Monster Hunter World - The Most Unpopular Weapons (Worst Weapons)

With 14 weapon types to choose from in Monster Hunter World there's an ample range of exciting weapons to try out as you explore and defeat the huge monsters on your journey. However, not all weapons are perfect for everyone and in this guide I'll shed some light on the most unpopular weapons.

Before we kick off, this list is not my personal opinion but rather the collective thoughts of the community. It may not resound with every player and of course some will prefer to unlock and enjoy every weapon type in the game. This is absolutely fine and there's no harm in going for the complete experience in a great game such as Monster Hunter World - I for sure will be replaying as much as possible to enjoy every weapon type.

Thankfully, Capcam have always included a great range of weapons in Monster Hunter. None of the weapons are truly awful, so much that you'll never want to use them, but for those with less time to grind out all the weapons and for those who would simply like to understand the weaknesses of certain weapons then this list is for you!

Most Unpopular Weapons

1. Sword and Shield

Arguably the least popular weapon type in the game - but for all the wrong reasons. Promoted as a light weapon with good speed and maneuverability, unfortunately the sword attacks feel weak to the less experienced player and it doesn't have the fearsome look nor hard hitting aesthetics that some other weapons boast.

For those with an experienced eye, the true potential of the Sword and Shield (SnS) is masked behind it's utility. For starters the SnS allows players to use items while the weapon is still drawn - something which other weapons fail to match. Doesn't sound that good? Having to put away your weapon to use items is a big disadvantage in the heat of a fight. The animation time spent using items puts you in considerable danger that you would not experience when using the SnS. With this disability removed, players can pop a healing potion, throw a bomb or use the slinger without interrupting the flow.

Like the Insect Glaive, the SnS also provides the player with greater maneuverability, to the extent that mounting monsters is far easier.

In general, this weapon type is only appreciated by veteran players in the Monster Hunter series. Take a look at an experienced players SOLO attempts and you'll soon see that the Sword and Shield can still deliver great DPS in an aggressively fast and agile manner.

2. Bow

One of the easier ranged weapons to master, the Bow appeals to new players because of its unlimited ammo supply. It has no defense, great movement speed and relies heavily on the players ability to position their shots. Standard arrows are weak but players can also "coat" arrows to grant bonus effects such as slowness, status effects, damage etc.

The charged attacks and the coated arrows are very cool, there's no denying that, but generally the Bow is an average weapon UNTIL coated arrows are acquired. Typically this is later in the game, making the bow an unpopular early choice and one which gets forgotten about by the time it's too late to appreciate it's potential.

3. Hammer

In MHW, Hammers have lost popularity with the fan base. Although looking awesome and making players behave like Thor, the Hammer is a blunt and slow weapon that is similar to the Great Sword but with some notable exceptions. The most important of these is the weapons bluntness, preventing the player from severing monster parts such as the tail. Secondly and probably more importantly is the restricted range of the hammer.

Contrary to the Great Sword, the Hammer has no defense option. Players can at least move whilst charging up attacks, something you cannot do with the GS, but unfortunately these charged attacks are very slow and very open to a counterattack if mistimed.

In the right group or in the hands of an experienced player the Hammer is a deadly weapon that can literally knock out monsters in one go, unfortunately it lacks the finesse and attack options of other weapons and hence is generally neglected.

4. Hunting Horn

Let's just be clear here - the Hunting Horn (HH) is a good weapon. It's biggest downfall is that most inexperienced players associate the HH as being an uncool support weapon, and either neglect it for challenging SOLO runs or consider it a "backseat" weapon in teams.

Yes it's true, the Hunting Horn is the only weapon with features designed to benefit the team and yes you don't really want to be bashing out the songs SOLO infront of a monsters face. Technically it has no defense, no charged attacks and acts more like an extended ranged Hammer.

However, the overwhelming reason for choosing the Horn is its ability to play short 2-3 note songs that buff and heal the party AND yourself. Each song provides a different buff that can include movespeed, attack, defense, heal and even make players immune to monster roars.

It is certainly NOT a backseat weapon and in the right situations, Hunting Horn players become the "unsung heroes" - buffing the team on to success from the front lines!

Do you agree with the list above? Leave your thoughts below on what you consider the unloved weapons in Monster Hunter World...