Monster Hunter is renowned for its diverse weapon selection and thrilling gameplay. But did you know even more weapons existed in earlier games, never making it to newer titles? This deep dive explores the rich history of Monster Hunter weapons.
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History of Weapon Types in Monster Hunter
Celebrating over two decades since its 2004 debut, Monster Hunter's enduring appeal stems partly from its diverse weapon arsenal. Monster Hunter Wilds boasts fourteen distinct weapon types, each demanding mastery of unique strengths, weaknesses, movesets, and mechanics.
The evolution from the original Great Sword to its modern counterpart showcases the franchise's growth. Beyond the familiar favorites, even more weapons from older games remain exclusive to certain regions. Let's explore this fascinating history, focusing on the hunter's most crucial tool: the weapon.
First Generation
These weapons debuted in the original Monster Hunter and its variants. These foundational weapons have endured, evolving with enhanced movesets and mechanics.
Great Sword
Arguably the franchise's most iconic weapon, the Great Sword's presence dates back to 2004. Its high damage potential comes at the cost of mobility. While capable of devastating single hits, its slow attacks and movement make it a high-risk, high-reward choice. The blade can even be used defensively as a shield, though at the expense of stamina and sharpness.
Early gameplay revolved around hit-and-run tactics and precise spacing. While infinite combos were possible, slow animations made them less practical. Interestingly, the blade's center dealt more damage than the tip or hilt.
Monster Hunter 2 introduced the iconic Charged Slash, a multi-level charge attack culminating in a powerful swing. This remains a defining feature.
Subsequent games refined the charge mechanic, adding finishers and improving combo flow. Monster Hunter World's shoulder tackle allowed for quicker access to charged attacks.
The Great Sword offers a low skill floor but a high skill ceiling. Mastering timing and maximizing damage with the True Charged Slash separates skilled players from the rest.
Sword and Shield
Embodying versatility, the Sword and Shield balances relatively low single-hit damage with quick combos, blocking capabilities, mobility, and utility. Initially considered a beginner weapon, its complexity has grown with each iteration.
Early gameplay focused on swift slashes and combos, leveraging high mobility. Monster Hunter 2 allowed item use while the weapon remained drawn.
Later installments expanded the moveset, including the shield bash combo (Monster Hunter 3), backsteps and jumps (Monster Hunter 4), and the Perfect Rush and aerial finishers (Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise).
Despite its shorter range and lower damage, the Sword and Shield remains a jack-of-all-trades. Its infinite combo potential, speed, defensive capabilities, and powerful finishers make it a deceptively deep weapon.
Hammer
One of two blunt weapons (meaning it can't sever tails), the Hammer excels at breaking parts, particularly heads, leading to KOs. After Monster Hunter 2, it became synonymous with stunning monsters through repeated head strikes.
Its playstyle initially mirrored the Great Sword's hit-and-run approach, but with surprisingly higher mobility and no blocking ability. Its unique charge mechanic allowed movement during charging.
The moveset remained largely consistent until Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise, which introduced the Big Bang and Spinning Bludgeon attacks. These additions significantly boosted offensive capabilities beyond its signature golf swing and Superpound.
Two modes, Strength and Courage, were introduced, altering charge attacks and effects. Mastering mode switching is key to maximizing damage.
The Hammer's objective is simple: target the head and KO. While straightforward in goal, achieving this requires skillful execution of charged attacks and combo finishers.
Lance
The Lance embodies the adage "a good offense is a great defense." Its long reach allows for ranged attacks, while its large shield provides exceptional defense, blocking most attacks, even some considered unguardable with proper skills. While less mobile when drawn, its damage output is considerable.
Gameplay centers around poking from a safe distance, utilizing a forward or upward thrust combo. The addition of a counter mechanic further enhanced its defensive capabilities. Running charges and shield bashes helped close the distance.
Often underestimated due to its less flashy animations, the Lance rewards players for standing their ground. It offers a tank-like playstyle, surpassing even the Gunlance in defensive prowess.
Light Bowgun
The Light Bowgun is a highly mobile ranged weapon, offering faster reload speeds, sheathing, and dodging compared to its heavier counterpart. This mobility comes at the cost of limited ammunition variety and lower firepower. Customization options include barrels, silencers, and scopes.
Its rapid-fire capability allows it to outshine other ranged weapons despite its limitations. Monster Hunter 4's "Critical Distance" mechanic added depth, requiring precise range for maximum damage.
Monster Hunter World introduced the Wyvernblast, allowing bomb placement, and a slide maneuver enhanced its run-and-gun style.
While retaining its core simplicity, the Light Bowgun has evolved beyond a mere "weaker" version of the Heavy Bowgun, offering unique advantages in mobility and rapid-fire potential.
Heavy Bowgun
The Heavy Bowgun is the ultimate ranged artillery weapon. Its high damage and diverse ammunition options make it ideal for long-range combat. However, its size and weight significantly restrict mobility. Customization options are available, including shields.
Its gameplay emphasizes firepower over mobility. The addition of Siege Mode (Monster Hunter 3) allowed for continuous shelling without reloading. Monster Hunter World introduced Wyvernheart (a minigun-like special ammo) and Wyvernsnipe (a high-damage single shot).
Ammunition management is crucial, as crafting stronger ammo is necessary. The Heavy Bowgun remains defined by its powerful ammunition, making short work of many monsters.
