How do i use the sns effectively?

[Skipper]

like i've been using it for a while now i love it but i keep getting my ass kicked so im thinking either its a bad weapon which is impossible because its a sword and sheild or im using it wrong so is there anyone who knows how to use it effectively cuz button mashing is not working so far

[Hammer Of Evil]

evade window 5 when able. it really helps.

dont overcommit, slash n move, slash n move. can use items without sheathing your weapon, dont forget.

as the monster gives opportunities, punish with longer combos.

should try to practice the combos though, and memorize them. you'll get better.

[Skipper]

Originally posted by Hammer Of Evil:

evade window 5 when able. it really helps.

dont overcommit, slash n move, slash n move. can use items without sheathing your weapon, dont forget.

as the monster gives opportunities, punish with longer combos.

should try to practice the combos though, and memorize them. you'll get better.

so dont just go in and try and spam hard hitting combos but time attacks and dont be reckless? because if thats what i need to do does sns have any quick combos to do in between faster attacks for some consistent damage?

[Greybishop]

I find that mind's eye is a useful skill to have if you can get it, as often the monster's legs are not a weak spot (hard spot at time too) and sometimes that is the only thing you seem to be able to reach. Iceborn's clutch claw helps in that regard, allowing players you weaken a spot so that a more optimal damage can be reached and reaching spots you can't normally due to weapon length.

If you happen to over commit, don't be afraid to use that shield defensively. Even without block skill boosts, it is still an effective tool at reducing/negating damage for stamina. Likewise, if you need to get somewhere quickly, don't hesitate to sheath and sprint away, as SnS has some of the fastest drawing/sheathing times of all the weapons, and that can be further boosted

The big reason I use SnS is the versatility. I can switch gear and gems around easily counter any issue (other than reach, need some weakness right?). On larger monster, take out their legs first and you will easily get more knock overs, stuns, and exhausts, works on smaller monsters too but not as necessary. Take items like flash pods to take out flyers. If you can, try to get a sliding attacks in (the slide affinity skill can be useful), as SnS is also a good mount weapon and you will often find yourself on top of the monster if you can get a decent slide going to it and attack at the right time. The safest space for me to commonly stand is in the middle of the monster, back legs roughly depending or under the stomach. From that position I can attack weaker parts or dodge out.

Finally, learn the combos. I don't mean that as a "get gud" so much as the SnS combos can be rather defensive if used properly, such as the back step. You will find with time that SnS is both offensive and defensive, but doesn't really commit to both. That is where the gear and gems come into play, allowing you to adjust how the SnS feels and reacts to situations.

[Greybishop]

Originally posted by irish weeb:

so dont just go in and try and spam hard hitting combos but time attacks and dont be reckless? because if thats what i need to do does sns have any quick combos to do in between faster attacks for some consistent damage?

Left click is a decently fast attack that can 3 combo. Right click is a faster, short ranged shield bash that builds up to a 3 combo as well. You can mix and match as needed for quick, smaller damage numbers and slower, harder hits. It takes practice. I used just left click and ctrl for a while as I got the hang of it.

[Skipper]

Originally posted by Greybishop:

Originally posted by irish weeb:

so dont just go in and try and spam hard hitting combos but time attacks and dont be reckless? because if thats what i need to do does sns have any quick combos to do in between faster attacks for some consistent damage?

Left click is a decently fast attack that can 3 combo. Right click is a faster, short ranged shield bash that builds up to a 3 combo as well. You can mix and match as needed for quick, smaller damage numbers and slower, harder hits. It takes practice. I used just left click and ctrl for a while as I got the hang of it.

so if i feel like the monster is moving too fast for me to keep up i can just use the heavy hit combo before it moves? its kinda strange the heavier hitting combo is the faster combo

[Greybishop]

Originally posted by irish weeb:

so if i feel like the monster is moving too fast for me to keep up i can just use the heavy hit combo before it moves? its kinda strange the heavier hitting combo is the faster combo

Depends on the situation and where the monster is moving. If you are square in the monster's sights and is about to do a sprint attack at you, either run, roll/dodge, or get ready to block. If it is an elemental attack, I find its better to run/dodge away as you will always take some damage from it, even if you have 20+ resist. On physical creatures like Diablos I readily use the shield, particularly when it does the dig attack but also when I have misjudged a charge and wasn't quite out of the way. Tigrex/Nargacuga is another that gets massive shield use until I take out its front legs.

The best time to attack is right after the monster does so, as it has a few seconds to cool down and then warm back up for the next move. A common tactic is to simply take the monster hit on your shield and riposte in kind, another is to dodge out of the way but close enough to hit back during the monster's attack animation or right after it. Sometimes I roll away a few times and then sprint back to the monster (commonly an elder dragon issue).

