It's beenover two years since the launch of Monster Hunter World, the latest title inCapcom's long-running action-RPG series. Following the classic series' formula, Monster Hunter World has players take on increasingly dangerous beasts as they explore a strange foreign land.
Given that they're often tangling with monsters the size of houses, no hunter is safe without a trusty weapon by their side. There are fourteen of these to choose from in Monster Hunter World, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.While some Monster Hunter weapons shine in co-op play and others are better solo, in this list we're averaging out thesemodes to determinea base ranking for each weapon. Without further ado, here's our completeMonster Hunter World weapons tier list.
Updated April 24th, 2021 by John Higgs:With Monster Hunter Rise still a year away for PC players, and no next-gen console release in sight, Monster Hunter World retains much of the series' fanbase. Although it doesn't look as if thetitle will be receiving any more content, the official Monster Hunter World board game has been cleaning up on Kickstarter.
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S-TierMonster Hunter World Weapons
Great Sword:Combining the highest per-hit damage inthe game with great range and frequent staggers securesMonster Hunter World'sGreatsworda spot in S-Tier of the MHW weapon tier list. These advantages, plus its very low Sharpness consumption, are more than enough to offset its poor mobility and slow attack speed.The most powerfulGreatsword inMonster Hunter Worldis currently the Black Fatalis Blade, which more than compensates for its -30% affinity penalty with an incredible 1632 attack rating.
Heavy Bowgun:The Heavy Bowgun is the artillery cannon of Monster Hunter World, dishing out high damage from long range. While this comes at the cost ofheavily reduced mobility, the Heavy Bowgun's selection of different ammunition-types gives it surprising versatility. The most powerful Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter World is currently the Vor Buster, a Master Rank weapon with incredibly high stats and huge clipsof the all-important Pierce and Spread Ammo-types.
Bow:The Bow is one of the most reliable ranged weapons in Monster Hunter World, offering unlimited ammo, sustained DPS, and high mobility. Arrows fired from the Bow are at their most powerful when charged,and can use special coatings for a variety of different debuffs and damage boosts.The most powerfulBow inMonster Hunter Worldis currently theKjarr Bow King, a special weapon that can only be obtained through the Fury of El Dorado Siege Event quest, or Awakening Alchemy.
A-TierMonster Hunter World Weapons
Dual Blades:The Dual-Blades havethe potential to be thehighest DPS in Monster Hunter World. Their Demon and Archdemon special modes allow them to chain lengthy combos without having to worry about counters. They also come with a special Dash Dodge with has more invincibility-frames than the regular dodge.The most powerful Dual Blades inMonster Hunter Worldare currently theKulve Taroth Dual Blades, these blades come in many different elemental-configurations and are obtained in the same way as the Kjarr Bow.
Hammer:While the Hammer can take a little practice to master, its combination of high raw attack power and crushing Charged attacks make it adeadlyweaponin the right hands. The Hammer doubles down on aggressiveness, with the ability to knock out monsters and apply exhaust. However, this does come at the cost of no guarding or evasive moves.The most powerful Hammer inMonster Hunter Worldat the time of of our MHW Iceborne weapon tier list is theFatalis Demolisher, which has the highest raw attack of all Hammers.
Switch Axe:While certainly one of the mostcomplicated weapons to use in Monster Hunter World, the Switch Axe can provide incredible versatility in skilled hands. The weapon switches betweenan Axe form for increased reach and mobility, and a Sword form for extra damage and precision. Each mode is capable of combo-ing into the other, though the most powerful attacks have long recovery times.The most powerfulSwitch Axe inMonster Hunter Worldis currently theTrue Fatalis End, which combines high Dragon Damage and top-tier Purple Sharpness.
Long Sword:The Long Sword is well-rounded melee option, combining solid damage, attack speed, and mobility. One of the weapon's biggest advantages is its long reach, which is unsurprising given the name. While players will have to be careful using its wide sweeps around teammates, the Long Sword is a great middle-ground between the Greatsword and faster, less-damaging weaponry.The most powerfulLong Sword inMonster Hunter Worldis currently theFatalis Zaggespanon, a deadly weapon with a high Elder Seal that allows it to delay Elder Dragon special abilities.
