage.

Hence, while poor usage of burst damage combo chains will decrease your DPS, good use of burst damage combo chains will allow you to inject additional DPS into the window of opportunity in a manner that sustained damage combo chains cannot do.

The general rule of thumb is to use sustained damage combo chains at the start of and in the middle of window of opportunities, and to use burst damage combo chains at the end of window of opportunities, when you think you need to roll, backhop, or counter at the end of the burst damage combo chain anyway.

Perfect play involves timing the burst damage combo chain such that ideally, the Spinning Reaper connects just before the monster’s next attack hits the player, at which point the Spinning Reaper’s recovery can be cancelled into either a backhop or a Metsu Shoryugeki to avoid the attack.

3.6.3. Modifying the Infinite Roundslash Loop

The infinite roundslash loop covered here is useful for sustained damage, but consciously picking the attacks to use in the infinite roundslash loop is important for more technical play.

We need to start by considering the characteristics of the various attacks available for the infinite roundslash loop.

Chop (X) has the following characteristics:

moves you very slightly forward
is a diagonal slash ( \ )
30% less damage than Lateral Slash

Side Slash (2nd X) has the following characteristics:

does not move you
is a sidewards slash ( – )
35% less damage than Lateral Slash

Lateral Slash (A) has the following characteristics:

does not move you
is a sidewards slash ( – )

Return Stroke (2nd A) has the following characteristics:

moves you very slightly forward
is a diagonal slash ( \ )
Same damage as Lateral Slash

Shield Attack (D+A) has the following characteristics:

moves you very slightly forward
is an arcing bash from right to centre
very low raw damage output, does not deal elemental damage
deals KO.

Shield Bash (2nd D+A) has the following characteristics:

moves you moderately forward
is a forward bash from the centre
Has a slightly longer input window for backhop than the other attacks
similar raw damage to Lateral Slash, does not deal elemental damage
deals KO

Roundslash (X+A) has the following characteristics:

moves you moderately forward
can turn to face any direction
Deals the most damage.
Takes longer to perform than the other attacks
Cannot follow up with a Guard Slash response.

Twin Blade Combo (Third X, or X after 2nd A or 2nd D+A) has the following characteristics:

moves you moderately forward
can turn to face any direction
Has lower DPS than Roundslash in any equivalent combo
Takes even longer to perform than Roundslash
Can follow up with a Guard Slash response unlike Roundslash

3.6.3.1. Adjusting Spacing

By using the following combos in the infinite roundslash loop, we can move forward during the combo loop (remember we can always change direction, so we can move in any direction we want):

Using Shield Attack, Shield Bash into Roundslash (D+A > D+A > X+A > …)
Spamming Chop into Roundslash over and over. (X > X+A > X > X+A > …)

This is a useful technique if you find yourself just short on reach during an infinite roundslash loop - adjust your combo strings to include more of the attacks that move you forward moderately.

If the spacing between you and the monster is anything more than short, you may wish to consider other longer-distance gap-closing options instead.

3.6.3.2. Getting Ready to Backhop

The SnS’s backhop has 0.66s (20 frames at 30fps) of invincibility frames, making it very forgiving, but you still need to wield it with a certain minimum degree of precision for some monster attacks.

Hence, it is important that you can backhop out of the infinite roundslash loop when you want to.

The backhop can be performed after any attack in the infinite roundslash loop.

It is important to understand that most attacks available in the infinite roundslash loop give you a brief input window to press the backhop input or the next attack, before your character returns to neutral stance.

Hence, most of the time, you will need to execute the infinite roundslash loop such that your last attack is performed just before the monster hits, so that you can backhop with precision (assuming you need the precision to evade that monster attack).

Hence, it is important to know how long each attack takes:

Quick attacks: Chop, Side Slash, Lateral Slash, Return Stroke and Shield Attack are all performed relatively quickly and at the same speed.
Slow attacks: Roundslash and Twin Blade Combo are slower attacks, with Twin Blade Combo being the slowest.
Shield Bash is performed quickly, but has a slightly longer input window for the next attack / backhop.

