Related: Monster Hunter Rise Updates and Patch Notes (January 2022)
Greatsword
The Greatsword is a massive blade with slow strikes but unrivaled power. Greatswords can launch monsters back, stun them, and guard with their herculean blade—charge attacks to increase their power and damage output.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Power Sheathe: Dash forward quickly while sheathing your Greatsword. Successfully implementing this attack boosts attack power temporarily.
- Hunting Edge: Leap forward and attack with the full might of the Greatsword. Can use Charged Slash or Charged Plunging Thrust in succession after Hunting Edge connects.
- Adamant Charged Slash: Use the Wirebug to execute a Strong Charged Slash. Grants super armor when dashing forward, preventing hunters from being knocked down.
Long Sword
The Long Sword charges the Spirit Gauge with regular attacks to release powerful Spirit Blade attacks. Long Sword users also have access to technical dodges and counterattack mechanics, giving them an array of options in combat.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Serene Pose: Take a hit with your weapon prepared and unleash a counterattack on monsters.
- Soaring Kick: Use a Wirebug to launch yourself into the air. Hunters use a jump kick once airborne. If the kick connects, a Plunging Thrust will follow that fills the Spirit Gauge for a short period. Players can enact the Spirit Helm Breaker attack with their Spirit Gauge energy.
- Silkbind Sakura Slash: A spinning attack that allows hunters to dash and slice through the monster with the help of their Wirebug. Lands multiple attacks over time and raises the Spirit Gauge by 1. Interchangable with Soaring Kick.
Sword & Shield
The Sword and Shield specialize in close proximity attacks. The sword damages enemies with quick strikes, while the shield can block attacks and bludgeon enemies. This weapon class is an excellent choice for beginner hunters.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Falling Shadow: A leaping attack that catapults hunters forward. Should the attack connect with a monster, players can follow up with Scaling Slash. Falling Bash can be used if Scaling Slash lands.
- Windmill: Use Ironskil to swing your sword around reapeatedly. The first swing nullifies a monster attack.
- Metsu Shoryugeki: Use a Wirebug jump to attack a monster with a shield uppercut. Attack can be used to guard if timed correctly. If used to counter an attack, increased damage is dealt. Can be swapped with Windmill.
Dual Blades
Dual Blades are short blades that unleash a flurry of rapid strikes to enemies. Dual Blades have access to Demon Mode, a form that allows players to use their stamina gauge to enact higher damage combos on monsters.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Shrouded Vault: Launches hunters forward, if hit when this action is active, players unleash a spinning attack.
- Piercing Bind: Pierces monsteer with a kunai that explodes after a predetermined amount of time. Hitting the monster where the kunai gets trapped increases damage with each hit.
- Tower Vault: Catapults the hunter upwards with the Wirebug. Does not deal damage, but allows players to move through the air unimpeded. Interchangable with Piercing Bind.
Lance
The Lance is a defensive weapon that comes with a shield. The shield is exceptional at defending against attacks. This set is excellent for hunters specializing in counterattacks and sharp combos that don't want to sacrifice their mobility.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Twin Vine: Tosses a kunai into a monster, focusing the monster on the attacking player. Press displayed buttons after lodging the kunai in a monster to charge toward the enemy while brandishing the shield and guarding.
- Anchor Rage: Attacks blocked with the shield increase attack power temporarily. Attack increase is dependant on strength of monster's attack.
- Spiral Thrust: Two-step attack that repositions the hunter before enacting a counterattack. The shield is used to parry before the Wirebug launches players forward for a powerful lance strike. Interchangable with Anchor Rage.
Gunlance
The Gunlance is a powerful lance fitted with a cannon. Gunlance hunters can launch powerful attacks with a combination of ammunition and lance strike—a solid middle ground between ballistics and melee combat.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Guard Edge: Guarding at the right time will replenish weapon sharpness. Attacks can be used in succession with this move.
- Hail Cutter: Use Rising Slash followed by an Overhead Smash. Wyvern's Fire cooldown time reduced with each use.
- Ground Splitter: Uses the Wirebug to dash forward and leap into an upward strike. When the Gunlance scrapes the ground, the barrel is heated, increasing damage dealt by shells, Wyrmstake Shots, and Wyvern's Fire. Can be swapped with Hail Cutter.
Hammer
The Hammer is a large blunt weapon that hits hard and staggers enemies. It uses powerful charge attacks and has high maneuverability, and is great for hunters aiming to stun monsters repeatedly.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Impact Crater: Leap up and use a rising attack that attacks enemies on the way down as well.
- Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon: Use a spinning attack that enacts multiple attacks as the hunter leaps forward. Skilbind Spinning Bludgeon can be used from a charged state.
- Dash Breaker: Performs an attack that rushes forward with a Wirebug. Become invincible while dashing forward. Interchangable with Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon.
