Monster Hunter Weapon Ideas

I've been playing a lot of Monster Hunter during the quarantine to help pass the time. I thought up some weird weapon ideas, and including some overpowered D&D stats to each too, because why not- not like we have anything better to do right now lol

[1] Great Sling

Stats- Ranged, Deals 3d4+6 Damage

Probably the most well fitting of all of these ideas. Monster Hunter World introduced Slingers, which let everybody in the game have a small ranged and support option. Monster Hunter World already has three ranged weapons; The light bowgun, heavy bowgun, and the bow. It would be nice to get a sling in there, to add a blunt ranged option.

Firstly, I imagine this great sling as being a long strip of fabric which lets the Hunter spin really over sized boulders and the like over their head. This fits with the rest of the Monster Hunter aesthetic, as every weapon in the game is already hugely oversized to fit with the theme of fighting giant monsters (and also makes it easier to actually hit them). So the Hunter can use this as a ranged option, perhaps with slingers still being common tools everyone gets or not, this fulfills a different niche.

Firstly, it can be spun around and deal blunt damage much like a higher reach but lower damage version of the hammer weapon. As in, it deals bonus damage and helps stun monsters if you hit them in the head. The Great Flail can be used like this but its main ability is to launch heavy iron balls at the monsters. Different ammo types, like a caltrop type that drops nails everywhere for the monster to step on, explosive bomb type, poison gas balls and so forth are all potential ideas. Perhaps the sling comes with a free “unlimited ammo” ammo type that looks like generic rocks in the level. It's implying to not actually be a type of ammo you're carrying with you, moreso just random stones you loaded up to hit monsters with.

I really like this weapon idea because I can imagine it very clearly; the weapons in the games already have a great aesthetic design of being mixed with metal and/or the monster's body parts, scales, feathers, and colors. This sling really works well into that; just imagine a hugely long strip of a monster's colorful scales being used as a weapon, with a hard leather or bone pad at the center where the ammo is stored, to give the look more variety. I think this weapon would need to be balanced with the others; especially since the hammer is kind of hard to hit enemies in the head with but pays off with its high damage and stun. So this flail could hit enemies in the head but be much weaker then the hammer to compensate for it.

[2] Pike-Scythe

Stats- 2d6+2 in Pike Form, 3d10-2 in Scythe Form

This weapon appears as a long Pike, with a slightly curved blade at the end. When held would have a unique weapon pose in the game (held in an overhand grip, reminiscent of poking and prodding at giant monsters). I think we need a big long spear in the monster hunter games, since you're hunting huge monsters but yet spears seem strangely absent. This weapon would have a decent to long melee reach, letting it poke at monsters with small damage attacks, but consistent damage and at hard to reach places, similar to the lance. You could also give it a small spring-loaded section near the head of the spear, to explain its extra long reach better; imagine a thrust attack combo where the end of the weapon extends even further to perform an attack.

However, this weapon has a second form. Much like the Charge Blade or Switch Axe. It can turn from a long pike which is more defensive into a scythe; the blade snaps at a 90 degree angle from being straight ahead. It loses much of its reach, but can now perform long and sweeping cuts and slashes, mostly horizontal due to how long it is. This isn't useful for a lot of types of monsters, but is useful for some, so its a good trade off. This scythe form could be its primary damage-dealing form. Perhaps the weapon has a heat or “coil” gauge. The longer it spends in this form it charges up, the explanation being the springs holding it in this position are getting too hot. If you overcharge it, your attacks are deflected or you are forced back into the first form. The idea is to use this form when you want to deal a lot of damage, and use the other to sustain yourself in a fight more.

Second idea; much like above, but instead make it a positive instead. Slashing with the scythe form builds up meter and, when in pike form, can be used to perform a super strong drill attack with a long wind up. It would fit the Monster Hunter aesthetic with lots of other weapons.

[3] Circular Saw

Stats- 4d6+4

This weapon looks like a giant circular saw, or maybe pizza cutter without the handle. It's got a short range, something like the hammer or dual blades in game, and is meant to be a high power, high risk weapon. Basically all of its attacks are powerful cutting attacks; the sawblades spins and deals damage up close. The more attacks you deal, or perhaps with revving it up using the special or power button (for whatever game system or controller you're using), it deals more damage as the blade spins faster and faster. At max power it deals several hits with each swing, the bonus hits are from the rapid attacks and I imagine this weapon is really strong against monster legs and/or breaking off monster parts.

