Monster Hunter Rise Best Longsword Build

With the release of Sunbreak DLC, the Monster Hunter Rise meta is about to change again. After the expansion, many weapons received several buffs and were reworked on their kit. The Longsword has been one of the more popular weapons since the latest update. The katana-like blade has received numerous upgrades, allowing the weapon to dominate the current meta. With the item’s popularity growing, many hunters are looking for the best MHR longsword builds in the game.

What is the Longsword?

The Longsword is one of the fourteen weapons available to hunters and is one of the most well-rounded items with decent reach and vertical attacks. It has one of the best attack chains. The Longsword can also generate stacks for its Spirit Gauge, which can increase the attack damage of abilities and enable the use of Spirit Blade skills. 

After Sunbreak was released, the weapon received noticeable changes in its combat stats. The Longsword initially received some significant buffs, which allowed it to dominate the current meta. Even after receiving several nerfs in the weeks, most hunters still consider the weapon one of the top items.

Best MHR Longsword Builds 

In Monster Hunter, builds for weapons depend highly on what stage of the game the hunters are at and what type of materials they have access to. As players become progressively stronger, they have to update their equipment whenever possible. Doing so will ensure the survivability and the success of their quests.

Builds are typically separated into Low, High, and Master Rank builds. Low Rank refers to item sets for gamers who are just starting or are still in the game’s earliest stages. High Ranks are significantly stronger sets that require tons of hard-to-get material. Knowing which build should be followed first will help players progress in the game much faster.

Low-Rank Build

Affinity Build (1 Star to 4 Star Difficulty)

The Affinity Build is considered the best starting set for newbie longsword hunters. The build allows gamers to deal the most damage, which can help them quickly take down early bosses. Here are the ideal items for this build:

• Weapon: Iron Gospel
• Headgear: Izuchi Helm w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Izuchi Mail w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1 and Recovery Speed Lvl 1
• Gauntlets: Alloy Vambraces w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1
• Pants: Alloy Coil w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1 and Water Attack Lvl 1
• Greaves: Ingot Greaves w/ Attack Boost Lvl 1 and Critical Eye Lvl 1

Hidden Saber I Build (4 Star to 6 Star Difficulty)

This build focuses on dealing with as many critical strikes as possible. This is the second stage of the Low-Rank phase that hunters should follow. The whole set maximizes Critical Eye-level and provides a bonus of 20% affinity. Here are the items for this specific build: 

• Weapon: Hidden Saber I w/ 30%
• Headgear: Zinogre Helm w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1 and Latent Power Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Zinogre Mail w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1 and Latent Power Lvl 1
• Gauntlets: Barioth Vambraces w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1
• Pants: Barioth Coil w/ Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Greaves: Aelucanth Crura/Rhopessa Crura w/ Critical Eye Lvl 2

High-Rank Build

Starter Build (HR 4 to 5)

The first recommended set for this phase aims to improve the overall functionality of the Long Sword. This build boosts the damage output by adding bonuses such as Critical Eye, Attack Boost, and Peak Performance. Here are the items for this specific build: 

• Weapon: Julienne Build
• Headgear: Aknosom Helm S w/ Fire Attack Lvl 1 and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Aknosom Mail S w/ Peak Performance Lvl 1 and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Gauntlets: Lagombi Vambrace S w/ Critical Eye Lvl 2 and Ice Attack Lvl 1
• Pants: Aknosom Coil S w/ Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Greaves: Ingot Greaves S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2 and Critical Eye Lvl 2

Barioth Quick Sheath Build (HR 6 to 7)

As hunters progress, they will need to update their gear upon reaching HR 6. For this phase, the Barioth Quick Sheath Build becomes the recommended set due to its focus on the Iai Slash playstyle, which will help players master this particular weapon mechanic. Here are the items for this specific build:

• Weapon: Deepest Night w/ 40%
• Headgear: Barioth Helm S w/ Critical Draw Lvl 2
• Chestpiece: Barioth Mail S w/ Maximum Might Lvl 1 and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Gauntlets: Barioth Vambrace S w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1, Maximum Might Lvl 1, and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Pants: Barioth Coil S w/ Critical Draw Lvl 1 and Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Greaves: Barioth Greaves S w/ Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Talismans: Critical Eye and Punishing Draw

High-Affinity Raw (HR 8 to 40)

This set further develops the Critical Boost of the weapon while improving other aspects. High Affinity provides additional emphasis on using Latent Power and Weakness Exploit to augment Longsword’s kit. Other combat stats such as Quick Sheath, Speed Sharpening, and Stun Resistance are also touched upon to improve the overall usage quality. Here are the items for this set:

• Weapon: Deepest Night w/ 40% Affinity
• Headgear: Zingore Helm S w/ Latent Power Lvl 1 and Weakness Exploit Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Remobra Suit S w/ Critical Boost Lvl 1
• Gauntlets: Rathalos Braces S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2
• Pants: Anjanath Coil S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2
• Greaves: Golden Hakama w/ Latent Power Lvl 1 and Critical Boost Lvl 2
• Talismans: Weakness Exploit Lvl 2
• Jewels: Sheath Jewel II x2, Grinder Jewel I x3, Steadfast Jewel I x3, and Brace Jewel I x1