Related: All Attack Types Weaknesses and Counters in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Hunting Horn
The Hunting Horn is a blunt weapon specializing in buffing party members by performing melodies. Perform steady boosts by focusing on a single note type or combining notes to get multiple buffs—the perfect support weapon for any monster hunting party.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Slide Beat: Launch forward with a spinning attack with the Wirebug. Final performance grants a status boost where players are invulnerable to knockback during the attack.
- Earthshaker: Attack that uses the Ironsilk to buff the attack of the Hunting Horn to enact a blade strike. Sonic blast explodes inside the target aftert attack.
- Bead of Resonanace: Puts a Wirebug cocoon on the ground, melody effects appear around the cocoon to buff players and damage enemies. Players can switch this skill out with Earthshaker.
Switch Axe
Switch Axes alternate between Axe Mode for stronger strikes and Sword Mode for quicker attacks. A highly versatile weapon that compromises between power and speed.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Switch Charger: Charge forward using the Wirebug while regenerating the Switch Gauge. Switch Gauge also stops decreasing for a short time.
- Invincible Gambit: A spinning attack that sends players charging forward. Makes players immune to flinching during the chagel
- Soaring Wyvern Blade: Use a Wirebug to rise into the air while slashing. This attack ends in a Forward Slash from midair. The Switch Axe's Activation Gauge fills if Forward Slash is successful and a large explosion goes off where connected. Swappable with Invincible Gambit.
Charge Blade
The Charge Blade is another interchangeable weapon that swaps between a sword and shield or axe form. Players charge the weapon in sword mode and combine the weapons to form an axe to unleash stored energy.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Morphing Advance: Wirebug launches hunters forward as the Charge Blade swaps to axe form. Monster attacks don't stun players while this move is in motion. Can be linked into other attacks
- Counter Peak Performance: Readies the shield while anchoring to the ground to brace for an incoming attack. Getting hit while shield is readied maximizes phials.
- Axe Hopper: Slam the axe down overhead using the backlash to send you flying into the air. Can unleash a powerful Element Discharge while flying up. Can switch with Counter Peak Performance.
Insect Glaive
Control Kinsects with the Insect Glaive to absorb essence from monsters and buff your hunter. Launch yourself into the air and strike from above—one of the most mobile weapons in Monster Hunter Rise.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Silkbind Vault: A leaping attack that spins players forward. Can use Jumping Slash, Jumping Advancing Slash, or even a Midair Evade to follow up.
- Recall Kinsect: Calls your Kinsect back during a dodge. The Kinsect will heal players as it returns and use a spinning attack.
- Diving Wyvern: Impactful dive attack that calls a Wirebug to yank you down with incredible force towards the enemy. Damage is very focused but has a small impact radius. Interchangable with Recall Kinsect.
Light Bowgun
The Light Bowgun is an exceptional long-range weapon that can use rapid-fire attacks and inflict enemy status ailments. It uses various types of ammunition and is great for those who like to fight from a distance without sacrificing mobility.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Silkbind Glide: Fly forward with blistering speed. Attack while moving during this Silkbind Attack to use a close-range severing move.
- Fanning Vault: Vault forward with the Wirebug. Reload, Fire or use a Wyvernblast beneath you that sticks to monsters.
- Fanning Maneuver: Move using the Wirebug to quickly flank to the left or right of your enemies while boosting attack power. Can shoot while moving. Swaps with Fanning Vault.
Heavy Bowgun
The Heavy Bowgun is a powerful ranged weapon that sacrifices mobility for more impactful damage output. Loads Wyvernheart or Wyvernsnipe ammo in combat. Great for ranged combatants looking for a gun with some punch.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Free Silkbind Glide: Dart around at your discretion using the Wirebug to control direction of sash. Attack at close range or quickly sheathe your weapons.
- Counter Shot: Shoot a silk web and ready a strong counterattack. Attack is activated once players are hit during this stance.
- Counter Charger: Parry attacks using Wirebugs. Absorb attacks from a monster to negate damage. Also shortens time needed for Charged Shot. Can switch with Counter Shot.
Bow
The Bow is a weapon made for ranged attackers. Offers high mobility and fires Arc Shots to cover allies and Power Shots for increased damage. Hunters can coat arrows to apply status effects to monsters.
Silkbind Attacks:
- Herculean Draw: Move forward quickly in the direction of your choice. Attack is boosted for a short time after this move is used.
- Focus Shot: Dodge during a crouch. Stamina regenerates rapidly during crouches. With perfect timing, players can nullify all monster attack damage.
- Aerial Aim: Jump into the air using the Wirebug and fire arrows. Powerful shots can be fired while in the air. Close-range arrow attack can be aimed below hunters during this attack as well. Can swap with Focus Shot.
For more on Monster Hunter, be sure to check out some of our other articles, like What is the release date of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak here on Pro Game Guides.
I’m Tai, a gaming guru from Ohio and Staff Writer for Pro Game Guides. Few things are as incredible to me as the interactive experiences video games provide, and I want to use my writing talent to help others enjoy games as well! If I’m not gaming, I’m probably watching Marvel movies or anime.