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Epic Guide to Dominate with Great Swords in Monster Hunter Now!

Author: Nora Feb 22,2025

Master the Monster Hunter Now Great Sword: A Sleep-Induced Build Guide

The Great Sword in Monster Hunter Now is a powerful weapon, capable of devastating blows. However, its size makes it less maneuverable. This guide details a build maximizing its potential using the sleep effect.

To create a truly effective Great Sword build, you need to reliably put monsters to sleep. Recent updates have introduced sleep-based weapons crafted from specific monster materials. This build combines these weapons with crucial skills for consistent sleep effects.

Optimal Monster Hunter Now Great Sword Build

Unlike the Long Sword's poison focus, this Great Sword build leverages the sleep element. While it requires materials from a relatively rare monster, the majority of the equipment comes from more common hunts.

Complete Great Sword Build Breakdown

Item	Effect
Weapon: Frilled Blade	Sleep Element; Evade Extender I (Grade 8)
Helmet: Nightshade Paolumu Helmet	Rude Awakener I (Grade 5), Rude Awakener II (Grade 8), Driftstone Slot (Grade 8)
Mail: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Mail	Status Sneak Attack (Grade 2), Artful Dodger (Grade 4), Driftstone Slot (Grade 5)
Vambraces: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Vambraces	Status Sneak Attack I (Grade 2), Status Sneak Attack II (Grade 4), Driftstone Slot (Grade 5)
Coil: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Coil	Evade Extender (Grade 2), Status Sneak Attack (Grade 4), Driftstone Slot (Grade 5)
Greaves: Nightshade Paolumu Greaves	Rude Awakener (Grade 5), Status Sneak Attack (Grade 6), Driftstone Slot (Grade 5)

Weapon Choice: The Frilled Blade

The Frilled Blade is the optimal sleep-based Great Sword. Its Evade Extender skill enhances defensive maneuvers, crucial for the Great Sword's slower attacks. You'll need to hunt Somnacanth for its crafting materials.

Helmet & Greaves: Nightmare Paolumu

The Nightshade Paolumu set provides key skills, including all three levels of Rude Awakener. This skill significantly boosts damage against sleeping monsters (100% increase on the first hit). While less common, Nightmare Paolumu appears in events and as rare spawns.

Mail, Vambraces, & Coil: Tzitzi-Ya-Ku

The Tzitzi-Ya-Ku armor pieces maximize Status Sneak Attack, guaranteeing sleep buildup with rear attacks. Additionally, it provides Evade Extender and Artful Dodger for improved evasion. Tzitzi-Ya-Ku is a more readily available monster.

Optimal Driftstone Slot Allocation

This build offers a good number of Driftstone slots. Prioritize five Sleep Attack slots for maximum sleep buildup. Alternatively, you can enhance evasion (Artful Dodger, Evade Extender) or rear attack damage (Sneak Attack).

Sleep Attack (Azure): Increases sleep buildup (50 at rank 1, 150 at rank 5).
Sneak Attack (Pale): Increases damage from rear attacks (10% at rank 1, 30% at rank 5).
Artful Dodger (Azure): Improves evasion.
Evade Extender (Pale): Increases evasion distance.

This build transforms the Great Sword into a sleep-inducing powerhouse. Remember to utilize the environment and your skills for maximum effectiveness.