Monster Hunter Stories 2 Best Weapons: Top Weapon Types Ranked
Choosing the right gear in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is essential for mastering Head-to-Head encounters and breaking specific monster body parts. Players must equip weapons across three distinct damage categories: Slashing, Blunt, and Piercing. Understanding how each weapon functions allows Riders to maximize Kinship Gauge generation while maintaining optimal team defense.
Top Slashing Options: Great Sword and Sword and Shield
The Great Sword offers massive raw damage potential through its Charge Gauge mechanic, making it ideal for targeting exposed monster parts. Players can unleash devastating skills once they win Head-to-Head battles to rapidly build power. For a more balanced defensive playstyle, the Sword and Shield provides reliable blocking options and useful countering abilities.
Using the Sword and Shield allows players to protect themselves against heavy incoming strikes without sacrificing consistent turn-by-turn damage output. Its low Kinship cost skills make it a versatile backup during unpredictable turn cycles. Both options excel at severing tails and cutting through tough monster hides.
Premier Blunt Weapons: Hunting Horn and Hammer
The Hunting Horn stands out as arguably the best support weapon in the entire game due to its wide range of party buffs. Skills like Evasion Riff enable the entire team to dodge severe area-of-effect attacks from enraged bosses. Having a reliable Hunting Horn equipped drastically increases overall party survivability during endgame trials.
Alternatively, the Hammer functions as a high-offense blunt choice that rewards clever strategic planning. By winning Head-to-Head encounters, Riders build up Chaser skill meters that deal astronomical damage to status-afflicted foes. It remains the primary choice for cracking heavy monster armor and causing knockdowns.
Leading Piercing Choices: Bow and Gunlance
The Bow serves as a supreme ranged piercing weapon capable of inflicting devastating status ailments on enemy targets. With access to Charge shots and power coatings, it delivers precise damage directly to flight-capable body parts. Its strategic utility helps turn dangerous encounters into manageable turn-based battles.
The Gunlance offers a unique blend of heavy piercing damage and rapid Kinship Gauge accumulation. Winning Head-to-Head clashes with shelling skills quickly fills the gauge for frequent Monstie Riding attacks. While it requires tight resource management, its defensive guarding capabilities make it exceptionally sturdy.
Building the Ultimate Loadout
To prepare for any threat, Riders should always carry one weapon from each damage category into battle. Matching the proper weapon type against a monster's weak point accelerates part breaks and downs enemies much faster. Balancing utility options like the Hunting Horn with heavy hitters ensures long-term success throughout the campaign.