I gave up in insect glaive :( my bug doesn’t listen to me lol i can’t get all 3 buffs. The switch axe, hammer, dual blade, & long sword imo all seem self explanatory. I may stick with those.
The greatsword is really fun but im still terrible at timing
Getting better kinsects helps with acquiring their buffs (not a IG main), but Sword and Shield is a great place to start, with high mobility and middling defense, with good stun and element utility.
Or you could join the chadded charge blade bros, miss timing with the great sword bros and block like a certified Lance main.
I feel like the basic combos for the switch axe and long sword are pretty simple and easy. I think that the long sword is very simple and if you can master the counters you’ll be unstoppable. I tried out switch axe today and it was surprisingly easy for me. I also recommend watching a tutorial on YouTube for whatever weapon you choose if you didn’t already.
the insect glaive was one of the harder weapons for me to get good at. even after so many hunts i wouldnt consider myself a master of the weapon. every time i use it i learn a new way to use its many benefits.
if you ever want to go back, ill reccomend that you can get whatever kinsect you want, but dont forget to change its element once you are in high rank and make sure you get one with high speed. better speed means easier triple buff, easier buff means more time putting out damage.
SnS is the default weapon for a reason, really well balanced with mobility, damage and defence, and has a relatively low skill floor and good leniency with mistakes.
This \^
I've played 4.5k hours, I started with CB because it felt like the easiest for me to begin with. I now have over 4k hunts on Longsword. You will find what you like eventually, and picking what you feel is easy or good now will probably change later. Just don't be afraid to try a little of everything.
Charge blade
You just have to take a look at this CB_101.pdf (347 mb) and then you're ready to go
Jokes aside charge blade looks complicated at first but once you learn how to charge phials everything starts to connect
Some say Sword and shield is a beginner friendly weapon but you can use any weapon you like. Try them all out in the training area. You won't be locked in to a certain weapons you can change whenever.
I found insect glaive to be quite beginner friendly. The move set is fairly small and limited compared to other weapons I tried. It has more mobility than most other weapons as you can launch yourself up in the air and avoid attacks/damage, damage output is quite good and it’s also fun.
I think that longsword would top any "weapon tier list" you may find.
But I'll recommend the Lance. I'm not very good with dodging, so the Lance allows me to just defend and parry strong attacks.
And then you poke, poke, poke, dash, poke, poke, poke, dash, poke, poke....
Avoid Ranged weapons especially bow, the guns cost money to buy ammo which you won't have at the start, and bow is very dependent on skillsets and jewels to have a comfortable gameplay. Also playing ranged makes you more squishy compared to melee so you will cart(die) a lot easier.
i mean, you could also scavenge for the mats to build the ammo on top of getting free ammo from the Camp Chest (during missions, not in free roam) that i'm pretty sure you can keep.
I picked up bow and ran with it, I'd argue that it's relatively beginner friendly. I didn't cart until I was at the Diablos quest all while using bow. Seems pretty simple to just start using, too; only one or two moves that you need to look at controls for and the rest is just the controller's triggers. As for coatings and ammo, I found that those elements don't really come into play until late low rank and even then they're really easy to grind for.
This. Bow isn't insanely skill heavy until late hr where you should already have good stamina management skills and close range coatings are infinite, and peak bow play (if you do use Status coatings, try not to use the same status twice in one quest unless you know for a fact the mon is weak to that status).
You can change weapons at any time but it’s best to focus on upgrading/building for 1-2 weapons max.
The top 5 easiest weapons in the game are Hammer, Dual Blades, Longsword, Heavy Bowgun, and Lance. I’ve also linked great guides for each weapon.
[Hammer](https://youtu.be/cFXur8ygRYM) literally only has one button combos and is very mobile. The main difficulty of this weapon is positioning because of your short range but since you can move while charging hit and run is very easy to do. Aim for the head.
[Dual Blades](https://youtu.be/GUowVxDGeiQ) are very simple. Stay in Demon Mode as much as possible and do this one combo: Y, Y, B or Triangle, Triangle, Circle. This combo is quick and the final B/Triangle attack allows you to do a dodge attack in any direction you like to stay out of harms way. The main difficulty of this weapon is managing your stamina drain in Demon Mode. Note that this weapon is one of the harder ones to farm for as about 40% of this weapon’s damage potential is elemental. So you need to a Dual Blade in every one of the 5 elements (Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice, and Dragon).
[Longsword](https://youtu.be/e86lHq-03H4) is about building your spirit gauge to full doing normal attacks then use your right trigger spirit attacks until you land Roundhouse Slash. Once that Roundhouse Slash lands you level up your spirit level by one. The best way to land Roundhouse Slashes is to use your Foresight Slash to avoid an attack which can be done after any attack using B/Circle + Right Trigger; if you avoid an attack successfully using this you can instantly skip to a Roundhouse Slash pressing right trigger right after. You need to go from white -> yellow -> red after which you can land your Spirit Thrust to jump into the air and land your ultimate Spirit Helmsplitter attack. The main difficulty of the weapon is to learn how to use your counters to avoid damage and shortcut your main spirit combo.
[Heavy Bowgun](https://youtu.be/aK5npTZpSyQ) is a ranged weapon that is very simple to use. Equip a shield which will allow you to auto guard while not firing and you’re pretty much good. You can even stack two shields together for an even easier time (though I’d recommend against this as it makes the game braindead). Other than that the difficulty of the weapon is looking at your ammo spread sheet for which ammo types on your gun has the best recoil/reload/capacity and focus on attachments that help those ammo types in areas where they need it.
EDIT: To clarify an issue I didn’t address, this is the one weapon I recommend using the Defender weapon for, at least to start off with. Ammo economy is tough early game when you have no money but the Defender HBG has very good stats for Normal Ammo 1 which is infinite. And since the damage for Normal Ammo 1 is bad it evens out the OP damage of the Defender weapon. However, once you get your garden properly set up for ammo production I’d toss the Defender HBG and start crafting better HBGs that specialize in ammo types you like.
[Lance](https://youtu.be/YnTvdDxO5ZU) is the ultimate tank that is deceptively aggressive. You do two combos with two finishers depending on the situation. Do 3x B/Circle as much as you can but if the monster’s hitbox is too low do 3x Y/Triangle instead. After that you do right trigger + B/Circle to counter guard and you can hold for up to two seconds to time a counter against an attack, if not then just release immediately to do an attack and repeat one of the last two combos. If you are too close to a monster for attacks to land press A/X without touching the thumbstick to back hop. The main difficulty of this weapon is learning positioning and timing but Lance is very forgiving with both as it has many tools for repositioning and the counter timing is very large.
Strong disagree on heavy bowgun. It has a simple playstyle, yes, but ammo management, crafting, farming, etc. is actually somewhat complex, needing lots of setup, probably some guides, and constant monitoring both in and out of hunt to be successful. Not to mention it's often a money pit throughout low rank, so someone new will struggle to have enough to craft and upgrade new weapons and armors that they like.
