Each type of weapon is viable, so don't be afraid to experiment.
Instead of writing each weapon in too much detail, this article will be kept simple enough that new adventurers have a place to start in their choice, while still being fresh enough to remind veterans of some of the weapons they may have. forgotten, because of the hundreds of hours spent with their favorites.
Let me start by saying this though. If you are a new player, use ALL weapon types first, at least once or twice. Slicing monsters with the double blades might sound (and sound honest) cool, but you might like hitting their heads with a hammer a lot more. You'll never know if you don't try it, so make sure you do at least one run with each weapon type before you say "I'll handle this one." This is my personal opinion of course, so this is by no means the “right way to do it” but rather a humble suggestion from someone who has spent thousands of hours with the franchise.
In addition, one additional clarification should be noted. It's actually pretty easy to get started with ANY weapon you want, as the developers at Capcom have made sure that understanding and using a tool is simple enough to get started, but VERY difficult to master. Therefore, a weapon listed as "easy" can be a whole different story if you decide to become a Grandmaster with it. I will mention such cases below, so no worries about that.
Having said that, let's continue with our lists.
Easy types of weapons
- Long sword
- Hammer
- Double blades
- Sword and shield
Out of these four, Long sword is the easiest to understand, use and learn. You just cut everything on sight, with easy button combinations. In doing so, a meter is filled, and when the time is right, you use a certain skill to "upgrade" your weapon damage.
le Hammer is very close to the easiest weapon to use, as its only catch is learning the timing of your attacks. You'll spend more time aiming at each creature's head, in order to take advantage of the hammer's innate stun power, so it may take some getting used to.
Double blades are the choice of every anime enthusiast, and I can't comment on how cool it looks using them. Each attack fills a certain meter, which as a result stacks and unlocks a slightly different moveset when full. While the process is straightforward, what's difficult with the weapon is resource management, as you'll see your stamina bar evaporate in no time.
Finally, Sword and shield is a very unique weapon, which may look like every protagonist's default weapon, but trust me when I say, it's NOT. Hack and Slash may be his main way to deal with monsters, but with the added ability to use items without sheathing your weapon. It might seem like a small niche feature, but rest assured that it can be used to an extent that makes SnS one of the cases I mentioned above. Easy to learn and use, but VERY difficult to master.
Types of intermediate weapons
- Great sword
- Throw
- Hunting horn
- Change ax
- Light Bowgun
- Arc
Starting our list of intermediate weapon types, Great sword is the key tool that everyone must take advantage of, if they are to get used to the game as a whole, and not just for this specific class. Great Sword is big, hits hard, needs perfect positioning in order to maximize his DPS, and can make you a great hunter just by trying to be good with him. The hit 'n run tactic is the best way to start learning this weapon, so it is a suggested choice for everyone.
I will be honest here. Throw is my least favorite type of weapon in the entire Monster Hunter franchise. For one reason only. It's boring. I can already see Lance fans screaming their lungs at this humble opinion, but I can't help it, so apologies. Having said that, one thing is certain. Lance is strong, really strong. In the right hands, he can possibly be the safest option, with his only grip being the same as Great Sword's. You must have a good constant placement of your character, in order to inflict real damage, and most importantly, hit the weak points of each monster. Other than that, Lance is poke-poke-poke-win.
Right on the opposite side we have Hunting horn, which is my most anticipated weapon class out of all of them, due to the quality of life changes that will be undergone in Monster Hunter Rise. Normally this instrument would be in the Advanced category, just below it, but due to how the developers changed it, it's now an extremely accessible weapon, which is also a lot of fun to use. Basically you hit a lot, play tunes while doing it, also improving your teammates. The hard part (not that hard once you get used to it) is playing the right tunes, depending on the situation. Also, it's a bit slower, like the hammer, you may need to adjust your attack patterns, depending on which monster you're up against. I've already shared an article with what's new on the hunting horn, so feel free to check it out here.
Change ax is strange. It's 2 weapons in 1, which is the only real gadget of it, hence the intermediate list. You attack with the slower Axis part, and when its energy is filled enough, you can turn it into a hard hitting sword. Managing your resources is one thing again, making it mandatory to predict the movement of monsters, to kick your big nuclear weapons when the time is right.