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B-TierMonster Hunter World Weapons
Insect Glaive:One of the most unique weapons in Monster Hunter World, the Insect Glaive gives its user the ability to control a Kinsect pet. The Kinsect can be dispatched to extract buffing Essence from monsters, before returning to its master. The Insect Glaive is also the most mobile weapon in the game, allowing unprecedented movement and mounting opportunities. However, this all comes at the cost of a relatively low attack power.The most powerful Insect Glaive inMonster Hunter Worldis currently theTrue Fatalis Dyaus, which combines a high base attack of 1101 with a Spirit and Strength Kinsect Bonus.
Light Bowgun:As players might guess from the name, the Light Bowgun is a cousin of the Heavy Bowgun that trades reduced damage for increased mobility. Unfortunately for the Light Bowgun, the Heavy gets the better end of the bargain, with its additional ammo-types and much-higher damage being more than worth the reduced mobility. Nevertheless, the Light Bowgun remains a solid choice against many of Monster Hunter's faster monsters.The most powerful Light Bowgun inMonster Hunter Worldis currently the Fatalis Depth, a Master Rank weapon with the Wyvernblast special feature and a focus on Pierce Ammo.
Charge Blade:Another weapon capable of switching between Axe and Sword forms is the Charge Blade. In this case however, the Sword Form comes with a shield, allowing for a greater level of defense. While this may seemto give it an advantage over the Switch Axe, the Charge Blade's Axe form has extremely low mobility, and its moves are even more complicated to master.The most powerfulCharge Blade inMonster Hunter Worldis currently a tie between the Kjarr Strongarm set and the True Fatalis Charger,depending on whether players prefer Elemental or Impact Phials.
Gunlance:While the Gunlance comes with penalties to dodging and mobility, it counters them with a great balance of reach, defense, and special damage. The Gunlance's unique trick is its ability to fire various kinds of explosive shells. Its ultimate move is Monster Hunter World's new Wyrmstake Cannon, a single-shot that deals massive damage.The most powerfulGunlance inMonster Hunter Worldis currently the True Fatalis Gunlance, a beast of a weapon that combines Level 7 Normal shelling with 897 base attack, and purple Sharpness.
C-TierMonster Hunter World Weapons
Sword and Shield:While Monster Hunter World's Sword and Shield brings a versatile combination of sever and blunt damage, it's not without its down-sides. The reach of this weapon is one of the shortest in the game, requiring players to manage their spacing perfectly in order to get good hits in. On top of this, the Sword and Shield requires frequent Sharpening, particularly after a lot of Sword attacks.The most powerfulSword and Shield inMonster Hunter Worldis currently theTrue Fatalis Sword, a great all-rounder weapon that can take on any kind of monster.
Hunting Horn:While the HuntingHorn can be very effective in a larger team, its lackluster performance in duo and solo play condemns it to C-Tier in this case. The Horn allows the player to provide powerful buffs, but as a blunt weapon it attacks slowly and doesn't hit hard.The most powerfulHunting Horn inMonster Hunter Worldis currently theFatalis Menace Wailer, which combines Purple, Red, and Orange notes into a variety of powerful songs.
Lance:The Lance is a defensive weapon with a long reach that suffers from its lack of attack power, relegating it to the lowest rank on our Monster Hunter weapon tier list. While the shield and blocking abilities it provides are great for protection, they come with penalties to movement speed and evasion, as well as a high skill-cap.The most powerfulLanceinMonster Hunter Worldis currently the True Fatalis Lance, which boasts stats so high that they can even be effective against monsters resistant to Dragon damage.
Following balance improvements released withMonster Hunter World's Iceborne expansion, there are no truly bad weapons in the game. Ultimately, each player will have a slightly different experience, and the most important thing is picking a weapon that feels right.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborneis available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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