The Long Sword is sleek, stylish, and ruthlessly effective in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. With six distinct hunting styles and four unique Hunter Arts, it offers massive flexibility for every kind of player—from World veterans seeking high-tempo slicing to GU purists looking to maximize spirit meter control. This guide breaks down each style’s impact on the Long Sword’s core gameplay, highlights the best Hunter Arts, and provides clear advice on how to build your ideal playstyle.

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Guild Style: The Balanced Foundation

Guild Style provides the Long Sword’s full move set and two Hunter Art slots. It’s the most traditional approach—perfect for players transitioning from Monster Hunter World. Your basic bread-and-butter combo is X > X > A, which you can loop infinitely to build spirit meter. Once your gauge is full, press R up to four times to initiate the Spirit Combo. The fourth hit—a roundhouse slash—upgrades your meter from white to yellow to red, each level offering increasing damage boosts.

You can also perform a Fade Slash with X + A, either backward by default or to the sides when chained after an attack. Pressing R after a fade slash initiates the Running Slash, a shortcut to skip the first part of the Spirit Combo.

Strengths:

• Full combo options.
• Two Hunter Arts.
• Reliable and familiar structure.

Weaknesses:

• Lacks specialization or speed boosts.

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Striker Style: High Art, Lower Complexity

Striker Style allows for three Hunter Arts—the maximum—and increases their charge rate. You retain your core X > X > A combo but lose directional Fade Slash and the Running Slash. While it doesn’t fundamentally change how the Long Sword plays, it simplifies the kit and shifts power into frequent use of powerful Arts.

Strengths:

• Three Arts.
• Easier to manage combos.

Weaknesses:

• No Spirit shortcuts or Fade Slash control.

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Aerial Style: The Acrobatic Approach

Aerial Style focuses on mounting, jumping attacks, and aggressive repositioning. It only gives one Hunter Art slot, but introduces a forward hop that lets you leap off monsters into the air.

In the air, pressing X performs a double slash. Pressing R initiates the Spirit Combo midair. If your gauge is leveled (white/yellow/red), then R > R completes the two-hit Spirit finisher on landing. Getting to white gauge is trickier in this style, but once you’re there, aerial Spirit finishers are fast and effective.

Strengths:

• High mobility.
• Frequent mounts.
• Jump combos avoid bounces.

Weaknesses:

• Building meter to white can be slow.
• Lacks strong grounded pressure.

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Adept Style: Dodge Into Power

Adept Style gives one Hunter Art, but grants incredible defense and counter potential. Time your dodge correctly and you’ll enter a special state, allowing you to run toward the monster and unleash a unique horizontal slash (X), followed by a two-hit vertical Spirit Combo (R > R) that levels your gauge.

It removes the Fade Slash backward and lacks the final hit in the Spirit Combo by default, meaning you’ll rely on adept dodges to trigger the full sequence. This style is especially beginner-friendly due to the fast and safe gauge leveling.

Strengths:

• Very forgiving.
• Quick route to red gauge.
• Stylish and safe.

Weaknesses:

• Requires monster knowledge.
• Spirit Combo needs dodge-triggered setup.

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Valor Style: Controlled Chaos

Valor is one of the most powerful and stylish styles for Long Sword, offering massive aggression once you enter Valor Mode. You start with a limited move set and no traditional spirit gauge colors. Instead, you build Valor meter by entering Valor Stance (hold Y to sheath) and performing key actions from it.

Once you max your Valor gauge, your Spirit Gauge turns blue and you unlock:

• All spirit moves.
• A powerful new Spirit Combo with built-in guard points and mobility.
• Instant draw into Spirit Combo with X + A + R.

The revised Spirit Combo includes a first hit with a guard point, a repositioning third hit with input direction, and a finisher that doesn’t sheath your weapon—preserving your momentum.

Strengths:

• Extremely fast and aggressive.
• No gauge management beyond Spirit meter.
• Access to guard points and evasive tools.

Weaknesses:

• Needs setup.
• Only one Hunter Art.

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Alchemy Style: Simplified Support

Alchemy introduces the barrel mechanic for crafting supportive items mid-quest. Like Striker, it supports three Hunter Arts, but its combo set is pared down:

• Core combo is X > X > X.
• Fade Slash is now on A, only to the sides.
• X + A and Spirit Combo are more restricted.

It’s not a strong fit for Long Sword’s style, but players who enjoy support or experimentation may find value.

Strengths:

• SP buffs for the team.
• Three Arts.

Weaknesses:

• Reduced offensive control.
• Lacks synergy with Long Sword’s strengths.

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Hunter Arts for Long Sword

1. Sakura Slash – A backward leap and high-speed dash that leaves slicing trails. Also upgrades your gauge on hit. Less useful in Valor.
2. Unhinged Spirit – Temporarily maxes Spirit meter and freezes its drain. Great for quick leveling or damage spam.
3. Critical Juncture – A counter stance that parries incoming attacks, leading to a strong retaliatory blow.
4. Devil’s Blade – Grants a +30% attack boost for 45 seconds but drains health. Land hits to recover the red portion. Risky but potent.

Top Picks:

• Valor: Critical Juncture or Devil’s Blade.
• Adept: Critical Juncture for safer counterplay.
• Striker/Alchemy: Sakura Slash or Unhinged Spirit to stay in red.

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Recommended Styles and Arts

• Best for Speed and Damage: Valor + Critical Juncture.
• Best for New Players: Adept + Unhinged Spirit.
• Best for Art-Focused Builds: Striker + Sakura Slash + Devil’s Blade + Unhinged Spirit.

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Final Thoughts

The Long Sword thrives in Generations Ultimate thanks to its flexibility, fluidity, and fantastic Spirit Combo mechanics. With six hunting styles to choose from, it can be as defensive, aggressive, or stylish as you want it to be. If you want the highest ceiling, Valor is the path—but Adept offers incredible safety and fast results.

Experiment, find your groove, and lean into the playstyle that brings out your best. Whether you’re slicing through monsters from the air, dodging into deadly counters, or blazing through with spirit-charged fury, the Long Sword offers a masterclass in precision and power.

Good luck, and stay sharp.