Hence, we can derive the following points for defensive infinite roundslash loop play:

Attempt to perform stringing of X and A combo (X > X > A > A) to use quick attacks in succession just before a monster attack hits. This maximises the chances that your backhop can be performed precisely, because you get 4 input windows in a short span of time.
Slow attacks should not be spammed because they take longer to finish (you should only use them at the end of each string of X > X > A >A. This is as they reduce the number of input windows per unit time for backhop, as well as increase the risk of getting hit due to longer attack commitment.
You may go into Shield Attack > Shield Bash if you know that the attack will hit around the end of Shield Bash, and you want a bit of extra precision on the backhop.

3.6.3.3. Getting Ready to Guard Slash

The pointers for responding with a Guard Slash off the infinite roundslash loop is similar to that for responding with a backhop.

However, there are some important things to take note of:

You cannot Guard Slash after a Roundslash or Spinning Reaper
You can Guard Slash after a Twin Blade Combo

Thus:

stringing of the X and A combo (X > X > A > A) is as important as before for the same reasons.
You need to weigh between Roundslash and Twin Blade Combo. Twin Blade Combo is slower than Roundslash, but you can Guard Slash after it. Roundslash is faster and more DPS, but you cannot Guard Slash after it.

3.6.3.4. Choosing the Appropriate Ending Burst Damage Combo Chain

If you think your window of opportunity is starting to close, you can consider moving into a combo chain finisher into Spinning Reaper.

Because Roundslash leads directly into Chop, there are two main variations of how to end an infinite roundslash loop:

X+A > X > X > X > X+A
X+A > X > A > A > A > X+A

It is clear that the first variation is faster than the second variation in getting to Spinning Reaper. Because Spinning Reaper should ideally be aligned to just before the monster hits you (or earlier if you decide to roll out of Spinning Reaper), which combo chain you pick to get to Spinning Reaper should be chosen with this goal in mind.

3.6.4. Backhop’s Follow-ups

The backhop has a couple of follow-ups:

Advancing Slash, if you don’t press any buttons after the backhop.
Rising Slash, if you hold down ↓D at the end of the backhop.
Charged Slash, if you press and hold A at the end of the backhop.
Leaping Slash that leads automatically into a Perfect Rush, if you press X at the end of the backhop.

The Rising Slash follow-up is the only follow-up that keeps you in position after a backhop.

The other follow-ups move you forward again after a backhop.

This has been covered earlier, but I wanted to go further in-depth as to which option to choose and when.

The Advancing Slash is useful as a gap closer. The main advantage of an Advancing Slash response is that it’s fast, leading back to your Lateral Loop very quickly.

The Rising Slash is used in practice to create some distance between you and the monster, because it sticks you in place. It is also mainly used as the fastest follow-up to a backhop, meaning that if you need to chain backhops to avoid multiple attacks, the Rising Slash is the follow-up to use.

The Charged Slash had its heyday back in World, but got its damage cut in Rise. The unique property of the Charged Slash follow-up in practice would be that it covers a larger distance than the Advancing Slash as a follow-up gap closer, which can be useful at times. It’s otherwise not worth using.

Perfect Rush used to have its damage frontloaded in World, but now the damage is backloaded (MV/s increases the further along you go into the combo), so backhop into Perfect Rush 1st input into roll is no longer the beast it once was. The damage of a sustained Perfect Rush (w/ backhops) is also not as strong as the Lateral Loop.

Perfect Rush is only worth using now if you can skip the backhop via Guard Slash, or if you need to stretch your remaining sharpness, and you don’t have wirebugs to expend on Hard Basher Combo into Spinning Reaper with Shield Bash cancel

3.6.5. Perfect Rush - Mistiming and Cancelling Inputs on Purpose

A more advanced concept that originated from World was intentionally mistiming the first two inputs of Perfect Rush, as well as cancelling the third input of Perfect Rush:

Mistiming the inputs of Perfect Rush cuts the damage of the associated attack by around half, but results in it being executed faster
In World, mistimed Perfect Rush applies more status than timed Perfect Rush.
In World, the third input of Perfect Rush was not ideal as it flung you away from the monster, so people often rolled out of it.

