Sword and Shield

An artist's rendition of the rare Sword and Shield user

Sword and Shield hunters focus on using a wide variety of elemental swords to inflict quick considerable damage.

The Sword and Shield weapon class is the most basic of all weapon types that hunters utilize in the Monster Hunter franchise. Also known as SnS, this weapon type exploits the natural speed and agility of the light-weight sword in conjunction with a small shield. A hunter is able to run and perform a rolling dodge with this weapon unsheathed, and is able to suppress certain types of attacks within the shield's meagerly-sized hitbox with a block.

While staying this impressively mobile, the typical SnS only has a limited damage potential; indeed, some of the lowest attack power in the game makes its home in the SnS category. To compensate, many of the weapons in this category are imbued with powerful elemental properties or status ailment inflictions.

[edit] Weapon Traits

Swords have some of the lowest average damage levels indeed, but it is extremely capable at variety of other aspects, such as inflicting status ailments.

• Swords have a special trait which gains a bonus in Sharpness above what is displayed in the weapon details page. For example, if you attack a Kirin with green Sharpness, your weapon will bounce less than other type of weapons.

• Sword and Shield has the widest variety of elemental weapons. At the same time, most SnS-type weapons have an elemental damage imbued.

• It has incredibly speedy attacks, capable of quick hit-and-runs and being able to perform a dodging roll anytime it is required.

• While blocking incoming attacks is possible with the Sword and Shield, it is not as effective as blocking with other weapons such as the Lance. The user is most likely to be broken off from the blocking stance when attempting to block heavier attacks.

• SnS users can use items with the weapon out, just by holding the "R" button and then using the item, without having to sheath the weapon like all the other weapon types.

• If you stand still and press "R" and Triangle, you will quickly draw out your SnS and into a defensive stance, instead of the normal unsheathing attack.

[edit] Changes from MH1 to MH2 and then MH3

Back in the original monster hunter, the Sword and Shield weapon type was generally weak; it bounced more then any other weapon and the attack was so weak that every Wyvern would be a decent challenge.

However, in and after MH2, the SnS was changed: not only does the sharpness last longer but you can also use items while it's drawn. The SnS is largely regarded as the most balanced weapon in the game. It can cut through the sturdy Gravios skin with only green Sharpness only and rarely ever bounced off of any monster's shell. It also gained a new attack: by pressing "R," you can perform the second strike from the leap combo.

SnS have gained a sheer increase of raw power and elemental power in mh2, the eternal strife is a good example. In MH1 it had like 89 attack, while in MH2 it has 167 attack with 520 dragon element.

In Monster hunter 3, so far only one new change can be identified; the hunter can bash the monster with his or her shield, to perform an impact damage attack.

[edit] Videos

The Monster Hunter Wikia does not take credit for these videos.

• Unfortunately I could only find this video in german, well its pretty straighfoward anyway, if anyone finds something like this or decides to make one in english please let me know or even better, just post it along. (Don't erase this in case we have German audiences.)
  

[edit] Movements on Detail

[edit] Weapon Sheathed

 = Draw Weapon
 + R = QuickDraw Weapon, Defense stance
Moving +  = Jumping Slash
 = Roll \ CC (Any combo but CF B and CF C)

[edit] Weapon Drawn

 = Vertical attack (Can chain up to 5 hits)
 = Horizontal attack (Can be linked after a Vertical one)
 +  = Jumping Slash (Can link Vertical or Horizontal attackl after)
R = Defense
R +  = Vertical Upward attack from defense stance.
R +   = Horizontal attack from defense stance.
 = Roll front
 + Direction = Roll to the desired direction (Can be done after a jumping slash or a chained combo
)
longest combo=/\+0, /\, /\,/\,/\,/\,0

[edit] See also

Weapon Types
Weapon Mechanics
Sword (file)
Sword and Shield Attacks
Sword and Shield Weapon Paths
List of Sword and Shield Weapons
Weapons Portal