Insect Glaive For: Weebs, aerial combatants, cool cats Much like the LS, the Insect Glaive (IG) will make you feel like you’re in the middle of an action-packed anime in every fight.
Low Rank
Insect Glaive is a kind of hybrid melee and ranged weapon but it has insane amounts of mobility, and you can use it to jump around like an idiot.
This guide will also go briefly into Kinsects. Speed is the preference as they’re the easiest type to use, on top of having good synergy with the recommended weapon path’s bonus to speed kinsects. Blunt vs. Sever is your preference, but you’re unlikely to get KO’s with Kinsects, so sever will be more useful, as you can use it to assist in cutting tails.
The short answer is:
Build the Kulu Glaive to bridge you into the Tobi Kadachi Path, and use it for the entirety of the game. Wow… how exciting. Then you can pick up the Nergigante Glaive. Kinsect’s have a very easy linear progression starting with Culldrome 1, and ending up at the Pseudocath 3, which is arguably the best in the game.
Now for the long answer:
The Iron Blade 1 you start with is good for the first missions. You’ll want upgrade it as soon as possible to an Iron Blade 2 by using 2 Iron Ore. Also take the opportunity to upgrade your Culldrone 1, into a Culldrone 2 by using 3 Iron Ore.
Use this to take on the Great Jagras, and the Kulu Ya Ku.
After the Kulu Ya Ku, upgrade your Iron Blade 2 into a Kulu Blade 1 by using 1 Kulu Ya Ku Beak, 2 Kulu Ya Ku Hide, and 3 Kulu Ya Ku Scales.
Continue with your mandatory hunt of a Pukei-Pukei.
If you prefer, you can build the Pukei-Pukei path and gain poison damage, but you’ll be able to inflict poison with your kinsect, which makes Kulu Blade 1 over all preferred.
Now hunt Barroth in the Wild Spire Wastes. Mine here to get Earth Crystals. Once you get two, upgrade your Culldrone 2 into a Culldrone 3 by using 2 Earth Crystals and 1 Monster Bone M.
Follow up by hunting Jyuratodus as part of standard progression. You can build the Aqua Rod 1, as an optional upgrade here, and it will bridge into the Diablos path later, but the Kulu Blade 1 will be sufficient.
Hunt Tobi-Kadachi as your next mandatory hunt. Afterwards, build a Bone Rod 1, and upgrade it to a Bone Rod 2 by using 3 Monster Bone S.
Upgrade it again, to a Pulsar Rod 1 by using 1 Tobi-Kadachi Claw, 3 Tobi-Kadachi Scale, and 2 Tobi Kadachi Pelt.
You’ll gain a 30 raw damage spike over the Kulu Blade 1, add thunder element, and maintain speed boost and the 10% affinity. It’s by far the strongest Insect Glaive you can have up to this point, and stays at the top until things like Diablos come into play.
Now you’ll have to fight Anjanath as part of the story. Afterwards, upgrade your Culldrone 3, into a Windchopper 1 by using 1 Monster Bone L, and 1 Machalite Ore.
Afterwards it’s Zorah Magdaros…. Setpeice… etc.
In the Coral Highlands, you’re forced into an expedition to explore.
You can mine here for Dragonite Ore and Coral Crystal. You’ll need Dragonite Ore for your Kinsect, and Coral Crystal for your glaive.
Upgrade your Windchopper 1 into a Windchopper 2 by using 2 Dragonite Ore and 3 Machalite Ore.
Upgrade your Pulsar Rod 1, into a Pulsar Rod 2 by using 2 Tobi-Kadachi Electrode, 3 Tobi-Kadachi Claw, 2 Electro Sac and 3 Coral Crystal.
Continue progressing by hunting Paolumu, unlocking the Rotten Vale, hunting Radobaan, then returning to the Coral Highlands to take out Legiana
After Legiana you’ll hopefully gain Monster Bone+.
Use them to upgrade your Pulsar Rod 2 into a Pulsar Rod 3 by using 2 Monster Bone+, 2 Tobi-Kadachi Electrode, 2 Tobi-Kadachi Membrane, and 2 Warped Bones. Warped Bones can be harvested from bone piles in the Rotten Vale.
After you get monster bone+, you can also upgrade your kinsect, but you’ll need rathian webbing. Hunt a rathian, and upgrade your Windchopper 2 into a Windchopper 3 by using 2 Monster Bone+, and 1 Rathian Webbing.
