Let’s be real: looking for a mh rise weapon tier list in 2026 feels a bit like looking for a vintage car manual. The game is "finished," the updates have dried up, and we’re all just waiting for the next big thing. But here’s the thing—the meta is actually more settled and more interesting than it was back when the game first launched.
If you're still playing, you're probably either a completionist, a speedrunner, or someone who just realized that Sunbreak is a masterpiece of action design.
✨ Don't miss: Why All Star Tower Defense X is Still the Talk of the Roblox Community
Most tier lists you see are just popularity contests. Or worse, they’re based on speedrun times that 99% of us will never achieve. If you aren't hitting every counter with surgical precision, a "top-tier" weapon might actually be your worst nightmare.
Why Ranged Still Wrecks Everything
It's almost annoying at this point. If we are talking pure, unadulterated damage, the Bow and the Heavy Bowgun (HBG) are playing a different game entirely.
In the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, the Bow is a literal wood chipper. Between Dodgebolt and the elemental scaling in the endgame, it just deletes monsters. You aren't even hunting anymore; you’re just performing an execution.
The Light Bowgun (LBG) is right behind them. It’s the "lazy" king. You can stay safe, keep your distance, and still out-DPS a Great Sword user who’s trying their hardest to land a single hit.
The Melee Powerhouse: Great Sword and Longsword
For a long time, the Longsword was the poster child of Monster Hunter Rise. It’s flashy. It’s got those anime counters. But in the final meta, the Great Sword actually reclaimed the throne for melee players who want the fastest possible clear times.
Why? One word: Strongarm Stance.
This silkbind skill changed everything. It lets you skip the entire charging process and go straight into a True Charged Slash (TCS) with a massive damage buff. If you time it right against a monster’s roar or a predictable swipe, you’re hitting for thousands of damage in seconds. It’s absurd. It’s also incredibly hard to pull off consistently if the monster moves an inch to the left.
The Longsword is still S-tier for most people because of how safe it is. Harvest Moon is a bit of a localized "jail" that forces you to stay in a circle, but the sheer number of I-frames you get with Foresight Slash and Iai Spirit Slash makes you feel invincible. It’s the most forgiving "high tier" weapon in the game.
The "Middle" Tier That Actually Carries You
This is where the real fun happens. Weapons like the Switch Axe and Dual Blades are arguably better for 90% of the player base than the "S-tier" stuff.
The Switch Axe in Sunbreak is a beast. With Elemental Burst Counter, you finally have a way to stay aggressive without getting swatted out of the air. It’s a rhythmic, satisfying weapon that rewards you for just staying in the monster’s face. It doesn't have the peak damage of a Great Sword, but its average DPS is sky-high because you never stop hitting.
Then there are the Dual Blades. Honestly? If you want to turn your brain off and just see numbers, this is the pick. The Berserk/Strife builds that came out in the later title updates made Dual Blades essentially immortal as long as you can manage your drain. You just spin, win, and let the elemental damage do the work.
What happened to the Charge Blade?
The Charge Blade is in a weird spot. It’s objectively powerful—especially the "SAED spam" playstyle with Ready Stance—but it requires so much setup. You’re managing phials, shield charge, sword charge, and positioning. If you miss your big hit, you’ve wasted thirty seconds of prep. It’s B-tier for your average hunter, but S-tier for the people who have a PhD in monster geometry.
The Underdogs: Why the Bottom Tiers Don't Matter
If you see a mh rise weapon tier list that puts the Lance or Gunlance at the bottom, don't let it discourage you. These weapons are the "comfy" kings.
- Lance: It’s the most consistent weapon in the game. You never have to stop attacking. With Insta-Block, you can parry anything and stay glued to the monster's weak point. Your clear times might be 10 minutes instead of 6, but you’ll never use a potion.
- Hunting Horn: In multiplayer, this is the best weapon in the game. Period. The buffs you give to a team of four far outweigh the raw damage you’d deal with a Bowgun.
- Insect Glaive: The "aerial" nerfs in Rise hit hard, but it’s still the most mobile weapon. It's great for fighting monsters like Kushala Daora or anything that likes to fly around and be a nuisance.
How to Choose Your Actual Best Weapon
Stop looking at the DPS charts. They lie to you because they assume you are playing perfectly. If you want to actually win, you need to match the weapon to your own personality.
- Do you have god-tier reflexes? Go Longsword or Great Sword.
- Do you want to play a third-person shooter? Bow or LBG.
- Do you like being an unkillable tank? Lance or Sword and Shield.
- Do you just want to see a million small numbers? Dual Blades.
- Do you like complex combos and explosions? Charge Blade or Gunlance.
The real meta in 2026 is about efficiency and comfort. Most players find that they actually clear quests faster with a "B-tier" weapon they know well than an "S-tier" weapon they’re struggling to pilot.
🔗 Read more: Why Monster Hunter World Modding is Still the Best Way to Play in 2026
If you’re heading into the Sunbreak endgame, your next step should be looking into the Anomaly Research grind. That’s where the real power is. Instead of switching weapons, focus on "Qurious Crafting" to roll better stats on your current gear. That’s how you actually turn a mid-tier weapon into a monster-slaying machine.