Master’s Touch (HR 40 to 99)

This build significantly improves overall damage and increases the number of critical hits. The set emphasizes High Affinity with weak and non-weak point attacks. Here are the recommended items for Master’s Touch:

• Weapon: Deepest Night w/ 40%
• Headgear: Kaiser Crown w/ Critical Eye Lvl 3 and Critical Boost Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Barioth Mail S w/ Maximum Night Lvl 1 and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Gauntlets: Barioth Vambrace S w/ Critical Eye Lvl 1, Maximum Might Lvl 1, and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Pants: Anjanath Coil S w/ Attach Boost Lvl 2
• Greaves: Ingot Greaves S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2 and Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Talismans: Quick Sheath Lvl 1 w/ 2 additional slots
• Jewels: Master Jewel II x3, Critical Jewel II x2, Expert Jewel II x1, Grinder Jewel 1 x3, and Steadfast Jewel 1 x3

Raw Damage (HR 40 to 99)

This set focuses on improving certain aspects to increase damage output while providing increased sustain and resistance. This build provides more survivability and raw damage for better flexibility. Here are the recommended items for the Raw Damage set:

• Weapon: Mirage Finsword I w/ 15%
• Headgear: Kaiser Crown w/ Critical Eye Lvl 3 and Critical Boost Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Vaik Mail S
• Gauntlets: Sinister Gauntlet S w/ Handicraft Lvl 2 and Hellfire Cloak Lvl 1
• Pants: Anjanath Coil S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2
• Greaves: Ingot Greaves S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2 and Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Talismans: Quick Sheath Lvl 3 w/ one additional slot
• Jewels: Handicraft Jewel III x1, Tenderizer Jewel II x3, Critical Jewel II x2, Grinder Jewel I x3, Steadfast Jewel I x3, and Brace Jewel I x1

Phantom Mirage Raw (HR 100 and above)

The Phantom Mirage Raw is the current strongest build for HR. It provides all-around bonuses to damage combat stats and QoL attributes. Here are the recommended items for this set:

• Weapon: Phantom Mirage w/ 15% Affinity
• Headgear: Kaiser Crown w/ Critical Eye Lvl 3 and Critical Boost Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Vaik Mail S
• Gauntlets: Sinister Gauntlets S w/ Handicraft Lvl 2 and Hellfire Cloak Lvl 1
• Pants: Anjanath Coil S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2
• Greaves: Ingot Greaves S w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2 and Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Talismans: Quick Sheath Lvl 3 w/ one additional slot
• Jewels: Handicraft Jewel III x1, Tenderizer Jewel II x3, Critical Jewel II x2, Grinder Jewel I x3, Steadfast Jewel I x3, and Brace Jewel I x1

Master Rank Build

Long Sword Raw Starter Build (MR 1 to 2)

This set is the most basic recommended build for the Master Rank, focusing on more vital offensive skills. It further enhances other aspects such as Quick Sheath and Punishing Draw for more fluid control. Here is the gear for this build:

• Weapon: Imperial Sword II w/ 10% Affinity
• Headgear: Ingot Helm X w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2 and Windproof Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Izuchi Mail X w/ Critical Eye Lvl 2, Evade Window Lvl 1, and Recovery Speed Lvl 2
• Gauntlets: Orangaten Braces w/ Latent Power Lvl 3 and Quick Sheath Lvl 1
• Pants: Izuchi Coil S w/ Constitution Lvl 1 and Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Greaves: Hunter’s Greaves X w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2, Quick Sheath Lvl 1, and Stun Resistance Lvl 1
• Talismans: Weakness Exploit Lvl 2
• Rampage Decoration: Spiritbird Jewel 1
• Jewels: Sheath Jewel II x1, Gambit Jewel II x1, Critical Jewel II x3, Brace Jewel I x1, and Defense Jewel I x5

Mid Game Raw Long Sword Build (MR 3 to 6) 

The current best build for the Longsword balances strong offensive skills with excellent support abilities. The critical chance here has been slightly lowered to improve other aspects further. Here are the items for the Mid Game Raw Long Sword build:

• Weapon: Phantom Mirage+ w/ 15% Affinity 
• Headgear: Lungaron Helm w/ Critical Eye Lvl 2 and Wirebug Whisperer Lvl 1
• Chestpiece: Pyre-Kadaki Mail w/ Maximum Might Lvl 1 and Wirebug Whisperer Lvl 2
• Gauntlets: Regios Vambraces w/ Handicraft Lvl 3
• Pants: Rathalos Coil X w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2, Windproof Lvl 3, and Critical Boost Lvl 1
• Greaves: Ingot Greaves X w/ Attack Boost Lvl 2 and Critical Eye Lvl 2
• Talismans: Quick Sheath Lvl 2
• Rampage Decoration: Anti-Species Jewel x1
• Jewels: Tenderizer Jewel II x3, Expert Jewel II x2, Critical Jewel II x2, Sheath Jewel II x1, Grinder Jewel 1 x3, and Brace Jewel I x1

These are the best sets that players should follow per phase. Hunters should remember that they should always upgrade to the next powerful build so they won’t fall off in their power scaling. As new DLCs or updates roll in, gamers should expect that there will be fresh and better meta builds.