Similar to its series of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate monster profiles (see Volvidon, Lagombi, and Arzuros), Capcom is also profiling some of the upcoming Wii U and 3DS title’s weapons, starting with the Sword and Shield.
Sword and Shield
As you’re done creating your hunter, you should notice he or she carries around a small shield on one hand and a short sword on his or her back. This weapon set is the Sword and Shield – and there is a very good reason the game gives it to you as a starting weapon: it is one of the most well-balanced weapons in the game. But don’t be so quick to underestimate this weapon’s size and strength. While it is definitely recommended for beginners, mastering the ins and outs of the Sword and Shield can lead to devastating results.
What the Sword and Shield lacks in strength and reach, it certainly makes up with speed and versatility. And because it’s such a light weapon type, you can still move around with it in your hands without sacrificing too much of your running or swimming speed. On top of that, it is the only weapon type that allows you to use items with it drawn – novice hunters can take advantage of this feature to heal and recover stamina, while more seasoned hunters will use this to maximize damage with a combination of traps, bombs, boost items and successive rapid strikes.
The other major feature of this weapon is the shield. As you might expect, it is primarily used for blocking, but that’s not the end of it. The shield also adds another layer to the offensive arsenal since you can use it to cause impact hits, which can bring monsters to a knock out (dizzy) state if you hit their heads frequently enough. With some hands-on time, you will find that you can use shield strikes in the middle of your 4-hit combo or as stand-alone moves, adding even more intricacies to master.
View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.