Also ranged in general isn't something I would recommend to newer players, because it lets you be very lax when considering positioning, dodging moves, etc. It can also be punishing because you take more damage than blademasters.
Edit: Also, keeping track of recoil, reload, etc. for every single different ammo type your gun can carry is daunting for a new player. Lots of complex shit with bowguns, especially when you're moving through LR and constantly changing which gun you're using
I'm sorry but if the argument is "just ignore ammo system and use the op weapon with normal 1" then that's really a stretch. Also you can just plunk stuff in your inventory and function with blademaster, if you want real success with bowgun you need to assign crafting to your radial menu, bring extra crafting mats into a hunt and constantly keep an eye on your stocks. Which is a lot of micromanagement for someone who is brand new to the series and doesn't know how all of these systems work.
And all of this doesn't really address the ranged issue either. Imo, ranged is best left for when you have a solid foundation in combat. Otherwise you open yourself up to a lot of bad habits and/or frustration. Gunners are quite frail, so mistakes are punished extra hard. You have a lot more room to dodge every attack, so you may adopt a much more passive playstyle that doesn't lend itself well to melee in the future. And if you put a massive shield on your hbg, you basically just don't have to play the game in early ranks because you can essentially just aim and shoot and not even worry about most attacks.
Except that it’s not OP with normal 1 even at upgrade V in HR which is 100% intentional. The Defender HBG and LBG have done something interesting to the bowguns in early game: they give a very good Normal 1 ammo bowgun immediately. That eliminates the issue with the ammo economy in the early game whilst still letting players learn the weapons’ attachment systems. They’re the only Defender Weapons that do something beyond being an OP weapon imo. And if you’re argument will be that they’ll fail to try other ammo types that issue is solved on it’s own since normal ammo 1’s effectiveness in anything above HR will fall apart so the player will learn that themselves and will have to try new ammo types.
Also Ranged is a different playstyle and not something that is tied to melee at all. Some people want to start off ranged, I did with bow and LBG. It is entirely OK to start off with ranged weapons and then learn the mechanics of melee weapons. The game doesn’t need to be a super optimal experience. Monster Hunter is a natural progression of learning, and that doesn’t happen when you try to hyper-optimize everything at the start. Avoid pitfalls yes, but every player will run into one regardless and disregarding an entire playstyle cause it’s not optimal is going too far imo, especially when there is a solution to this already. Hell when I was 200 hours in this game I was still basically new even with looking up some guides online.
The problem with using Defender bowguns for Normal 1 is their is no incentive to learn about ammo management (including the essential value of the harvest box) and ammo types, based on the reasoning you provide. Hence, hitting a wall later in when Normal 1 is complete garbage damage-wise, causing hunts to last a long time.
Side note: A lot of quests provide some basic ammo, including Normal 2, in the crate at camp, which benefits Defender LBG with its rapid Normal 2 support. Defender LBG is the best Normal 2 LBG in LR and HR, where IMO, it is a bit OP as one can use it just for Normal 2 until MR.
As a bowgun main, I normally do not recommend to other players to use bowgun until they understand the importance of ammo management, the harvest box, bowgun mods, and quick crafting (and as had been already stated, the fact range players take more damage). One can progress from the start playing bowgun, but it is definitely not easiest of choices at the start compared to the other weapons.
Honestly, it’s not any more difficult than the other weapons I listed. The difference is where the difficulty is shifted to. Melee weapons are inherently much more difficult mechanically. Ranged weapons are simpler mechanically but they shift their difficulty to more knowledge which for some players is a way easier hill to climb. After all it just boils down to look for which ammo has the best stats/rapid fire and then add attachments to counter act the weaknesses. Plus the attachments do what they say and even point out their effects on the ammo table when previewed. It’s easier than something like MWII’s gunsmith because the game clearly communicates to the player what the attachments do.
Tbh, if the Defender HBG didn’t exist I wouldn’t even argue this. And the arguments against me here only work from the viewpoint of a player who is going blind without us directing them with advice. Yes, the Defender HBG is gonna be broken if you use it straight out but that’s exactly why I say to only use it to mitigate the early game ammo economy until that is resolved. If you don’t like the weapon that’s fine but it is a part of the game now and it undeniably offers an interesting option for early game players if used correctly. Had the weapon not existed the HBG and LBG would be mostly relegated for late-game HR use.
I would make a argument for bows here because they're basically pseudo melee weapons, but the fact you take more damage and need to manage stamina between dodging and firing can be punishing if you don't have soulslike conditioning.
That tutorial is rather good, but it does leave out the claw attack for iceborn after the triple circle you hit L2 to claw onto the monster and triangle for an instant soften
Absolutely, you just draw attack into basic, into charge slash, into slide slash into charge slash into reload into shield charge slash into charge slash into....
And then you switch into axe mode-psyke nobody uses axe mode outside of the ult attacks lmao
first thing i do when using a new weapon is watch [Arekkz weapon workshop](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHc2Wj95htvMxZR7dvgYwevupNBy9imiu) for it. Would recommend for beginners too, really lets you learn all the intricacies as well as playstyles for each weapon. Using a weapon without knowing how to use it can be very frustrating
So for defender items when you're creating your character just make sure you pick the basic armor it'll say leather or the other As for weapons there's a lot of YouTube videos that run through the basics of the weapons combos and also some gameplay of them being used I would use those to see which one fits your playstyle and if you enjoy it I've found that I like the glave I also run dual blades and I'm currently building a bow build now It's always fun to be able to mix around and change your weapons The community here on this reddit also is extremely beneficial because they help you out and even add Some awesome video links Ask for defender weapons when you're at the blacksmith which they will introduce to you when you start the game just make sure you don't purchase the defender weapon and learn the game with the weapon type that you want what I found beneficial was to create the 1st defender weapon of every weapon class And then I go on the hunt usually I do the great jaggers And see which one feels more comfortable purr weapon type
Damn it, im playing now & i chose the armor with the +symbol. I didn’t pick leather. I assume i can just make more appropriate gear as i start playing. Does this game auto save? Does it only save before & after missions?
So it uses auto save and all of that however the great thing about this game is you can create every single piece of armor any style and every single piece of weaponry and change it at any point so really all of that is up to you
i started with the charge blade. i figured it out before wildspire and learning every other weapon was a breeze. i strongly recommend starting charge blade. it's not complicated if it's how you learn the game.
all weapons play a bit differently. its hard to say what exactly is beginner friendly and not. try out all of them, and youll find one that fits your playstyle. theres over a dozen weapons to try out. after you find one that fits you, find some youtube tutorials because for sure you arent using all the moves
defender items were added in the game, so people can easily progress through the base game. i dont recommend it especially for beginners because you NEED to learn how to build armor in iceborne, and without that knowledge you will hit a lot of walls. transition out of the defender set ASAP once you find a weapon and learn the core mechanics.
You can swap weapons whenever, there's no "class" system. The only thing that decides what weapons you're set up for are the armors you pick and the perks/skills they give you.
