The Great Sword in Dinoblade is not just a weapon — it is an extension of your Spinosaurus's anatomy. Held in the mouth with attacks driven by neck rotation, body mass, and tail positioning, the Great Sword's combo system operates differently from any traditional soulslike weapon. Understanding these combos — their input commands, timing windows, posture damage, and how they chain into each other — is the difference between mashing attacks and deliberately controlling the fight's rhythm. This Dinoblade Great Sword combo guide provides complete input sequences, frame data estimates, damage comparisons, and advanced chain strategies for every combo in the Great Sword moveset.
How the Great Sword Combo System Works
The Great Sword's combo system is built around the Spinosaurus's unique anatomy. Because the sword is held in the mouth rather than gripped by hands, every attack involves your dinosaur's entire body. This creates three fundamental properties that define the combo system:
The Three Combo Properties
| Property | Explanation | Combat Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Neck-driven swings | All horizontal attacks are powered by neck rotation | Wide arc, slower direction changes — you cannot instantly redirect a swing |
| Body-weight commitment | Heavy attacks shift your entire body mass forward | High damage, long recovery — you commit to the attack direction |
| Tail counterbalance | Your tail adjusts position after each swing to maintain balance | Brief recovery between attacks — combos have natural timing gaps |
These properties mean that combo timing in Dinoblade is not about pressing buttons as fast as possible. Each attack has a natural recovery window determined by the tail repositioning. Pressing the next attack input too early results in a whiffed swing; pressing it too late breaks the combo chain. The optimal timing falls in a narrow input window after each attack's recovery animation completes.
Input Notation Guide
This guide uses the following input notation:
| Notation | Meaning | Controller | Keyboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | Light Attack | RB / R1 | Left Click |
| H | Heavy Attack | RT / R2 | Right Click |
| CH | Charged Heavy (hold) | Hold RT | Hold Right Click |
| P | Parry | LB / L1 | Q |
| D | Dodge Roll | B / Circle | Space |
| SP | SP Skill | Y / Triangle | E |
Combo sequences are written as chains: L-L-H-H means Light-Light-Heavy-Heavy in sequence.
Light Attack Combos — Fast Damage
Light attacks are the foundation of the Great Sword moveset. They are fast, have short recovery, and build modest posture damage. Their primary role is setting up heavy attacks within combo chains.
Light Combo 1: Double Slash (L-L)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → L |
| Total Posture Damage | Low-Moderate |
| Total Health Damage | Low |
| Timing Window | 0.3s between inputs |
| Use Case | Quick poke damage, building into longer chains |
Input detail: The first L is a right-to-left horizontal neck swing. The second L is a left-to-right return swing. The second swing is slightly faster because the neck's return rotation uses stored elastic energy from the first swing. This makes the L-L chain the fastest two-hit combo in the Great Sword moveset.
Light Combo 2: Triple Slash (L-L-L)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → L → L |
| Total Posture Damage | Moderate |
| Total Health Damage | Low-Moderate |
| Timing Window | 0.3s between 1st-2nd, 0.4s between 2nd-3rd |
| Use Case | Sustained aggression against passive enemies |
Input detail: The third L is a diagonal downward slash that uses body weight to add impact. This third hit deals slightly more damage than the first two and has a longer recovery because the body weight commitment pulls your Spinosaurus slightly forward. The 0.4s timing window reflects this extra recovery — pressing L too early after the second hit causes the third attack to whiff.
Light Combo 3: Quad Slash (L-L-L-L)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → L → L → L |
| Total Posture Damage | Moderate-High |
| Total Health Damage | Moderate |
| Timing Window | 0.3s, 0.4s, 0.35s between inputs |
| Use Case | Maximum light-attack pressure before a heavy finisher |
Input detail: The fourth L is an upward vertical slash driven by neck extension. It is the strongest light attack in the chain and serves as the natural bridge into heavy attack finishers. After the fourth L, the input window for a heavy attack is generous (0.6s), making L-L-L-L-H the most reliable extended combo in the game.
Heavy Attack Combos — Posture Damage
Heavy attacks are where the Great Sword's posture-breaking power lives. Each heavy hit deals significantly more posture damage than a light attack, but the body-weight commitment creates longer recovery windows and positional shifts.
Heavy Combo 1: Overhead Smash (H)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | H (single) |
| Posture Damage | High |
| Health Damage | High |
| Recovery Time | 0.8s (longest single-attack recovery) |
| Use Case | Punish window after a successful parry |
Input detail: The single H is an overhead vertical slam driven by the Spinosaurus dropping its head and neck forward. The body weight shifts dramatically, making this the highest single-hit damage in the standard moveset. The long recovery means you are vulnerable if the boss attacks during your recovery — only use this when you have a guaranteed punish window (after a parry, during a boss recovery animation).
