How to use the Long Sword in Monster Hunter Outlanders: its features and controls, the best combos for raising and keeping your Spirit Gauge level, the best craftable Long Swords, and the adventurers who wield it. Moves checked against the in-game skill descriptions on October 29, 2026.
Long Sword Features
Negate attacks and counter
The Long Sword's appeal is its long reach and the many ways it can parry a monster's attacks and counter. You need to learn each monster's attack timing, but you get to deal damage with a satisfying playstyle.
Raise the Spirit Gauge level for maximum damage
The Long Sword's damage multiplier goes up with the Spirit Gauge level: the in-game tutorial lists 105% at white, 110% at yellow, and 120% at red. However, many moves spend the gauge, so you need to learn the movement and combos that keep it at its highest level.
Solo and party play differ
As with other weapons built around Perfect Guards and Perfect Evades, the timing of the Long Sword's counters, such as Iai, changes between solo and party play. It depends on where the monster is and which adventurer it's targeting, so keep that in mind.
Long Sword Controls
| Button | Moves |
|---|---|
| Basic Attack |
|
| Skill 1 |
|
| Skill 2 |
|
| Skill 3 |
|
| Sheathe | Sheathes the Long Sword |
| Evade | After a Perfect Evade, press Basic Attack: Reverse Slash |
| Ultimate | Depends on the type (Assault / Disruptor / Support) |
The moves are the Fated Adventurer's. Midori and Ryunosuke have different moves on some buttons (see Long Sword Adventurers).
How to Play the Long Sword
- Build gauge levels with Basic Attacks → Spirit Slash
- Counter and level up with Foresight Slash
- Counter and level up with Iai Spirit Slash
- Spend levels with Spirit Helm Breaker - Sever
- Keep the gauge up with the Spirit Helm Breaker loop
- Midori and Ryunosuke play differently
Build gauge levels with Basic Attacks → Spirit Slash
| Input |
|---|
| Basic Attack ×5 → [Skill 1 ×3]Steps in [ ] are optional. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
The basic combo: fill the Spirit Gauge with Basic Attacks, then spend it on Spirit Slash to raise the gauge level. Note that the gauge level only goes up if the final spinning slash of Spirit Slash hits.
TipBesides Spirit Slash, you can also raise the gauge level with Foresight Slash and Iai, covered below.
Counter and level up with Foresight Slash
| Input |
|---|
| [Basic Attack] → Skill 2 → Basic Attack (after a successful dodge)Steps in [ ] are optional. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
Foresight Slash is a counter: use it just as an attack is about to land to negate it, then follow up and raise the Spirit Gauge level. Use it when you're about to be hit mid-combo to avoid damage while leveling up the gauge.
TipYou can use Foresight Slash as long as the Spirit Gauge has even a little in it.
Miss the follow-up and the level won't go up
If the follow-up spinning slash after a successful Foresight Slash doesn't hit, the Spirit Gauge level won't go up. If the monster is far away or in the middle of a chain of attacks, consider evading instead of forcing the follow-up.
Counter and level up with Iai Spirit Slash
| Input |
|---|
| Skill 2 (hold) → Skill 2 (right before an attack hits) |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
Iai Spirit Slash is a counter you can use even with an empty Spirit Gauge. Use it just as an attack is about to land to negate it, then follow up and raise the gauge level. Unlike Foresight Slash, though, it takes time to get into the sheathed stance, so you need to know the monster's moves well and time it right.
A miss leaves you open
If Iai Spirit Slash fails to counter the monster's attack, the gauge level won't go up and you'll be stuck in a recovery animation, so be careful.
Spend levels with Spirit Helm Breaker - Sever
| Input |
|---|
| Skill 3 (gauge white or higher) → [Skill 3 (gauge white or higher)]Steps in [ ] are optional. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
The Long Sword's big damage move, usable at white gauge level or higher. It spends a gauge level in exchange for a powerful multi-hit attack. If you still have a level left, you can spend another to follow up with a second Skill 3, but the downside is losing two gauge levels.
Keep the gauge up with the Spirit Helm Breaker loop
| Input |
|---|
| Skill 3 (gauge red) → [Basic Attack ×3 → Skill 1 ×3] or [Foresight Slash] → Skill 3Use either sequence in [ ]. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
A combo for looping the powerful Spirit Helm Breaker. It uses the fact that after Spirit Helm Breaker hits, the Spirit Gauge keeps filling for a while. Keep the gauge at yellow or red while dealing with the monster's attacks, and use Spirit Helm Breaker again.
