We wish to dive into a realm unknown to us, filled to the brim with adventures to be had and heroics to be done to take our minds away from the endless grind of everyday life. We want, in simplified terms, to be cool. Enter the Long Sword. This samurai-inspired weapon is for those of us with a penchant for dramatics, willing to forego efficiency and the laws of physics for the sake of our inflated egos. It’s the most stylish blade you’ll ever brandish with elegant and precise moves to rival even the Insect Glaive in coolness. It’s not only theatrics, however, that make this an awesome weapon. It also has a simple move-set that anyone can understand making it an ideal pick for newbies, while also leaving ample room for pros to reach mastery as well. Since it’s such a great weapon for newbies to get into the game I couldn’t possibly leave it out of the MHW content I’ve been writing. And the following 15 long swords are my personal favorites that I hope would encourage everyone to give this amazing weapon a try. The Long Sword pines for monster blood and will reward those who draw it with great strength. Are you up to the task?
15. Magda Facultas II
The first entry of lethal blades is the weapon made from the Zorah Magdaros Elder Dragon. It’s supposed to look like it has the rocky scales of the beast covering the blade, but it gives it the look of a rusty cleaver. Which admittedly is just as intimidating. At first glance this weapon seems very powerful. It has a very high raw damage output, great Blast build-up (which essentially translates to more damage) and even a medium-sized decoration slot so you can power it up. Look closer, however, and you’ll notice that its sharpness is terrible. No amount of Handicraft will save it. Not only that, but it also has a 20% negative affinity you’ll have to do something about. I recommend you try this weapon with the Diablos set which empowers weapons the less sharp they are.
14. Anja Scimitar III
If our ancestors had mastered the art of making deadly blades out of dinosaur bones, they would most definitely look like this. This sharpened bone has a pretty good raw damage output and a lot of Fire damage to go with it, making it a really powerful choice against creatures weak to fire such as Paolumu or Kirin. Although its sharpness leaves much to be desired, it can be improved to a very durable blue sharpness with a high enough level of Handicraft. And you definitely should if you plan on using it. This weapon could possibly have ranked a tad higher if it wasn’t for its 20% negative affinity.
13. Wyvern Blade “Indigo”
When I first picked up a long sword I did it thinking I’d look like Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, slicing and dicing with an absurdly long katana. My dream was finally fulfilled when I got the Wyvern Blade “Indigo”. This is a beautiful slender blade with a sheath and handle made of Rathalos scales. True to its look, this weapon can reach white sharpness with Handicraft and has a 15% affinity bonus so your hits never bounce off an enemy. That way you can make the most of its good raw damage and solid fire damage. It also has a small decoration slot so you’ll have an easier time fitting this into your favorite build.
12. Imperial Shimmer
Weapons made from the Teostra monster tend to have real unique designs. And this one is no exception. It has a majestic crimson edge and a slender red sheath, but what makes it stand out is its weirdly European hand-guard which looks unusual on such a long blade. The Imperial Shimmer has a decent raw damage output but really shines due to its high Blast build-up that rivals the Magda Facultas, without the issue with sharpness. In fact, this weapon can reach a decently durable white sharpness with the Handicraft skill. It’s a versatile option you’ll find yourself grabbing often for many different situations.
11. Legia Stealer
Next up is the best Ice element Long Sword in MHW, which is derived from the Legiana monster. As is the norm for Legiana weapons, this is a visually striking blade with Legiana wings adorning the handle with a dark slender blade. Its raw damage output is nothing too impressive. But it makes up for it with incredible Ice damage unlocked by default. This weapon also shines in the sharpness department, being able to reach an ultra-durable white sharpness with the Handicraft skill. Which in turn will allow you to forget about sharpening and focus instead on turning your enemies into frozen minced meat. Regrettably this weapon is only useful against enemies weak to the Ice element such as Diablos or Odogaron, so you’ll need to have a couple other swords in your arsenal for different hunts.
10. Wyvern Blade “Holly”
Just making the top 10 we have what I think is the best craftable ailment long sword in the game. This weapon is made with parts from the Queen of the Land, the venomous Rathian monster, and keeps both the crusty swamp-green look of it and its poisonous capabilities. This has a decent raw damage output but it’s really all about the Poison build-up, which it helps you achieve with a 10% affinity bonus and the possibility of reaching white sharpness to boot. I recommend getting skills such as Critical Status and Poison Attack to further maximize DPS.
9. Bazel Varga Rookslayer
This is one of my favorite weapons in terms of looks, sporting the Bazelgeuse’s characteristic explosive bags. And a very old-school decorated handle that you’d expect to find on the dark lord’s great-sword or something of the sort. Not only does this Long Sword have a great raw damage output, it also has a high Blast build-up (as you would expect from a weapon made with Bazelgeuse parts) and can achieve a lengthy white sharpness bar to help you maximize its damage potential. It has a negative 10% affinity to balance out its destructive power, but since it also has two small decoration slots I don’t think it takes too much away from its versatility. Overall an excellent weapon that also looks really cool, and which you’ll be able to use to challenge almost any monster in the New World and come out on top.
