Weapon Guide: Introduction to Weapons (Part 1)

Hi guys, today I shall touch on one of the most frequently asked questions by new players when playing Monster Hunter Online, "Which weapon should I go for?"

One of the key features of Monster Hunter Online is the wide variety of weapons available for players to use for hunts. It is definitely possible for players to use all types of weapons. However, due to the high cost of crafting/upgrading weapons and the limited amount of ways to earn silvers and gold , it is rather difficult for new players to possess different types of end-game tier weapons in a short amount of time. I would strongly recommend new players to find a suitable type of weapon and get it to end-game tier before switching to other weapons. Below, I will touch on 5 of the 10 weapons and the rest on the next part.

1. Sword and Shield (SnS)

Pros : SnS is one of the two weapons that has the fastest attack speed (the other one being Dual Sword). SnS is able to disengage and engage the monsters perfectly which makes it able to strike the monsters when there is open opportunity and avoid the monsters' attack agilely. The shield is able to block monsters' incoming roar and wind pressure (with precise timing) preventing you entering knock back status which makes you vulnerable to monsters' attack. SnS works best with elemental attribute and status attribute since it can dish out many hits in a given amount of time as compared to other slow weapon. 

Cons : There is a need to craft many different types of elemental/status SnS (to counter corresponding monsters) which can pose a problem to new players. In addition, due to a nerf in SnS move set previously, SnS is unable to dish out constant damage to the monsters as compared to its Dual Sword counterpart. Great Sword, Lance and Gun Lance are also able to block like SnS does and can even block better than SnS. 

Conclusion : SnS users have seen a sharp decline in hunts. I would recommend new players who likes fast paced weapons to go for Dual Sword while players who likes weapons with blocking mechanism to go for Great Sword, Lance or Gun Lance. 

2. Dual Sword (DS)

Pros : DS has the fastest attack speed among all the weapons (fast in normal attacks and extremely fast in Demon Mode). DS has high mobility and is able to disengage and engage monsters well. In addition, DS evading strike (Space Bar only when Demon Gauge has been locked before otherwise Space Bar would be a normal tumble) has higher I-Frame compared to normal tumble which makes it able to dodge attacks when time perfectly (according to my personal experience). Works great with elemental/status attribute like SnS.

Cons : There is a need to craft many different types of elemental/status DS which may pose a problem to new players. Another setback DS has is that its move set has long animations which means that players are vulnerable to monsters attack during that period of time. Players have to be familiar with the monsters attack pattern and find the perfect opportunity to dish out combos otherwise they will be severely punished from the monsters' counterattacks.

Conclusion : DS suits players who prefers fast attack speed weapons and able to dish out different move sets. DS is more on a full offensive play style compared to the SnS.

3. Long Sword a.k.a Taichi (LS)

Pros : LS has relatively fast attack speed with good move sets to evade and strike at the same time. LS is much more easier in tackling monsters' tail compared to SnS and DS (short length). LS is a more versatile weapon whereby it is okay to go for elemental/status attribute LS or even raw damage LS. Also the relatively long attack range allows you to be able to have more room to react to monsters attack and dodge them accordingly. 

Cons: LS, in my opinion, is more like a jack of all trades, master of none weapon. For example, in terms of dealing elemental/status attribute, SnS and DS will definitely outshine LS. In terms of dealing raw damage output, Great Sword, Hammer, Bowgun, Bow, Gun Lance, Lance, can do better damage output. 

Conclusion : Despite LS being master of none, Tencent has always been buffing LS to be on par with other weapons in terms of damage output and implement better move sets combo for LS. In addition, LS is a easy weapon to master and suits new players excellently.

4. Great Sword (GS)

Pros : GS has one of the highest damage per hit (with full charge) among all weapons which can easily flinch monsters to disrupt their deadly attacks. In addition, GS can break monsters part easily due to the high damage dealt. GS has the ability to blocks certain attacks which allows players to focus more on counterattacks rather than spending time in dodging the attacks. Also, players only need to focus on high raw damage for GS which can be cost saving compared to other fast weapons such as SnS, DS, LS.

Cons : GS is a very slow weapon and the mobility of the users are very low. Thus, when facing fast monsters, players will face difficulties landing full charge attack (unable to move when charging) on monsters. Elemental/Status attribute does not work well in GS. High level of mastery and knowledge of monsters' attack pattern is required to use GS. In addition, since charge attacks deal the most damage output, other move sets are often not used which may become mundane for some who likes to dish out different types of move sets.

Conclusion : GS is recommended for players who likes high damage and are not afraid of the mundane skill sets. Also recommended for players who prefers offensive play styles.

5. Hammer

Pros : One of the key features of Hammer is that it is able to land monsters into KO status when focusing hits on monsters' head. It is extremely crucial against fast monsters as the monsters can be focused fired during KO status. Also, Hammer is able to charge attacks while walking (consume stamina) unlike GS. Hammer can break monsters' parts easily which can be effective against monsters such as Akura Vashimu. Raw damage Hammer is often used which means that it is cheaper to craft compared to SnS, DS, LS.

Cons : Hammer is unable to cut tails unlike the cut type weapons as they are classified as impact type weapons. Mobility of Hammer is relatively slow and some move sets have high animation which makes players vulnerable to monsters' attacks. Hammer's short range also means that players have to get very close to monsters in order to damage them which has higher chance of getting hit compared to longer range melee weapons.

Conclusion : Hammer is a great weapon to have in hunts as it can land monsters into KO status to create more free space to damage monsters. Also, breaking parts easily allows players to collect the materials more efficiently. Hammer is economically good for new players as players can focus on only upgrading a single high raw damage hammer rather than having to craft different types of hammers.

That's all for now! Stay tuned to Part 2 for the remaining weapons! Happy Hunting!