Heavy Combo 2: Double Slam (H-H)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | H → H |
| Total Posture Damage | Very High |
| Total Health Damage | Very High |
| Timing Window | 0.5s between inputs |
| Use Case | Large punish windows, boss stagger states |
Input detail: The first H is the standard overhead. The second H is a follow-up horizontal sweep driven by the body's momentum from the first slam. The timing window of 0.5s is critical — if you press H too early, the second attack whiffs because your body has not recovered from the first slam. If you press too late, the combo chain breaks and the second H becomes a standalone heavy with no combo bonus. The second hit in this combo deals 20% bonus damage as a combo multiplier.
Heavy Combo 3: Charged Overhead (CH)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | Hold H for 1.2s, then release |
| Posture Damage | Extreme (3x standard H) |
| Health Damage | Extreme (2.5x standard H) |
| Charge Time | 1.2 seconds |
| Use Case | Phase transitions, known openings, boss stun states |
Input detail: The Charged Heavy is the Great Sword's highest single-hit attack. The charge animation shows amber energy gathering along the blade — when the glow peaks, release for maximum damage. The 1.2-second charge time is a massive commitment. You are stationary and vulnerable during the charge. Only use this when you have a guaranteed window: boss phase transitions, known recovery animations, or during a posture break stun.
Mixed Combos — The Core Combat Loop
Mixed combos that chain light attacks into heavy finishers are the backbone of Dinoblade's combat. They balance posture building (from the light attacks) with damage spikes (from the heavy finishers).
Mixed Combo 1: Light-Heavy (L-H)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → H |
| Total Posture Damage | High |
| Total Health Damage | Moderate-High |
| Timing Window | 0.35s between inputs |
| Use Case | Standard parry counter — your most frequent combo |
Input detail: The L is a horizontal swing that sets up the H overhead slam. This is the most important combo in the game — you will use it after nearly every successful parry. The timing is generous enough to execute consistently, and the damage is high enough to make every parry count. Practice this combo until it is muscle memory.
Mixed Combo 2: Double Light-Heavy (L-L-H)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → L → H |
| Total Posture Damage | Very High |
| Total Health Damage | High |
| Timing Window | 0.3s, 0.4s between inputs |
| Use Case | Extended punish windows after dodging an unblockable |
Input detail: The two light attacks build posture while the heavy finisher delivers the damage spike. This is the optimal combo for medium-length punish windows — long enough for three inputs but not long enough for the full chain. The H in this combo benefits from a 10% combo damage bonus from the preceding light attacks.
Mixed Combo 3: Triple Light-Double Heavy (L-L-L-H-H)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → L → L → H → H |
| Total Posture Damage | Extreme |
| Total Health Damage | Very High |
| Timing Window | 0.3s, 0.3s, 0.4s, 0.5s between inputs |
| Use Case | Maximum damage during boss stagger or posture break |
Input detail: This is the full Great Sword combo chain and the highest-damage sequence in the standard moveset. The three light attacks fill the combo multiplier, making both heavy attacks benefit from a 20-25% damage bonus. This combo is only usable during long openings — boss stagger states, posture break stuns, or phase transitions. During active combat, the 2.1-second total execution time leaves you too vulnerable against attacking bosses.
Mixed Combo 4: Light Chain into Charged Heavy (L-L-L-L-CH)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input | L → L → L → L → Hold H for 1.2s, release |
| Total Posture Damage | Maximum possible |
| Total Health Damage | Maximum possible |
| Timing Window | 0.3s, 0.3s, 0.35s, 0.6s (transition to charge), then 1.2s hold |
| Use Case | Boss posture break stun — the ultimate damage sequence |
Input detail: This is the absolute maximum damage combo in Dinoblade. The four light attacks fully charge the combo multiplier, and the charged heavy at the end benefits from both the combo bonus and the charge bonus. The total execution time is approximately 3.2 seconds, making it usable only during a posture break stun when the boss is completely incapacitated. Save this for the kill — when you break a boss's posture, execute this combo to maximize the finisher window.
Advanced Combo Techniques
Beyond the standard chains, the Great Sword has several advanced techniques that require precise timing and game knowledge.
Dodge Cancel Recovery
You can cancel the recovery animation of any attack by inputting a dodge roll during the recovery window. This costs stamina and sacrifices the potential for a combo follow-up, but it immediately restores your defensive capability. The dodge cancel is essential against aggressive bosses like the T-Rex in phase 3, where lingering in a heavy attack's recovery animation guarantees you will be hit.
Timing: Input the dodge during the last 4 frames of any attack's recovery animation. The window is tight (~0.13s at 30fps) but becomes consistent with practice.
