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What Monster Hunter Weapon Should I Use? A Hunter’s Guide to Choosing Your Arsenal

So, you’re diving into the world of Monster Hunter, a realm of majestic beasts and epic hunts. You’re staring at the weapon selection screen, and a wave of options washes over you. Sword and Shield? Greatsword? Hunting Horn?! Which one do you choose? The answer, my friend, isn’t simple. It depends on your playstyle, the monster you’re facing, and ultimately, what feels right in your hands.

The short answer: There is no best weapon in Monster Hunter. All 14 weapons are viable and can lead you to victory. However, some are easier to learn initially, while others shine in specific situations or playstyles. Sword and Shield (SnS) and Longsword (LS) are often recommended for beginners due to their versatility and forgiving movesets. But don’t let that limit you! Experiment, explore, and find the weapon that resonates with you.

Understanding the Weapon Archetypes

Before diving into individual weapons, let’s break down the general archetypes:

Blademaster: Melee weapons focused on dealing raw damage and utilizing combos.
Gunner: Ranged weapons that use ammunition to inflict damage from afar.
Impact: Weapons that deal blunt damage, often leading to stuns and part breaking.
Cutting: Weapons that deal slashing damage, ideal for severing tails and dealing consistent damage.
Technical: Weapons that require more practice and understanding to master, often offering high rewards.

A Closer Look at Each Weapon

Here’s a brief overview of each weapon, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses:

Sword and Shield (SnS)

Strengths: Fast attacks, high mobility, ability to use items without sheathing, shield for defense, good for applying status effects.
Weaknesses: Relatively low damage per hit, short reach.
Playstyle: Agile and versatile, constantly weaving in and out of combat, applying status, and supporting the team. Perfect for learning monster attack patterns. Many consider this the safest weapon to use.

Greatsword (GS)

Strengths: Highest raw damage per hit, capable of staggering monsters with charged attacks, excellent for punishing openings.
Weaknesses: Slow attack speed, limited mobility while charging, requires precise timing.
Playstyle: Deliberate and patient, focusing on positioning and timing to land powerful charged attacks. Master the “Tackle” to power through monster attacks.

Longsword (LS)

Strengths: Good reach, flowing combos, powerful Spirit Blade attacks that increase damage, ability to counter attacks. The most used weapon by new players.
Weaknesses: Reliance on maintaining Spirit Gauge, requires understanding of monster movements for counters.
Playstyle: Elegant and aggressive, constantly building Spirit Gauge and unleashing powerful Spirit Blade combos.

Dual Blades (DB)

Strengths: Extremely fast attack speed, high elemental damage, Demon Mode for increased damage and mobility, unmatched for solo play, and exceptional damage output.
Weaknesses: Low raw damage per hit, short reach, stamina-intensive.
Playstyle: Relentless and aggressive, constantly attacking with a flurry of blades, relying on dodging and positioning.

Hammer (HM)

Strengths: High impact damage, excellent for stunning monsters and breaking parts, simple moveset, great for learning monster patterns.
Weaknesses: Short reach, limited mobility, ineffective against flying monsters.
Playstyle: Aggressive and impactful, focusing on headshots to stun monsters and create openings for the team. This weapon is best for learning the game.

Hunting Horn (HH)

Strengths: Can play songs to buff the party with increased attack, defense, and other effects, decent impact damage.
Weaknesses: Complex moveset, requires memorizing songs, relatively low damage compared to other impact weapons.
Playstyle: Supportive and strategic, balancing damage dealing with buffing the team. Often the least popular weapon.

Lance (LN)

Strengths: High defense, ability to block almost any attack, excellent reach, consistent damage output.
Weaknesses: Limited mobility, relies on poking and countering, can feel slow.
Playstyle: Defensive and persistent, maintaining a constant barrage of pokes while blocking and countering attacks.

Gunlance (GL)

Strengths: Combination of lance defense and ranged shelling attacks, wide range of shelling types, powerful Wyvern’s Fire attack.
Weaknesses: High stamina consumption, requires managing heat gauge, shelling consumes sharpness.
Playstyle: Versatile and adaptable, mixing melee attacks with ranged shelling, providing sustained damage and area control.

Switch Axe (SA)

Strengths: Two forms – Axe for mobility and Sword for damage – that can be switched seamlessly, powerful Zero Sum Discharge attack, high raw damage potential.
Weaknesses: Complex moveset, requires understanding of both forms, Switch Gauge management.
Playstyle: Aggressive and dynamic, constantly switching between Axe and Sword forms to maximize damage and adapt to the situation.

Charge Blade (CB)

Strengths: High damage potential, versatile moveset, can block attacks, powerful elemental discharges, best solo weapon, according to some.
Weaknesses: Extremely complex moveset, requires managing phials, requires precise timing and positioning.
Playstyle: Technical and rewarding, charging phials and unleashing powerful elemental discharges at opportune moments.

