Monster Hunter World (MHW)

Weapon Types and List of Weapons

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MHW Weapon Types Guide
This is a guide about all the weapon types available in Monster Hunter World (MHW). Read on to see all the weapon types, a brief description about them, and links for more in-depth guides for each weapon.

All Weapon Lists by Type

List of Weapons by Type

Melee Weapons
Great Sword Icon.jpegGreat Swords Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Great Sword for Each Element
Best Great Sword for Iceborne
Long Sword Icon.jpegLong Swords Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Long Sword for Each Element
Best Long Sword for Iceborne
Sword & Shield Icon.jpegSwords and Shields Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Sword and Shield for Each Element
Best Sword and Shield for Iceborne
Dual Blades Icon.jpegDual Blades Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Dual Blades for Each Element
Best Dual Blades for Iceborne
Hammer Icon.jpegHammers Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Hammer for Each Element
Best Hammers for Iceborne
Hunting Horn Icon.jpegHunting Horns Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Hunting Horn for Each Element
Best Hunting Horn for Iceborne
Hunting Horn Notes and Effects
Lance Icon.jpegLances Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Lance for Each Element
Best Lance for Iceborne
Gunlance Icon.jpegGunlances Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Gunlance for Each Element
Best Gunlance for Iceborne
Switch Axe Icon.jpegSwitch Axe Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Switch Axe for Each Element
Best Switch Axe for Iceborne
Charge Blade Icon.jpegCharge Blade Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Charge Blade for Each Element
Best Charge Blades for Iceborne
Insect Glaive Icon.jpegInsect Glaive Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Insect Glaive for Each Element
Best Insect Glaive for Iceborne
Kinsects
Kinsect Icon.pngKinsects Kinsect Tree and Complete Kinsect List Best and Recommended Kinsects
Ranged Weapons
Bow Icon.jpegBows Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Bow for Each Element
Light Bowgun Icon.jpegLight Bowguns Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Light Bowgun for Each Element
Heavy Bowgun Icon.jpegHeavy Bowguns Trees & Full List How to Use
Overall Best List Best Skills
Layered Weapon Augments
Best Heavy Bowgun for Each Element

List of All Monster Weapons

Base Game Monsters

Great Jagras Icon.pngGreat Jagras Kulu-Ya-Ku Icon.pngKulu-Ya-Ku Pukei-Pukei Icon.pngPukei-Pukei
Barroth Icon.pngBarroth Jyuratodus Icon.pngJyuratodus Tobi-Kadachi Icon.pngTobi-Kadachi
Anjanath Icon.pngAnjanath Rathian Icon.pngRathian Tzitzi-Ya-Ku Icon.pngTzitzi-Ya-Ku
Paolumu Icon.pngPaolumu Great Girros Icon.pngGreat Girros Radobaan Icon.pngRadobaan
Legiana Icon.pngLegiana Odogaron Icon.pngOdogaron Rathalos Icon.pngRathalos
Diablos Icon.pngDiablos Kirin Icon.pngKirin Zorah Magdaros Icon.pngZorah Magdaros
Dodogama Icon.pngDodogama Pink Rathian Icon.pngPink Rathian Bazelgeuse Icon.pngBazelgeuse
Deviljho Icon.pngDeviljho Lavasioth Icon.pngLavasioth Uragaan Icon.pngUragaan
Azure Rathalos Icon.pngAzure Rathalos Black Diablos Icon.pngBlack Diablos Nergigante Icon.pngNergigante
Teostra Icon.pngTeostra Lunastra Icon.pngLunastra Kushala Daora Icon.pngKushala Daora
Vaal Hazak Icon.pngVaal Hazak Kulve Taroth Icon.pngKulve Taroth XenoXeno'jiiva

