Monster Hunter Rise is awash with weapons you can pick right from the start. Especially if you’re new to Monster Hunter, it’s a little overwhelming at first. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best Monster Hunter Rise weapons for beginners to help guide you through the basics and get you ready for the game’s tougher fights. We’ve listed these starting with the simplest ones you should master first. However, it ends with some weapons that, while more complicated, are excellent for beginners to start learning more advanced combos.
Monster Hunter Rise Dual Blades
The Dual Blades are one of the best Monster Hunter Rise weapons for beginners because they’re so simple. These weapons forego fancy combos for speed and versatility, except you of course lack the guarding options some other weapons offer too. It’s not entirely no-frills, though. The Dual Blades’ Demon Mode increases attack and evasion while making you immune to knockback effects.
Monster Hunter Rise Dual Blades Controls
- X — Double Slash
- A — Lunging Strike
- ZR — Initiates Demon Mode
- X+A — Blade Dance (can’t interrupt attack once initiated during Demon Mode)
- ZL+X — Piercing Bind (Wirebug move)
- ZL+A — Shrouded Vault (Wirebug move)
Best Dual Blades Combos
The Dual Blades’ combos are very basic and, again, act as a solid introduction to stringing moves together.
- A+X+X+X — moves you closer to enemies and attacks with three fast double slash attacks. Good for building Demon Mode gauge
- X+A, X+A, X+A during Demon Mode — strings together three Blade Dance attacks
Monster Hunter Rise Light Bowgun
The Light Bowgun is Monster Hunter Rise’s most basic weapon because all it does is fire arrows. That’s exactly what makes it one of the best Monster Hunter Rise weapons for beginners too. Just make sure the Focus Camera settings are enabled to make aiming easier. Aside from ease of use, the Light Bowgun’s best feature is letting you deal plenty of damage from afar. It’s ideal for aerial foes, but also if you’re still getting used to observing monster patterns. Choosing elemental ammo is an added bonus and increases the potential damage you can deal to a variety of monster types.
Monster Hunter Rise Light Bowgun Controls
- ZL — Enable crosshairs
- ZR — Fire
- A — Wyvernblast
- X — Reload
- Y — Sheathe
- Hold L, then cycle with X or B — Select ammo
- X+A — Melee attack
- ZL+X — Silkbind Glide (Wirebug move)
- ZL+A — Fanning Vault (Wirebug move)
Best Light Bowgun Combos
The Light Bowgun doesn’t have combos like the rest of Rise’s weapons, but there are a couple things to keep in mind.
- Step-slide movement combo — Press B after firing to step and reduce recoil. Tilt the stick and press B again to slide in that direction. You can also use this after Wyvernblast.
- Hold X — Reloads all ammo
Monster Hunter Rise Sword and Shield
Monster Hunter has told players from the start that the Sword and Shield are a hunter’s best beginner weapons, and that’s true — with a caveat. The shield offers chances to block some attacks and even deal different types of damage or stun enemies. However, it also means learning a second set of timing patterns for blocking, alongside the usual attack patterns. While the Sword and Shield are a solid, versatile combo for beginners, I’d recommend experimenting with the other weapons on our list first. If you find yourself struggling with those, though, then the Sword and Shield’s speed offers a good alternative.
Monster Hunter Rise Sword and Shield Controls
- X — Chop
- X+X — Side Slash
- X+X+X — Basic Sword and Shield combo
- A — Lateral Slash
- A+A — Return Stroke
- A+A+A — Round Slash
- Round Slash, then X+A — Super Round Slash
- X+A — Advancing Slash
- Left stick + A — Shield Strike (tilt the stick in the direction you want to strike)
- ZR — Guard
- ZR+X — Rising Slash
- X+A in midair — Midair Rising Slash
- ZR+A — Guard Slash
- ZR+A then move the left stick back — Backstep
- ZL+X — Falling Shadow (Wirebug move)
- ZL+A — Windmill (Wirebug move)
Best Sword and Shield Combos
- X+X+A+A — Basic combo
- A+A+A+A, X+A — Strong combo
- Press the left stick + A+A+A — Monster stunning combo
- X+ push left stick down + A, any attack button + X — Charge combo 1
- X + push left stick down + A, any attack button + A — Charge combo 2
Backstep Combos
These are some of Sword and Shield’s unique combos to pair with backstepping.