Dual Blades
Known for its flashy style and high speed, the Dual Blades excels at inflicting status ailments and elemental damage. Introduced in the Western release of the original game, it emphasizes speed and fluid combos, despite weak individual attacks.
The core gameplay revolves around Demon Mode, a temporary state boosting damage and access to more attacks at the cost of stamina. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd and Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate introduced the Demon Gauge, allowing for a more powerful Archdemon Mode.
The Demon Dash provides exceptional mobility. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate's Adept Hunter Style linked perfect dodges to the Demon Dash, further enhancing its offensive potential.
While the core remains speed and combos, Archdemon Mode and additional attacks have significantly enhanced its offensive capabilities.
Second Generation
Introduced in the second generation, these weapons are cousins to the first generation, offering similar functionality but with distinct movesets and mechanics.
Long Sword
The Long Sword combines fluid combos, high damage, and sophisticated mechanics. While functionally similar to the Great Sword, it boasts superior mobility and a more dynamic combo structure, sacrificing defensive capabilities.
Its Spirit Gauge, filled by landing attacks, unlocks the Spirit Combo, a powerful attack string. Monster Hunter 3 added the Spirit Roundslash finisher and tiered Spirit Gauge levels (white, yellow, red).
Monster Hunter World added the Spirit Thrust Helm Breaker and the Foresight Slash, a parry attack that seamlessly integrates into combos. Iceborne introduced the Iai Stance, with Iai Slash and Iai Spirit Slash, further enhancing its counter-attack capabilities.
The Long Sword's evolution has transitioned it from a purely combo-focused weapon to one that incorporates parries and counters for increased efficiency.
Hunting Horn
The Hunting Horn is a support weapon, dealing blunt damage and utilizing Recital to play notes that produce various beneficial effects (attack buffs, defense buffs, healing). While similar to the Hammer in dealing blunt damage, it's weaker offensively due to its support capabilities.
Improvements to Recital focused on increased fluidity in combat. Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate allowed note playing during attacks. Monster Hunter World introduced song queuing, allowing simultaneous activation of multiple buffs. Iceborne added Echo Notes, offering additional buffs.
Monster Hunter Rise significantly overhauled the weapon, simplifying note playing and automating buffs. This simplification proved controversial, with some praising the increased accessibility and others lamenting the loss of complexity.
Gunlance
A hybrid of Lance and Bowgun, the Gunlance combines a Lance's shield and piercing attacks with shelling capabilities. Its attacks are primarily slashing, unlike the Lance's piercing attacks, and it features finishers like the Wyvern's Fire.
Shelling types vary between Gunlances, influencing attack power. Monster Hunter 3 introduced quick reloading and the Full Burst attack. Monster Hunter X added the Heat Gauge, influencing both physical attacks and shelling. Monster Hunter World added the Wyrmstake Shot finisher.
The Gunlance's unique gameplay revolves around balancing shelling and physical attacks, requiring careful management of resources.
Bow
The most agile ranged weapon, the Bow specializes in close-to-mid-range combat, using mobility to its advantage. It functions like a melee weapon, emphasizing combos and chargeable attacks that increase arrow count. Coatings enhance damage and inflict status effects.
Its mobility and combos are its strengths. While shot types were initially weapon-specific, Monster Hunter World unified the moveset, integrating shot types into the core mechanics. Monster Hunter Rise reintroduced shot types, tying them to charge levels.
The Monster Hunter World overhaul streamlined the Bow's gameplay, emphasizing aggressive, combo-heavy ranged combat.
Third and Fourth Generation
These weapons, introduced in Monster Hunter 3 and Monster Hunter 4, feature morphing capabilities and unique mechanics.
Switch Axe
The Switch Axe features Axe and Sword modes. Axe Mode prioritizes mobility and range, while Sword Mode emphasizes damage and the Elemental Discharge finisher. Balancing both modes is key to effective gameplay.
Monster Hunter World introduced the Amped state, empowering Sword Mode attacks. Monster Hunter Rise extended the Amped state to both modes, encouraging switching between them.
The Switch Axe's morphing mechanics and explosive combat style make it a unique and dynamic weapon.
Insect Glaive
The Insect Glaive focuses on aerial combat, utilizing a Kinsect to collect essences that provide buffs. The Kinsect can be controlled freely or targeted with pheromone bullets.
The weapon's core gameplay involves collecting red, white, and orange essences for attack, mobility, and defense buffs. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne added the Descending Thrust finisher. Monster Hunter Rise simplified Kinsect upgrades and introduced new Kinsect types.
Collecting essences quickly is crucial for maximizing the weapon's potential.
Charge Blade
The Charge Blade, another transforming weapon, features Sword and Axe modes. Sword Mode charges phials, while Axe Mode unleashes the Amped Elemental Discharge. It's known for its versatility and powerful finishers.
Mastering Guard Points is essential for efficient phial charging. Understanding weapon transitions and monster behavior is crucial for maximizing its potential.
The Charge Blade is a complex but rewarding weapon, offering versatile offensive capabilities.
Will There Be More?
While Monster Hunter Wilds features fourteen weapons, many more exist in the franchise's history. The series' longevity suggests future iterations may introduce new weapons or revive older ones. The potential for continued expansion is exciting.
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