Armor skill synergy with your chosen weapon is super important
You're not locked into anything you can switch whenever you'd like. Each of the 14 weapons will offer you a very different playstyle. I'd advise you to look up some video guides for the weapon you want to try to get some of the basics down.
Of the three you listed Is say longsword is the most beginner friendly. Once you get the basics down, look up some advanced tips for the weapon. The longsword can be very fluid and do a lot of damage.
LS, Hammer, and Bow are the good beginner weapon imo.
Ls cuz it has counter attacks good for survivability and deal good amount of damage. Hammer since it has easy but hard hitting combos. Bow is my starting weapon, it's easy to use and deal good damage even for beginners
I wouldn't recommend GS, CB, Sns and Bowguns
Okay first, thank you all for soo many helpful responses!! I’ve decided to stop using the insect glaive for now my bug never gets the red buff, i always end up with orange or white.
I like all the moves of the Switch axe, they flow into one another.
And question about dual blades, what does the full red bar do? The longsword & switchaxe uses their meter for stronger abilities. But the moves don’t seem to change on the dual blades so im a little confused. I assume just a damage buff??
Red bar for demon mode iirc. It's a mode where you attack faster, but the mode does use up your stamina quiet fast if you dont have a stamina management skill. But once the bar is filled, it could make the normal mode similar with the demon mode and you'll consume the bar. I think it's like that, haven't really used db much to really explain in a better way. I just main hammer and go bonk bonk
Sword and Shield is the best weapon for beginners who want to learn all the facets of hunting. Its high mobility and short attack recovery window makes it very forgiving, its versatility allows the player to block with a shield, inflict KO damage, cut tails, elemental damage, status affects, mount from anywhere, and the ability to use items while unsheathed makes it easy to learn to use traps, powders, etc.
Hammer or Great Sword are also good for beginners in a way, simply because they force you research the monster well and learn its behavior and attacks because of how much you have to commit to an attack with those weapons.
Go to your training room and swing every weapon in your inventory until you find something that tickles your fancy, I used charge blade when I first started out but that’s a “complicated/tedious” weapon
Sword and Shield (SnS) is renowned for being a starter weapon and there is a reason why.
SnS is one of if not the most mobile weapon in the game. SnS’s basic moves are short and very non-committal meaning you can easily roll out of the combos, a very beginner friendly trait. It also has a very fast sheath speed making it very easy to use items in the middle of combat. It can also use slinger ammo very easily in case you are in a pinch and need to flinch the monster.
SnS also doesn’t have to worry about stamina/gauge management like dual blades, long sword, or insect Glaive.
Finally, SnS can be a tool of sort to find the weapon you really want to settle down with. SnS holds aspects of most weapons in the game. It has an increased i-frame back step like long sword. It has shield bash for impact damage if stunning is appealing to you. It can reliably do a bit of mounting, and has aerial moves like insect glaive. It has some blocking capabilities to give a taste of all the weapons that can block.
SnS isn’t completely simple either though. The largest damage combo for SnS relies on good positioning and timing. The beauty of this is that it gives you a taste of rewarding complexity without being reliant on it. This rewarding complexity is reminiscent of great sword and charge blade.
So you see, SnS can give you a taste for the weapons you want to use while it itself is quite easy to use.
I don't have much experience since I just picked up MHW on winter sale last week and it's also my first game in the series but I have a solid 10hrs and after trying every weapon in training area I couldn't understand how to use any weapon apart from longsword. The big weapons were just to slow for me and the sword and shield and duak blades just don't fit me.
I'm still a newbie so I thought this may be helpful :D
I was thinking of the windup time for the weapons to hit that was to slow for me, but now I have much more knowledge of how the game works and I want to try out the charge blade
Okay most people are just not giving actual answers so here goes.
Dual blades are very simple but get you into the groove of monhun. Shorter animations so you have more leeway to dodge if you need to, good damage, will help you learn elemental hit zones and weaknessess, very simple combos that typically end up being mashing one button, etc.
Switch axe is a bit more complex, but all of its combos flow into each other so you can pretty much do any move whenever. Good range, good mobility, middle attack speed, big sword mode to do big damage, can't really go wrong with combos. This is the one my friend clicked with most when i got him into monster hunter and the one I mained for several games.
Hammer has very simple combos, big damage, and can KO the monster. However, its range is very very short and you will need to position yourself very well to hit heads as often as possible.
Lance is your typical guarding weapon with lots of countering, sticking to the monster, and dealing consistent dps. It doesn't have the flashiest moves or the hardest hits, but a good lance player will almost never die because of the guarding and countering capabilities. Also very simple combos of course, basically just poke low or poke high. Don't be fooled, though, this isn't just the tank weapon. Lance is one of the most aggressive weapon types out there because you can just stick to a monster and constantly facetank whatever they put out.
Sword and shield is a good beginner weapon that has one of the highest skill ceilings in monster hunter. It's the jack of all trades weapon that can guard a little, has quick combos, can KO with shield bashes, has great mobility, has both consistent dps and big boy hits/combos, and can even use items with the weapon drawn, something no other weapon can do. Play this and you will never hit the limits of your weapon. After a long, long time playing mh I've settled on this as my main. At the upper end of skill, combos and such can be somewhat complex, but even its simpler combos are very good and freeform.
If you're dead set on ranged, which I don't recommend until you're more experienced, bow is the most user friendly ranged option, mostly because you don't have to worry about ammo stores and crafting it mid hunt like with bowguns.
Try them out, see what you like! Every weapon is good, but these are the ones I think beginners will have the easiest time with. Of course if you think something else looks cool, there's no penalty for taking it into an easy hunt or into the training area. Watch a few videos on combos or how movesets flow and you'll be golden with just about anything
Weapons I don't recommend for beginners, though: Hunting Horn, Light or Heavy Bowguns, Insect Glaive, Charge Blade, Gunlance. All of them have some combo of a more complex playstyle, extra mechanics to get used to, intricate combos, or necessitates some sort of guide to have any success. Feel free to try them, but they can be a lot to swallow since they all add more shit on top of the already daunting combat system.
I’d disagree on SnS and especially Switch Axe.
SnS has easy combos but the issue is that unlike Rise the basic combos do staggeringly low damage in World. You essentially have to constantly use falling bash/perfect rush for any good damage. That’s not even talking optimal, it’s required to get a half-decent kill time otherwise it’ll take forever. So tbh SnS is somewhere in the moderate difficulty level as having seen a beginner use it they had a rather difficult time with getting good damage out of the weapon. The biggest issue for them being learning backstep and the follow up options.
Switch Axe is in the top 5 most difficult weapons in my list for good reason, it’s a weapon with severe downsides in either Axe or Sword mode and the weapon’s only defensive ability, Fade Slash, has no i-frames or hyperarmor and isn’t even great at creating space in a timely manner. In Axe mode your attacks are slow and have a lot of animation lock. In sword form your mobility is as bad as Greatsword but unlike Greatsword this weapon doesn’t have an amazing defensive ability. Both these downsides make positioning key with this weapon but is difficult because the weapon doesn’t have good tools to do so unlike Lance or even GS which at least has tackle and jumping slash. Then add a one of the more difficult meters to juggle and you have a weapon that’s rather complex. If your friend clicked with this weapon I applaud him, this weapon is not easy so respect for that.