So are these things still done in Rise? The answer is no:

Mistimed Perfect Rush no longer deals more status than timed Perfect Rush (this is still NOT a reason to mistime Perfect Rush in World).
Losing HALF your damage on the first two inputs of Perfect Rush is not worth being able to execute the full Perfect Rush into Falling Bash combo (which already is suboptimal DPS). You’re gimping your already suboptimal damage and you really should consider a different shorter combo (e.g. Lateral Loop) which does more DPS.
In Rise, Perfect Rush’s third input was changed into a Falling Bash follow-up, which is very strong (55% of Perfect Rush’s MVs are in the third input and Falling Bash), so we actually want to use the third input now.
If you can’t fit the third input into the window, use Spinning Reaper (press A) after the

second Perfect Rush input. This isn’t ideal, but it’s much better than rolling.

3.6.6. Techs with Switch Skill Swap

Because many builds will use Switch Skill Swap to an extent (for Destroyer Oil or Heaven-Sent), knowing about switch skill swap techs can be handy.

Credits to visby#0559 from MHGH for a lot of these techs.

3.6.6.1. Swap Oil Swap To Traverse Distance or When Waiting During Downs

Switch scroll swap > Destroyer Oil > switch scroll swap is a common manoeuvre to sharpen a weapon midfight.

It does take close to 4 seconds to perform, however.

To minimise the effective time taken, you can choose to use Oil’s traversal property to allow you to gapclose and sharpen at the same time, cutting out the time you would need to take to walk up or gapclose with another skill. You can increase the distance traversed by performing a Swap Evade after each swap.

You can also perform this manoeuvre during knockdowns when the monster’s weakest hitzone is still in the air, hence reducing your effective downtime (because you would be otherwise waiting for the hitzone to come down to the ground). Examples of such enemies include Kushala Daora, Chameleos, etc.

3.6.6.2. Swap Move Swap to Quickly Apply Heaven-Sent Sharpening

On Heaven-Sent Grinder (S) builds, you need to swap scrolls twice for Heaven-Sent to sharpen your weapon, and also to swap back to Red Scroll for the raw buff from Mail of Hellfire. After performing a switch scroll swap, attempting to press the switch scroll swap button combination immediately will instead trigger a wirebug attack.

To swap scrolls twice quickly, you will need to perform any non-wirebug action after the first switch scroll swap. The fastest thing you can do after swapping is to move in any direction.

Hence, to swap twice quickly, you will need to swap, move a bit, then swap again.

3.6.6.3. Swap Guard Swap to Rotate In Any Direction

Sometimes you find yourself needing to rotate your hunter while you swap scrolls.

You can actually guard very quickly after a switch scroll swap. You can input directional input during this action to rotate your hunter in any direction. This allows you to quickly rotate your character during the swap if necessary.

3.6.6.4. Swap Guard Roll To Traverse Distance Quickly

If you need to swap scrolls and also reposition at the same time, Swap Evade is the classic way to do it. However, SnS has access to a faster way to swap and reposition at the same time.

After performing a swap, guard and then roll immediately. This lets you reposition faster than Swap Evade, at the cost of losing the iframes from Swap Evade. This is useful if you aren’t being attacked by a monster at the moment and need to swap and reposition. Remember that you can guard in any direction post-swap.

3.7. SnS DPS Rotations and Discussion

In this section, I’ll be talking about which combos are the best DPS to use in common scenarios.

3.7.1. Sustained DPS

In terms of sustained DPS, nothing tops the Lateral Loop for combined raw and elemental damage.

The Lateral Loop is performed with the following input:

A > A > X+A > X > A > A > X+A > X > loop

If you’re wondering why there is a random X after the Roundslash (X+A), it’s because pressing X or A after a Roundslash always results in a Chop (first attack of the X combo chain).

It has an MV/s of 49.865, and an Ele/s of 1.820, both among the top for sustained DPS rotations.

It is a form of the infinite roundslash combo, so it can be maintained for as long as required.

Other competitors come close, but nothing really beats out Lateral Loop:

Full X and A combo (X > X > A > A > X+A > loop) has slightly lower MV/s (48.668), and slightly higher Ele/s of 1.947, but in practice, I have never seen this rotation beat out Lateral Loop in terms of calculated total DPS, although it’s always very close. It’s good to know that this form of the infinite roundslash combo is competitive, because this is also a good defensive form of the infinite roundslash combo.
Lateral Twin Blade Loop (A > A > X > loop) has slightly lower MV/s (47.398) and a slightly higher Ele/s of 2.045, but similarly to the full X and A combo, in practice, I have never seen this rotation beat out Lateral Loop in terms of calculated total DPS.