After backstep:
- Hold A, press X — Leaping Slash
- Hold A, press A — Charged Slash
- X+X+X+X — Perfect Rush
Monster Hunter Rise Hammer
The Hammer is the blunt version of the Great Sword (which we’ll get to in a bit). It’s also a simpler weapon, making it one of our choices for best Monster Hunter Rise weapons for beginners. It’s slow, and it hits hard. (It’s a hammer after all.) Best of all, it’s straightforward with few complicated combo possibilities. Just smash and repeat. The Hammer makes you get close to your quarry since it has short melee reach, but it also wears monsters down faster.
Monster Hunter Rise Hammer Controls
- X — Overhead Smash
- X+X+X — Upward Swing
- ZR (hold) — Charge. It has three levels, and releasing at any level deals a regular charge attack.
- Charge + X — Charge Smash
- A — Side Smash
- A while charging — Charge Switch. This transforms the charge attack into one massive strike.
- ZL+X — Silkbind Spinning (Wirebug move)
- ZL+A — Impact Crater (Wirebug move)
Best Hammer Combos
The Hammer’s best combos revolve around its charge mechanic.
- Hold ZR + move left stick up + X+X — Charge side blow
- Hold ZR + move left stick up + A+X+X — Monster stunning combo
Monster Hunter Rise Great Sword
The Great Sword is one of the strongest slashing weapons. Despite being massive and unwieldy at first, it’s still one of Monster Hunter Rise’s best beginner weapons. The Great Sword is all about power and increasing that power through both charged attacks and strategic sheathing. Its primary drawback is being slow. However, if you want to maximize your damage output, it’s worth putting up with.
Monster Hunter Rise Great Sword Controls
- X — Overhead Slash (executes faster when the weapon is sheathed)
- Hold X — Charge Slash
- After Charged Slash, tilt left stick and hold X — Strong Charged Slash
- After Strong Charged Slash OR after Wide Sweep, tilt left stick and hold X — True Charged Slash
- A — Wide Sweep
- After Strong Charged Slash, press A — Strong Wide Sweep
- X+A — Rising Slash (cannot perform follow-up attack)
- ZR — Guard
- ZR+X — Kick
- While charging, press A, or while evading, press X, or after Kick, press X — Tackle
- ZL+A — Hunting Edge (Wirebug skill)
- ZL+X — Power Sheathe
Best Great Sword Combos
- Press X, then tilt the left stick and hold X, press A, then tilt left stick and press X — This is an overhead slash, kick, slash combo that staggers the enemy and primes you for True Charged Slash all at once.
- Press X, then tilt the left stick + hold X, then press A, then tilt the stick and press X again — This combo ties together Charged Slash and Wide Sweep, which sets you up to use True Charged Slash and work especially well if the enemy is stunned.
Monster Hunter Rise Long Sword
The Longsword is often recommended as an intermediate weapon since it uses a spirit gauge for some key moves and leaves you vulnerable if you’re too close. However, what the Longsword lacks in immediate payoff, it makes up for in extended reach and peerless slashing power. Basic attacks fill the spirit gauge, and then, even without starting a combo, you can press ZR to launch spirit attacks and deal heavy damage. It’s slow, however, so get used to how it works in the village training arena first.
Monster Hunter Rise Long Sword Controls
- X — Vertical Slash
- A — Thrust
- X+A — Fade Slash. Control the direction with the left stick.
- ZR+B during attack — Special Sheathe
- X after Special Sheathe — Iai Slash
- ZR after Special Sheathe — Iai Spirit Slash
- ZL+X — Soaring Kick (Wirebug move)
- ZL+A — Serene Pose (Wirebug move). Use before being attacked to launch a counter.
Long Sword Spirit Moves
- ZR — Spirit Blade
- Move then ZR — Jumping Spirit Blade
- ZR+A — Foresight Slash
- ZR+ZR+ZR+ZR — Spirit Roundslash
- Soaring Kick, then ZR —Spirit Helm Breaker
Best Long Sword Combos
These revolve around the Spirit Gauge, so make sure it’s full before getting started.
- ZR+A+ZR+ZR+B+ZR+ZR+ZR — This one strings Spirit Blade and Iai attacks together, which actually replenishes your Spirit Gage enough to pull off several Spirit attacks at the end.
- X+A, ZR, ZR, ZR — This turns Fade Slash into a Spirit move for extra damage.
- X, ZR+A, A, ZR — You can weave this Foresight Slash move into any combo. The goal is filling the Spirit Gauge with basic moves, then countering with Foresight Slash before finishing with additional damage. Note your Foresight Slash won’t work if your Spirit Gauge is empty.
That’s everything you need to know about the best Monster Hunter Rise weapons for beginners. Stick around for more Monster Hunter Rise guides in the coming days.