Out of all the weapons; this one seems the least “realistic”, but to be fair monster hunter has always had this sort of pseudo-mechanical fantasy weapon thing going on that I've always liked, even before I played it. I don't think it would be out of the question to have a power saw style weapon, even if its made of monster bones. This weapon may also be able to have a block as other weapons do, but instead of a standard block it could be like just holding the saw out and letting the monster run into it; perhaps based on how much damage this does it could cause the monster to stumble or stop in place since they don't have the strength to push past your saw. I could also see a move where you swing the sawblade around and fire out the sawblades as projectiles, or maybe cause one to spin around you like a shield, but most monster hunter weapons don't strain believably to this degree. While people may accept things like the hunting horn being a giant blunt-weapon bagpipe that just gives everyone buffs from the music, people might not accept weapons that are too “magical”. I guess here I should mention the fifth weapon idea which I scrapped; a pair of maracas or shakers which act as close range dual blunt weapons that are used like clubs, but can pound out specific beats to cause rain to come in. I like the idea of the rainmakers as blunt weapons; creating healing rainclouds, dosing and curing allies of poison, or waterlogging monsters and making them slow.

[4] Syringe Plunger

Stats- 1d8+3d4

This weapon looks like a cross between a jackhammer and a giant medical syringe. It has poking regular attacks and is a bit lackluster on the ground. The main power of this weapon is that it either has the power to launch the Hunter into the air (making it easy to mount the monster and start grappling it) OR it can like do a mini-grapple whenever it wants or is charged up. That's part one.

Then, once the user has mounted the monster (or maybe whenever the monster is stunned/reeling/asleep) they can plunge the syringe inside and suck out some of the monster's essence. In order to avoid confusion or overlap with the Insect Glaive, we'll call this resource “Ichor”. Once your syringe is filled with ichor, you can then conver it into a variety of different substances. I imagine these being sprayed out like smoke clouds. You can convert the ichor into a healing smoke, an elemental damage “flamethrower” (can also shoot water, lightning energy, ice, etc. depending on whatever “element” type the weapon is), or it can send out poison dust that hurts and slows the monster. Perhaps just pick one of these as its primary use; I like the idea of a useful support weapon that is good for debuffing the monster instead of buffing your allies in the same way the hunting horn is. I feel that much of the game's status effects against monsters are based on specific weapons and ammo types, and while cool, aren't quite as impactful as a “specialty” weapon might be.

Also it is mandatory that when you do a leaping strike off a ledge, your character hops on the barrel flanges of the syringe and rides down penetrating into the monster like he's riding a pogo stick.

Switch Weapons

Switch or “trick” weapons are special forms of weapons and equipment that can swap between two or more modes. Each mode a switch weapon is in counts as a separate weapon for the purposes of to-hit bonuses against armors, enemy resistances, and weapon specializations if you use them.

Switch Weapons do not have an Ego score; but they are complex devices and require skill to use. Your character must have a to-hit bonus equal or higher to the weapons difficulty, else the weapons will be ineffectual in their hands and deal a damage die smaller size in damage. Characters who can't properly use the switch weapons will also find it swapping to the least useful form just when they need it most whenever they roll a 5 or lower on an attack roll d20, before modifiers. Alternate methods to meet a Switch weapon's difficulty include ½ of level for Fighting classes and 1/3^rd level for semi-fighting classes, or allowing characters to train; costs 500 gold x difficulty.

Switching

Switching takes 1 combat round. If you roll at least a 6+ on your initiative roll, you can switch modes for free. On the round you switch, you get +1 to hit vs foes actively fencing and defending against your attack; the new mode of attack being different enough to mess them up. If you rolled a 10+ on your initiative roll, you can make both your attacks the same mode, or switch it up and make your two attacks with two separate modes.

Roll 1d10 for a Random Switch Weapon

[1] Clickbasher

Difficulty- 1

Forms- d4 Mini Axe / d4 Club

This small, short, one headed axe has a lever on the handle. With a satisfying click, the axe head spins downwards letting the thick butt of the axe be used as a club. This weapon is easy to use, but lacks more powerful forms.

