Monster Hunter World: Ranking Every Weapon From Worst To Best

Monster Hunter: World doesn't just provide players with the bare essentials to survive in an inhospitable ecosystem populated by fire-breathing dinosaurs and electrified wyverns, it outfits them with an armoury and asks the simplest of questions. 'So, which one takes your fancy?'

That's a query that can't possibly be resolved, given that even several hours spent in Astera's danger-free training grounds won't yield the answer to whether the lance outpaces its explosive counterpart or which transforming mass of metal reigns supreme between the Switch Axe and Charge Blade. It's for that very reason that the best advice any Hunter who's made it past the first hump can give you is to 'just choose the weapon you most enjoy using'.

A fine response, were the entirety of World's weapon selection in equal standing on the power spectrum, but there are winners and losers, and the last thing you want is to spend hours mastering a single archetype that turns out to be total guff. That will never be the case - Capcom's been at this for a while, it knows how to make World's entire collection of monster-murdering tools sparkle - but some shine brighter than others, there's no doubt about that...

Pros: Can use items while guarding, fast and evasive

Cons: Low damage, blocking is only situationally effective, weapon sharpness decays rapidly

As always, the modest sword and shield is a great jumping off point for Monster Hunter newcomers, but that description only tells a half-truth. Yes, the archetype has a series of unique abilities designed to be more forgiving than others - chugging potions without having to sheathe your weapon is a definite plus - but that accessibility comes at a cost.

Officially, the offensive part of the pair may be deemed worthy of sword status, but in comparison to the rest of World's armoury, its size is more comparable to a dagger, meaning you'll need to be within spitting distance of a monster to so much as scratch it. That's a risk your Hunter's able to take, given that they'll be holding a shield in the other hand, but don't expect to deflect the furious charge of a Diablos with that meagre buckler - it'll barge through it like a steam train.

Fulfill its role as a suitable starting weapon the combo does, but it'll swiftly be outclassed by others as World's wildlife grows bigger and meaner.