When Was Each Weapon Added In Monster Hunter?

You already know what the aim of the game is in Monster Hunter. You are a hunter, and you must hunt. Before you set out on your grand hunt though, you need to come to terms with what weapon you’ll be using. Every weapon in Monster Hunter is like playing a new game in and of itself, so every new addition to the roster is a big shift.

While no new weapons have been added to the series in quite a while, that’s not to say that the series has been packing a full armoury from day one. In fact, some of the most renowned weapons in Monster Hunter have entered the fray quite recently. Now let’s find out exactly when each weapon debuted.

Updated March 29th, 2025 by Hilton Webster: With Monster Hunter Wilds released and another entry without a new weapon, it’s time to look back at those weapons that were removed, the one-and-done weapons that were never meant to stay. While there aren’t too many, they’re interesting weapons that would be great to have a grand return.

17

Great Sword

Monster Hunter

The greatest friend of the slowest hunters comes the Great Sword. Making its debut in the very first Monster Hunter game, the Great Sword is symbolic of the series as a whole and has become a symbol of the games. You miss every hit you don’t take, but you’ll miss plenty of the ones you take, too.

Great Sword is all about heavy hits. It demands extreme precision in your strikes, but it rewards you with frankly absurd amounts of damage. The Great sword is so great that it can even block some attacks, making you a tank without even needing a shield.

16

Sword And Shield

Monster Hunter

Sword and Shield is the bread-and-butter of the series. Right there from the very beginning, Sword and Shield has been the entryway to the series for many players, being a weapon that offers great versatility, easy-to-pick-up mechanics, and is easily recognisable to newcomers.

Two of the most enticing aspects of the Sword and Shield are its ability to deal both Cutting and Impact damage through attacks with the Sword or the Shield, but it also lets you heal while blocking, giving you that extra degree of safety.

15

Light Bowgun

Monster Hunter

Sometimes you want to keep your distance from a monster but still be able to hold your own in a fight. That’s where the Light Bowgun comes in, keeping you light on your feet and laying down covering fire since 2004 with the original Monster Hunter.

The Light Bowgun is all about keeping agile. It’s never going to be the primary damage dealer, but it comes packed with utility. You can cycle through plenty of different ammo types and can choose to rapid-fire it too if you have the confidence to land your hits.

14

Heavy Bowgun

Monster Hunter

Of course, while you may want to keep your distance, that might be because you want to give the Monster a fighting chance rather than giving yourself room to breathe. The Heavy Bowgun is devastation in the right hands and has been putting fear into the hearts of monsters since its debut in the original Monster Hunter.

As heavy as it is, you can barely move with the Heavy Bowgun and typically need to lock yourself in place to take advantage of its immense power. In some games, it even lets you hunker down and lay down continuous fire on a monster once you have a clean line of sight.

13

Lance

Monster Hunter

While Lances in history were typically relegated to jousting competitions, they are a weapon most fearsome in the hands of a trained hunter. A mainstay since the original Monster Hunter, the Lance allows you to poke a monster behind the safety of your shield.

In many ways, Lances are some of the purest weapons in the series. Their moveset is simple and revolves around a simple, methodical process – you poke, you backstep, you poke some more. You can guard against plenty of attacks too, so you just keep poking until the monster is hunted.

12

Hammer

Monster Hunter

You might think to yourself that the Hammer would be a considerably slower weapon compared to its peers due to its sheer size and considerable damage output. In that, you would be wrong. The Hammer, despite being an immensely powerful bonk machine, is also hilariously mobile.

Knocking out monsters with its heavy Impact strikes since the very first Monster Hunter, the Hammer is all about tenderising monsters. You use its weight to your advantage, dragging yourself around with each swing yet giving you just a little bit more forgiveness with positioning.

11

Dual Blades

Monster Hunter G

The primary weapon of many a fan, Dual Blades are the beloved Beyblade weapon of the series, though have had a slightly complex introduction to the series. Though they appeared in the original Monster Hunter, this was only in the Western release. It wasn’t until Monster Hunter G, the expanded version of the original game in Japan, that Dual Blades were available for everyone.

Since its debut, Dual Blades have become the primary weapon for everyone who wants their own hype moment. Dual Blades are by far the fastest weapon in the series and have you circling the monster like a lightning bolt. Though there’s no feeling quite like cutting along the spine of a monster at the speed of light.

10

Long Sword

Monster Hunter 2

While it was only introduced to the series in Monster Hunter 2, the Long Sword has quickly ascended to the highest tiers of weapon usage. Yes, it attracts people who love the idea of a katana-wielding samurai, but it is also a very fun weapon.

The Long Sword revolves around maintaining its Spirit Gauge so you can pull off deadly strikes while countering every attack that comes your way. It’s an intensely difficult weapon to master, though one that makes you virtually impervious once you learn it.