Some other noteworthy mentions:

Backhop into Perfect Rush into Falling Bash spam (Backhop > X > X > X > X > A > loop) has lower MV/s (47.461) and much lower Ele/s (0.838) than Lateral Loop. It’s no longer the highest DPS combo, but it still retains a niche in sharpness preservation which will be discussed later.
Lateral Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper into backhop into Perfect Rush into Falling Bash (A > A > A > X+A > Backhop > X > X > X > X > A) has slightly higher MV/s (51.229) but much lower Ele/s (1.032).

If your weapon is fully a raw weapon (no element), the following rotations are better than Lateral Loop:

Full A combo chain into Spinning Reaper w/ Shield Bash cancel (A > A > A > X+A > ZL > loop) has a slightly higher MV/s (50.799), but requires 3 wirebugs to perform indefinitely. It also stacks KO if you keep hitting the head.
Lateral Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper into backhop into Perfect Rush into Falling Bash (A > A > A > X+A > Backhop > X > X > X > X > A) has slightly higher MV/s (51.229).

3.7.2. Burst DPS

In terms of burst DPS combo chains, the best is full A combo chain into Spinning Reaper.

This is performed with the following input:

A > A > A > X+A

It has an MV/s of 59.533 and an Ele/s of 1.556.

Other competitors include:

Hard Basher Combo into Spinning Reaper (D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A) has lower MV/s (50.111) and almost no Ele/s (0.368), but has KO utility and consumes almost no sharpness.
Drill Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper (D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A) has lower MV/s (55.365) and more Ele/s (2.329). In practice, this combo doesn’t beat the full A combo chain into Spinning Reaper in terms of damage most of the time, and you also lose access to Hard Basher Combo’s KO.

3.7.3. Counter/Evade DPS

In terms of counters or evades, the best is Metsu Shoryugeki into Plunging Thrust for elemental weapons, followed by Metsu Shoryugeki into Falling Bash for raw weapons.

This is performed with the following input:

ZL+A > X+A (Metsu Shoryugeki into Plunging Thrust)
ZL+A > A (Metsu Shoryugeki into Falling Bash)

Both Metsu have an obscene amount of MV/s and Plunging Thrust has a decent amount of Ele/s:

Metsu Shoryugeki into Plunging Thrust: 81.081 MV/s, 1.267 Ele/s
Metsu Shoryugeki into Falling Bash: 84.393 MV/s, 0 Ele/s

The next best counter is Windmill, with 61.436 MV/s and 2.408 Ele/s. The extra Ele/s will not be close to beating out Metsu into Plunging Thrust in practice.

The next best counters are the Guard Slash into Perfect Rush counters (skipping Leaping Slash), with MV/s around the 46 - 58 MV/s mark and around 0.9 - 1 Ele/s. The further you get into the Perfect Rush combo, the higher the MV/s.

The basic evade is the backhop. A backhop into an Advancing Slash takes about 1.667s to perform, about half the time of most other counter/evade combos, but has a poor MV/s of 13.197 and a poor Ele/s of 0.6.

So to summarise, always do Metsu if you have the chance and if it is suitable for the context. Guard Slash into Perfect Rush is always fine to use. The backhop has poor DPS, but it resolves the quickest, so you can go back to your sustained damage rotations more quickly.

If you’re wondering whether to use Falling Bash or Plunging Thrust follow-up after Metsu Shoryugeki, read this section.

3.7.4. Falling Bash or Plunging Thrust

After a successful Metsu Shoryugeki, Falling Shadow or Perfect Rush, you have two options in the air: Falling Bash or Plunging Thrust.

If you are using a raw weapon, always use Falling Bash, unless you need to reach the ground more quickly (Plunging Thrust reaches the ground about 0.5s more quickly). This is as Plunging Thrust has lower MV/s than Falling Bash.

If you are using an elemental weapon, Plunging Thrust’s elemental modifier starts to come into play. It is often the case that Metsu into Plunging Thrust outdamages Metsu into Falling Bash, even for weapons with low element. However, this DPS increase is usually around ~1% for low element builds, and ~5% for high element builds, and you’re missing out on the KO utility of Falling Bash.