Iceborne Monsters

Beotodus.pngBeotodus Banbaro.pngBanbaro Viper Tobi-Kadachi.pngViper Tobi-Kadachi
Nightshade Paolumu.pngNightshade Paolumu Coral Pukei-Pukei.pngCoral Pukei-Pukei Barioth.pngBarioth
Nargacuga.pngNargacuga Glavenus.pngGlavenus Tigrex.pngTigrex
Brachydios.pngBrachydios Shrieking Legiana.pngShrieking Legiana Fulgur Anjanath.pngFulgur Anjanath
Acidic Glavenus.pngAcidic Glavenus Ebony Odogaron.pngEbony Odogaron Velkhana.pngVelkhana
Seething Bazelgeuse.pngSeething Bazelgeuse Blackveil Vaal Hazak.pngBlackveil Vaal Hazak Namielle.pngNamielle
Savage Deviljho.pngSavage Deviljho Ruiner Nergigante.pngRuiner Nergigante Shara Ishvalda.pngShara Ishvalda
Zinogre.pngZinogre Yian Garuga.pngYian Garuga Gold Rathian.pngGold Rathian
Silver Rathalos.pngSilver Rathalos Rajang.pngRajang Stygian Zinogre.pngStygian Zinogre
SafiSafi'jiiva Furious Rajang.pngFurious Rajang Raging Brachydios.pngRaging Brachydios
Frostfang Barioth.pngFrostfang Barioth Alatreon.pngAlatreon Fatalis.pngFatalis

Collaboration Monsters

Behemoth.pngBehemoth Leshen.pngLeshen Ancient Leshen.pngAncient Leshen

List of All Monster Weapons

Weapon Types

Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons are weapons that rely on getting upfront with monsters. They rely on blocking and mobility to stay in the heat of fights.

Great Sword Long Sword Sword and Shield
Dual Blades Hammers Hunting Horn
Lance Gunlance Switch Axe
Charge Blade Insect Glaive -

Click the link to immediately jump to that weapon's section.

Great Sword

Great Sword
Great Swords are the heaviest and most hard-hitting blades in the game. They offer high destructive power at the cost of slow attacks. Due to this nature, Great Swords are not meant for weaving in and out of fights and instead, focuses on single hard hits while blocking and dodging monster attacks.

For a list of all available Great Swords in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Great Sword List

Long Sword

Long Sword
Another huge bladed weapon. The Long Sword retains its mobility in exchange for lower firepower. While it may have lower damaging attacks than the Great Sword, it can instead, unleash a flurry of high damaging attacks which is coupled by the mobility that allows them to damage monsters while staying relatively safe from a distance.

For a list of all available Long Swords in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Long Sword List

Sword and Shield

Sword And Shield
A small sword weapon that lacks firepower compared to the bigger swords and lacks the attack speed than it's twin blades counterpart. It also lacks the ability to block strong monster attacks due to its small shield. What makes the Sword and Shield special, however, is its high mobility and its ability to use items while unsheathed. It's mobility, item usage, and defensive capabilities makes it an extremely safe weapon for beginners and a lethal weapon for masters.

For a list of all available Sword and Shields in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Sword & Shield List

Dual Blades

Dual Blades
The dual blades sacrifice defense and hard hits for a flurry of small hits. Dual Blades users can also demonize to increase their damage output and lengthen their combos further. Dual Blades are also capable of maximizing the effects of elemental attacks making them great against monsters with weaknesses to certain elements.

For a list of all available Dual Blades in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Dual Blade List

Hammer

Hammer
The big bad blunt weapon. The hammer is capable of several feats that are exclusive to blunt weapons like smacking monsters head which can stun them. Despite being a big weapon, the hammer is capable of swift strikes and it can also charge up its attacks while moving. To add to its advantages, it also has the best sliding attack in the game which can make some flashy kills in the hands of a master.

For a list of all available Hammers in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Hammer List

Hunting Horn

Hunting Horn
The cute big guy from the blunt weapon family. It sacrifices the majority of its offensive capabilities and flashy attacks in exchange for the ability to create melodies in battle. These melodies are then used to provide several effects in the field like buffing your allies and providing resistances. One of the go-to weapons for the hunters that want to aid others instead of taking the glory for themselves.

For a list of all available Hammers in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Hunting Horn List

Lance

Lance
The ultimate tank weapon available. The Lance is a heavy weapon that is partnered with a heavy shield. This makes the lance incredibly slow. It also has no moves that stand out in particular. That, however, is the lance's best trait. It's incredibly simple to use and it allows the hunter to stand their ground and hit the enemy without backing off. The Lance can attack while shielding making it the best weapon for turtling strategies.