Long Sword is also one of the rare weapons that, for some reason, can interrupt other players’ animations.

9

Hunting Horn

Monster Hunter 2

Have you ever used the Hammer in the original Monster Hunter and just really wished it could play some sick tunes? No? Well, the Hunting Horn exists for those you you that want some rhythm to your bonks.

Dropped into the hands of the most caring hunters in Monster Hunter 2, the Hunting Horn is the best of both worlds. It buffs you and your fellow hunters with powerful effects, yet also lets you deal devastating damage. Who ever said support units had to be passive?

8

Gunlance

Monster Hunter 2

Monster Hunter has ranged weapons in the Bowguns and countless melee options, yet couldn’t you make a perfect weapon if you were to combine those two categories together? Enter the Gunlance, another of Monster Hunter 2’s stellar new additions.

The Gunlance functions like the regular Lance in many ways but with the addition of the ‘gun’ part. The Gunlance can fire shells into the monster for slightly more range, and even for a little propulsion of its own.

7

Bow

Monster Hunter 2

After having both a Light and Heavy Bowgun, what could possibly fit into the middle ground of those ranged options? A Medium Bowgun? Of course not, but a good old-fashioned Bow instead! Monster Hunter 2 tells us that sometimes the simplest methods are the most effective.

Contrasting with the finite ammo of the Bowguns, the Bow has infinite ammo and immensely more movement abilities. Bow wants you to stay in motion at all times and dance around the monster while still giving you some extra utility from arrow coatings.

6

Switch Axe

Monster Hunter 3

There’s a certain mindset you can feel developing in the minds of the Monster Hunter developers as they reach the third game. They had most of the typical categories covered, so what’s the next best thing? Just make something completely unreal.

Enter the Switch Axe. As the name implies, it switches between an axe and a sword. Both modes are powerful and have their own utilities, though they’re designed to be used in tandem. You have to charge up your phials and unleash them with various attacks. It’s more complicated than it sounds, funnily enough.

5

Tonfa

Monster Hunter Frontier G Genuine

Introduced in the G Genuine release of Monster Hunter Frontier, the Tonfa have have seen an appearance in any game beyond their original, Japan-only release. For those who have gotten a chance to try them out though have begged for their inclusion in the international games.

The Tonfa fall somewhere between the Long Sword and Dual Blades. They strike fast, and even feature a unique damage system reminiscent of Monster Hunter Wilds’ Wounds system. However, they also have multiple gauges you must charge up to gain access to increased attack power and unique moves.

4

Insect Glaive

Monster Hunter 4

A staff-like weapon never existed in Monster Hunter up to its fourth entry, yet that would be too simple. How do you make it a more unique invention? Strap an insect that is frankly way too large right into your forearm. Boom, you have the Insect Glaive.

The Insect Glaive has a name that might seem obvious, but in no way actually is. The weapon is actually all about aerial mobility, dashing across the sky and attacking from above. The Kinsect (the massive bug on your arm) is also able to steal energy from monsters to boost you, giving you new moves. You never need to walk again.

3

Charge Blade

Monster Hunter 4

When playing Monster Hunter, it can sometimes feel like you’re playing a different game entirely based on the weapon you choose. For example, you’ll love the Charge Blade if you’re a fan of micromanagement.

Monster Hunter 4 introduced what is likely to be the most complex weapon the series will ever know in the Charge Blade. Like the Switch Axe, it can alternate between different modes and fill up phials. It also needs to charge each section separately, from sword to axe to shield. It’s not quite rocket science, but it’s pretty close.

2

Accel Axe

Monster Hunter Explore

Monster Hunter Explore was another Japan-exclusive game in the series, only released on smart phones. It featured all the typical weapons from previous games, and added the Accel Axe in a later update. Due to the simplified controls of Explore, the Accel Axe is one of the less in-depth weapons, though still has some unique traits.

It is somewhat akin to the Charge Blade and Switch Axe, with phials charged as you perform attacks. Unlike those weapons, it is fully build around high-speed battles, with may of your phials being used to perform propulsion attacks that launch you across the battlefield. It’s a weapon that could easily be expanded with more depth if it ever made its way to the mainline games.

1

Magnet Spike

Monster Hunter Frontier Z Zenith

Introduced in the later Z Zenith version of Monster Hunter Frontier, the Magnet Spike is another weapon locked to a specific game, and is one of the most unique in the series. It is a morphing weapon like the Switch Axe and Charge Blade, though remains slow no matter which mode it is in. However, it can deal both Blunt and Severing damage depending on the mode, just like Sword and Shield.

What really makes the Magnet SPike stand out is its magnetism. With it, you can fire a magnetic orb anywhere, including onto specific section of a monster. This lets you dash to that spot in an instant to unleash powerful attacks, or push yourself away from that spot at a moment’s notice. It is complex, relying more heavily on dodging than any other heavy weapon in the series.