Monster Hunter Weapons: A Comprehensive Guide for Hunters of All Skill Levels

Introduction

The world of Monster Hunter is a vast and exhilarating one, filled with colossal beasts, breathtaking landscapes, and, perhaps most importantly, a bewildering array of weapons. The core gameplay loop, revolving around hunting magnificent monsters and crafting stronger equipment from their remains, hinges upon your mastery of these tools. The weapon you choose isn’t merely a cosmetic preference; it fundamentally shapes your playstyle, dictates your approach to combat, and determines your effectiveness against different monsters. Selecting the right weapon can make the difference between a triumphant hunt and a crushing defeat. This guide will journey through the diverse arsenal available to every hunter, offering insights into their unique playstyles, inherent strengths, notable weaknesses, and overall suitability for players of all experience levels. We will explore the Great Sword, Long Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Lance, Gunlance, Bow, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Switch Axe, Charge Blade, and finally the Insect Glaive.

Melee Weapons: Close and Personal Combat

For hunters who prefer the thrill of close-quarters engagements, melee weapons offer a diverse range of options, each with its own distinct flavor and strategic nuances.

The Great Sword: A Titan of Damage

The Great Sword stands as the embodiment of raw power. This colossal blade is slow and deliberate, demanding patience and precise timing from its wielder. Its core gameplay revolves around charging attacks to unleash devastating blows. Hunters who favor the Great Sword often employ a hit-and-run tactic, carefully positioning themselves to land fully charged strikes on a monster’s vulnerable points. The Great Sword excels at cutting tails and inflicting substantial damage with each calculated swing, especially if you utilise the skill that allows you to withstand a hit whilst charging, the shoulder tackle. However, its sluggish movement and vulnerability during charging animations make it challenging to use against swift and agile monsters. This weapon is most recommended for hunters who relish strategic combat and savour the satisfaction of delivering monumental damage bursts.

The Long Sword: Elegance and Precision

In stark contrast to the Great Sword’s brute force, the Long Sword embodies elegance and precision. This balanced weapon prioritizes fluid combos and careful Spirit Gauge management. Hunters wield this weapon maintain their Spirit Gauge by successfully landing attacks, then unleash devastating Spirit Blade combos. A key element of the Long Sword’s effectiveness is the Foresight Slash, a counter-attack move that allows players to dodge incoming attacks while simultaneously building Spirit Gauge. The Long Sword offers a potent blend of mobility and damage output and is easy to pick up and learn. However, mastering the timing of counters and maintaining the Spirit Gauge requires dedication and practice. Also, in the middle of a combo, you’re often interruptible if a monster attacks. This weapon is ideal for players who appreciate stylish combat and crave a harmonious blend of offensive and defensive capabilities.

The Sword and Shield: Versatility Personified

The Sword and Shield embodies versatility above all else. This adaptable weapon offers a balanced combination of offense, defense, and item usage, making it an excellent choice for beginners and support-oriented players. This weapon’s gameplay involves utilizing fast attacks and quick dodges, using its shield to block incoming attacks, and applying status effects with coated blades. A major advantage of the Sword and Shield is its ability to use items quickly while guarding, allowing hunters to heal, buff, or throw support items without sheathing their weapon. While its damage output may be lower than other melee options, its high mobility, ease of use, and support capabilities make it a valuable asset in any hunt. This weapon is recommended for players who enjoy a fast-paced style and appreciate the flexibility of a well-rounded toolkit.

The Dual Blades: A Whirlwind of Fury

The Dual Blades are the epitome of unrelenting aggression. These twin blades are designed for rapid, continuous attacks, allowing hunters to unleash a whirlwind of fury upon their foes. This weapon’s gameplay revolves around activating Demon Mode, which significantly increases damage output and mobility at the cost of stamina. Dual Blades excel at exploiting elemental weaknesses, making them particularly effective against monsters susceptible to fire, water, thunder, ice, or dragon damage. Though the Dual Blades boast impressive damage-per-second potential, they suffer from low defensive capabilities and short reach. This weapon demands careful stamina management and an aggressive mindset. This weapon is a good option for players who revel in relentless assaults and favour exploiting monster vulnerabilities.

