In Monster Hunter World (PC, PS4, Xbox) there are no traditional supporters like tanks or healers. All hunters are DD (Damage Dealers) and must deal high damage to defeat the monsters – everyone in the group! If you still want a supportive role, you must choose weapons that provide protection and healing.
Monster Hunter World is an action RPG that has strong MMO elements. You fight in groups of up to 4 monster hunters against powerful creatures reminiscent of epic boss fights. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that you need to fulfill different roles to bring down such a formidable monster.
In an MMORPG, you need tanks that soak up damage and protect the team, or healers who keep their group alive. However, that will not be the case in Monster Hunter World. You must deal as much damage as possible with the entire group to kill or capture the monsters – everyone is a damage dealer.
Nevertheless, there will be opportunities to support the team with additional healing or AOE effects. The secret lies in weapon choice. User Ebbanon created a useful list on Reddit that highlights which weapons are suitable for support. These will be presented here.
Classic roles do not exist in Monster Hunter World – Use weapons for support
In Monster Hunter World, there are two important rules to remember while hunting:
- Don’t get hit: Especially in the late game, there are some opponents that can kill you with a single hit. Often, it is better to avoid the monster first rather than attacking blindly. You will share a total of 3 deaths with the team – from the 4th death onward, the quest is considered failed.
- Deal significant damage: There are no supporting roles or classes in Monster Hunter World. The greatest support you provide for your team is by dealing significant damage. You have your armor for defense and your weapons for offense. If you deal little damage, you are nearly useless for the group.
The fights in Monster Hunter World are supposed to be difficult and demand your full concentration. You will not have a healer who can fix a misstep, nor anyone who throws a big shield in front of you and absorbs a lot of damage.
Hunting Horn: Grants the group status buffs through the right songs
There are 3 supportive weapons, with which you can compensate for the missing roles of tank or support.
The Hunting Horn could be referred to as THE support weapon and belongs to the hammers.
Here’s what the Hunting Horn can do:
- Every attack with the Hunting Horn produces a musical tone, depending on the type of attack.
- From the notes, songs can be created that provide buffs to your entire group. The correct combination of the different tones is required!
- The songs provide different buffs, such as healing, element resistance, or negating certain negative effects.
- Different Hunting Horns can also produce different tones, leading to new songs.
- The Hunting Horn is a hammer. This means it can inflict KO hits and exhaustion, which debuffs the monster.
- It is therefore important to attack the monster with the Hunting Horn and deal damage as well, and not just passively play the songs. The main goal should always be to deal as much damage as possible!
Light Bowgun: Distributes severe debuffs & negative status effects
The Light Bowgun is suitable for ranged combat and inflicts negative status effects on the opponent – perfect for crowd control.
Here’s what the Light Bowgun can do:
- The Light Bowgun can negatively affect the opponent with different ammunition types. It can cause poison, paralysis, or sleep.
- Poison deals constant damage. If the poison is used more often, the damage scales up and can reach respectable numbers.
- Paralysis keeps the opponent still for a few seconds. This allows the group to safely land some heavy hits or be saved at the last moment from the claws of the beasts.
- Sleep knocks the opponent out completely. Damage to sleeping opponents is also multiplied.
- It is important to switch between the different status effects
- The Light Bowgun is designed for rapid fire and high mobility, enabling large-scale effects to be caused.
Sword & Shield: Use items while weapons are drawn
The sword and shield are the beginner weapons of the Monster Hunter franchise. Certain swords can become really powerful and even inflict elemental damage. Those who are skilled can fulfill a supportive role with these weapons.
Here’s what the sword and shield can do:
- Those equipped with a shield and sword can use items without sheathing their weapons
- This allows players to set traps or use healing items that apply to the entire team.
- By keeping their weapons out, these hunters do not waste valuable time
- Additionally, they become less vulnerable when using items
- The group can be saved with quick item use or strongly impair opponents.
Just a reminder: The goal in Monster Hunter World should always be to deal as much damage as possible. The supporting effects of the individual weapons are just bonuses. Those who can find the right balance between support and damage distribution will be invaluable to their group. However, this is purely a matter of practice and experience.
What do you think about the lack of traditional role distribution in Monster Hunter World?