Light Bowgun is your pew-pew tool, and there isn't much to say about it. Unlike its counterpart, the Heavy Bowgun, it's more versatile and you have much better mobility with it, trading raw power in return. This can deal constant damage, but you will need to have a good understanding of the different types of ammo that exist in the game in order to do this.
Arc is a formidable weapon, but like the Light Bowgun, it needs proper resource management on your various facings (the equivalent of Bow's ammo). Additionally, the bow has unique movement options, so you can actually “combine” attacks, which opens up the playstyle even more.
Advanced weapon types
- Gunlance
- Heavy bowgun
- Lame of charge
- Insect Glaive
The last list could be the most complicated, as the order of these weapons can vary from case to case. Start things with Gunlance, some may say that the weapon is not really difficult to use. The reason I am debating this issue is due to the nature of the weapon. It's basically a spear with bullets in it, but to use it properly you have to think about several things at once. Positioning, resource management, correct element of balls, good thinking at Guard whenever needed, and so on. That's why I think the Gunlance is a pretty tough weapon to use, but not as tough as the rest of this list.
Heavy bowgun was every speedrunner's choice in the franchise's previous installment, Monster Hunter World. Why do you ask? The answer is simple. He hits hard. Especially if you know what ammunition to use, when and where. What is missing is mobility, which can be the reason why you fail a quest. You need decent gear to withstand blows, so Heavy Bowgun users need to be constantly prepared, which makes it a not-so-friendly choice for new players.
Lame of charge. Oh my God, if we were to start a detailed analysis of this weapon, we could take the whole day. Therefore, I will try to keep things as simple as possible. This tool of destruction is a great sword and shield, which can transform into a huge ax, just like the switching ax transforms into a sword. What makes it so different is that it also has Energy Bulbs, a unique type of ammo, which can be consumed to dramatically improve the weapon, leading to a huge explosion, with the right pressure on the weapon. button. What is the most complicated part of the weapon. His hit list is very long. Different attack patterns for each button press, different combinations of using vials, different uses of the same combination of buttons, depending on the attack animation, etc. As you realized, if you're new to Monster Hunter Rise, the Charge Blade is the one weapon you can't just pick up and play, as it requires research beforehand. The definition of an advanced weapon type.
Finally, but not least, Insect Glaive is in my opinion the most difficult weapon to use. It doesn't have such a complicated set of moves as Charge Blade, but it does make up for the conditions it needs to meet in order for the weapon itself to be truly usable. Monster Hunter Rise introduces some quality of life features to it, to reduce those requirements, but it's still hard to get used to. Basically you have an Insect Pet, which you can send out to collect different monster snippets, which in turn provide boosts to your character. Filling in a number of them makes your character ballistic, with a slightly different set of moves, like dual blades, and that's when the weapon is able to deal big numbers. These buffs last for a limited time, however, so you must reassemble these resources after they expire. Therefore, this class literally has to do “chores”. Did I mention that these snippets are from different parts of a monster's body? Oh yes indeed. Even so, while the Insect Glaive is by far one of the most difficult weapons to use, it's one of my favorites, and actually a fan favorite in general, so feel free to use it. Just be prepared, because you are going to have a blast.
pack
Not all of the above mentioned has even scratched the surface of what all weapons have to offer, and as mentioned before, learning any of these can be easy, but to hunt the most monsters the most. difficult, you will have to understand each one. typing on a whole new level. The use of items, the new Wirebug tool which we haven't even mentioned and other factors can affect your gameplay to a great extent. Don't be afraid to try out loads of weapons, just to see what works best for you. Monster Hunter Rise is all about having fun, so even if a weapon is really hard to grab hold of, feel free to use it, if you value your time with it.
Hope this brief (not really) guide will help you select the weapon class you want, or at least give you an idea of what to expect from each weapon. Stay tuned for more in-depth guides in the future, where we'll discuss each weapon in detail, including their new Wirebug abilities.
Monster hunter is ready to release the March 26, 2021. In the meantime, be sure to download and play the free DEMO on the Nintendo Switch.
