Monster Hunter World Iceborne: Best Weapons Guide

Hey guys! So you're diving into Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, and you're probably wondering, "What are the best weapons to crush these frosty monsters?" Well, you've come to the right place! This guide will walk you through some top-tier weapon choices in Iceborne, giving you the lowdown on what makes them awesome and how to use them effectively. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or a newbie, there's something here for everyone. So, grab your warmest gear, sharpen your blades, and let's get started!

Great Sword: The King of Raw Damage

Alright, let's kick things off with the Great Sword. This bad boy is all about raw power. If you love dishing out massive damage with a single, well-timed hit, the Great Sword is your go-to. It's slow, yeah, but when you land a True Charged Slash, oh man, it's pure satisfaction. The Iceborne expansion made the Great Sword even better with new moves and combos that enhance its damage potential and mobility. One of the key strategies with the Great Sword is learning monster attack patterns. Since you're not the fastest weapon user, you need to predict when the monster will be vulnerable. This often involves positioning yourself carefully and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Tackling through monster roars and attacks is also a crucial skill. The tackle allows you to absorb hits and reposition, making you less vulnerable during your slow attack animations.

Another critical aspect of mastering the Great Sword is understanding the charge mechanic. Each level of charge increases the damage of your attacks, so learning to time your charges correctly is essential. The Iceborne expansion introduced the Claw Attack which lets you grapple onto monsters, softening their armor and creating openings for your devastating blows. Experiment with different armor skills to maximize your Great Sword potential. Focus is a must-have skill that speeds up charge times, while Critical Draw can make your draw attacks incredibly potent. Agitator is another excellent choice, boosting your attack power when the monster is enraged. For decorations, prioritize skills that enhance your damage output, such as Critical Eye, Attack Boost, and Weakness Exploit. These skills, combined with the right armor set, can turn your Great Sword into a monster-slaying machine. Don't forget to use items like Mega Demondrug and Might Seed to further amplify your attack power. These consumables can provide significant boosts, especially when facing tougher monsters.

Remember, the Great Sword isn't just about brute force. It's about precision, timing, and understanding the monster's behavior. Once you master these elements, you'll be able to dominate the Iceborne landscape with this iconic weapon. So, practice your charges, learn the monster patterns, and get ready to unleash some serious damage!

Long Sword: The Stylish Counter Master

Next up, we have the Long Sword. This weapon is all about style and precision. If you like fluid combos, quick counters, and building up your Spirit Gauge for flashy attacks, then the Long Sword is definitely worth checking out. Iceborne gave the Long Sword some amazing new tools, making it even more versatile and powerful. The Foresight Slash is your bread and butter. It's a counter move that allows you to evade an attack and, if timed correctly, continue your combo and build your Spirit Gauge. Mastering the Foresight Slash is key to becoming a Long Sword pro. Not only does it provide excellent defense, but it also allows you to maintain constant pressure on the monster. The Spirit Gauge is another crucial element of the Long Sword. As you land attacks, your Spirit Gauge fills up, allowing you to perform Spirit Blade combos. These combos are not only stylish but also deal significant damage.

Once your Spirit Gauge is full, you can unleash the Spirit Roundslash, which upgrades your Spirit Gauge level. The goal is to reach the red level, which provides the highest damage output. Iceborne also introduced the Iai Slash and Special Sheath moves, adding even more depth to the Long Sword's gameplay. The Iai Slash is a quick draw attack that can be charged for increased damage, while the Special Sheath allows you to quickly sheathe your weapon and prepare for a counter or follow-up attack. These new moves require precise timing and positioning, but they can be incredibly rewarding when executed correctly. For armor skills, prioritize skills that enhance your damage and survivability. Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost are essential for maximizing your damage output. Evade Window and Evade Extender can make your Foresight Slashes even more effective, giving you more leeway in timing your counters. Focus can also be useful for speeding up the charge time of your Iai Slash.

For decorations, focus on skills that complement your playstyle. If you prefer a more aggressive approach, prioritize damage-boosting skills. If you prefer a more defensive approach, prioritize skills that enhance your evasion and survivability. The Long Sword is a versatile weapon that can be adapted to a variety of playstyles, so experiment with different armor skills and decorations to find what works best for you. Remember, the Long Sword is all about mastering the art of the counter. Practice your Foresight Slashes, learn the monster's attack patterns, and get ready to unleash some stylish and devastating combos. With the right skills and practice, you'll be able to dominate the Iceborne landscape with this elegant weapon.

Sword & Shield: The Versatile All-Rounder

Let's talk about the Sword & Shield, or SnS as it’s often called. This weapon is the ultimate all-rounder. It's got decent damage, great mobility, and the ability to use items without sheathing. Iceborne gave the SnS some awesome new tricks, making it even more versatile and effective. One of the key features of the SnS is its ability to quickly apply elemental damage and status effects. Its fast attack speed allows you to proc these effects frequently, making it an excellent choice for dealing with monsters that are weak to specific elements or susceptible to status ailments like poison or paralysis. The Perfect Rush is one of the SnS's signature moves in Iceborne. It's a powerful combo that deals significant damage if executed correctly. Mastering the timing of the Perfect Rush is essential for maximizing your damage output with the SnS. The Falling Bash is another useful move that allows you to deal impact damage, potentially stunning monsters.