These are your last upgrades for Low Rank.
Finish up your mandatory hunts of Odogaron, followed by Rathalos and Diablos in whatever order you choose.
After beating the Zorah Magdaros setpeice, and killing a deceptively strong Pukei-Pukei, you’ll gain access to High Rank quests. Congratulations, the baby gloves are coming off.
High Rank
Our immediate goal in High Rank is a weapon upgrade to compensate for the increased health of monsters, with a long term goal of bringing our sharpness to the next level.
If you’re lucky after the Pukei-Pukei you’ll have received 2 Monster Keenbone. Use these to upgrade your kinsect. Upgrade your Windchopper 3 into a Pseudocath 1 by using 2 Monster Keenbone, 3 Carbalite Ore, and 2 Monster Broth. Carbalite Ore can be mined from high rank mining nodes, and Monster Broth can be carved from Vespoids and Hornetaurs. Use Red Pits on your slinger to increase your chances of being able to carve them.
Pseudocath is arguably the best kinsect in the game, with amazing speed, and power, on top of having Blast as a dust effect.
As is the custom, hunt Tobi Kadachi the second you’re able to in high rank to upgrade. Upgrade your Pulsar Rod 3 into a Kadachi Pillar 1 by using 3 Tobi Kadachi Claw+, 4 Tobi Kadachi Scale+, 3 Tobi Kadachi Pelt+ and 3 Dragonvein Crystal. Dragonvein Crystal can be mined from red mining nodes in high rank areas.
You have an option here, you can continue with the main story, and hunt down the Pink Rathian, or you can go for Diablos for another upgrade to your weapon.
Hunt Diablos for Majestic Horns. This isn’t the easiest thing to do with an Insect Glaive but you’ll be able to. You need 2 to upgrade your Kadachi Pillar 1 into a Kadachi Pillar 2. Upgrade by using 2 Majestic Horn, 2 Tobi Kadachi Electrode+, 4 Tobi Kadachi Claw+ and 3 Thunder Sac. Once you get this, you’re set for the rest of the game.
You’ll now have to hunt Pink Rathian as part of standard story progression. Afterwards you’ll unlock the Elder’s Recess.
Defeating Pink Rathian should yield monster hard bones, and mining in the Elder’s Recess will give you access to Fucium Ore. Use these to upgrade your kinsect. Upgrade your Pseudocath 1 into a Pseudocath 2 by using 2 Monster Hardbone, 2 Fucium Ore, and 2 Inferno Sac. You can get Inferno Sac from Anjanath, both types of Rathian, Uragaan, and both types of Rathalos.
With these upgrades you’ll be adequately prepared to do your next story hunt, which is Nergigante.
After your hunt, if you got 2 Elder Dragon Bones, you can upgrade your Kinsect to it’s final form.
Use 2 Elder Dragon Dragon Bones, 3 Monster Hardbone and 1 Firecell stone to upgrade your Pseudocath 2, into a Pseudocath 3. Firecell stone can be found while mining in the Elder’s Recess.
Pseudocath 3 is arguably the best Kinsect in the game.
You can also upgrade your Kadachi Pillar 2 into a Kadachi Pillar 3 by using 2 Nergigante Talon, 4 Tobi-Kadachi Electrode+, 6 Tobi-Kadachi Claw+ and 1 Wyvern Gem. Wyvern Gem’s can be obtained from monsters like Barroth, Jyuratodus and Radobaan.
Of course, you should look into building Nergigante’s Insect Glaive, as it touts extremely high damage, sharpness and elder seal. Achieve this by going through the Ore Path.
Make a new Iron Blade 1, and upgrade to an Iron Blade 2. Then into an Iron Blade 3, into a Steel Blade 1, into Steel Blade 2, into Steel Blade 3, and finally into a Chrome Blade 1.
Now upgrade this one more time into the Nergal Reaper by using 3 Nergigante Talon, 4 Nergigante Regrowth Plate, 2 Nergigante Tail and 2 Nergigante Carapace.
Congratulations, you now have a weapon that’s completely capable of getting you through the rest of the game, and one of the best Insect Glaives.
This will be more than sufficient for taking out the remaining Elder Dragons.
