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

Offensive Skills

Critical Boost, Weakness Exploit

Most Hunting Horns have huge base damages to compensate for their slow and heavy attacks.

Affinity skills such as Critical Boost and Weakness Exploit are perfect for taking the Hunting Horn's overall damage to the next level.

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

The Hunting Horn excels at knocking monsters out with its high-impact swings and offensive melodies.

Slugger increases Knock-Out Power by 40% at level three, making it a welcome addition to any Hunting Horn build

Levels four and five are unlocked via the Slugger Secret Skill.

Defensive Skills

Divine Blessing

Hunting Horns are vulnerable when they channel their melodies.

Divine blessing, when activated, reduces 50% of the damage received at level three from the attack that triggered it. Levels four and five are unlocked via the Divine Blessing Secret Skill.

Health Boost

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

Earplugs

Hunting horns are vulnerable to monster roars while channeling their melodies. Hunters who find this an issue may consider adding the Earplugs Skill to their builds.

Earplugs offer complete protection from monster roars at level five.

Utility Skills

General Utility

Horn Maestro

The core of a Hunting Horn's playstyle revolves around maintaining the up-time of its various melodies.

Horn Maestro greatly increases the duration of melodies and increases the health recovery of healing melodies at level two.

Quick Sheath

Hunters who find the hunting horn's slow sheathing speed an issue may consider adding Quick Sheath to their builds.

Quick sheath greatly improves the sheathing speed of weapons at level three.

Supportive Utility

Wide-Range

Hunters who prefer a supportive role in groups may invest in Wide-Range.

Wide-Range allows the effect of specific items and potions to also affect nearby allies when consumed. The radius and efficacy of the items and potions consumed are maximized at level five.

It is important to note that Palicoes are also affected by Wide-Range's effects.

Speed Eating

Speed Eating greatly improves the use speed of consummables. This synergizes well with Wide-Range and is definitely recommended alongside it.

Free Meal

Supportive builds tend to put a heavy strain on a hunter's supplies. Free meal gives you a predetermined chance of using food and drink items without actually consuming them. The activation chances are 25% at level one, 50% at level two, and 75% at level three.

Levels two and three are unlocked via the Free Meal Secret Skill.

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

Melee Weapons
Great 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 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
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	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
	Best Insect Glaive for Iceborne

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