The Hammer: Blunt Force Trauma

The Hammer is a blunt instrument designed to inflict maximum impact. This weapon’s sole goal is to stun monsters and leave them vulnerable to attack. Players who main the Hammer weapon charge up attacks, aiming for the head to deliver devastating blows that inflict KO damage. They can also use the golf swing, a powerful attack that deals massive damage, if timed correctly. The Hammer excels at disrupting monster attacks and creating openings for teammates to capitalize on. Its straightforward moveset and high raw damage make it a reliable choice for hunters who enjoy a more direct approach to combat. However, its short reach and slow movement can make it difficult to hit fast-moving monsters. It also has problems cutting tails. The Hammer is well suited for players who value crowd control and relish the satisfaction of delivering bone-shattering blows.

The Hunting Horn: A Symphony of Support

The Hunting Horn is more than just a weapon; it’s a mobile orchestra that empowers the entire hunting party. This unique weapon allows hunters to play melodies, that in turn provide buffs to themselves and their teammates. Hunters must string together combos to play a specific song, providing valuable buffs such as increased attack power, defense, affinity, and even elemental resistances. While the Hunting Horn’s damage output may be lower than other melee weapons, its support capabilities make it an invaluable asset in multiplayer hunts. The Hunting Horn is best suited for support-oriented players who enjoy empowering their team.

The Lance: An Impenetrable Fortress

The Lance is a defensive powerhouse, renowned for its impenetrable shield and precise thrusting attacks. This weapon’s gameplay focuses on blocking incoming attacks, countering with precise thrusts, and using the charge attack for mobility. The Lance offers unparalleled defensive capabilities, allowing hunters to withstand even the most devastating attacks. Its long reach and consistent damage output make it effective against monsters of all sizes. However, its limited mobility and reliance on blocking can make it a predictable weapon. The Lance is best suited for players who prefer a methodical and defensive style of combat.

The Gunlance: Explosive Offense and Defense

The Gunlance combines the defensive capabilities of the Lance with the explosive power of shelling attacks. This versatile weapon allows hunters to switch seamlessly between melee combos and ranged explosions. Hunters who use this weapon use lance attacks combined with shelling, and can unleash Wyvern’s Fire, a devastating burst of damage. The Gunlance excels at ignoring monster defenses with its shelling attacks, making it effective against heavily armored creatures. However, its stamina-intensive gameplay and shelling attacks which consume sharpness require careful resource management. This weapon is a strong pick for players who enjoy a blend of melee and ranged combat.

Ranged Weapons: Keeping Your Distance

For hunters who prefer to engage monsters from a safe distance, ranged weapons offer a distinct advantage, prioritizing precision, mobility, and strategic positioning.

The Bow: Versatile Ranged Precision

The Bow embodies versatility and ranged precision. This weapon allows hunters to inflict status effects with coatings and offers a variety of shot types. Hunters who use this weapon charge their shots, applying coatings to inflict status ailments, and maintain critical distance to maximize damage output. The Bow boasts high mobility, diverse damage types (piercing, rapid, spread), and the ability to apply status effects. However, it demands precise aiming, relies heavily on coatings, and requires careful stamina management. This weapon is an ideal choice for players who appreciate a mobile and precise playstyle.

The Light Bowgun: Rapid Fire and Status Effects

The Light Bowgun (LBG) excels at rapid fire and status ailment application. This weapon allows hunters to rapidly fire various ammo types and quickly inflict status ailments. This gameplay is all about maintaining distance and using mobility to evade attacks. The Light Bowgun offers high mobility, fast reload speeds, and the ability to customize with mods. However, its damage output is lower than the Heavy Bowgun (HBG), requires careful ammo management, and can leave hunters vulnerable while reloading. This weapon is well suited for support-oriented players or those who enjoy a hit-and-run style.