If you are talking about the monster moving from on area to the next and is doing so quickly, there are a few ways to deal with that too. Breaking the legs will slow the creature down, if you have the time a clutch claw and shot into something solid or a mounting attack will stop the monster, at least for a few minutes. Bonus time in that area if you can get it to enrage. Flash pods are useful both in combat to take down flyers, but also when they try to go from area to area. You can flash pod a fleeing flyer to send them back to the ground.

These are the two most common examples I can think of as far as fast moving monster. If I did not cover it please let me know and I will try to help further.

[Greybishop]

Originally posted by irish weeb:

so if i feel like the monster is moving too fast for me to keep up i can just use the heavy hit combo before it moves? its kinda strange the heavier hitting combo is the faster combo

Oh, I seem to have mis-written something. The sword swings do more damage, but are slower (my average I see is 30s-40s per swing). The shield slam is very quick, but does much less damage (generally 10-15). Sword counts as cutting attacks, shield counts as blunt, or it used to be that way.

[Andy_RK]

Do you have iceborne?

[DoEFotGS]

Originally posted by Greybishop:

Sword counts as cutting attacks, shield counts as blunt, or it used to be that way.

Not only that.

Shield attacks do not apply element or status, because it's wepon properties and 'weapon' in this case is sword. Same thing about dual blades that has status + element or status + another status: one blade apply first status and another blade apply second status, each blade can't use both together. Shield attacks also do not drop sharpness.

But shield attacks apply stun or exhaust build up, because all blunt attacks can do that.

[Suzaku]

A good thing about SnS is how quickly it can go from attacking to evading and back to attacking. You can spam left clicks while tossing in a direction on occasion to perform a turning slash. This can combo endlessly, and also has very low commitment allowing you to then dodge once the monster has you in its sights.

And a strong option for evading is the backhop. After any attack, dodge roll, or even while holding block, you can hold S (away from the direction your character is facing) + tap right-click to perform a backhop. This backhop has a lot of i-frames, and then you can perform a wide variety of attacks from it.

After performing the backhop, you can:

• press nothing and you'll run back in with a quick slash
  
• continue holding S to perform the slash without running back in
  
• hold right-click to charge a jumping slash that launches you into the air if it connects with a monster. You can release the charge immediately after it has finished, or hold it for just a moment longer in case of a threat. Then, once launched into the air, you can press left-click for a sword slash or right-click for the falling shield bash. The sword slash deals mounting damage and continues your fall normally, while the shield bash will hold you in the air for a fraction of a second and does not deal mounting damage.
  
• and finally, if you have purchased Iceborne, pressing left-click will lead to the Perfect Rush combo; SnS's strongest attack. You'll perform a series of sword swipes and shield attacks with repeated left-clicks, but they deal much more damage if you wait until you glow red and a sound effect plays. Proper timing leads to great damage, so you'll want to practice it until you can do it with your eyes closed.

Knowing how to use the backhop, and which of your many options it can lead to, is an important part of staying alive and aggressive in a hunt. Countless times I've evaded right through attacks with the backhop, or went over a monster with the charged jumping slash that lead into the launcher, or avoided attacks by choosing the falling shield bash to delay my decent when the sword slash would have dropped me into an attack.

[MrJxt]

Learn the backhop. Use it to evade and is required for your two strongest combos (Charged slash and perfect rush)

Take advantage of the weapons sheath speed. You can easily avoid certain attacks by simply running and reposition.

Use perfect rush during large openings (monster is paralyzed, toppled, recovering from lengthy attack animation etc)

Use charged slash/falling bash during medium openings or as a followup after evading when perfect rush is too risky. You can avoid some attacks while in the air but vulnerable on the way down. Very matchup dependent because you can get punished midair or the monster has bad hitzones on their back/wings.

Use standard slash combos during small openings so you can roll or backhop to evade quickly. Also great for sticking close to the boss to deal damage. This is matchup dependent because some monsters attack quickly (Rajang) so it's better to wait for them to attack and then counterattack.

Use draw attack/advancing slash to close the distance and to hit higher spots.

Use shield bash on bad hitzones to avoid deflection and preserve sharpness. Shield bash the head to build up stun or shield bash the body to build up exhaust (monster starts drooling and is tired when not enraged).

Use the shield as an emergency block. Evading is always better but sometimes you can't dodge the attack so blocking in most cases is better than taking the direct hit.

Since the sword and shield has no built in special mechanic, mastery of the weapon is knowing what attack to use in any given situation.