Staggering Monsters

[kek]

So after about 130 hours I have come to really enjoy several weapons, but Greatsword is still my favorite and I am stuck with it as my main.

However, I am having trouble understanding the stagger and exhaust health pools and mechanics. When I perfectly time my tackle or TCS it feels its simply one hyper armor + dmg reduction move and one high damage move. But the actual stagger seems to be more of a hidden health pool rather than something that has chance of getting triggered on actual frames during these animations.

Can someone explain how can I efficiently rely on tackle or charged slashes/wide sweeps (the one after tackle for example). Does KO/Drain build help with this or just avoid relying on it for stagger entirely?

Would love some tips to git gud.

[Suzaku]

Everything is simply numbers. Deal enough total damage to a certain body part, and the monster flinches, or trips, or is stunned. Unless you know these exact values, you can't rely on an attack to cause a monster to react in a certain way.

[DoEFotGS]

Originally posted by kek:

However, I am having trouble understanding the stagger

If you mean specific animation which sometimes happen when you hit monster with interrupting it action - this is 'flinch', probably. It based on monster HP of specific body part - each part has his own HP and deplete one bar result 'flinch', 'topple' or 'dunk' (for flying monsters). Also, fully broke monster part often result a topple.

If you mean animation where monster draw back and turn 90 degrees with drooling mouth - this is 'clagger'. It based on damage dealt to any part, but replace next possible flinch when bar is filled. This is not tied to actual exhaust mechanic.

Originally posted by kek:

just avoid relying on it for stagger entirely?

Yes. You need to figure when you can and when you can't use specific attack of your weapon. Some monsters will not allow you chanin TCS constantly and crit draw GS builds exist for a reason.

Originally posted by kek:

Does KO/Drain build help with this?

Both, KO and exhaust, tied to same source in general: blunt damage type, impact phials of charge blade, exhaust phials of switch axe and sticky bowgun ammo. GS has three moves with blunt damage type: tackle, kick and side blow. So, you can't utilize drain builds even if you want. Also, elders has no stamina to deplete - exhaust wont work.

[Smaugi]

If you want to stun them then it works like a status effect , a building up number that gets bigger with each application.
You NEED to hit the head , tackle into the head , that's the only way to build up stun, other body parts will trip or stagger or knockdown the monster if you do enough damage , but stun is only to the head and you know you get IT when the monster Has stars around its head when on the ground.

[kek]

Thanks a lot for all the tips. Focusing on singular parts and working them out seems to have improved my overall success with monsters.

I've been approaching this game like a souls game, and it is definitely its own unique thing. Love it.