Monster Hunter World: The Best Weapons

In case you want to find some of the best weapons in Monster Hunter World, you should consider some of these weapons that can fit your own play style, depending on the circumstances.

Weapons are the most important thing in Monster Hunter World because without them, you cannot defeat any of the monsters, so we picked the 10 best weapons. The top 10 weapons on this list are ranked in order of good to the absolute best, and you know all about each and every one.

Weapon Tier List

Tier	Weapons
S	Long Sword, Great Sword, Charge Blade, Heavy Bowgun
A	Bow, Dual Blades, Hammer, Switch Axe
B	Sword and Shield, Insect Glaive, Light Bowgun
C	Gunlance, Lance, Hunting Horn

Note: Tier placement shifts depending on whether you play solo or co-op, and it changes again based on the monster you are fighting. Use this as a starting point.

Ranking the Best 10 Weapons in Monster Hunter World

Rank	Weapon	Tier
10	Switch Axe	A
9	Insect Glaive	A
8	Hammer	A
7	Dual Blades	A
6	Bow	S
5	Heavy Bowgun	S
4	Sword and Shield	B
3	Charge Blade	S
2	Great Sword	S
1	Long Sword	S

10. Switch Axe

Switch Axe does not get enough credit. You fight in Axe mode for reach and mobility, then switch to Sword mode to detonate Phials for bonus damage. The Zero Sum Discharge locks you onto a monster and explodes continuously for huge damage when it lands. It is flexible, powerful, and more forgiving than most top-tier melee weapons.

• Damage type: Raw and elemental, depending on Phial type
• Advantage: Two modes give you range and burst in the same weapon
• Best for: Players who want a flexible melee weapon that handles most situations well

9. Insect Glaive

The most suitable weapon in the game used to mount monsters is the Insect Glaive. You dispatch a Kinsect to collect buffs of various body parts, which can be combined to increase your attack, defense, and speed of movement. It is used together with the aerial attacks to provide you with a totally different form of fighting as compared to any other melee weapon.

• Damage type: Raw damage with Kinsect buffs
• Advantage: Best mounting potential in the game, great mobility, and buffs help the whole team
• Best for: Players who love aerial combat and want to mount monsters frequently

8. Hammer

Hammer is simple, hard-hitting, and one of the best team weapons in the game. Charge up your attacks, aim for the head, and build the monster's knockout gauge until it falls over. When a monster gets knocked out, your whole team gets free damage. The Big Bang combo deals serious damage and the weapon has better mobility than you would expect.

• Damage type: Blunt, no cutting
• Advantage: Best KO potential in the game, strong staggers, good mobility
• Best for: Players who want to stun monsters and contribute big team utility

7. Dual Blades

Dual Blades are the fastest weapon in Monster Hunter World. Activate Demon Mode and unleash a rapid aggressive moveset that melts health bars and builds status effects like Paralysis and Poison extremely fast. The short reach means you need to be right up close at all times, but when you get into rhythm on a monster, the damage is fantastic.

• Damage type: Elemental and status, very fast hit rate
• Advantage: Best elemental and status application in the game
• Best for: Aggressive players who love fast combat and elemental builds

6. Bow

The Bow is not a standing-still sniping weapon. You are constantly moving, applying elemental coatings, and keeping pressure on the monster from medium range. It has excellent mobility and one of the highest damage ceilings in the game when you build the right elemental sets. The investment is high, but the payoff is massive.

• Damage type: Elemental, best in class for element application
• Advantage: High mobility, great elemental damage, strong vs almost every monster
• Best for: Ranged players who enjoy building elemental sets and staying mobile

5. Heavy Bowgun

Heavy Bowgun trades movement for raw power. Stand at range, load Spread or Sticky ammo, and deal some of the highest damage output in the game. Adding a Shield mod makes solo play much safer. In multiplayer, it functions as a stationary turret while teammates manage the monster. Spread ammo destroys at close range, and Pierce ammo shreds long monsters like Rathalos from front to back.

• Damage type: Ammo-based, raw or elemental depending on load
• Advantage: Highest ranged damage in the game, excellent ammo variety
• Best for: Players who want maximum ranged damage and do not mind slow movement

4. Sword and Shield

The least appreciated weapon in this list is Sword and Shield. It is the weapon in Monster Hunter World that allows you to use such items as potions and Flash Pods without sheathing them. That is the only reason why it is more survivable than it appears. The Perfect Rush combo is more impactful than the majority of players anticipate, and the capability to use objects during the fight keeps you alive in scenarios where other weapons falter.

So get your Monster Hunter World steam key and try out the Sword and Shield first because it teaches you the game's fundamentals better than almost anything else. The best platform to get the steam key is LDShop, it lets players get it for less and it is a great way to save money.

• Damage type: Raw and elemental
• Advantage: Only weapon with mid-combat item use, fast attacks, and great mobility
• Best for: Beginners learning the game and experienced players who value flexibility

3. Charge Blade

The most technical weapon in Monster Hunter World is the Charge Blade, and the most rewarding to master. Charge Phials by Fight in Sword mode, then change to Axe mode and explode in the Super Amped Element Discharge, to cause massive burst damage.

Guard Points let you absorb monster attacks mid-animation and immediately counter. The ceiling on this weapon is higher than anything else in melee range.

• Damage type: Raw and elemental burst
• Advantage: Highest melee burst damage, Guard Points add defense, two full weapon modes
• Best for: Experienced players who want the deepest and most rewarding melee weapon

2. Great Sword

Great Sword is built around one idea. Hit the monster so hard it staggers. The True Charged Slash winds up slowly but lands some of the highest single-hit damage in the entire game. You can Guard through attacks mid-charge which gives you survivability that a weapon this powerful should not have. The learning curve is entirely about reading monster movements, not about learning complicated combos.

• Damage type: Heavy raw damage, highest per-hit in the game
• Advantage: Massive single-hit damage, Guard mid-charge, forgiving combo structure
• Best for: Patient players who enjoy waiting for openings and landing one huge hit

1. Long Sword

The best weapon to have in Monster Hunter World is the Long Sword because of its all-around usage in the game when fighting against any kind of monsters, because of its amazing reach, easy movement, fast attacks, and the spirit gauge system, which gives rewards for aggression.

Build gauge with normal attacks, cash it out with the Spirit Blade combo, and end with the Spirit Helm Breaker overhead slash for serious damage. Maintaining a red Spirit Gauge is the skill that separates good players from great ones. It works on every monster and in every situation.

• Damage type: Raw with Spirit Gauge multiplier at red level
• Advantage: Best all-around weapon, great reach, excellent damage, works in solo and co-op
• Best for: Every type of player, from complete beginner to endgame veteran

Conclusion

All the weapons in this list are powerful in the right hands. You can begin with rank 10 in case you prefer flexibility, or you can immediately go to rank 1 in case you prefer the most balanced tool in the game. In any case, go and practice them in the Astera training room before you make a commitment. The gun that is enjoyable to you will always be better than the one that is only on a tier list.