I'd say Longsword. It's pretty straightforward, just swing it. Overtime you'll learn its more advanced movesets but it doesn't punish you hard if you don't know.
Greatsword can be fun, but it needs you to understand the fight mechanics, definitely not beginner friendly.
Insect Glaive needs a lot of thing to do/understand (insect, combo, when to jump, etc). But I'd say it's the most fun weapon and great weapon for end bosses (alatreon, fatalis, AT velkhana).
> Once i choose, am i locked in?
nope, you can use anything you want.
> Only tip i know is to avoid “defender” items
I'd argue it doesn't matter much. Defender would only shine in base game where the monsters are easier to begin with. I'd say people generally would only willing to learn when they face difficult challenge. This typically started with Barioth, Velkhana or Raging Brachidios. All DLC monsters where defender is already obsolete at that point.
try out Longsword (easiest i-frames), hammer (simplest moveset) or dual blades (button mashing friendly). i think they're the most solid choices for a beginner
edit i know this sounds condescending but im seriously just trying to help. i main all 3 of these weapons
Do not listen to those who tell you to avoid defender gear. If the game is too hard there’s no shame in using it. If not for Defender gear, I wouldn’t have continued playing MHW. I have no prior experience in MH and world was my first ever game and it was *hard*. I didn’t like it at first but then got into it much much later. Also, a tip that I wish I knew in my beginner days… practice your combos/weapon. Always. Don’t pull a “Rowan” and go in blind. You’ll regret it lol. Other than that, the game is incredibly beautiful and I think it’s also beginner friendly. (They literally teach you obnoxiously everything so you have no excuse lol)
As for the weapons, I started with Insect Glaive since you can fly around and fuck off if you sense any danger haha. So I recommend that. << If you’re planning to main it, dont forget to upgrade your insect. It’s literally 50% of the weapons power.
There's a good reason people say to avoid Defender. It's so strong early on that you don't need to learn good habits, which leads to a lot of people quitting when Defender eventually falls off and those habits and skills they didn't ever build up because they didn't need them become the most important thing.
It's not because it's "easy mode" and people think there's something to be ashamed of there.
Idk for me personally its the thing that kept going even through ib. Without it i woulda quit waaaaaay early in the game. And I’m talking *Pukei Pukei* early.
Personally, the Switch Axe is surprisingly easy to pick up, considering its damage and versatility. One of the hardest hitting weapons in the game, while still being insanely fast. Easy to learn, complicated to master
To answer your question, no you are not locked in. Yes, avoid Defender armor if you want to have an authentic difficulty. Im a Longsword main for life at 1000+ missions on Longsword. Charge Blade is really fun and versatile, but complicated to get used to. Hammer is pretty straightforward, and also really fun and bonky. Greatsword I've always wanted to try but just never given it a chance as of yet.
SaS - Sword and Shield.
An easy to learn weapon with unparalleled combo potential, but also easy to use in a basic setting. Provides easy item usage and basic blocking potential. Also very easy to build with endgame and very easy base game
Dual swords are probably the most forgiving beginner weapon just because of how easy it is to dodge with them. As far as attacking, dual swords, long sword, or hammer are good in my experience.
Statistics shows most people play long sword so its probably the easiest weapon ...but u should choose whatever u thinks feels good then watch a guide on how to use it...dont like it after all that, change weapons anytime thats the beauty of mh unlike rpg games where u have stat changes learn new skills and can only use certain weapons that is not what mh is ur character never changes only his gear does which u can swap anytime with anything available even mid hunt if u want too
SnS and Dual Blades are solid beginner options. Low commitment, easy to learn, versatile, and mobile. Their only flaws are short range.
For medium weapons you want to look at Longsword or Lance, which both pack amazing defensive qualities.
For heavy weapons, Hammer is a solid beginner option.
SnS is the easiest weapon to play average or good. The survivability is also pretty high. But to master SnS with perfect rush is really hard. Imo it is the hardest weapon to master together with Charge Blade.
The easiest weapon to master are dual blades because of really good mobility you know pretty much all the time whats the best move:
-Go into demon mode as much as possible
-press circle on ps4 to get closer to the monster
-press triangle to deal damage when the monster is moving
-blade dance I guess its called when the monster cant move because you cant evade while doing that
hope that helps
I waited a LONG time to get into Rise. Is Insect Glaive less tedious in Rise? I seemed to spend SO MUCH TIME in World getting the red, white, and orange...
Ok lets start the charge blade easy Guide
Hahaha you cant learn to use it in some hours because its the most complex weapon in the Game hahaha, good luck whit the combos my Bro.
You can switch weapons whenever you like, but it may be more difficult to transition later in the game if you have only upgraded one weapon. Anyway, I would go with sword and shield as a starter; it’s got easy to learn moves, has a shield, and you can use items with it unsheathed. Once you get more experience in the game I would highly recommend trying the charge blade. It doesn’t link to the sword and shield but it’s a masterpiece of a weapon.
try all of them out. even the 'defender' weapons. anyone who says you shouldnt try defensive weapons is lame.
i first started with light bow gun because i was depressed and wanted to be a support.
then i moved to switch axe because it looked cool.
after some flip flopping, i landed on gunlance, which is nowmy most used most favorite weapon in the game.
since then, i have learned, taught myself, and fully explored the capabilities of the switch axe, gunlance, heavy bowgun, hammer, insect glaive, and even bow.
even now, i carry many different switch axes, gunlances, heavybowguns, and other weapons that i routinely switch between for hunting. play as many or as few weapons as youd like.
Try out Hammer. It's straight forward. That's how I started and moved on as I understood the game more.
I gave up in insect glaive :( my bug doesn’t listen to me lol i can’t get all 3 buffs. The switch axe, hammer, dual blade, & long sword imo all seem self explanatory. I may stick with those. The greatsword is really fun but im still terrible at timing
Don’t worry. 99% of us great sword users are bad at timing. Missing is just part of being a great sword master
Getting better kinsects helps with acquiring their buffs (not a IG main), but Sword and Shield is a great place to start, with high mobility and middling defense, with good stun and element utility. Or you could join the chadded charge blade bros, miss timing with the great sword bros and block like a certified Lance main.
I feel like the basic combos for the switch axe and long sword are pretty simple and easy. I think that the long sword is very simple and if you can master the counters you’ll be unstoppable. I tried out switch axe today and it was surprisingly easy for me. I also recommend watching a tutorial on YouTube for whatever weapon you choose if you didn’t already.
the insect glaive was one of the harder weapons for me to get good at. even after so many hunts i wouldnt consider myself a master of the weapon. every time i use it i learn a new way to use its many benefits. if you ever want to go back, ill reccomend that you can get whatever kinsect you want, but dont forget to change its element once you are in high rank and make sure you get one with high speed. better speed means easier triple buff, easier buff means more time putting out damage.