Insect Glaive (IG)

Strengths: High mobility, ability to vault into the air, kinsect that can extract buffs from monsters, aerial attacks.
Weaknesses: Relies on maintaining kinsect buffs, aerial attacks can be situational.
Playstyle: Agile and acrobatic, constantly moving around the battlefield, using the kinsect to extract buffs and unleashing aerial attacks.

Bow (BW)

Strengths: High mobility, ranged attacks, can apply status effects, versatile coatings, a safe weapon to use, and easiest to solo in some instances.
Weaknesses: Requires managing stamina and coatings, damage falls off at long range, relies on elemental weaknesses.
Playstyle: Agile and precise, maintaining distance from the monster, applying status effects, and exploiting elemental weaknesses.

Light Bowgun (LBG)

Strengths: High mobility, rapid-fire attacks, can inflict status effects, versatile ammo types, the best long range weapon.
Weaknesses: Low raw damage, requires managing ammo types, relies on elemental weaknesses.
Playstyle: Agile and supportive, maintaining distance from the monster, inflicting status effects, and providing sustained damage.

Heavy Bowgun (HBG)

Strengths: High raw damage, powerful siege mode attacks, can inflict status effects, versatile ammo types.
Weaknesses: Low mobility, slow reload speed, requires precise aiming, siege mode leaves you vulnerable.
Playstyle: Strategic and methodical, choosing ammo types carefully, positioning for siege mode, and providing heavy damage.

Finding Your Perfect Match

The best way to find your perfect weapon is to experiment! Head to the training area and try out each weapon. Pay attention to how it feels in your hands, how it moves, and how it deals damage. Don’t be afraid to switch weapons mid-game; many players main multiple weapons!

Consider these factors when choosing a weapon:

Your preferred playstyle: Do you prefer to be aggressive, defensive, or supportive?
Your comfort level with complexity: Are you willing to learn a complex moveset, or do you prefer something simpler?
The monster you’re facing: Some weapons are better suited for certain monsters than others.
Your team composition: Choose a weapon that complements your team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What’s the easiest weapon to learn in Monster Hunter World?

The Sword and Shield is often considered the easiest due to its versatility, fast attacks, and defensive capabilities. The Longsword and Dual Blades are also good choices for beginners.

2. What’s the hardest weapon to master?

The Charge Blade and Hunting Horn are generally considered the most difficult weapons to master due to their complex movesets and resource management.

3. Which weapon is best for solo play?

While all weapons are viable for solo play, the Dual Blades are often favored for their high damage output and mobility. The Charge Blade is also an excellent choice for skilled players.

4. Which weapon is best for team play?

The Hunting Horn is a natural support weapon, providing buffs to the entire team. The Bow and Light Bowgun can also be effective in team play, providing ranged support and applying status effects.

5. What’s the best weapon for breaking monster parts?

The Hammer and Greatsword are excellent for breaking parts due to their high impact damage. Weapons with good reach, like the Longsword and Lance, can also be effective at severing tails.

6. What’s the best weapon for stunning monsters?

The Hammer is the undisputed king of stunning monsters due to its high impact damage.

7. Are ranged weapons better than melee weapons?

Neither ranged nor melee weapons are inherently better. They each have their strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice depends on your playstyle and the monster you’re facing.

8. Can I switch weapons mid-game?

Absolutely! You can switch weapons at any time by visiting your item box or tent.

9. Do I need to upgrade my weapon?

Yes! Upgrading your weapon is essential for increasing your damage output and keeping up with the increasing difficulty of the game.

10. What’s the importance of elemental damage?

Elemental damage can be highly effective against monsters with elemental weaknesses. Weapons with high elemental damage, like the Dual Blades and Bow, can excel in these matchups.

11. What are status effects?

Status effects, like poison, paralysis, and sleep, can be applied to monsters using certain weapons and ammo. These effects can provide a significant advantage in combat.

12. Is the Hunting Horn really that bad?

The Hunting Horn is not a bad weapon, but it has a steep learning curve and requires a different playstyle than most other weapons. It can be incredibly rewarding in the hands of a skilled player.

13. Can I solo the entire game?

Yes, you can! All content in Monster Hunter is soloable, though some monsters, like Extreme Behemoth, are significantly more challenging to defeat alone.

14. Which Monster Hunter game is the easiest to start with?

Many players find Monster Hunter World to be a good starting point due to its more streamlined gameplay and helpful tutorials.

15. Where can I learn more about Monster Hunter weapons?

There are many excellent resources available online, including YouTube tutorials, guides, and community forums. The Games Learning Society also studies how games, like Monster Hunter, can be used for educational purposes. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to find out more.

Conclusion

Choosing a weapon in Monster Hunter is a personal journey. Don’t be afraid to experiment, find what you enjoy, and develop your own unique hunting style. Every weapon has its strengths and weaknesses, and with practice and dedication, you can become a master hunter with any weapon you choose. Happy hunting!

What Monster Hunter weapon should I use?