For a list of all available Lances in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Lance List

Gunlance

Gunlance
The cool Lance. In exchange for some mobility skills, the Gunlance obtained some gunpowder to couple its attacks. It is now capable of firing shells with varying effects (depending on the Gunlance equipped) after attacking. This makes the Gunlance more offence oriented than the Lance. it can also use Wyvern Fire which makes it charge for several seconds to unleash a strong blast that can severely damage monsters.

For a list of all available Gunlances in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Gunlance List

Switch Axe

Switch Axe
An Axe that is also a Sword. The Switch axe is a versatile weapon that allows it to change its form to aid the hunter in various scenarios. The axe is equipped with stronger firepower and a farther reach while the sword is capable of unleashing a flurry of attacks.

For a list of all available Switch Axes in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Switch Axe List

Charge Blade

Charge Blade
Similar to the Switch Axe, the Charge Blade also switches its form between an axe mode and a sword mode. Its sword form is much more mobile than its counterpart axe form but the axe form is again, capable of more damaging attacks. The Charge Blade also has a vial that can be charged up in sword form so it can unleash a devastating attack while in axe form.

For a list of all available Chage Blades in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Charge Blade List

Insect Glaive

Insect Glaive
The latest addition to all the weapons in Monster Hunter. The Insect Glaive is, as the name suggests, a glaive that has a commandable kinsect to do your bidding. The kinsect can attack monsters to drain monster extracts which can be used to improve your abilities. Kinsects can be upgraded in the smithy.

For a list of all available Insect Glaives in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Insect Glaive List

Ranged Weapons

Ranged Weapons are weapons for hunters that wants to stay in the distance while still raining fire. They are also capable of multiple ways to support allies, making them good for both hunters that wants to play aggressive and hunters that wants to focus on supportive roles.

Light Bowguns Heavy Bowguns Bow

Click the link to immediately jump to that weapon's section.

Light Bowguns

light bowgun
Light Bowguns use ammunitions to modify their attacks. They are lighter (hence the name) than Heavy Bowguns, this makes them more mobile and faster than their heavy counterparts. Light bowguns also offers less damage than heavy ones so they become more geared towards providing support to other hunters.

For a list of all available Light Bowguns in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Light Bowgun List

Heavy Bowguns

Heavy Bowgun
The big gun of Monster Hunter (literally). The Heavy Bowguns offers more ammo capacity and firepower than the light bowgun. In exchange, however, they suffer from less mobility and this can make them unsafe to use. Due to being larger, it also has a lower recoil than the light bowgun making its attacks hit more consistently.

For a list of all available Heavy Bowguns in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Heavy Bowgun List

Bow

Bow
The most mobile ranged weapons. Instead of using shells, bows use phials that are used to coat your arrows to provide special effects. This ranges from increased firepower to adding status ailments to your attacks. Capable of using melee attacks to fend off monsters while also being able to use several coating to change the tide of battle, the bow is a great weapon for solo hunters as well as hunters that want to provide support to their team.

For a list of all available Bows in Monster Hunter World, see the link below.
Bow List

Siege Weapons

Siege weapons are special sets of weapons hunters can acquire from two limited-time hunts: The Kulve Taroth Siege and The Safi'Jiva Siege.

Kulve Taroth Weapons

Kulve Taroth Weapons are obtained by participating in the Kulve Taroth Siege, a limited-time siege event which hunters can participate in the Gathering Hubs of Seliana and Astera whenever it is available.

Kulve Taroth Weapons are considered the best elemental and ailment weapons in the game.

See the link below for more information:
Kulve Taroth Weapons

Safi'jiiva Weapons

Safi'jiiva Weapons are obtained by participating in The Safi'jiiva Siege, a limited-time siege event introduced in the Iceborne expansion.

Safi'jiiva Weapons are known for their high attack power and versatility.

See the link below for more information:
Safi'jiiva Weapons

Monster Hunter World (MHW) Related Guides

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