Hence:

Use Plunging Thrust for elemental builds, and if you do not think you need the KO value of Falling Bash, or if Falling Bash will not hit the head and hence will not apply KO anyway.
Use Falling Bash for raw builds, and for elemental builds if you need the KO and can hit the head with Falling Bash.

3.7.5. Frostcraft - How to Play

Frostcraft mainly revolves around Barrel Bomb into Metsu Shoryugeki (also known as Bomb Metsu). This is as:

Perfect Rush is not the overpowered version of itself from Iceborne.
Bomb Metsu involves sheathing, which means that you can charge your Frostcraft gauge naturally while performing Bomb Metsu.
Bomb Metsu has a very high damage to Frostcraft gauge ratio (as compared to Perfect Rush or Lateral Loop spam), so you’re using the Frostcraft gauge more efficiently if you use Bomb Metsu.
Bomb Metsu has high KO and concentrated damage on one hitzone, which lends itself to scripting in speedruns (either stun or partbreak topple).

To execute a Bomb Metsu, sheathe your weapon. Place a Mega Barrel Bomb in front of you. Walk slightly backwards after placing the bomb, and then facing the monster, attack the bomb. Upon attacking, start up Metsu Shoryugeki.

Metsu Shoryugeki will guard the explosion damage, and then become empowered.

For extended openings where you don’t have two wirebugs at hand to perform multiple Bomb Metsu in quick succession, consider using the highest DPS raw combo covered earlier in the guide: Lateral Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper into backhop into Perfect Rush into Falling Bash (A > A > A > X+A > Backhop > X > X > X > X > A) (51.229 MV/s). However, you actually want to do this backwards, so that Perfect Rush is at the start of the combo, so that the remaining Frostcraft gauge (you only have 46% left after one Bomb Metsu) can be expended on Perfect Rush first.

So the actual combo itself is backhop into Perfect Rush into Falling Bash into Lateral Slash Combo into Spinning Reaper (Backhop > X > X > X > X > A > A > A > A > X+A).

When the monster is up and you don’t have an opening to do Bomb Metsu, consider using short burst sharpness-preserving combos (most speedrunning sets do not have sharpness management) while waiting for an opportunity to Metsu Shoryugeki an enemy attack.

The best sharpness-preserving burst DPS combo chain is Hard Basher into Spinning Reaper.

The input is:

D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

This helps you conserve sharpness and advance towards another KO, which is important for Frostcraft.

3.7.6. Rampage Decorations and Weapon Augments

Let’s start by talking about Rampage Decorations.

The Species Exploit decorations provide a 1.05x bonus to your EFR, at the same level as the sharpness or critical multipliers. This is a very powerful multiplier that should be used in every hunt.

The Elembane decoration, on the other hand, provides a 1.15x elemental bonus at the same level as Critical Element or Element Exploit.

In practice, Elembane actually decreases your DPS on all moves, including the heavy elemental modifier rotations such as Lateral Loop, when used over Species Exploit, even for high element weapons such as Agamenmon.

(I retract any former statements made about Elembane increasing Lateral Loop DPS by 1%, apologies for the error made previously).

I hence do not see a use case for Elembane as of now.

Wirebug Wrangler is a new skill granted by the Wirebug 1 Rampage decoration that extends the duration of the third wirebug collected in the field by an additional 30 seconds:

Normal duration: 90s
Wirebug Whisperer 1 duration: 117s (+30%)
Wirebug Whisperer 1 and Wirebug Wrangler duration: 147s (+30% and +30s)

Because Species Exploit is such an important decoration, all weapons benefit from having a level two rampage decoration slot. If the weapon has a level one rampage decoration slot (e.g. Phecda’s Asterism), you will gain more DPS upgrading that slot to level two via weapon augment, than from any combination of weapon augments.

If the weapon already has a level two rampage decoration slot, use the listed weapon augment based on the build type and the DPS priority:

8 ATK, for raw builds only (adding 2 STATUS if applicable)
8 ELE 2 ATK, for elemental builds only, and to boost Lateral Loop’s DPS the most.

The difference between augment combinations for elemental weapons is generally very minor (~1% for Lateral Loop, ~1 - 2.5% for Perfect Rush and Metsu damage).

Because Lateral Loop is most of your damage, I recommend 8 ELE 2 ATK as a general use augment for elemental builds, and 8 ATK for raw builds (adding 2 STATUS on top for the status weapons).