This is especially useful against monsters that are resistant to elemental damage. Iceborne also introduced the ability to use the Clutch Claw directly from certain attacks, allowing you to quickly grapple onto monsters and soften their armor. For armor skills, prioritize skills that enhance your damage, elemental damage, and survivability. Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost are essential for maximizing your damage output. Elemental Attack Up is crucial for boosting your elemental damage. Earplugs can also be useful, as it allows you to continue attacking uninterrupted during monster roars. For decorations, focus on skills that complement your playstyle. If you prefer a more aggressive approach, prioritize damage-boosting skills. If you prefer a more defensive approach, prioritize skills that enhance your evasion and survivability. The SnS is a versatile weapon that can be adapted to a variety of playstyles, so experiment with different armor skills and decorations to find what works best for you.

Another key advantage of the SnS is its mobility. You can quickly dodge attacks and reposition yourself, making it a great choice for beginners who are still learning monster attack patterns. The ability to use items without sheathing is also a huge advantage, allowing you to heal, buff, or apply status effects without interrupting your attack flow. The SnS may not have the highest damage output, but its versatility and ease of use make it a popular choice among hunters of all skill levels. With the right skills and practice, you'll be able to take down even the toughest monsters in Iceborne with this reliable weapon.

Hammer: The Stun Locking King

Alright, let's smash things up with the Hammer! This weapon is all about delivering devastating blows to the head and stunning monsters into submission. If you love dishing out massive impact damage and watching monsters crumble before you, the Hammer is your weapon of choice. Iceborne enhanced the Hammer's capabilities with new moves and combos, making it even more effective at disrupting and controlling monsters. The Hammer excels at dealing impact damage, which builds up a stun threshold on the monster's head. Once the threshold is reached, the monster will be stunned, giving you a free opening to unleash even more damage. The Big Bang Combo is one of the Hammer's signature moves, delivering a series of powerful blows that culminate in a massive final hit. Mastering the timing of the Big Bang Combo is essential for maximizing your stun potential.

Iceborne also introduced the Claw Attack from charged attacks, allowing you to grapple onto monsters and soften their armor while keeping up the pressure. For armor skills, prioritize skills that enhance your damage, impact damage, and survivability. Slugger is a must-have skill for Hammer users, as it increases the rate at which you build up the stun threshold. Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost are essential for maximizing your damage output. Focus can also be useful for speeding up your charge times, allowing you to unleash your attacks more frequently. For decorations, focus on skills that complement your playstyle. If you prefer a more aggressive approach, prioritize damage-boosting skills and skills that enhance your stun potential. If you prefer a more defensive approach, prioritize skills that enhance your survivability and allow you to stay close to the monster without taking too much damage.

The Hammer is a relatively simple weapon to learn, but mastering its nuances takes time and practice. Learning the monster's attack patterns and knowing when to strike is crucial for maximizing your effectiveness. The Hammer's mobility is somewhat limited, so positioning yourself carefully is essential. Use your charged attacks to close the distance and deliver powerful blows to the head. The Hammer may not be the most versatile weapon, but its ability to stun monsters and create openings for your teammates makes it a valuable asset in any hunt. With the right skills and practice, you'll be able to dominate the Iceborne landscape with this powerful weapon.

Hunting Horn: The Buffing Maestro

Now, let's get musical with the Hunting Horn! This weapon is all about buffing your team and smashing monsters with powerful sound waves. If you love supporting your teammates and dealing damage at the same time, the Hunting Horn is the weapon for you. Iceborne significantly revamped the Hunting Horn, making it more versatile and easier to use. The Hunting Horn's primary function is to play melodies that buff your team. These buffs can range from attack and defense boosts to elemental resistance and healing. Knowing which melodies to play and when to play them is crucial for maximizing your team's effectiveness. Iceborne introduced the Echo Waves, which allow you to perform follow-up attacks after playing a melody, dealing additional damage and applying status effects.

This adds a new layer of complexity to the Hunting Horn's gameplay, requiring you to think strategically about which melodies to play and when to follow up with Echo Waves. For armor skills, prioritize skills that enhance your buff duration, attack power, and survivability. Horn Maestro is a must-have skill for Hunting Horn users, as it extends the duration of your buffs. Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost are essential for maximizing your damage output. Evade Window and Evade Extender can also be useful, as they allow you to dodge attacks more easily while maintaining your buff uptime. For decorations, focus on skills that complement your playstyle. If you prefer a more supportive approach, prioritize skills that enhance your buff duration and team utility. If you prefer a more aggressive approach, prioritize damage-boosting skills.

The Hunting Horn is a complex weapon that requires a good understanding of both its melodies and its combat mechanics. Learning the monster's attack patterns and knowing when to play your buffs is crucial for maximizing your effectiveness. The Hunting Horn's damage output is somewhat lower compared to other weapons, but its ability to buff the team makes it a valuable asset in any hunt. With the right skills and practice, you'll be able to support your team and dish out respectable damage with this unique weapon.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! A rundown of some of the best weapons in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Each weapon has its own unique strengths and weaknesses, so the best choice for you will depend on your playstyle and preferences. Experiment with different weapons, try out different armor skills and decorations, and find what works best for you. Happy hunting, and may your hunts be filled with glorious victories!