Best Weapons and How to Upgrade Them

Updated: 29th Sep 2023 by Team SuperCheats

Best Weapons and How to Upgrade Them in Monster Hunter Now

Monster Hunter Now is an augmented reality RPG where you explore your neighborhood and hunt popular beasts from the Monster Hunter franchise. The Best Weapons and How to Upgrade Them guide will tell you everything you need to know about the weapons you can use to conquer the monsters and also how to upgrade them to make them even more effective.

In Monster Hunter Now there are currently a total of 13 chapters with various quests and objectives to complete. As you progress in the game taking down monsters, you will receive materials that you can use to create stronger weapons and armor in order to hunt even more dangerous beasts. When you encounter a specific monster you will be able to choose from a range of weapon types from the game's arsenal to use in combat against the creature.

You will find that sharp weapons like swords are best for cutting up fleshy unarmoured monsters and are particularly effective if you are trying to cut off the monster's tail. Blunt weapons on the other hand like hammers are best for high-impact damage that can both stun monsters and break off armor plates.

Weapon Tier List

Below is a tier list to give you some idea of what the best weapons are in Monster Hunter Now.

• S-Tier:

  - Sword and Shield

  - Light Bowgun

• A-Tier:

  - Bow

  - Long Sword

• B-Tier:

  - Hammer

• C-Tier:

  - Great Sword

S-Tier

• Sword and Shield

  The Sword and Shield is without doubt the best weapon in Monster Hunter Now. It offers both fantastic DPS and defensive capabilities, making it the perfect choice for players of all skill levels. Being able to wield the sword fast allows you to attack and counter-attack quickly, while doing so the shield can be used to block incoming monster attacks.

• Light Bowgun

  When it comes to long-range attacks the Light Bowgun is the best option. This weapon has the furthest range of any available in Monster Hunter Now and allows you to safely barrage monsters from afar which gives you plenty of time to dodge out of the way of any incoming monster attacks. The Light Bowgun is also effective at breaking monster parts which leads to higher damage and more rewards.

A-Tier

• Bow

  The Bow is a good ranged option in Monster Hunter Now, the damage it can deal with charged shots can make short work of beasts. The downside of the Bow is that in order to be effective you need to be close to your foe which means being aware of your positioning at all times. If you master perfect dodges this will not be a problem as you will be able to effortlessly avoid damage.

• Long Sword

  This weapon is ideal for fast melee attacks. The Long Sword has a Spirit Gauge that rewards aggression which increases your DPS considerably when it is full. Keep in mind that if you get hit by a monster's attack you will instantly lose this damage buff. However, the Long Sword's counter can negate damage and deal it right back at your enemy.

B-Tier

• Hammer

  When it comes to delivering high-impact damage and breaking monster parts the hammer is the best option in Monster Hunter Now. However, to be effective it is crucial that you know your foe's moves otherwise you risk taking damage. When you take into consideration the game's current Potion system and overall lack of healing there are much safer options to use than the Hammer.

C-Tier

• Great Sword

  Even though the Great Sword hits the hardest out of all the weapons available in Monster Hunter Now you will inevitably take some damage in the process. Even if you land a charged hit the damage you take over time will quickly accumulate and when you consider you only have access to five free potions a day this is a weapon that is best not used.

How to Forge New Weapons

Each individual weapon in Monster Hunter Now needs to be upgraded at the Smithy, found on the second floor of Astera. To upgrade any given weapon will require having the corresponding materials. These can usually be found on a monster or scattered around on the ground in the environment.

There are several tutorial-esque missions in Monster Hunter Now that you will need to complete before you can forge new equipment. One requisite is that you have reached Hunter Rank 6. At this point, you will also be able to add friends.

• Step 1:

  Click on the picture of your equipped weapon at the bottom of the main screen next to your player icon.

• Step 2:

  Press on the 'Weapon' tab in the 'Equipment' menu to see what weapons you currently have and what can be crafted.

• Step 3:

  If you meet the requirement you will be able to craft the weapon and then equip it.

You start Monster Hunter Now with the Sword and Shield by default. The other weapon types (Long Sword, Hammer, Bow, and Light Bowgun) will be unlocked at the same time once you complete the Great Girros Urgent Quest that brings to an end Chapter 2.

The Great Sword is the first weapon you will be able to unlock when you reach Chapter 2: Shimmering Swamp questline. More weapons will be available to forge in Monster Hunter Now as you progress through the story quests.

Take a look at our Massive Guide to All Monsters to find out everything you need to know about the beasts in Monster Hunter Now.