3.7.7. Skill Priorities

I realise that people commonly ask about or are not very sure of the SnS skill priority, so I decided to go into further detail rather than just attach a Sheets screenshot. This list is roughly ordered, meaning that skills higher up generally have higher priority than skills lower down, even within the same priority tier. This may not always be accurate or hold true for any individual build, but this is the rough trend that I see in the math after doing up so many builds.

Skill	Priority	Reason
Protective Polish / Handicraft / Master’s Touch	Necessary	I’ve already done the math on which sharpness colour is best to aim for on each weapon, so that you don’t have to. Sharpness multipliers are effective multipliers (not base multipliers), so they have a large impact on whether a weapon is competitive or not. I wouldn’t recommend changing a weapon’s sharpness colour from what I suggest, unless you really know what you’re doing.
Weakness Exploit 1 - 3	Necessary	The best damage skill in the game, even on the Chaotic Gore Magala SnS.
Critical Boost 1 - 3	Necessary	One of the best damage skills in the game.
Grinder (S) 1 - 3	Necessary	Specifically for Grinder (S) builds, if you don’t use this skill, you shouldn’t be using the build. The Grinder (S) multiplier is an effective multiplier, so it has a very large impact on the competitiveness of Grinder (S) builds.
Chameleos Blessing 3	Necessary	For poison weapons, this turns poison damage from a joke into an actually strong mechanic. You wouldn’t use this on low poison weapons (e.g. Phecda’s Asterism), but it’s practically mandatory for all other poison weapons.
Embolden and Guard	Necessary	The exact level of Embolden and Guard can be tweaked to suit the specific monster matchup, but for Embolden builds, you will need enough of these two skills to make Guard Slash even usable.
Flinch Free 1 / Shock Absorber 1	Necessary / Useless	These two skills are necessary in multiplayer (choose one, and Shock Absorber is preferred), because everyone will trip you otherwise, and being tripped is a huge damage reduction. In singleplayer, you can feel free to remove these skills.
Bloodlust 1	Necessary or High	For the Chaotic Gore Magala SnS, this skill is absolutely necessary, because it ties into how the weapon plays and unlocks its innate potential. For all other weapons, Bloodlust is key to activating Frenzied Bloodlust, which is a very powerful skill for the SnS.
Frenzied Bloodlust 2	High	Frenzied Bloodlust is a very powerful skill for the SnS. Our highest DPS moves are long cooldown wirebug moves, so being able to have an extra wirebug 2/3rds of the time is incredibly strong.
Frostcraft 1 - 3	Necessary/Useless	If you’re playing a Frostcraft build, you’ll naturally want Frostcraft. And you’ll want all three levels of it. The first two levels do not provide any substantial benefit.
Status Trigger 3	Necessary/Useess	If you’re playing a Status Trigger build, you’ll want Status Trigger. Because uptime maintenance is important for Trigger builds, you’ll want all 3 levels, unless you know what you’re doing.
Dragon Conversion 3	Necessary/Low	If you’re playing a Dragon Conversion build, this is necessary. The conversion rate only gets good at the third level, so you want all three points. Otherwise, this skill has low value.
Furious 3	Necessary/Useless	This skill is paired with Dragon Conversion because Furious grants 20 elemental resistance to all elements on Red Scroll. Outside of that, it’s of basically no use.
Critical Eye 7	High	The last level of Critical Eye, level 7, provides double the affinity compared to other levels of Critical Eye.
Attack Boost 4	High	Attack Boost 4 provides a base raw multiplier that Attack Boost 1 to 3 does not, and is hence a power spike in the Attack Boost skill. Going from Attack Boost 3 to 4 is huge.
Wirebug Whisperer 1	High	Wirebug Whisperer 1 allows you to hold on to an extra Wirebug for quite a bit longer. An extra Wirebug represents 50% cooldown reduction on your Metsu Shoryugeki, and is hence incredibly powerful to have.
Wirebug Whisperer 3	High	Wirebug Whisperer 3 is a 20% cooldown reduction on your wirebug skills (and hence on Metsu Shoryugeki). It’s also pretty important to have, but it’s slightly lower priority than Wirebug Whisperer 1.
Wind Mantle	High	Wind Mantle represents another 20% cooldown reduction on your wirebug skills (that stacks multiplicatively with Wirebug Whisperer 3). It’s also pretty important to have so that you can Metsu Shoryugeki more.
Offensive Guard 1 - 3	High / Low	Especially for Embolden sets, having Offensive Guard in singleplayer is a huge boost to raw. If you play multiplayer, you may want to cut this though due to poor uptime.
