Tools Of The Hunt – Monster Hunter Rise Weapon Guide Part 1

Weapons! Weapons!! WEAPONS!!! This guide will be your one-stop shop for all the info you need on weapons. In Monster Hunter Rise, if you’re going to make it as a hunter you need to at least be versatile with your weapons. In this guide, I’ll be giving you the lowdown on which weapons are basic. The next guide will go over “Gunner” weapons of which are three: the light bow gun, heavy bow gun, and my personal favorite, the bow. I know, I know. Who uses a bow when you can have a bow gun? But keep in mind that not every weapon will fit your playstyle and it’s best to know their individual weaknesses and strengths. So, let’s get to it!

Basic Weapons

Let’s start off with some simple weapons that aren’t too difficult to master and understand.

  • Sword and Shield

The sword and shield is a good basic weapon to start off for anyone. It’s not the most popular but can be versatile in helping agro monsters if you’re working in a team. It’s considered a dps because of the combos it can do. Best part is that you can take a hit from a monster and you don’t have to dip and duck like a dual blader. Another fun fact is that you don’t have to sheathe your weapon to use items.

  • Pros:
    • A good balance of defense and offense.
    • The maneuverability with this weapon is easy and is closely similar to the dual blades.
    • Great for taking hits from large and small monsters, but combined with the power guard you’re unstoppable. Just watch your stamina.
  • Cons
    • Not that high a damage output. You get the most bang out of your buck if you can finish your combos.
    • Because it’s a short sword, your reach is not that great. You have to get close to land your hits.
    • Your combos can get interrupted and can make you easily susceptible to damage if you’re not careful.
  • Dual Blades 

If you like hitting and running, then this is the class for you. A dual blader has speed and is a true damage-dealer. With its maneuverability, you can move pretty fast and it makes it easy to dodge any attack that comes your way. With that said, Demon Mode is the next level in this weapon set.

  • The Hammer

It’s hammer time! Now, if you’re looking for pure power in your arsenal, then look no further than the hammer weapons of Monster Hunter Rise. The hammer is a powerful weapon when it comes to dealing raw damage. It’s not widely used but it’s great when you’re looking for something that will shave off a monster’s health bar quickly.

  • Pros:
    • Powerful, can oftentimes take out small monsters out in one hit.
    • Well-placed strikes with this weapon can stun monsters, especially when hit on the head. 
    • Has nice mobility for a charge weapon.
  • Cons
    • Just like the sword and shield, this weapon has a short reach so you will need to get close to monsters.
    • Weapon attacks can be slow, so timing your attacks is essential.
    • This weapon is a blunt damage weapon, so it has no cutting capabilities unlike the other weapons.
  • Hunting Horn

Like to dance to the beat of your own…uh, horn? Yeah, never mind. The metaphor doesn’t work here anyway. Dang it. The hunting horn is great if you want to be a team player. It’s a great weapon for working in teams, especially if you want to sit back and play the game’s healer and buffer. It’s also a fairly good damage-dealer, maybe not as strong as the hammer but still good enough. So, if you just like instruments, or just like playing support, then this is the weapon for you.

  • Pros:
    • Buffs galore. Gives you three buffs depending upon the weapon which you can use in combat.
    • Allows you to buff teammates while you’re fighting a monster.
    • Has great combos.
    • Can also stun monsters.
  • Cons
    • One word: slow. The weapon is pretty slow, so you have to plan your attacks.
    • Because it’s slow, timing your attacks is essential.
    • The combos will leave you vulnerable for attacks if you’re not careful.
  • Lance

If you’re trying to look like Sir Lancelot while hunting monsters, then take a look at the lance weapon set. This weapon has an impressive reach and also has a good defense. If taking your time to attack a monster from a good distance away appeals to you, this weapon could be more suited to your playstyle.

  • Pros:
    • Has a long reach. 
    • Its defense is probably better than all the other shielded weapons in the game.
    • Can counterattack monsters easily.
  • Cons
    • Combos tend to be mundane and can get dry poking monsters to death.
    • Low maneuverability. Movement with this weapon set can be hindering. Weapon set is definitely not a hit and run type.
    • Damage output can be low if you’re not constantly attacking the monster.
  • Gunlance

Want more bang for your buck? Get the gunlance. I think of the gunlance as an upgraded version of the lance. It has more options and you can also use different types of shells which can be quite useful.

  • Pros:
    • Has a higher damage output than the lance.
    • Defense is just as high as the lance.
    • Both attack types can be buffed up, whether it’s the lance itself or the shells.
    • Has longer range than the lance because of the cannon.
  • Cons
    • Slow and tanky just like the lance.
    • Drains your resources when it comes to sharpening and reloading.
    • Missing a combo puts you in a bad spot and it’s hard to break the combo once you start. Can make you more susceptible to all sorts of attacks.
  • Great Sword

When I think of the great sword, I think of Cloud from Final Fantasy. With this weapon, not only will you look cool but you’ll also be a heavy hitter. This weapon set can put out high damage and still do some hitting and running. This weapon is easy to learn and master, so anybody from any playstyle can easily equip this weapon set and play.

  • Pros:
    • Easier to learn than other weapons.
    • Puts out high damage from even a single hit.
  • Cons
    • Bad mobility.
    • Certain attacks will leave you wide open.
    • Requires a good amount of charging for heavy damage attacks.
  • Long Sword

This katana-like sword is full of possibilities when it comes to gameplay. The weapon provides a good amount of damage and a way to move out of monster attacks.

  • Pros:
    • Longer reach.
    • Can cut the tails off monsters easier than other weapons.
    • Attacks can be powerful with the use of the spirit gauge.
  • Cons
    • Needs to utilize the spirit gauge a lot to be an effective damage-dealer.
    • To utilize combos effectively, you need to know monster attack patterns.
  • Insect Glaive

If you like twirling around while causing a great deal of damage, then the insect glaive is the weapon for you. The insect glaive is a versatile weapon and is self-sustaining. With the glaive, you can send it out to attack monsters and retrieve it to get back buffs for attack, defense, or speed. So attaching these buffs are important in making the most use out of this weapon set.

  • Pros:
    • Arial combat at its finest.
    • Good versatility.
    • Can become a self-buffing machine.
    • Allows for cool builds.
  • Cons
    • Arial attacks leaves you vulnerable.
    • Hard to learn how to control kinsect.
    • Need to aim carefully when sending in the kinsect to get buffs.

Conclusion

So many weapons to choose from with each having its own value depending on your playstyle. The next guide will finish up with the rest of the weapons in the game, including my favorite weapon set, the bow. What weapon do you think you like the most in this guide? Let us know!

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