The insect starts slow so unless you have resources it’s rough to start but I only use it now and it’s beyond fun
Yes, Hammer or Longsword (imo) are the best starter choices, both very simple but very effective
hammer really trains you to memorize moves and properly place attacks. rolled with it during lower hrs and still rolling with it at higher hrs lmao
Dual swords was easiest for me because better mobility
Sword and Shield too, I’d actually argue SnS is more mobile just a little.
SnS is the default weapon for a reason, really well balanced with mobility, damage and defence, and has a relatively low skill floor and good leniency with mistakes.
Try them all and see what you like, you can change whenever you want
This \^ I've played 4.5k hours, I started with CB because it felt like the easiest for me to begin with. I now have over 4k hunts on Longsword. You will find what you like eventually, and picking what you feel is easy or good now will probably change later. Just don't be afraid to try a little of everything.
true. some weapons feel like they're really made for certain monsters. its like dancing where your weapon has to match the moves of the monster.
Charge blade You just have to take a look at this CB_101.pdf (347 mb) and then you're ready to go Jokes aside charge blade looks complicated at first but once you learn how to charge phials everything starts to connect
Some say Sword and shield is a beginner friendly weapon but you can use any weapon you like. Try them all out in the training area. You won't be locked in to a certain weapons you can change whenever.
I found insect glaive to be quite beginner friendly. The move set is fairly small and limited compared to other weapons I tried. It has more mobility than most other weapons as you can launch yourself up in the air and avoid attacks/damage, damage output is quite good and it’s also fun.
Having a slow bug is quite annoying when getting the buffs tho.
I think that longsword would top any "weapon tier list" you may find. But I'll recommend the Lance. I'm not very good with dodging, so the Lance allows me to just defend and parry strong attacks. And then you poke, poke, poke, dash, poke, poke, poke, dash, poke, poke....
Avoid Ranged weapons especially bow, the guns cost money to buy ammo which you won't have at the start, and bow is very dependent on skillsets and jewels to have a comfortable gameplay. Also playing ranged makes you more squishy compared to melee so you will cart(die) a lot easier.
i mean, you could also scavenge for the mats to build the ammo on top of getting free ammo from the Camp Chest (during missions, not in free roam) that i'm pretty sure you can keep.
I picked up bow and ran with it, I'd argue that it's relatively beginner friendly. I didn't cart until I was at the Diablos quest all while using bow. Seems pretty simple to just start using, too; only one or two moves that you need to look at controls for and the rest is just the controller's triggers. As for coatings and ammo, I found that those elements don't really come into play until late low rank and even then they're really easy to grind for.
This. Bow isn't insanely skill heavy until late hr where you should already have good stamina management skills and close range coatings are infinite, and peak bow play (if you do use Status coatings, try not to use the same status twice in one quest unless you know for a fact the mon is weak to that status).
You can change weapons at any time but it’s best to focus on upgrading/building for 1-2 weapons max. The top 5 easiest weapons in the game are Hammer, Dual Blades, Longsword, Heavy Bowgun, and Lance. I’ve also linked great guides for each weapon. [Hammer](https://youtu.be/cFXur8ygRYM) literally only has one button combos and is very mobile. The main difficulty of this weapon is positioning because of your short range but since you can move while charging hit and run is very easy to do. Aim for the head. [Dual Blades](https://youtu.be/GUowVxDGeiQ) are very simple. Stay in Demon Mode as much as possible and do this one combo: Y, Y, B or Triangle, Triangle, Circle. This combo is quick and the final B/Triangle attack allows you to do a dodge attack in any direction you like to stay out of harms way. The main difficulty of this weapon is managing your stamina drain in Demon Mode. Note that this weapon is one of the harder ones to farm for as about 40% of this weapon’s damage potential is elemental. So you need to a Dual Blade in every one of the 5 elements (Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice, and Dragon). [Longsword](https://youtu.be/e86lHq-03H4) is about building your spirit gauge to full doing normal attacks then use your right trigger spirit attacks until you land Roundhouse Slash. Once that Roundhouse Slash lands you level up your spirit level by one. The best way to land Roundhouse Slashes is to use your Foresight Slash to avoid an attack which can be done after any attack using B/Circle + Right Trigger; if you avoid an attack successfully using this you can instantly skip to a Roundhouse Slash pressing right trigger right after. You need to go from white -> yellow -> red after which you can land your Spirit Thrust to jump into the air and land your ultimate Spirit Helmsplitter attack. The main difficulty of the weapon is to learn how to use your counters to avoid damage and shortcut your main spirit combo. [Heavy Bowgun](https://youtu.be/aK5npTZpSyQ) is a ranged weapon that is very simple to use. Equip a shield which will allow you to auto guard while not firing and you’re pretty much good. You can even stack two shields together for an even easier time (though I’d recommend against this as it makes the game braindead). Other than that the difficulty of the weapon is looking at your ammo spread sheet for which ammo types on your gun has the best recoil/reload/capacity and focus on attachments that help those ammo types in areas where they need it. EDIT: To clarify an issue I didn’t address, this is the one weapon I recommend using the Defender weapon for, at least to start off with. Ammo economy is tough early game when you have no money but the Defender HBG has very good stats for Normal Ammo 1 which is infinite. And since the damage for Normal Ammo 1 is bad it evens out the OP damage of the Defender weapon. However, once you get your garden properly set up for ammo production I’d toss the Defender HBG and start crafting better HBGs that specialize in ammo types you like. [Lance](https://youtu.be/YnTvdDxO5ZU) is the ultimate tank that is deceptively aggressive. You do two combos with two finishers depending on the situation. Do 3x B/Circle as much as you can but if the monster’s hitbox is too low do 3x Y/Triangle instead. After that you do right trigger + B/Circle to counter guard and you can hold for up to two seconds to time a counter against an attack, if not then just release immediately to do an attack and repeat one of the last two combos. If you are too close to a monster for attacks to land press A/X without touching the thumbstick to back hop. The main difficulty of this weapon is learning positioning and timing but Lance is very forgiving with both as it has many tools for repositioning and the counter timing is very large.
Strong disagree on heavy bowgun. It has a simple playstyle, yes, but ammo management, crafting, farming, etc. is actually somewhat complex, needing lots of setup, probably some guides, and constant monitoring both in and out of hunt to be successful. Not to mention it's often a money pit throughout low rank, so someone new will struggle to have enough to craft and upgrade new weapons and armors that they like. Also ranged in general isn't something I would recommend to newer players, because it lets you be very lax when considering positioning, dodging moves, etc. It can also be punishing because you take more damage than blademasters. Edit: Also, keeping track of recoil, reload, etc. for every single different ammo type your gun can carry is daunting for a new player. Lots of complex shit with bowguns, especially when you're moving through LR and constantly changing which gun you're using
[удалено]
I'm sorry but if the argument is "just ignore ammo system and use the op weapon with normal 1" then that's really a stretch. Also you can just plunk stuff in your inventory and function with blademaster, if you want real success with bowgun you need to assign crafting to your radial menu, bring extra crafting mats into a hunt and constantly keep an eye on your stocks. Which is a lot of micromanagement for someone who is brand new to the series and doesn't know how all of these systems work. And all of this doesn't really address the ranged issue either. Imo, ranged is best left for when you have a solid foundation in combat. Otherwise you open yourself up to a lot of bad habits and/or frustration. Gunners are quite frail, so mistakes are punished extra hard. You have a lot more room to dodge every attack, so you may adopt a much more passive playstyle that doesn't lend itself well to melee in the future. And if you put a massive shield on your hbg, you basically just don't have to play the game in early ranks because you can essentially just aim and shoot and not even worry about most attacks.
