Best Skills for Swords and Shields

This is a guide about the best skills for Swords and Shields. Read on to know which skills to look out for when making a Sword and Shield build and why.

Offensive Skills

Critical Eye, Critical Boost, Weakness Exploit

Sword and Shields benefit from having high affinity - which is why it is recommended to invest in Affinity Skills such as Critical Eye, Critical Boost, and Weakness Exploit to bring the Sword and Shield's overall damage to the next level.

Agitator

The introduction of the Clutch Claw made the Agitator Skill a community staple when making builds. When active, Agitator grants hunters +20 attack and affinity by 10% at level five. (Levels six and seven are unlocked via the Agitator Secret Skill.)

The Clutch Claw, specifically its Flinch Shot Attack, gave hunters the ability to enrage the monster whenever the opportunity presents itself. This gave hunters a way to maintain their Agitator's up-time.

Elemental Attack Skills

Swords and Shields have generally low base damage compared to other weapon types. Most Swords and Shields make up for this by having very high elemental damage.

Hunters can increase their swords and shields' elemental damage even higher by adding these Elemental Attack Skills to their builds.

Partbreaker

Swords and Shields excel at targetting a monster's weak spots.

Partbreaker increases Part Damage by 30% at level three and compliments the Sword and Shield very well.

Partbreaker's damage increase does NOT reflect in floating damage numbers.

Defensive Skills

Guard

Those who prefer to block with a Sword and Shield might want to consider adding Guard to their builds.

The Guard Skill bolsters a Sword and Shield's blocking efficiency. Hunters will receive a massive improvement in impact absorption and a 50% reduction in stamina depletion when blocking attacks at level five.

It is recommended to invest in at least three levels of Guard when adding it to builds.

Guard Up

Another favorite for blocking hunters. The Guard Up Skill allows hunters to block otherwise unblockable attacks from monsters.

Evade Extender

Swords and Shields are more mobile compared to other shielded weapons. Evade Extender greatly increases the distance covered when evading and is definitely worth considering when making Sword and Shield builds.

Health Boost

It never hurts to pump up one's HP! Health Boost increases a hunter's Health by 50 at level three, making it a solid addition to any build - especially early on in the game.

Utility Skills

General Utility

Mind's Eye/Ballistics

Sword and Shield attacks can be deflected by monster hides if thick enough. Mind's Eye/Ballistics ensures that attacks can cut through regardless of how thick a hide is!

Protective Polish

Swords and Shields have very quick attacks. This also makes them lose sharpness rapidly.

Protective Polish applies a protective coating to weapons after sharpening, preventing sharpness loss for a certain amount of time.

Speed Sharpening

Speed Sharpening removes three cycles of the sharpening animation at level three and is also another solution to sharpness issues.

Supportive Utility

Wide-Range

Swords and Shields have the unique ability of being able to use items while unsheathed.

Hunters who prefer to apply this towards a more supportive role in groups may invest in Wide-Range.

Wide-Range allows the effect of specific items and potions to also affect nearby allies when consumed. The radius and efficacy of the items and potions consumed are maximized at level five.

It is important to note that Palicoes are also affected by Wide-Range's effects.

Speed Eating

Speed Eating greatly improves the use speed of consummables. This synergizes well with Wide-Range and is definitely recommended alongside it.

Free Meal

Supportive builds tend to put a heavy strain on a hunter's supplies. Free meal gives you a predetermined chance of using food and drink items without actually consuming them. The activation chances are 25% at level one, 50% at level two, and 75% at level three.

Levels two and three are unlocked via the Free Meal Secret Skill.

Related Monster Hunter World (MHW)

All Skills

List of All Skills

Best Skills for Each Weapon

Recommendations for Other Weapons
Charge Blade	Dual Blades	Long Sword	Sword & Shield
Switch Axe	Insect Glaive	Hunting Horn	Great Sword
Lance	Gunlance	Hammer	Bow
Heavy Bowgun		Light Bowgun

Weapon Related Guides

Melee Weapons
Great Swords	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Great Sword for Each Element
	Best Great Sword for Iceborne
Long Swords	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Long Sword for Each Element
	Best Long Sword for Iceborne
Swords and Shields	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Sword and Shield for Each Element
	Best Sword and Shield for Iceborne
Dual Blades	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Dual Blades for Each Element
	Best Dual Blades for Iceborne
Hammers	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hammer for Each Element
	Best Hammers for Iceborne
Hunting Horns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hunting Horn for Each Element
	Best Hunting Horn for Iceborne
	Hunting Horn Notes and Effects
Lances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Lance for Each Element
	Best Lance for Iceborne
Gunlances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Gunlance for Each Element
	Best Gunlance for Iceborne
Switch Axe	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Switch Axe for Each Element
	Best Switch Axe for Iceborne
Charge Blade	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Charge Blade for Each Element
	Best Charge Blades for Iceborne
Insect Glaive	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Insect Glaive for Each Element
	Best Insect Glaive for Iceborne

Kinsects
Kinsects	Kinsect Tree and Complete Kinsect List	Best and Recommended Kinsects

Ranged Weapons
Bows	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Bow for Each Element
Light Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Light Bowgun for Each Element
Heavy Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Heavy Bowgun for Each Element