[2] Rounded Lancer

Difficulty- 1

Forms- d4 lance / +1 AC Buckler

The lance is a short, metal contraption with several stacked circular lairs of metal to create the point. When pulled in and the handle twisted, it folds like an umbrella and the segments of the lance flatten to become a simple, small buckler granting +1 AC. This weapon is easy to use due to its intention of being used on horseback; make a quick attack, then switch to shield mode for defense.

[3] Hatchetfist

Difficulty- 2

Forms- d6 Axe / d4 Bladed Fist

The weapon appears as a small hatchet with a strangely shaped handle connected to the head. The head is far forward; enough that it juts out past where the wielder holds their fingers along the grip. When a button is pressed, the hatchet head slides down and locks into place just in front of the wielder's fingers; making it a fist-like weapon using the axe's head as the blade for punching force.

[4] Clinkshield

Difficulty- 2

Forms- d8 Great Maul / +2 AC Tower Shield

This is both a weapon and a shield. The bumps on the top of the tower shield wrap around in a spiral pattern around the head of the great maul, as the splints of the shield itself arrange themselves in a cylinder to become a long shaft to grasp the weapon form. Takes both hands or incredible strength in one hand to snap the shield into the weapon, so most use it for cover vs ranged attacks while moving.

[5] Fluid Dagger

Difficulty- 2

Forms- d4 Dagger / d4 Cudgel

This dagger's blade is made of some kind of weird hardened fabric, in the shape of a dagger, with a metallic frame just underneath it. The handle and fat pommel contain a fluid that can be drained into or out of the blade. When inflated with the fluid, the blade swells up to become a small club that's as hard as any metal. When drained, it shrinks back into a dagger shape, the excess fluid going back into the handle and pommel for storage. The liquid itself bleeds through the fabric a tiny bit, and feels like a mix between oil and sap, and seems to harden the fabric to make it into a weapon.

[6] Twinblade Claymore

Difficulty- 3

Forms- d8 Two-handed sword / d6 Double blade staff

The weapon has a central handle that has two equal length blades on each end. By sliding the blade inwards, either with a quick motion and turning the blade or by pressing one blade against a hard surface and pressing it all the way in; the blade on one end extends fully and the handle is now at the base of the large two handed sword. Skilled users can make two attacks with the double blade staff; slashing with each end as they move, but doing so lowers your AC by -2 from fighting carelessly.

[7] Threaded Bow Poker

Difficulty- 3

Forms- d6 Shortbow / d6 Spear

This weapon has a long, unbreakable silver thread attached to it at both ends. By flipping the weapon, you can string this thread between both ends, and it bends the bow into shape. By unhooking the string, the metal body of the bow returns to its normal shape as a long straight spear with a pointed tip, the thread becoming a tassel for the spearhead.

[8] Axecrash

Difficulty- 3

Forms- d8 Great Axe / d4+1 Unusual Quarterstaff

In its main form, it is a long handled great axe with a wide and powerful double head, used with both hands. By turning the shaft in the correct way, the axe head slides down to the center of the quarterstaff as a mid guard for the fingers and a pushing/grappling sharp end for the fingers. In its quarterstaff form, the weapon grants +1 AC to skilled users who can use the flat of the axe head to deflect strikes too powerful to be blocked by the mere wooden handle and to catch blades in their grooves.

[9] Sword Segmenti

Difficulty- 4

Forms- d6 One-Handed Sword / d6+1 Bladed whip w/long handle

This is a standard one handed sword with unusual groves on the side of the blade and a secret trick. By unlocking the guard and hilt; the sword becomes a whip instead. Each piece of the blade and the cross guard are carried along a long internal cord that can whip outwards with each piece acting as a dangerous shard along the whip's path. This weapon is quite dangerous in this form but is prone to getting grabbed or catching on things, as well as being difficult to switch back to standard sword form, requiring two rounds to return it to a whole sword instead of just one.

[10] Great Trident Poleaxe

Difficulty- 4

Forms- d6+1 Trident-Spear / d10 Triple Great Pickaxe

In its normal form, it is a standard trident. The three prongs make it do a little more damage then a normal spear, as multiple stab wounds appear on its victims. This weapon requires more build up; either a round of preparing it, after getting a kill, or if you roll maximum initiative for your turn. This makes the three prongs snap downwards in a line and shifts a hidden weight to the end of the poleaxe for a single powerful strike; a triple pronged pickaxe that deals heavy damage, but the weight must reset back to the middle of the shaft and the prongs reset to regain the weapon's balance.