For final targets, if you want a Raw insect glaive, you should definitely look into the Diablos path for the Tyrannis Glaive 2 which has the highest raw in the game, but low blue sharpness and -30% affinity. This will be able to be offset by decorations and gear choices at end game.
After taking out Xeno’jiva, you can upgrade the Nergal Reaper one more time into Catastrophe’s Light by using 2 Xeno’Jiva horns, 5 Nergigante Horn+, 5 Nergigante Talons, and 1 Nergigante Gem.
The gem’s will make these final glaives take some time to get, but will be great options for general purpose hunting.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Monster Hunter franchise is its weapons system. Just like every other title in the series, the most recent Monster Hunter: World’s weapon system is very rewarding. Whether you’re playing the Hunting Horn or the Insect Glaive, each weapon is fun and unique in its own right, and unlike other fantasy RPGs, there is no such thing as an overpowered weapon class.
That’s right, as long as it’s played correctly, any weapon can be played effectively, which opens up a ton of doors for the players. Even with the recent release on the PC version seven month after the console launch, each weapon still plays the same as on console, so you have a wealth of options at your disposal when you go into the game for the first time.
That being said, choosing between all 14 weapon types in World can be a daunting task, so we’re here to help you choose what’s best for you depending on what your specific playstyle is.
Melee
Great Sword and Hammer
For: The “tank,” heavy-hitters, fans of Dark Souls
We’ve grouped the Great Sword (GS) and Hammer together only because they play very similarly. Both weapon types attack very slow and hit very hard. There are only a few differences between them. The GS has longer reach, can guard, and is good at slicing off monster parts, like tails. The Hammer, on the other hand, is a blunt instrument best used for smashing parts such as crowns, shells, and spikes. It can’t be used to block, but it has more repeatable combos, like turning into a whirling top that can smack your targets again, and again, and again.
If you’re usually the “tank” when you play RPGs, these weapons are for you. They’re slow, deliberate, and they hit like a truck. You can even choose to play both depending on which parts you need to farm from monsters. Need to cut off a tail? Run your GS. If you need to smash a skull, head to your equipment box and pull out the Hammer. Otherwise, there’s no shame in just playing one, because they’re just about equally powerful.
Long Sword
For: Weebs, samurais, c-c-c-combo fighters, heavy-hitters that want something a bit faster
The Long Sword (LS) in World is the weeb’s best friend. If you love action-packed anime, playing action RPGs, or you have a katana mounted on your wall, chances are the LS will catch your eye. It hits quite hard, but its raw power is lower than that of a GS, Hammer, or Switch Axe. It’s a little more lightweight, and therefore attacks more quickly and more often, and it lets you chain ridiculous combos using the Spirit Blade mechanic.
On top of all that, the LS just looks really killer, no matter which model you’re using. You can also force the sword to attack vertically or horizontally to hit specific monsters right where you need to—perfect for lopping off limbs.
Much like the Hammer and the GS, the Switch Axe ie a slow, deliberate, heavy-hitter. It has a few differences, though. For starters, it looks way cooler, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. By weaving intricate combos and seamlessly swapping between its axe and sword forms mid-swing, you can put out absolutely insane damage, but the learning curve is high.
Once mastered, these kickass-looking combos can trump almost any weapon in the game, but you need to execute them perfectly, and you need time to actually pull them off. Because of that, you may need to stun the monster or knock them down to really get a great opportunity for a combo.
Sword/Shield
For: Beginners, quick-hitters, guarders
The Sword and Shield (SnS) is one of the few extremely lightweight weapon classes in the game, and as such, you’re afforded a ton of mobility and range in motion. Unfortunately, its attacks are much weaker than any of the bigger, heftier weapons, but that’s the trade-off to attack much more frequently.
The SnS also has some of the easiest, most straightforward combos in the game, making it perfect for beginners to the franchise. It’s also the only weapon type in the game that allows you to use items while the weapon is wielded; you simply hold down your guard button and then use the item. It also blocks, which is a big plus for any defensive-style players that like shielding big attacks rather than trying to dodge them.
Dual Blades
For: DPS players, rogues, quick-hitters
Just like the SnS, the Dual Blades (DB) are one of the fast weapon classes of World. In fact, it’s the fastest class of them all. You can get higher damage with the DB than almost any other weapons thanks to the Archdemon Form, which turns you into a whirlwind of strikes and boosted attack damage.
