Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak – Crafting the Ultimate Greatsword Build

As a long time Monster Hunter gamer, I understand first hand the sheer satisfaction of landing a perfectly timed True Charge Slash. When you manage to tackle through a dragon‘s fire breath to bash its face in with 2000+ damage, it‘s nothing short of epic.

That‘s why the greatsword remains one of Monster Hunter‘s most iconic and popular weapons after all these years. Mastering the charged slashes, tackles, and outrageous damage potential takes time though. This guide aims to fast track aspiring greatsword hunters to overpowered endgame status with the best builds for every stage of Sunbreak.

What Makes The Greatsword So Great?

Before we dive into builds, let‘s break down why this massive chunk of metal captures so many hunters‘ hearts.

Raw Damage Delivered in Spades

On a per hit basis, no other weapon comes close to the greatsword‘s devasting strike potential. A fully charged True Charged Slash can easily deal 1500+ damage on a decent hitzone. Factor in buffs and you‘re flirting with explosive 2000+ hits.

The math breaks down like this:

• True Charged Slash Motion Value: 112
• Late Game Greatsword Attack: 320
• Total Damage = Motion Value x Attack = 35,840

And that‘s before critical hits and buffs! No doubt the greatsword brings the pain.

A typical True Charge Slash total damage value

The downside? To land hits that hard requires A+ positioning and monster knowledge.

Reach and Risk Both Run High

One of the greatsword‘s major assets lies in its long reach. Entire monster weak zones that faster weapons struggle to consistently hit become accessible.

The greatsword can reliably hit hard to reach weak points

You pay for this advantage with slow unwieldy swings and combos that root you in place. Miss a charged slash and you may be stuck watching your hunter gingerly recover as a dragon tail smacks you into next week.

An Asset In Any Hunting Party

While risky in the wrong hands, a skilled greatsword user contributes tremendous stagger damage and part breaking potential in multiplayer hunts. As a heavy weapon, even uncharged slashes can rack up KO damage.

By focuses weak zones, you‘ll open up monsters for big damage from the whole squad. Just beware flinching allies with your wild swings!

Early Game Build – Raw Barbaric Destruction

As you rush through Sunbreak‘s early Master Ranks, strive for maximum raw damage at the cost of sharpness and affinity. Here‘s a great starting point for punish weak monsters as you farm for endgame upgrades.

Kamura Warrior Cleaver – Reliable Starting Calvary

This iron Great Sword may seem plain, but offers excellent base sharpness and attack for a starting Master Rank weapon. Useful slots give flexibility to add Attack and Critical Eye boosts after upgrades. The basic design makes it easy to craft the materials.

Kamura Warrior Cleaver Stats:

• Attack: 290
• Affinity: 0%
• Slots: OO-

Made easy to acquire Great Izuchi parts, you can farm this weapon early. Paired with the right skills, it carries you nicely until mid game upgrades.

Mix Armor Sets for Raw Damage Focus

At the start of Sunbreak, aim for Attack Boost, Critical Eye, and Item Prolonger armor skills by mixing sets:

• Hunter‘s Helm X – Attack Boost 2, Critical Eye 2
• Ingot Mail X – Attack Boost 2
• Mosgharl Ribplate – Critical Eye 2, Attack Boost 1
• Rhopessa Elytra – Critical Eye 2
• Ingot Greaves X – Attack Boost 2, Critical Eye 2

This combination gives Attack Boost 6, Critical Eye 7, Item Prolonger 1 while also piling up solid early game defense.

Gem slots allow adding Critical Eye gems:

• Critical Jewel 2 x2 – Critical Eye 2
• Satiated Jewel 1 – Item Prolonger 1

That caps Critical Eye skills for 10% affinity.

Crush Early Monsters Through Raw Damage

With these skills, you don‘t need to worry about weakness exploit or critical damage. Just focus on nailing charged single and double slashes on monster weak zones.

Aim to complete faster low commitment attacks as you observe monster patterns and openings. Multiplayer allows more openings to charge bigger damage True Charges and Rage Slashes once you‘ve got cues down.

This high risk & high reward play will shred early enemies and give solid materials to craft mid game upgrades with better sharpness and slots.

The Mid Game – Enter Elemental Greatswords

As Master Rank begins ramping up, it‘s time to start perfecting combat flow with elemental focused play.

Royal Order Series – High Mobility Mixed Sets

The Royal Order greatsword branches offer new opportunities to build elemental and status effect damage in addition to raw power. The Royal Order Strongarm provides a classic high attack option.

