All Weapons in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

Monster Hunter Stories 2 offers six different types of weapons that can be wielded and upgraded to the preference of the player. The six weapons are: Bow, Great Sword, Gunlance, Hammer, Hunting Horn, and Sword and Shield. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses that we discuss below.

The Bow

The Bow is a piercing weapon type with a couple of different abilities and coatings. This weapon can be harder to wield as players must wait extra turns to attack. Charging takes an extra round without firing but will add an extra attack to the player's next turn.

Bow Abilities

• Spread Shot: A standard shot will shoot three projectiles. A charged spread shot will fire a widened set of three projectiles.
• Rapid-Fire Shot: The standard rapid-fire shot shoots faster projectiles. A charged version will shoot a barrage of arrows.
• Piercing Shot: Normal piercing shot is a heavier-damaging single shot. The charged piercing shot is an enlarged arrow that better damages parts of monsters.

Bow Coatings

• Paralysis
• Poison
• Power
• Sleep

The Great Sword

The Great Sword is a powerful, two-handed slashing weapon that charges as its abilities are used over time. This weapon is purely damage-focused. Wielded correctly, players shouldn't have to worry too much about the damage they are taking, as they'll quickly swipe through their foes.

Great Sword Abilities

• Charge Cut: Heavy damage, one-target attack. (Charges by one point)
• Charge Tackle: One-target attack. (Charges by one point)
• Charged Slash: Heavy damage attack to one enemy. (Costs one Charge Point)
• Guard: Reduces damage taken in a round when activated
• True Wild Slash: Deals heavy damage to all enemies (Costs two Charge Points)

Related: All Attack Types Weaknesses and Counters in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin

The Gunlance

A piercing distance weapon that performs best in longer battles. Each of the Gunlance's attacks charges the weapon to perform better attacks. The Gunlance offers a good amount of defense in comparison to other weapon choices and is easier to keep stocked with ammo.

Gunlance Abilities

• Shelling: A two-hit attack that offers players the choice of making it a power, speed, or tech type. (Costs two ammo & boosts kinship)
• Wyrmsteak Cannon: A multi-hit attack on a single target. (Costs five ammo & boosts Kinship)
• Burst Fire: This attack is a giant AOE blast that hits all targets in sight. (Costs eight ammo & boosts Kinship)
• Tech, Power, or Speed Seal: An attack ability that blocks certain attack types from enemies. (Costs Kinship)
• Guard Seal: This seal allows the player to lower how much damage they receive.
• Protect: Will draw enemies' attention off of teammates and onto the player.
• Wyvern's Fire: Players can attack all active enemies at once with a large fireball. (Costs all Kinship)

The Hammer

The Hammer is a two-handed blunt weapon with three charge levels and three distinct types: Blastfire Chaser, Sleepseal Chaser, and Parapoison Chaser. The Hammer is similar to the Great Sword in damage. However, players have to use their abilities at whatever charge level they currently have, making it a bit wasteful at times.

Hammer Abilities

• Chaser Attack: This is a large, single-hit attack that gets bonus damage if the enemy has the corresponding status effect to the weapon type. (Charge level I or II)
• Double Swing: Two-hit attack that is somewhat stronger than the base Hammer damage. (Charge level I)
• Full Double Swing: Hits all enemies with the two-bash attack. (Charge level II)
• Meteor Hammer: Large, single-target smash. (Charge level II)
• Spinning Meteor: Heavy, single-target smash. (Charge level III)
• Hammer Slammer: Heavy AOE smash. (Charge level III)
• Absolute Evasion: Avoids one oncoming attack.

Related: Monster Hunter Stories 2 Updates adds new Monsters – Molten Tigrex and Dreadking Rathalos

The Hunting Horn

There are four types of Hunting Horns that give access to different abilities. These include Music, Tune, Melody, and Song. All types are granted the Absolute Evasion ability. The Hunting Horn makes a great support weapon and is mainly buff-focused, no matter the type.

Music Type Abilities

• Mettle Overature: Regenerates health for five turns. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Healing: Cures team of negative status effects. (Costs 15 pts.)
• Evasion Riff: The entire team is able to avoid one upcoming attack. (Costs 35 pts.)
• Soothing Sounds: Heals the player's entire team. (Costs 20 pts.)

Tune Type Abilities

• Bloodsuck: Buffs team to heal from attacks for five turns. (Costs 30 pts.)
• Berserk: Increases critical chance for the party. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Charge Ahead: Buffs the team's elemental attack damage. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Bonds of Kinship: Buffs Kinship charge. (Costs 15 pts.)

Melody Type Abilities

• Negate Poison: Team becomes immune to poison for five turns. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Negate Paralysis: Team becomes immune to paralysis for five turns. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Negate Ailments: Team becomes immune to abnormal statuses for five turns. (Costs 25 pts.)
• Negate Sleep: Team becomes immune to sleep for five turns. (Costs 10 pts.)

Song Type Abilities

• Iron Defense: Team gains elemental defense buff. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Awakening: Team gains boost to attack, defense, and critical rate for five rounds. (Costs 30 pts.)
• Blast: Team gains elemental attack buff. (Costs 10 pts.)
• Saver: Chance to not consume item when used. (Costs 15 pts.)

The Sword & Shield

This weapon type has a couple of distinct types that determine what abilities the player receives. The types are Non-Elemental, Shock, Frost, Blade, Torrential, and Dragonseal. Sword & Shield come with a higher critical chance and more defense than other weapons.

Sword & Shield Abilities

• Focus Slash: Non-Elemental slashing multi-hit attack to one target. (Costs Kinship)
• Shock Slash: Shocking and slashing multi-hit attack to one target. (Costs Kinship)
• Frost Slash: Freezing and slashing multi-hit attack to one target. (Costs Kinship)
• Blade Slash: Blade and slashing multi-hit attack to one target. (Costs Kinship)
• Torrential Slash: Torrential and slashing multi-hit attack to one target. (Costs Kinship)
• Dragonseal Slash: Dragonseal and slashing multi-hit attack to one target. (Costs Kinship)
• Guard: Reduce oncoming attack damage.
• Counter Stance: Reduces oncoming attack damage and counters for each attack within the turn.

For more Monster Hunter content, check out How to get a Molten Tigrex Egg in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin – Molten Tigrex Monstie on Pro Game Guides.