The Heavy Bowgun: Devastating Ranged Power

The Heavy Bowgun (HBG) prioritizes devastating ranged power. This weapon allows hunters to deal massive damage with slow-firing ammo types. Hunters who use this weapon fire powerful ammo types such as Spread, Pierce, and Normal, and utilize Siege Mode for continuous fire. The Heavy Bowgun boasts the highest ranged damage output in the game and allows hunters to target weak points with pinpoint accuracy. However, its low mobility, slow reload speeds, and vulnerability while firing demand careful planning and positioning. This weapon is recommended for players who enjoy dealing massive damage from a distance.

Morphing Weapons: Adaptability and Flexibility

Morphing weapons offer a unique blend of versatility and adaptability, allowing hunters to seamlessly switch between different forms to suit the situation.

The Switch Axe: A Transformative Powerhouse

The Switch Axe embodies transformative power. This weapon allows hunters to switch between a powerful Axe Mode and a fast-attacking Sword Mode. Hunters using this weapon switch between modes, charge the Sword Mode, and unleash the Zero Sum Discharge attack for maximum damage. The Switch Axe boasts a versatile moveset, high damage output, and the ability to break parts with ease. However, its stamina-intensive gameplay and vulnerability during switching animations demand careful timing and positioning. This weapon is well-suited for players who appreciate a versatile and aggressive playstyle.

The Charge Blade: A Symphony of Energy

The Charge Blade is a complex weapon that rewards mastery with devastating power. Hunters charge energy in Sword Mode and release it in powerful Axe Mode attacks. This gameplay involves charging phials in Sword Mode, storing them in the shield, and unleashing Charged Sword and Axe Mode attacks and Elemental Discharges. The Charge Blade boasts high damage output, the ability to guard, and excellent elemental damage potential. However, its complex mechanics and demanding timing can be overwhelming for beginners. This weapon is recommended for players who enjoy a complex and rewarding style.

The Insect Glaive: Aerial Mastery

The Insect Glaive (IG) is a weapon built for aerial combat. This unique weapon allows hunters to vault into the air and control a Kinsect to extract buffs from monsters. Hunters must vault into the air, attack from above, and send the Kinsect to extract buffs (Attack, Defense, Speed) to enhance their combat abilities. The Insect Glaive boasts high mobility, the ability to mount monsters with ease, and the potential to extract buffs that significantly enhance combat abilities. However, controlling the Kinsect effectively and relying on buffs requires careful positioning and coordination. This weapon is ideal for players who enjoy aerial combat.

Choosing the Right Weapon: A Personalized Journey

Selecting the right weapon is a personal journey, one that depends on your individual playstyle, preferences, and the specific challenges you face in the world of Monster Hunter. Consider these factors when making your decision:

Playstyle: Do you prefer an aggressive, in-your-face approach or a more methodical, defensive style? Do you enjoy playing solo or with a team?

Experimentation: Spend time experimenting with different weapons in the training area or during low-rank quests to find the ones that feel most comfortable and intuitive to you.

Monster Matchups: Consider the monsters you’ll be hunting. What are their weaknesses? What attack patterns do they exhibit? Certain weapons are better suited for certain matchups.

Adaptability: Don’t be afraid to switch weapons based on the situation. The ability to adapt your arsenal is a valuable asset in the world of Monster Hunter.

Research and Learning: Read weapon-specific guides and watch gameplay videos to deepen your understanding of each weapon’s mechanics and strategies.

Practice Makes Perfect: Regardless of which weapon you choose, practice is essential for mastering its nuances and maximizing its effectiveness.

The world of Monster Hunter awaits, teeming with formidable creatures and thrilling challenges. Embrace the diverse arsenal at your disposal, experiment with different weapons, and discover the playstyle that resonates with you. Remember, all weapons are viable and enjoyable in their own unique way.