Is there really a difference between dash slash and great slash?

[suspicious]

Am I missing something here? why can't I just dash and release Z at the end of the dash (thus, only using great slash)? What's the difference?

[Perseus]

Dash slash goes much farther.

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

Dash Slash is more like a horizontal attack with a lot of range.

Great Slash is a move which attacks not only horizontally, but also vertically overhead at the same time. Which can be useful in certain situations. Especially noticeable during fighting Primal Aspids in Colosseum and Sly in Godhome.

EDIT: Thanks, sorry for that!

[Jith03]

To activate Dash Slash, release the nail button during the dash animation. If you release it after the animation ends, it will become a Great Slash. Damage-wise, the two slashes have equivalent damage values. If you mash Cyclone Slash enough times, it can outdamage Great/Dash Slash.

[pogodemon]

Dash Slash has longer range and initiates faster

[kanna]

As was covered above, the difference is in how they are best used. If you dash and release a Great Slash like you said, it won't have the range that Dash Slash does. I get annoyed when I do that by accident and just miss.

In addition to one being better for enemies above and one being better for enemies a little out of dashing range, both give you a little stall time in the air-- especially Great Slash. There are times stalling in the air can be useful too.

Damage is the same for Great Slash and Dash Slash. They're both 2.5 times base nail damage (Strength charm does not affect nail arts in current patch or beta). Three regular nail hits, or two with Strength charm (+50% per regular nail hit) are better than one Great Slash or Dash Slash if you're purely talking about damage done. There are definitely times a nail art is a better idea though, especially if you're not using Strength or Quick Slash.

The other nail art Cyclone Slash is completely different though. If you can manage to get 6+ hits with the second best nail or 5+ hits with fully upgraded nail, it technically even does more damage than the upgraded "up" spell Abyss Shriek with the Shaman Stone charm. Good luck doing that with faster moving enemies though.
https://hollowknight.fandom.com/wiki/Cyclone_Slash

[Boksha]

There's another major difference: Dash Slash is much faster. After a Great Slash, the knight is momentarily stuck where you initiated the attack, while with Dash Slash you can continue moving right after the attack. This further couples into the increased range compared to Great Slash. In general, two downsides and two upsides:
- Dash Slash requires more planning to use, because it puts you closer to the enemy and therefore requires you to start from a bit further away than Great Slash
- Dash Slash has much smaller vertical range than Great Slash
+ Dash Slash is much safer because its range even from the end of the dash is much bigger than Great Slash
+ Dash Slash is much safer because after the attack you regain control immediately without hanging in the air for as long as Great Slash

[Jith03]

Nailmaster's Glory and Dash Slash do wonders against Radiant Markoth, where the opportunities to hit him during phase 2 are few and far between.

[shi]

pretty sure you can do some speedrun skips using dash slash's 2m range to activate some levers trough the walls

[kanna]

Originally posted by shizen:

pretty sure you can do some speedrun skips using dash slash's 2m range to get to some levers trough the walls

Yes, but only in the version of HK used for most speedrunning categories, patch 1.2.2.1, as all later patches have this skip removed. (Also, you need wings or a Shade Skip to get up there now.)