Parry Counter Combo
After a successful parry, you have a guaranteed counter-attack window. The optimal counter combo depends on the window length:
| Parry Counter Window | Optimal Combo | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Short (0.5-0.8s) | L-H | Fast execution, maximum damage for the window |
| Medium (0.8-1.5s) | L-L-H | Extended punish with more posture building |
| Long (1.5s+) | L-L-L-H-H | Maximum damage during boss recovery |
| Stun (posture break) | L-L-L-L-CH | Absolute maximum — only during stun |
Parry → Counter → Parry Chain
The highest-level Great Sword technique is the parry-counter-parry chain: parry an attack, counter with L-H, then immediately prepare to parry the next incoming attack. This chain maintains constant posture pressure on the boss while keeping you in a defensive-ready state. It is the core loop of the posture-focused playstyle and the technique that makes the Great Sword so effective in Boss Rush Mode.
Combo Damage Comparison Table
| Combo | Total Posture Damage | Total Health Damage | Execution Time | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | Low | Low | 0.4s | Low |
| L-L | Low-Moderate | Low | 0.7s | Low |
| L-L-L | Moderate | Low-Moderate | 1.0s | Low-Moderate |
| L-L-L-L | Moderate-High | Moderate | 1.4s | Moderate |
| H | High | High | 0.8s | Moderate |
| H-H | Very High | Very High | 1.3s | High |
| CH | Extreme | Extreme | 1.2s (charge) | Very High |
| L-H | High | Moderate-High | 0.75s | Low-Moderate |
| L-L-H | Very High | High | 1.1s | Moderate |
| L-L-L-H-H | Extreme | Very High | 2.1s | High |
| L-L-L-L-CH | Maximum | Maximum | 3.2s | Very High |
Boss-Specific Combo Strategies
Each boss in Dinoblade has different punish window lengths, requiring different combo selections:
Combo Selection by Boss
| Boss | Best Punish Combo | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Styracosaurus | L-L-H after horn thrust parry | Moderate window after deflection |
| Carnotaurus | L-H after charge parry, L-L-H after double rush | Shorter windows due to faster tempo |
| Kira | L-H in phase 1, L-L-H in phase 2 (after ally kill), L-H in phase 3 | Variable windows across phases |
| T-Rex | L-H for most attacks, L-L-L-L-CH during posture break | T-Rex has the longest stun window on posture break |
For detailed boss-specific combat strategies, see our Dinoblade combat tips advanced guide. And for the best weapon options beyond the Great Sword, check our Dinoblade best weapons guide.
The Great Sword's combo system rewards deliberate timing over button mashing. Each attack is a commitment driven by your Spinosaurus's body weight — you cannot cancel a heavy attack once your body shifts forward. Learning the natural rhythm of the combo chains — when to press, when to wait, when to dodge cancel — is the skill that transforms a player who survives boss fights into one who dominates them. The official Dinoblade YouTube channel showcases the Great Sword combos performed at the highest level, frame-perfect timing that every aspiring player should study.
FAQ
What is the best Great Sword combo in Dinoblade?
The best overall Great Sword combo is L-L-H (Light-Light-Heavy). It balances posture damage, health damage, execution speed, and risk. It fits into most punish windows and benefits from a 10% combo damage bonus on the heavy finisher. For maximum damage during a boss stun, use L-L-L-L-CH (four lights into a charged heavy).
How do I execute the charged heavy attack?
To execute the charged heavy, hold the Heavy Attack input for 1.2 seconds until amber energy gathers along the blade, then release. The charge animation is visually distinct — you will see the blade glow brighter as the charge builds. Releasing at peak glow deals maximum damage. The 1.2-second charge time leaves you stationary and vulnerable, so only use it during guaranteed openings like boss recovery animations or posture break stuns.
Can I cancel a Great Sword combo mid-execution?
You cannot cancel an attack once it has started — the animation priority system commits you to each swing. However, you can dodge cancel the recovery of any attack by inputting a dodge roll during the last few frames of the recovery animation. This sacrifices any follow-up combo hits but immediately restores your defensive capability. This technique is essential against aggressive bosses.
How does the Great Sword combo system differ from other soulslike games?
The Great Sword combo system differs because the weapon is held in the Spinosaurus's mouth, not gripped by hands. This means every attack involves full body movement — neck rotation, weight shifting, and tail counterbalancing — creating natural recovery windows between attacks. Unlike traditional soulslike games where combo timing is about button press speed, Dinoblade's combos are about reading the recovery rhythm and pressing inputs at the correct moment in the body's animation cycle.
What combo should I use after a parry?
After a successful parry, use L-H (Light-Heavy) for short punish windows and L-L-H for medium windows. The L-H combo takes approximately 0.75 seconds to execute and deals high posture damage, making it the most reliable parry counter. For very long openings like boss stagger states, upgrade to L-L-L-H-H for maximum damage. Never attempt a charged heavy after a parry unless the boss is stunned — the charge time is too long for standard parry counter windows.