8. Extermination’s Edge
If “elegance” and “subtlety” are just empty words and all you care about is letting your opponents know that incurring your wrath means certain death, then Extermination’s Edge is the one for you. This weapon made from Nergigante parts screams “danger” and it’s so big we weren’t even sure if it was a long sword or great sword at first. If the sheath being simply a metal frame isn’t menacing enough for you, well I don’t know what is. As you might expect, this weapon has the raw damage to back up its bold look. And even some Dragon damage and High Elderseal to do the Eater of Elders justice. The blue sharpness can become very durable with enough levels of the Handicraft skill, but don’t expect it to reach white sharpness. It had to have a downside!
7. Xeno Cypher
Another solid option for hunting Elder Dragons and other monsters such as Deviljho and Lunastra is the Xeno Cypher, the Long Sword made from Xeno’jiiva. This weapon is the polar opposite of the previous entry since this comes with an elegant blue blade and Xeno’jiiva frills adorning the handle that sway in the wind as you swing it. The Cypher has a decent raw damage output and high Dragon elemental damage to complement it, as well as a 15% affinity bonus. Its sharpness is white by default. But if you go the extra mile and get Handicraft you’ll never have to sharpen again. The icing on the cake are its two large decoration slots that almost made me rank it higher on the list. This weapon fits in many builds and is a great choice for any Long Sword main.
6. Hazak Grosser II
Spikes and hooks are the signature of Vaal Hazak weapons and they’re quite noticeable on this Long Sword, which looks like it’s better for puncturing than slicing. This ruinous blade has nice raw damage and very high Dragon damage making it a valid option against Zorah Magdaros and other Elder Dragons. It can reach a pretty decent white sharpness bar with a high level Handicraft skill and has a medium-sized decoration slot you can use to maximize destructive power.
5. Empress Sword “Styx”
What happens when you take the beautiful color of Lunastra’s pelt and Xeno’jiiva’s signature blue frills? You get the Empress Sword “Styx”, a weapon centered around maintaining sharpness against all odds. Not only does it get a durable white sharpness bar by default. But it also comes with the Razor Sharp skill to make sharpening a thing of the past. It would be a good idea to use it with skills such as Critical Eye and Critical Status to maximize the already pretty good Blast build-up and get a much higher DPS than you would expect. It shouldn’t be too hard to work those into your build, given this weapon has two large decoration slots you can use for a variety of things. This is one of the most versatile weapons in my top 5 so it’s definitely worth seeking out.
4. Reaver “Calamity”
The Reaver has the highest raw damage output out of all the Long Swords and it certainly looks the part, requiring chains to keep the Deviljho parts under control. Not only is this weapon insanely powerful in most situations, it’s also the definitive Elder-hunting tool with a high Dragon damage output and high-level Elderseal. Even though you’ll have to deal with its negative 25% affinity, it’s definitely worth it. It’s also capable of much better sharpness than it looks like. With a high level Handicraft you’ll have enough white sharpness to chop a head off or two before needing to resharpen.
3. Kjarr Sword “Decay”
Although there are a plethora of great weapons in the Kjarr family, I chose to include this one because it’s a fan favorite as well as a great weapon to hunt Elder Dragons… which is a lot of what you’ll be doing in the post-game. Its raw damage is excellent and it has the highest Dragon elemental damage in this list. To maximize the impact of its element it also has the Critical Element skill and a 15% affinity bonus to make sure you land those critical hits, as well as average Elderseal to help you with the ancient beasts. Just make sure you get white sharpness with Handicraft and you’re good to go!
2. Divine Slasher
The second spot goes to a Monster Hunter classic, the Divine Slasher. This spiky blood-red blade with a demonic sheath has an incredible raw damage potential once you get the Non-Elemental Boost on it, as well as a large decoration slot for increased customization. It’s able to reach white sharpness with Handicraft and it even has some bonus Defense to make you feel safer as you charge into battle. It’s one of the best options for any situation given it doesn’t rely on elemental weaknesses to reach maximum DPS. Plus you’ll look like a true samurai while hunting with this thing.
1. Taroth Sword “Fire”
If instead of a samurai you’d rather be King Arthur then I recommend this majestic golden sword with blue accents. The Taroth Sword “Fire” is not only the best relic Long Sword, but the best Long Sword overall. It comes with an amazing raw damage thanks to the Non-Elemental Boost, and the possibility to reach white sharpness with the Handicraft skill. It’s also much easier to get than something like the Kjarr Sword “Decay” and is considerably more versatile as well. While the Taroth Sword “Fire” and the Divine Slasher have very similar stats, this one ultimately comes out on top because it’ll keep its sharpness a lot easier than the Slasher, allowing you to focus on what really matters: hacking and slashing your way to victory.