Element Attack 5	High	Free 20% base element that’s generally easy to fit into builds.
Burst 1	High	Burst 1 is easily activated on SnS, a fast hitting, high uptime weapon, and provides a large amount of stats for 1 point that escalate as you continue to hit. A very efficient skill.
Buildup Boost 1	High	A 1.0333x effective damage multiplier for slashing attacks on poison weapons is a strong one despite how small it looks. Most of our attacks are slash attacks anyway.
Mail of Hellfire 1	High	+15 display attack, and it’s easily augmentable. A very efficient skill. Actually can be worth more than AB 6/7 sometimes.
Powder Mantle 1	Medium	Powder Mantle, if assumed to trigger once every minute, can be about 1 - 5% of your DPS over the course of the hunt.
Attack Boost 6 and 7	Medium	These levels of Attack Boost increase the base raw multiplier provided by the skill, but they’re not as big of a jump as compared to getting Attack Boost 4.
Mail of Hellfire 2 and 3	Medium	+10 display attack per level, and it’s easily augmentable. Still a very efficient skill.
Element Exploit 1	Medium	+10% effective element (assuming you hit only EHZV >= 20 hitzones) is pretty efficient for the first point.
Critical Eye 1 - 6	Medium	If a weapon can’t use Critical Eye 7, the value of Critical Eye actually drops considerably, and it’s often the case that other skills add more overall DPS than Critical Eye, even taking into account Critical Boost and Critical Element.
Critical Element 1 - 3	Low	+5% effective element (assuming 100% crit) is not that much actually.
Buildup Boost 2 and 3	Low	Provides minimal gains for the effort, but sometimes you don’t have anything else to add.
Attack Boost 5	Low	Attack Boost 5 is a very slight increase to the raw damage multiplier, so going from AB4 to AB5 provides minimal benefit.
Agitator 1 - 5	Low	Agitator is often given “free” by various armours, so we take it in those situations, but we don’t go out of our way to slot it in. It has poor uptime (50%) on afflicted monsters, which is going to be the main bulk of what you fight in the endgame.
Burst 2 and 3	Low	Burst 2 and 3 don’t provide substantial benefit compared to Burst 1, so we don’t normally go out of our way to get them. However, with the advent of Burst 2, you will see more Burst 2 in sets because it’s basically “free” according to the set searcher.
Element Exploit 2 and 3	Low	+2.5% effective element (assuming you hit only EHZV >= 20 hitzones) is pretty bad.
Coalescence 1	Low	Actually has poor uptime in Bloodlust sets (33%), so it’s not as strong as people often believe. Often one of the first skills cut in Bloodlust sets to make room for other skills.
Attack Boost 1 - 3	Low	If you’re not going for AB4/6/7, don’t bother with AB too much, the yield is generally not that good.
Foray 1 - 3	Low	Foray’s uptime for poison weapons is actually not very high even with Chameleos Blessing 3 doubling poison time.
Adrenaline Rush	Low / Useless	If backhop activated Adrenaline Rush, this skill would be very strong. Alas, it doesn’t, and in general, Adrenaline Rush uptime is pretty low on SnS (as low as 10% on Embolden sets).
Bloodlust 2 - 3	Useless	Bloodlust 1 is really where it’s at, you don’t need more, it doesn’t provide much more benefit.
Coalescence 2 and 3	Useless	Coalescence 1 is already not very good, and Coalescence 2 and 3 don’t provide substantial benefits.
Dereliction 1 - 3	Speedrunning	Dereliction is very powerful, but the lifedrain is also very high.
Resentment 1 - 5	Speedrunning	Resentment is also very powerful, but you need Dereliction for Resentment to work. Resentment does not work very well with Bloodlust due to poor uptime.
Strife 1 - 3	Speedrunning	Strife is extremely powerful, but you need Dereliction for Strife to work. Strife does not work very well with Bloodlust due to poor uptime.
Hellfire Cloak 3-4	Speedrunning	Hellfire Cloak is often used in speedruns to significantly increase uptime on Coalescence and allow for scripts to include an extra down at a chosen time.
Evade Extender 1 - 3	Quality of Life	I wouldn’t say Evade Extender is necessary at all for the SnS, given that you should be parrying or i-framing attacks rather than rolling away from them. It can still be helpful if you’re not very used to or good at backhopping or parrying with Metsu / Guard Slash.
Defiance 1 - 5	Quality of Life	I wouldn’t say Defiance is necessary at all for the SnS, given that you should be parrying or i-framing roars/tremors. It can still be helpful if you’re not very used to or good at backhopping or parrying with Metsu / Guard Slash.
Stun Resistance 1 - 3	Quality of Life	In general, getting stunned is a sign that you’re making multiple major mistakes in a row, so Stun Resistance can be helpful in those fights where you don’t really know what’s going on.