Royal Order Strongarm Stats:

• Attack: 310
• Affinity: 10%
• Defense: 50
• Slots: O–

For elemental damage, the Royal Order Rapier sports less raw attack but ample blue sharpness and a whopping 210 water damage – perfect for steamrolling fiery monsters.

Royal Order Rapier Stats:

• Attack: 180
• Water: 210
• Affinity: 20%
• White Sharpness

Both provide that extra defense boost to survive the increased Master Rank damage incoming.

Mixed Sets Raise Mobility and Utility

Now we balance survivability and resistances with improved affinity critical chance and boosts.

Prioritze Critical Eye, Critical Boost, Weakness Exploit with some points in Evade Extender.

• Sinister Helm S – Critical Boost 2, Crit Eye 2
• Vaik Mail S – Critical Eye 2, Critical Boost 2
• Rathalos Braces S – Weakness Exploit 2
• Anjanath Coil – Evade Extender 1
• Hunter‘s Greaves X – Critical Boost 2, Critical Eye 1

That provides Critical Eye 7, Critical Boost 6, Weakness Exploit 3, and Evade Extender 1 – almost maxing out essential damage skills!

Fill in extra crit boost and attack gems:

• Critical Jewel 2 – Critical Boost 2
• Attack Jewel 2 – Attack Boost 2

Master The Hit And Run Playstyle

Against faster mid game monsters like Barioth, Mizutsune, and Seregios you must strike hard while watching for counters.

Evade Extender and well timed tackles help you stick to openings without over committing. Focus hands, tails, and wings instead of risky head on charges. Elemental and status greatswords shine when reliably hitting weaker hitzones.

Between hunts, upgrade armor with decorations and charms to push more critical damage. Soon you‘ll be prepared to tackle Sunbreak‘s apex predators.

End Game Build – Max Might Meta

As you reach the climax of Sunbreak featuring beasts like Malzeno, Scorned Magnamalo, and Shagaru; your skills face the ultimate test. To triumph, only the strongest builds suffice.

The Divine Slasher Descends Again

No great guide lacks the Divine Slasher – the iconic powerhouse greatsword returning in Sunbreak endgame. True to form, it hits astoundingly hard with one of the highest raw attacks around.

Divine Slasher Stats:

• Attack: 336
• Blue Sharpness
• Small White Sharpness
• 10% Affinity

Sharpness isn‘t amazing but the sheer damage makes up for occasionally needing to sharpen more frequently.

Veterans know this menacing blade all too well. However, I wouldn‘t fault newcomers for choosing the iconic Nargacuga greatsword either for its juicy 40% affinity.

The Meta Focused Endgame Build

Too push the Divine Slasher‘s DPS near the damage cap, we want skills that maximize affinity, crit boost, and punish monster weaknesses.

Core Armor Pieces and Skills:

• Sinister Grudge Helm – Critical Boost 2, Weakness Exploit 2
• Vaik Mail S – Critical Boost 2, Critical Eye 2
• Rathalos Braces S – Weakness Exploit 2
• Anjanath Coil S – Attack Boost 2
• Hunter Greaves X – Critical Boost 2, Critical Eye 2

That alone nets Weakness Exploit 3, Critical Boost 4, Critical Eye 5.

Adding in gems:

• Critical Jewel 2 x3 – Critical Boost 6
• Tenderizer Jewel 2 x2 – Weakness Exploit 3
• Mighty Bow Feather – Critical Eye 3

We finish with Weakness Exploit 3, Critical Eye 7, Critical Boost 6 juicing up damage to obscene levels.

Punishing Monsters Through Mastery

At this stage, skill alone can‘t carry you through the apex challenges. You need incredibly optimized gear to sharpen reactions and mastery over tackle cancels and charged slash timing.

Focus wings, arms, and tails with charged slashes until knockdowns create full openings for max damage True Charged Slashes at the head and torso.

Rage Slash counters also let you turn deadly enemy attacks into opportunities to strike back harder.

Conclusion – Forge Your Legend

I hope this meta end game build and roadmap helps you forge your own greatsword legend in Sunbreak. Whether you adore number crunching the latest meta or roleplaying a bonafide badass – there‘s no wrong way to enjoy Monster Hunter.

This weapon‘s sheer stopping power lends a fantastic feeling of weight and impact with every perfectly timed slash. Now get out there, tackle a fiery dragon breath, and make the Monster Hunter community proud!

Let me know if you have any other greatsword questions in the comments!

Happy Hunting!