When you play other RPGs, you probably avoid playing as the support or the tank. No, you always go for the damage, because you love the feeling of deleting enemies. The Dual Blades offer no defense, faster movements, and a ton of damage, so you’ll feel right at home.
Insect Glaive
For: Weebs, aerial combatants, cool cats
Much like the LS, the Insect Glaive (IG) will make you feel like you’re in the middle of an action-packed anime in every fight. It’s also the only weapon in the game that enables you to vault into the air above monsters, dashing and whirling through the air. By staying above your target, you’re also able to mount them much more often than the other classes of the game.
The IG is one of the coolest-looking weapons in the game, too, albeit pretty difficult to master. If you’re able to charge up your IG with all three power-ups, you get a massive boost damage and combo speed. It even unlocks new attacks to try out. If you’re ready for a bit of a challenge to master one of the most entertaining weapons, the IG is your go-to.
Lance and Gunlance
For: Defenders, strategists, tanks
Lance and Gunlance players are the toughest, beefiest players in the game. Their massive shields allow them to stand steady through the strongest attacks, and they’re both extremely similar. Both can be used while guarding, and both work the best when their wielder has mastered counter-attacking and sidestepping.
The difference between the two is in the names. One is a lance, also-known-as a big pokey stick, and one is a lance that’s fused with a gun. The Gunlance doesn’t actually allow you to shoot from great distance, like the bow-themed weapons, but it does add a little bit of range, as well as explosive, shattering wombo combos. The regular Lance is slightly easier to use, and it’s a little more mobile to compensate.
Charge Blade
For: Sword/Shield fans looking for a challenge, heavy-hitters
The Charge Blade (CB) is any player’s natural graduation from the SnS. It has two forms, one being a sword/shield combo, and another being a gigantic, unwieldy battleaxe. The sword-form combo is sort of similar to the standard SnS combo, but it deals more damage and hits less quickly. It also does not let you use items while guarding, something that makes the SnS so attractive.
In the axe-form, this weapon hits like a rocket-fueled bus. Swapping between the two forms and managing your Phial Energy makes this significantly harder to use than the SnS, but its attacks are much, much more powerful.
Hunting Horn
For: Supports, bards
The Hunting Horn (HH) is much more niche than the other weapon classes, mostly because it caters to a very specific audience. You can play tunes through the weapon to provide buffs to your allies, making it powerful in the hands of a premade group, but it’s much less effective in solo play. The reason it’s niche, however, is that you can just as easily have an elemental ranged player applying debuffs to the enemy that are much more effective than buffing allies. In other words, even though the song-based buffs are effective, they’re easily overshadowed by raw damage and ailments.
If you’re used to playing support-type classes in other games, however, and there’s a song in your heart, the horn may be for you.
Ranged
Light Bowgun
For: Ranged lovers, FPS players, wizards
There are two types of bowguns, and the first, the Light Bowgun, is the obviously the lighter of the two. It allows you to strafe rather quickly while both shooting and reloading, and you can attack much faster. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hit nearly as hard as the Heavy Bowgun, but its fast attacks make great use of elemental ammo, making this the “wizard” class of the Monster Hunter franchise.
Both bowguns require management of an ammo system, though, adding a degree of difficulty that other weapon types do not have. If that doesn’t scare you, give one of them a try.
Heavy Bowgun
For: Cannoneers, explosion-lovers
The Heavy Bowgun may as well be the cannon of the game, because it hits much harder than any other ranged weapon, and each explosive, screen-shaking shot is extremely satisfying to land. This weapon type is more unwieldy than the lighter variation, crippled by slower movements, reload times, and shooting, but its raw damage is at the top of the charts.
Just like the Light Bowgun, you must manage numerous ammo types depending on your target, but if you’re okay with mastering that ammo system, you can put out insane levels of damage.
Bow
For: Archers, sharpshooters, snipers
The Bow is very similar to the Light Bowgun in that it fires quickly and provides much more mobility than the game’s heavy weapons. It also doesn’t use ammo, making it the easiest ranged weapon to learn. Unfortunately, it is weaker than the Heavy Bowgun, but you can always opt into using elemental effects to take advantage of its quick attacks. The Bow also has a special ability that is essentially a kneeling sniper shot that explodes on impact. If you want a ranged class, but you’re more of the ranger type, this weapon should catch your eye.