An Analysis of the Draw Attack in MHW

A draw attack in Monster Hunter World (MHW) refers to the action of unsheathing your weapon and immediately attacking. This technique is particularly useful for players who prefer hit-and-run tactics or want to maximize damage output during specific opportunities.

When you unsheathe your weapon and perform a draw attack, you gain the benefit of certain skills and abilities that enhance the damage and stun potential of that initial strike. One such skill is Punishing Draw, which adds a minor attack and stun bonus to the first hit after unsheathing.

Punishing Draw essentially rewards players for utilizing draw attacks by providing a small boost to their damage output. However, it’s important to note that the increase in damage is relatively minimal, and there are other skills and abilities in the game that offer greater benefits.

For example, Quick Sheathe is a skill that reduces the time needed to sheathe your weapon, allowing for quicker draw attacks. While this skill can be useful for players who rely heavily on draw attacks, the frames saved by using Quick Sheathe are so minimal that they often don’t make a significant impact on gameplay. As a result, many players consider investing in other skills that offer more substantial benefits.

Another skill that players may consider when focusing on draw attacks is Crit Draw. This skill increases affinity, which is a value that determines the likelihood of landing a powerful or weak attack. Affinity can be positive or negative, and having a higher affinity increases the chances of landing critical hits.

However, similar to Quick Sheathe, Crit Draw is not a skill that significantly enhances draw attacks. While draw attacks can benefit from increased affinity, there are other skills and abilities that provide better damage potential overall.

A draw attack in MHW refers to unsheathing your weapon and immediately attacking. While skills like Punishing Draw and Crit Draw can enhance the damage and stun capabilities of draw attacks, they are not considered top-tier skills for maximizing damage output. Quick Sheathe, on the other hand, offers minimal benefits in terms of frames saved and is generally not a recommended skill to prioritize.

It’s important for players to consider their playstyle and preferred tactics when choosing which skills to invest in. While draw attacks can be effective in certain situations, there are often more impactful skills and abilities that can be prioritized to optimize damage potential.

How Does Punishing Draw Work?

Punishing Draw is a skill in the Monster Hunter series that enhances the first attack made immediately after unsheathing your weapon. When you have the Punishing Draw skill active, your first attack after unsheathing will receive a small bonus in both attack power and stun potential.

To break it down further, here’s how Punishing Draw works:

1. Activation: To benefit from Punishing Draw, you need to have the skill activated either through your equipment or by equipping specific armor pieces that provide this skill.

2. Unsheathe attack: When you unsheathe your weapon, typically by pressing the draw button, Punishing Draw comes into effect. It may apply to various weapon types, such as Great Swords, Hammers, or Longswords, among others.

3. First attack bonus: After unsheathing, your first attack will receive an additional boost in attack power. This means that the damage dealt by your initial strike will be slightly increased compared to a regular attack.

4. Stun potential: In addition to the attack bonus, Punishing Draw also enhances the stun potential of your first attack. Stun is a status effect in Monster Hunter that temporarily immobilizes the monster, leaving it vulnerable to further attacks. With Punishing Draw, the likelihood of stunning the monster with your initial strike is slightly increased.

5. Limited to the first attack: It’s important to note that Punishing Draw only applies to the very first attack after unsheathing. Subsequent attacks will not receive the attack power and stun bonus. Therefore, it is crucial to capitalize on this skill by making your first attack count.

Punishing Draw is a skill that adds a small attack power and stun bonus to the first attack after unsheathing your weapon. It can be beneficial for initiating combat and potentially immobilizing the monster early on, giving you an advantage in battle.

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Is Critical Draw Good For Longsword?

Critical Draw can be a viable choice for Longsword users, but its effectiveness may vary depending on your playstyle and build. Critical Draw is a skill that increases the critical hit chance of your attacks when performing a draw attack. This means that if you frequently use draw attacks with your Longsword, Critical Draw can provide you with increased damage potential.

Pros of using Critical Draw for Longsword:

1. Increased damage on draw attacks: Critical Draw can significantly boost the damage of your draw attacks, as they will have a higher chance of landing critical hits. This can be particularly useful when initiating combat or when you have an opening to execute a draw attack.

2. Synergy with high raw damage weapons: If you are using a Longsword with high raw damage but lower affinity, Critical Draw can help offset the lower critical hit chance and allow you to deal more damage overall.

3. Reliable damage in certain scenarios: In situations where you might not have the opportunity for longer combos or when you need to quickly deal damage and reposition, Critical Draw can provide a reliable source of damage without relying on lengthy attack sequences.