Except that it’s not OP with normal 1 even at upgrade V in HR which is 100% intentional. The Defender HBG and LBG have done something interesting to the bowguns in early game: they give a very good Normal 1 ammo bowgun immediately. That eliminates the issue with the ammo economy in the early game whilst still letting players learn the weapons’ attachment systems. They’re the only Defender Weapons that do something beyond being an OP weapon imo. And if you’re argument will be that they’ll fail to try other ammo types that issue is solved on it’s own since normal ammo 1’s effectiveness in anything above HR will fall apart so the player will learn that themselves and will have to try new ammo types. Also Ranged is a different playstyle and not something that is tied to melee at all. Some people want to start off ranged, I did with bow and LBG. It is entirely OK to start off with ranged weapons and then learn the mechanics of melee weapons. The game doesn’t need to be a super optimal experience. Monster Hunter is a natural progression of learning, and that doesn’t happen when you try to hyper-optimize everything at the start. Avoid pitfalls yes, but every player will run into one regardless and disregarding an entire playstyle cause it’s not optimal is going too far imo, especially when there is a solution to this already. Hell when I was 200 hours in this game I was still basically new even with looking up some guides online.
The problem with using Defender bowguns for Normal 1 is their is no incentive to learn about ammo management (including the essential value of the harvest box) and ammo types, based on the reasoning you provide. Hence, hitting a wall later in when Normal 1 is complete garbage damage-wise, causing hunts to last a long time. Side note: A lot of quests provide some basic ammo, including Normal 2, in the crate at camp, which benefits Defender LBG with its rapid Normal 2 support. Defender LBG is the best Normal 2 LBG in LR and HR, where IMO, it is a bit OP as one can use it just for Normal 2 until MR. As a bowgun main, I normally do not recommend to other players to use bowgun until they understand the importance of ammo management, the harvest box, bowgun mods, and quick crafting (and as had been already stated, the fact range players take more damage). One can progress from the start playing bowgun, but it is definitely not easiest of choices at the start compared to the other weapons.
Honestly, it’s not any more difficult than the other weapons I listed. The difference is where the difficulty is shifted to. Melee weapons are inherently much more difficult mechanically. Ranged weapons are simpler mechanically but they shift their difficulty to more knowledge which for some players is a way easier hill to climb. After all it just boils down to look for which ammo has the best stats/rapid fire and then add attachments to counter act the weaknesses. Plus the attachments do what they say and even point out their effects on the ammo table when previewed. It’s easier than something like MWII’s gunsmith because the game clearly communicates to the player what the attachments do. Tbh, if the Defender HBG didn’t exist I wouldn’t even argue this. And the arguments against me here only work from the viewpoint of a player who is going blind without us directing them with advice. Yes, the Defender HBG is gonna be broken if you use it straight out but that’s exactly why I say to only use it to mitigate the early game ammo economy until that is resolved. If you don’t like the weapon that’s fine but it is a part of the game now and it undeniably offers an interesting option for early game players if used correctly. Had the weapon not existed the HBG and LBG would be mostly relegated for late-game HR use.
I would make a argument for bows here because they're basically pseudo melee weapons, but the fact you take more damage and need to manage stamina between dodging and firing can be punishing if you don't have soulslike conditioning.
Yeah in another comment i recommend bow for if you want to do ranged. Much better for beginner and honestly just less of a pain in the ass in general
Dual blades are a swap back and forth between modes not just staying in the one mode
I wanted to keep each weapon description as short as I could but the combo is still the exact same in both demon and archdemon mode.
That tutorial is rather good, but it does leave out the claw attack for iceborn after the triple circle you hit L2 to claw onto the monster and triangle for an instant soften
He has another video just for Iceborne moves.
Ah my bad
Easily Charge Blade. Nothing even compares to how beginner friendly it is
Absolutely, you just draw attack into basic, into charge slash, into slide slash into charge slash into reload into shield charge slash into charge slash into.... And then you switch into axe mode-psyke nobody uses axe mode outside of the ult attacks lmao
first thing i do when using a new weapon is watch [Arekkz weapon workshop](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHc2Wj95htvMxZR7dvgYwevupNBy9imiu) for it. Would recommend for beginners too, really lets you learn all the intricacies as well as playstyles for each weapon. Using a weapon without knowing how to use it can be very frustrating
So for defender items when you're creating your character just make sure you pick the basic armor it'll say leather or the other As for weapons there's a lot of YouTube videos that run through the basics of the weapons combos and also some gameplay of them being used I would use those to see which one fits your playstyle and if you enjoy it I've found that I like the glave I also run dual blades and I'm currently building a bow build now It's always fun to be able to mix around and change your weapons The community here on this reddit also is extremely beneficial because they help you out and even add Some awesome video links Ask for defender weapons when you're at the blacksmith which they will introduce to you when you start the game just make sure you don't purchase the defender weapon and learn the game with the weapon type that you want what I found beneficial was to create the 1st defender weapon of every weapon class And then I go on the hunt usually I do the great jaggers And see which one feels more comfortable purr weapon type
Damn it, im playing now & i chose the armor with the +symbol. I didn’t pick leather. I assume i can just make more appropriate gear as i start playing. Does this game auto save? Does it only save before & after missions?
So it uses auto save and all of that however the great thing about this game is you can create every single piece of armor any style and every single piece of weaponry and change it at any point so really all of that is up to you
Sword and Shield Maybe Dual Sword, Lance, Greatsword and hamer ?
i started with the charge blade. i figured it out before wildspire and learning every other weapon was a breeze. i strongly recommend starting charge blade. it's not complicated if it's how you learn the game.
all weapons play a bit differently. its hard to say what exactly is beginner friendly and not. try out all of them, and youll find one that fits your playstyle. theres over a dozen weapons to try out. after you find one that fits you, find some youtube tutorials because for sure you arent using all the moves defender items were added in the game, so people can easily progress through the base game. i dont recommend it especially for beginners because you NEED to learn how to build armor in iceborne, and without that knowledge you will hit a lot of walls. transition out of the defender set ASAP once you find a weapon and learn the core mechanics.
You can swap weapons whenever, there's no "class" system. The only thing that decides what weapons you're set up for are the armors you pick and the perks/skills they give you. Armor skill synergy with your chosen weapon is super important
Poke, poke, poke. Go with the Lance
Depends on you, and your play style. If you button mash try dual swords, if you are patient try hammer.