Midori and Ryunosuke play differently
Midori and Ryunosuke also use the Long Sword, but they have their own moves and follow-ups. Their combos work a little differently, so check each adventurer in Long Sword Adventurers.
Best Long Sword Combos
| Combo | Rating |
|---|---|
| Foresight Slash | ★★★ |
| Spirit Helm Breaker loop | ★★★ |
| Gauge build (Basic Attacks → Spirit Slash) | ★★☆ |
| Spirit Helm Breaker - Sever | ★☆☆ |
Foresight Slash
| Input |
|---|
| Skill 2 → Basic Attack (after a successful dodge) |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
A counter you can use as long as you have some Spirit Gauge. Against most attacks, use it to parry while raising the gauge level. Always keep some gauge stored by mixing in Basic Attacks.
Spirit Helm Breaker loop
| Input |
|---|
| Skill 3 (gauge red) → [Basic Attack ×3 → Skill 1 ×3] or [Foresight Slash] → Skill 3Use either sequence in [ ]. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
A combo for keeping the gauge at yellow or red, where the damage multiplier is highest. Once you get the gauge to red, make the Spirit Helm Breaker loop your default.
Gauge build (Basic Attacks → Spirit Slash)
| Input |
|---|
| Basic Attack ×5 → [Skill 1 ×3]Steps in [ ] are optional. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
Raises the Spirit Gauge with Basic Attacks. It leaves you more open than Foresight Slash or Iai Spirit Slash, which also raise the gauge, so use it to build the gauge while the monster is down or no attacks are coming.
Spirit Helm Breaker - Sever
| Input |
|---|
| Skill 3 (gauge white or higher) → [Skill 3 (gauge white or higher)]Steps in [ ] are optional. |
The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.
Unleashes powerful moves back to back, but costs two gauge levels. It's strong if you can quickly get back to red, but it's not recommended for keeping your damage output up.
Best Craftable Long Swords
The Long Swords used in our Best Long Sword Builds, picked from gear unlocked by the time you clear Story Chapter 5. Stats are for the upgraded rarity 7 version.
| Weapon | Stats | Used in |
|---|---|---|
 Wyvern Blade "Fall" II |
| All-purpose builds (Spirit Gauge boost and evasion). Also the weapon in the Midori and Ryunosuke builds |
 Radiant Jyura Shotel II |
| Water element build |
 Blacksteel Long Sword II |
| Dragon element build |
131
141
141For the armor and skills that go with each weapon, see Best Long Sword Builds.
Long Sword Adventurers
The Long Sword is used by 3 adventurers.
| Adventurer | Rarity | Type | Element | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fated Adventurer (Long Sword) | SSR | Any Type | Any Element | — |
 Midori | SSR | Assault | Fire | Limited Recruitment |
 Ryunosuke | SR | Support | Fire | Standard Recruitment |
Fated Adventurer (Long Sword)
The moves in this guide are the Fated Adventurer's. You can choose any type, and your Ultimate changes with it. The element comes from your weapon, so you can pick from the Long Swords above to match the monster's weakness. For the Insights to take, see Main Character Build & Tier List.
Fated Adventurer (Long Sword) Abilities & Stats
Midori
Midori's Skill 2 is Blade of Truth, a double spinning slash that spends a lot of Spirit Gauge and raises the gauge level on hit. Skill 3 is Moment of Insight, a three-hit combo that spends a level per hit; the first hit raises the level if it dodges an attack. The Core Passive raises damage based on affinity while the fire specialization is active, so build affinity.
Ryunosuke
Ryunosuke's Skill 2 starts with Inebriated: Swig, which dodges attacks and can lead into Feasting, a state where the Spirit Gauge keeps filling on its own. Skill 3 is Piercing Flavors: Pierce, a thrust that spends every gauge level at red. The Ultimate, Grand Feast, boosts the fire damage of party members in range and makes them immune to status ailments for 10 seconds.
Pair Midori with Ryunosuke
Ryunosuke's Ultimate boosts the party's fire damage, which suits the fire-specialized Midori. If you have Midori, building Ryunosuke first is recommended. For a full fire team built around both, see Best Team Comps and Party Guide, and for Ryunosuke's build priority, see Best SR Adventurers for F2P.