This is a guide about the best skills for Hammers. Read on to know which skills to look out for when making a Hammer build and why.

Offensive Skills

Critical Eye, Critical Boost, Weakness Exploit

Hammers in general boast incredibly high base damages. It is recommended that hunters take advantage of this by using these Affinity Skills for a gigantic boost in overall damage.

Weakness Exploit is particularly effective with Hammers as two of the charged Hammer attacks can link to a Clutch Claw attack combo. This makes the Hammer one of the best weapons for tenderizing a monster's hide.

Agitator

The introduction of the Clutch Claw made the Agitator Skill a community staple when making builds. When active, Agitator grants hunters +20 attack and affinity by 10% at level five. (Level six and seven are unlocked via the Agitator Secret Skill.)

The Clutch Claw, specifically its Flinch Shot Attack, gave hunters the ability to enrage the monster whenever the opportunity presents itself. This gave hunters a way to maintain their Agitator's up-time.

Slugger

Even though they lack cutting damage for tails, Hammers are efficient knock-out weapons!

The Slugger Skill will take this efficiency to a whole new level by increasing Stun Power by 40% at level three and a whopping 60% at level five. Level four and five are unlocked via the Slugger Secret skill.

Partbreaker

Hammers are generally limited by their short range. The areas it can reach (especially when its the monster's head), however, will be subjected to insane amounts of damage due to its ability to perform quick Clutch Claw attacks and precise Hammer swings.

Partbreaker is an excellent skill to pair with the Hammer as it boosts Part Damage by 30% at level three.

Partbreaker's damage increase does NOT reflect in floating damage numbers.

Attack Up

Hunters that go all-out on damage may find themselves in situations where they use all of the skills above and still have vacant slots. Attack Up is definitely a great addition in this case!

Defensive Skills

Divine Blessing

Divine Blessing is an amazing defensive skill for weapons that cannot block. When activated, Hunters will receive 50% less damage at level three from the attack that triggered it.

Level four and five are unlocked via the Divine Blessing Secret and will increase the damage reduction by 60% as well as a higher chance of activation.

Evade Extender

Hammers benefit a lot from the Evasion Extender. This skill greatly increases the distance covered by dodge rolls at level three.

These are useful for not only dodging monster roars, but for relocating to better positions during a hunt as well.

Earplugs

Earplugs offer complete protection against monster roars at level five and ensures that hunters are uninterrupted mid-swing!

Health Boost

It never hurts to pump up one's HP! Vitality increases a hunter's Health by 50 at level three, making it a solid addition to any build - especially early on in the game.

Utility Skills

Mind's Eye/Ballistics

Most uncharged Hammer attacks can bounce of a monster's hide when thick enough. Hunters can use Mind's Eye/Ballistics to ensure that their Hammers keep on swinging no matter the target!

Handicraft

The majority of Hammers in Monster Hunter: World do not have their sharpness gauges maxed out. Handicraft increases a weapon's sharpness gauge by 50 at level five and is definitely a skill to consider when making a Hammer build.

Take note that Handicraft will NOT exceed a weapon's maximum sharpness.

Protective Polish

Protective Polish is a great skill to address sharpness issues as well because it applies a protective coating around the weapon after sharpening, ensuring that the hunter's Hammer does not lose sharpness for a set amount of time.

Related Monster Hunter World (MHW) Guides

All Skills

List of All Skills

Best Skills for Each Weapon

Recommendations for Other Weapons
Charge Blade	Dual Blades	Long Sword	Sword & Shield
Switch Axe	Insect Glaive	Hunting Horn	Great Sword
Lance	Gunlance	Hammer	Bow
Heavy Bowgun		Light Bowgun

Weapon Related Guides

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	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Great Sword for Each Element
	Best Great Sword for Iceborne
Long 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
Swords 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	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
Hammers	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hammer for Each Element
	Best Hammers for Iceborne
Hunting 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
Lances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Lance for Each Element
	Best Lance for Iceborne
Gunlances	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	Trees & Full List	How to Use
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	Best Switch Axe for Each Element
	Best Switch Axe for Iceborne
Charge 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	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Insect Glaive for Each Element
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Kinsects
Kinsects	Kinsect Tree and Complete Kinsect List	Best and Recommended Kinsects

Ranged Weapons
Bows	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Bow for Each Element
Light Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Light Bowgun for Each Element
Heavy Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Heavy Bowgun for Each Element