Cons of using Critical Draw for Longsword:

1. Limited usefulness outside of draw attacks: Critical Draw only affects draw attacks, meaning that it won’t have any impact on your regular attacks or combos. If you tend to rely heavily on continuous attacking and combos, the benefits of Critical Draw may not be as significant for you.

2. Opportunity cost of skill points: Depending on your build, investing skill points into Critical Draw may mean sacrificing other skills that could potentially provide more overall damage or utility. It’s essential to consider the opportunity cost and evaluate if the benefits of Critical Draw outweigh the potential loss of other valuable skills.

3. Reliant on positioning and timing: To make the most out of Critical Draw, you need to position yourself correctly and time your draw attacks effectively. This can require good situational awareness and precise execution, which may not always be easy to achieve in fast-paced battles.

Critical Draw can be a viable option for Longsword users who frequently utilize draw attacks or have weapons with high raw damage but lower affinity. However, it’s important to consider the limitations and trade-offs associated with this skill. Experiment with different playstyles and builds to find what works best for you and complements your preferred Longsword strategy.

What Does Affinity Do In MHW?

Affinity in Monster Hunter World (MHW) is a crucial stat that influences the likelihood of landing powerful or weak attacks. It serves as a measure of the player’s ability to deal critical hits. The affinity stat can have both positive and negative values, which impact the chances of landing critical hits.

When affinity is positive, it increases the probability of landing powerful attacks. For example, if a player has an affinity of +20%, it means that they have a 20% chance of dealing a critical hit on their attacks. These critical hits result in increased damage, allowing players to inflict more harm to their targets.

On the other hand, when affinity is negative, it reduces the likelihood of landing powerful attacks. For instance, if a player has an affinity of -10%, it means that they have a 10% chance of dealing weaker hits. These weak hits result in reduced damage output, dampening the player’s overall effectiveness in combat.

It’s important to note that affinity is not solely based on chance. Players can modify their affinity through various means, such as weapon upgrades, armor skills, and decorations. Some weapons, armor sets, and skills can increase affinity, while others may decrease it. These modifications allow players to strategically enhance their chances of landing critical hits or mitigate the negative effects of negative affinity.

To summarize, affinity in MHW determines the probability of landing powerful or weak attacks. Positive affinity increases the chances of critical hits, resulting in higher damage output, while negative affinity decreases the likelihood of critical hits, leading to weaker attacks. Players can modify their affinity through various means to optimize their combat effectiveness.

How Long Does Maximum Might Last?

Maximum Might is an ability in the game that, when active, increases affinity by 10% for a full 5 seconds. However, the actual duration of the ability itself is only 2 seconds. During these 2 seconds, the affinity boost is at its maximum of 20%. It is important to note that Maximum Might will only be active if the conditions for its activation are met, such as having full stamina.

Conclusion

A draw attack in Monster Hunter World refers to the action of unsheathing your weapon and immediately performing an attack. This type of attack can be enhanced or modified by certain skills and abilities, such as Punishing Draw or Crit Draw, which provide additional bonuses to the damage or affinity of the first attack after unsheathing.

Punishing Draw, for example, adds a small attack and stun bonus to the initial draw attack. However, it is important to note that the benefits provided by Punishing Draw may not outweigh the advantages of other skills, such as Quick Sheathe, which saves precious time in sheathing and unsheathing your weapon.

Similarly, Crit Draw increases affinity, which determines the likelihood of landing a powerful or weak attack. This stat functions like a critical hit chance in other games, but with a unique Monster Hunter twist. By increasing affinity, Crit Draw increases the probability of delivering a devastating blow to the monster.

It is crucial to consider the overall build and playstyle when deciding whether to prioritize draw attacks and the associated skills. While draw attacks can provide an initial burst of damage, it is essential to balance them with other abilities and strategies that suit your preferred hunting style.

Draw attacks play a significant role in Monster Hunter World as they offer an opportunity for quick and powerful strikes. Skills like Punishing Draw and Crit Draw can enhance the damage and affinity of these attacks, but it is crucial to consider the overall build and playstyle to optimize the effectiveness of draw attacks in your hunting endeavors.

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William Armstrong

William Armstrong is a senior editor with H-O-M-E.org, where he writes on a wide variety of topics. He has also worked as a radio reporter and holds a degree from Moody College of Communication. William was born in Denton, TX and currently resides in Austin.