3.8. Sharpness Preservation

Once you are about to lose your initial sharpness tier, you need to either find a way to resharpen again, or attempt to preserve your sharpness.

3.8.1. Sharpness-Preserving Sustained DPS

The best sharpness-preserving sustained DPS combo is Hard Basher into Spinner Reaper with Shield Bash cancel.

The input is:

D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A > ZL+X > loop

This consumes 1 sharpness per loop, and has an MV/s of 46.894, which is comparable to the Lateral Loop’s MV/s of 49.865. This loop has a poor Ele/s of 0.276, however.

This loop has an MV to sharpness ratio of 169 (you output 169 MVs per 1 sharpness used), and a sharpness consumption of 0.276 sharpness per second, which is very strong for sharpness conservation.

You need 3 wirebugs to loop this combo indefinitely. 2 wirebugs will allow you to use this combo three times in total.

Theoretically, Hard Basher combo alone has an infinite MV to sharpness ratio (because you do not use sharpness if you only use A > A > A), but it has poor MV/s and no Ele/s, so I do not recommend it. Sharpness preservation should not come at the cost of giving up too much of your DPS.

Another option that is loopable without wirebugs, while having good MV/s and Ele/s is Backhop into Perfect Rush into Falling Bash.

The input is:

Backhop > X > X > X > X > A

This consumes 5 sharpness per loop, and has an MV/s of 47.461, and an Ele/s of 0.838. Although it uses quite a bit of sharpness per loop, it has a decent MV to sharpness ratio of 73.6, and a sharpness consumption of 0.645 sharpness per second.

3.8.2. Sharpness-Preserving Burst DPS

The best sharpness-preserving burst DPS combo chain is Hard Basher into Spinning Reaper.

The input is:

D+A > D+A > D+A > X+A

This consumes 1 sharpness per use, and has a burst MV/s of 50.111, compared to the full A combo chain into Spinning Reaper rotation’s MV/s of 59.533. This burst DPS combo chain has a poor Ele/s of 0.368, however.

This loop has an MV to sharpness ratio of 136 (you output 136 MVs per 1 sharpness used), and a sharpness consumption of 0.368/s, which is very strong for sharpness conservation.

Credits

This work would not have been possible without:

dragonbronze/BK: that’s me! I wrote this guide, as well as the accompanying math sheet, involving the frame data analysis, MV/s and Ele/s calculation, EFR and effective element calculation, building the sets, comparing the weapons, making the build cards, etc.
MOPOP99: for being with me to work on the TU3/TU5 version of the guide. Also, for all the work you’ve done for the SnS community so far. Also for all the discussions on Discord.
dtlnor: for the MV, elemental modifier and sharpness data from his datamine.
DreamingSunTide: for poison status damage analysis, formulae and the poison damage calculator.
EchoesPartOne: for providing invaluable formatting and content advice, as well as for his earlier work on Agitator uptimes.
T3h Phish: for providing the sweet SnS banner currently situated in the introduction section of the guide, as well as some additional feedback and vetting.
Famas_1234: for making the SnS move flowchart, as well as having done preliminary calculations of SnS rotation DPS, which inspired this work.
Visby: for the cool tech videos involving Switch Skill Swap. I promise I will finish the MU chart at some point.
Everyone who has provided their feedback or offered suggestions in some way or another - either through Reddit, Discord, direct message or otherwise.

Thank you for reading this far!