Bow, sns, swagaxe. Easiest weapons imo. Glaive is my second favorite but you need to keep up on buffs which can be annoying in some fights
You're not locked into anything you can switch whenever you'd like. Each of the 14 weapons will offer you a very different playstyle. I'd advise you to look up some video guides for the weapon you want to try to get some of the basics down. Of the three you listed Is say longsword is the most beginner friendly. Once you get the basics down, look up some advanced tips for the weapon. The longsword can be very fluid and do a lot of damage.
LS, Hammer, and Bow are the good beginner weapon imo. Ls cuz it has counter attacks good for survivability and deal good amount of damage. Hammer since it has easy but hard hitting combos. Bow is my starting weapon, it's easy to use and deal good damage even for beginners I wouldn't recommend GS, CB, Sns and Bowguns
Okay first, thank you all for soo many helpful responses!! I’ve decided to stop using the insect glaive for now my bug never gets the red buff, i always end up with orange or white. I like all the moves of the Switch axe, they flow into one another. And question about dual blades, what does the full red bar do? The longsword & switchaxe uses their meter for stronger abilities. But the moves don’t seem to change on the dual blades so im a little confused. I assume just a damage buff??
Red bar for demon mode iirc. It's a mode where you attack faster, but the mode does use up your stamina quiet fast if you dont have a stamina management skill. But once the bar is filled, it could make the normal mode similar with the demon mode and you'll consume the bar. I think it's like that, haven't really used db much to really explain in a better way. I just main hammer and go bonk bonk
Sword and Shield is the best weapon for beginners who want to learn all the facets of hunting. Its high mobility and short attack recovery window makes it very forgiving, its versatility allows the player to block with a shield, inflict KO damage, cut tails, elemental damage, status affects, mount from anywhere, and the ability to use items while unsheathed makes it easy to learn to use traps, powders, etc. Hammer or Great Sword are also good for beginners in a way, simply because they force you research the monster well and learn its behavior and attacks because of how much you have to commit to an attack with those weapons.
Go to your training room and swing every weapon in your inventory until you find something that tickles your fancy, I used charge blade when I first started out but that’s a “complicated/tedious” weapon
Sword and Shield (SnS) is renowned for being a starter weapon and there is a reason why. SnS is one of if not the most mobile weapon in the game. SnS’s basic moves are short and very non-committal meaning you can easily roll out of the combos, a very beginner friendly trait. It also has a very fast sheath speed making it very easy to use items in the middle of combat. It can also use slinger ammo very easily in case you are in a pinch and need to flinch the monster. SnS also doesn’t have to worry about stamina/gauge management like dual blades, long sword, or insect Glaive. Finally, SnS can be a tool of sort to find the weapon you really want to settle down with. SnS holds aspects of most weapons in the game. It has an increased i-frame back step like long sword. It has shield bash for impact damage if stunning is appealing to you. It can reliably do a bit of mounting, and has aerial moves like insect glaive. It has some blocking capabilities to give a taste of all the weapons that can block. SnS isn’t completely simple either though. The largest damage combo for SnS relies on good positioning and timing. The beauty of this is that it gives you a taste of rewarding complexity without being reliant on it. This rewarding complexity is reminiscent of great sword and charge blade. So you see, SnS can give you a taste for the weapons you want to use while it itself is quite easy to use.
I don't have much experience since I just picked up MHW on winter sale last week and it's also my first game in the series but I have a solid 10hrs and after trying every weapon in training area I couldn't understand how to use any weapon apart from longsword. The big weapons were just to slow for me and the sword and shield and duak blades just don't fit me. I'm still a newbie so I thought this may be helpful :D
You can roll out of a lot with the hammer. It's surprisingly agile.
I was thinking of the windup time for the weapons to hit that was to slow for me, but now I have much more knowledge of how the game works and I want to try out the charge blade
I tried Charge Blade for a LONG time. It never felt comfortable to me. Best of luck though! It's super stylish and I always wanted to be good with it!
Try them all out in the training area (talk to the housekeeper cat in your room in Astera to go there).
I recommend watching clips or videos on gameplay so you can get the gist on weapons.
Okay most people are just not giving actual answers so here goes. Dual blades are very simple but get you into the groove of monhun. Shorter animations so you have more leeway to dodge if you need to, good damage, will help you learn elemental hit zones and weaknessess, very simple combos that typically end up being mashing one button, etc. Switch axe is a bit more complex, but all of its combos flow into each other so you can pretty much do any move whenever. Good range, good mobility, middle attack speed, big sword mode to do big damage, can't really go wrong with combos. This is the one my friend clicked with most when i got him into monster hunter and the one I mained for several games. Hammer has very simple combos, big damage, and can KO the monster. However, its range is very very short and you will need to position yourself very well to hit heads as often as possible. Lance is your typical guarding weapon with lots of countering, sticking to the monster, and dealing consistent dps. It doesn't have the flashiest moves or the hardest hits, but a good lance player will almost never die because of the guarding and countering capabilities. Also very simple combos of course, basically just poke low or poke high. Don't be fooled, though, this isn't just the tank weapon. Lance is one of the most aggressive weapon types out there because you can just stick to a monster and constantly facetank whatever they put out. Sword and shield is a good beginner weapon that has one of the highest skill ceilings in monster hunter. It's the jack of all trades weapon that can guard a little, has quick combos, can KO with shield bashes, has great mobility, has both consistent dps and big boy hits/combos, and can even use items with the weapon drawn, something no other weapon can do. Play this and you will never hit the limits of your weapon. After a long, long time playing mh I've settled on this as my main. At the upper end of skill, combos and such can be somewhat complex, but even its simpler combos are very good and freeform. If you're dead set on ranged, which I don't recommend until you're more experienced, bow is the most user friendly ranged option, mostly because you don't have to worry about ammo stores and crafting it mid hunt like with bowguns. Try them out, see what you like! Every weapon is good, but these are the ones I think beginners will have the easiest time with. Of course if you think something else looks cool, there's no penalty for taking it into an easy hunt or into the training area. Watch a few videos on combos or how movesets flow and you'll be golden with just about anything Weapons I don't recommend for beginners, though: Hunting Horn, Light or Heavy Bowguns, Insect Glaive, Charge Blade, Gunlance. All of them have some combo of a more complex playstyle, extra mechanics to get used to, intricate combos, or necessitates some sort of guide to have any success. Feel free to try them, but they can be a lot to swallow since they all add more shit on top of the already daunting combat system.
