Great Sword Hunter | Journal #2 | Monster Hunter World: The Board Game

We have our first party member! The great sword hunter is here and ready to do some MASSIVE damage.

Thanks to everyone who voted over in the Gathering Hub. Now, let's get a taste of what this hunter can do...

(Psst. If you haven't yet, don't forget to hit 'Notify Me' on the Kickstarter page.)

The Great Sword Hunter 

From the journal of Jamie Perkins, Lead Developer

Playing as the great sword hunter will put you in control of one of the most iconic weapons in the Monster Hunter universe.

Brutal and deadly, the great sword commands respect among hunters for its incredible stopping power. The one who wields it hits hard, building charge with each attack to unleash formidable strength at the end of a combo. 

Weapon Upgrades

Before we get into the details of the great sword hunter, a quick note on something we’re all dying to hear about: weapon upgrades!

As you’ve probably realised, the board game hunters are characterised by their weapons. Just like in the video game, your hunter’s weapon functions as your hunter class. 

So, you’ll start with a unique attack deck based on that weapon, and things only get better from there. Crafting weapons is a huge part of the video game and the board game is no different.

You’ll be able to use the ore and bone materials you find in the gathering phase to craft different versions of your great sword. And once you start slaying monsters and bringing loot back to HQ, your weapon options get even more powerful... 

Fighting Style

Love building up to a big finish? Then the great sword hunter is for you!

This hunter is all about patience. Step by step, you’ll use smaller attacks and charge ups before unleashing massive damage in a powerful finishing move.

An excellent example of this fighting style is Overhead Slam:

A single Overhead Slam deals only mild damage. But chain them in a combo? Someone better tell the Meowscular Chef, because now we’re really cooking!

Movement and Positioning

In true Monster Hunter style, the great sword is one big weapon. So big, in fact, that its sheer size and weight makes it harder for this hunter to move around as easily as the others.

Because of this reduced mobility, you’ll need to think carefully about changing position when using this hunter. Ideally, you want to give yourself the maximum capacity for damage while avoiding the worst of the monster’s inevitable retaliation. 

Spend too much time repositioning and you’ll have no stamina left to attack!

But if you use your stamina wisely, position yourself well, and build up a combo, and you’ll be able to unleash powerhouse attacks like the True Charged Slash:

Drop one of these babies at the end of your stamina board and you’ll deal FOUR damage cards to the unlucky monster you’re fighting. Boom! Big finish.

In fact, you might notice a new symbol in the bottom right hand corner of the True Charged Slash card. This is the combo symbol, and it shows the amount of face up attack cards you need on your stamina board before you can play this attack.

(Remember, you can choose to play some attack cards face down for extra movement, but these cards won’t count towards a combo because they aren’t face up.)

Because True Charged Slash is a powerful attack, you need to build up some momentum before you use it—2 attack cards worth of momentum, to be exact.  

You might also have noticed the stamina bar fades from yellow to orange, stopping before the end of the card. This means True Charged Slash is a stamina end card. 

Playing it will end your turn, so make sure it’s the last thing you plan to do!

~ Journal Ends ~

So, Will You Be Wielding the Great Sword?

Or are you more of a dual blade type? If so, we've still got three more hunters to go!

Which one will be next to join our party? That's up to you. Head to the hub to have your say.