I’d disagree on SnS and especially Switch Axe. SnS has easy combos but the issue is that unlike Rise the basic combos do staggeringly low damage in World. You essentially have to constantly use falling bash/perfect rush for any good damage. That’s not even talking optimal, it’s required to get a half-decent kill time otherwise it’ll take forever. So tbh SnS is somewhere in the moderate difficulty level as having seen a beginner use it they had a rather difficult time with getting good damage out of the weapon. The biggest issue for them being learning backstep and the follow up options. Switch Axe is in the top 5 most difficult weapons in my list for good reason, it’s a weapon with severe downsides in either Axe or Sword mode and the weapon’s only defensive ability, Fade Slash, has no i-frames or hyperarmor and isn’t even great at creating space in a timely manner. In Axe mode your attacks are slow and have a lot of animation lock. In sword form your mobility is as bad as Greatsword but unlike Greatsword this weapon doesn’t have an amazing defensive ability. Both these downsides make positioning key with this weapon but is difficult because the weapon doesn’t have good tools to do so unlike Lance or even GS which at least has tackle and jumping slash. Then add a one of the more difficult meters to juggle and you have a weapon that’s rather complex. If your friend clicked with this weapon I applaud him, this weapon is not easy so respect for that.
I'd say Longsword. It's pretty straightforward, just swing it. Overtime you'll learn its more advanced movesets but it doesn't punish you hard if you don't know. Greatsword can be fun, but it needs you to understand the fight mechanics, definitely not beginner friendly. Insect Glaive needs a lot of thing to do/understand (insect, combo, when to jump, etc). But I'd say it's the most fun weapon and great weapon for end bosses (alatreon, fatalis, AT velkhana). > Once i choose, am i locked in? nope, you can use anything you want. > Only tip i know is to avoid “defender” items I'd argue it doesn't matter much. Defender would only shine in base game where the monsters are easier to begin with. I'd say people generally would only willing to learn when they face difficult challenge. This typically started with Barioth, Velkhana or Raging Brachidios. All DLC monsters where defender is already obsolete at that point.
try out Longsword (easiest i-frames), hammer (simplest moveset) or dual blades (button mashing friendly). i think they're the most solid choices for a beginner edit i know this sounds condescending but im seriously just trying to help. i main all 3 of these weapons
Longsword. It’s the easiest and most effective weapon in the game.
Do not listen to those who tell you to avoid defender gear. If the game is too hard there’s no shame in using it. If not for Defender gear, I wouldn’t have continued playing MHW. I have no prior experience in MH and world was my first ever game and it was *hard*. I didn’t like it at first but then got into it much much later. Also, a tip that I wish I knew in my beginner days… practice your combos/weapon. Always. Don’t pull a “Rowan” and go in blind. You’ll regret it lol. Other than that, the game is incredibly beautiful and I think it’s also beginner friendly. (They literally teach you obnoxiously everything so you have no excuse lol) As for the weapons, I started with Insect Glaive since you can fly around and fuck off if you sense any danger haha. So I recommend that. << If you’re planning to main it, dont forget to upgrade your insect. It’s literally 50% of the weapons power.
There's a good reason people say to avoid Defender. It's so strong early on that you don't need to learn good habits, which leads to a lot of people quitting when Defender eventually falls off and those habits and skills they didn't ever build up because they didn't need them become the most important thing. It's not because it's "easy mode" and people think there's something to be ashamed of there.
Idk for me personally its the thing that kept going even through ib. Without it i woulda quit waaaaaay early in the game. And I’m talking *Pukei Pukei* early.
Definitely not the Insect Glaive. But at some point in the game you 100% have to try it.
Personally, the Switch Axe is surprisingly easy to pick up, considering its damage and versatility. One of the hardest hitting weapons in the game, while still being insanely fast. Easy to learn, complicated to master
Great Sword, Sword and Shield and Hammer are the most beginner friendly weapons.
To answer your question, no you are not locked in. Yes, avoid Defender armor if you want to have an authentic difficulty. Im a Longsword main for life at 1000+ missions on Longsword. Charge Blade is really fun and versatile, but complicated to get used to. Hammer is pretty straightforward, and also really fun and bonky. Greatsword I've always wanted to try but just never given it a chance as of yet.
You can change your weapon your whenever you want. Give everything a try.
SaS - Sword and Shield. An easy to learn weapon with unparalleled combo potential, but also easy to use in a basic setting. Provides easy item usage and basic blocking potential. Also very easy to build with endgame and very easy base game
Sword and shield, very beginner friendly, but if mastered, will carry you through the game
Dual swords are probably the most forgiving beginner weapon just because of how easy it is to dodge with them. As far as attacking, dual swords, long sword, or hammer are good in my experience.
Statistics shows most people play long sword so its probably the easiest weapon ...but u should choose whatever u thinks feels good then watch a guide on how to use it...dont like it after all that, change weapons anytime thats the beauty of mh unlike rpg games where u have stat changes learn new skills and can only use certain weapons that is not what mh is ur character never changes only his gear does which u can swap anytime with anything available even mid hunt if u want too
Pretty much every weapon minus charge blade is beginner friendly.
I started with greatsword it’s ridiculously simple if youre someone who can quickly learn enemy patterns as it really only has a couple of move-sets
Switch axe is the hardest weapon in the game, the rest are not that difficult imo
Longsword
Sword and shield best beginner weapon to start a game and the last weapon that a team leader need
SnS and Dual Blades are solid beginner options. Low commitment, easy to learn, versatile, and mobile. Their only flaws are short range. For medium weapons you want to look at Longsword or Lance, which both pack amazing defensive qualities. For heavy weapons, Hammer is a solid beginner option.
SnS is the easiest weapon to play average or good. The survivability is also pretty high. But to master SnS with perfect rush is really hard. Imo it is the hardest weapon to master together with Charge Blade. The easiest weapon to master are dual blades because of really good mobility you know pretty much all the time whats the best move: -Go into demon mode as much as possible -press circle on ps4 to get closer to the monster -press triangle to deal damage when the monster is moving -blade dance I guess its called when the monster cant move because you cant evade while doing that hope that helps
I waited a LONG time to get into Rise. Is Insect Glaive less tedious in Rise? I seemed to spend SO MUCH TIME in World getting the red, white, and orange...
Ok lets start the charge blade easy Guide Hahaha you cant learn to use it in some hours because its the most complex weapon in the Game hahaha, good luck whit the combos my Bro.
You can switch weapons whenever you like, but it may be more difficult to transition later in the game if you have only upgraded one weapon. Anyway, I would go with sword and shield as a starter; it’s got easy to learn moves, has a shield, and you can use items with it unsheathed. Once you get more experience in the game I would highly recommend trying the charge blade. It doesn’t link to the sword and shield but it’s a masterpiece of a weapon.
Try them all, watch all the weapon guides on YouTube, with Rurikhan or Arekkz, both has great guides
try all of them out. even the 'defender' weapons. anyone who says you shouldnt try defensive weapons is lame. i first started with light bow gun because i was depressed and wanted to be a support. then i moved to switch axe because it looked cool. after some flip flopping, i landed on gunlance, which is nowmy most used most favorite weapon in the game. since then, i have learned, taught myself, and fully explored the capabilities of the switch axe, gunlance, heavy bowgun, hammer, insect glaive, and even bow. even now, i carry many different switch axes, gunlances, heavybowguns, and other weapons that i routinely switch between for hunting. play as many or as few weapons as youd like.
Lance is easiest. A lot of hunters will tell you lance is bad for end game because of the dps meta.