When I first started to play Monster Hunter, I did not know anything about the game. All I knew is that I had to craft a weapon and kill monsters. I did not realize the huge learning curve with the different weapon types and elements. Yes, there are a ton of elements in the game, 9 to be exact. I am here to explain just what each of the elements are and what they are used for.
Related: Ultimate Weapons Guide to MHW
Which element should I use?
Each monster has weaknesses and resistances that will cause it to take more or less damage from specific sources. For example, a fire monster may take more elemental damage from weapons that deal water damage but less or zero elemental damage from weapons that deal fire elemental damage. Monsters can also deal elemental damage to the hunter. Armor with high resistance to certain elements will cause you to take less damage and reduce the effects of Elemental Blights.
Like Raw Damage, Elemental Damage is modified by Sharpness and Monster Body Part multipliers; it is not affected by Combo Move multipliers or weapon type, however. This means that, for the most part, Elemental Damage is a flat addition to a weapon’s damage. You are better off having elemental damage on your weapons, but you have to choose the element that the creature you are fighting is not immune to.
Paralysis
Paralysis renders the hunter or monster immobilized and susceptible to increased damage for the duration of the element. Depending on the resistance of the monster, that is how the build-up damage os modified. If he is super weak, it will take the least amount of time to paralyze the creature. Also, if you find Paratoads in the arena, make sure to kick it when the monster is near to open up an opportunity to deal more damage.
Do not get hit with this because it is four times longer than just being knocked out. Paralysis is a really good element if you want to open up the creature for some massive attacks. If the creature you are fighting is weak to Paralysis, then make sure to get yourself a weapon with the element on it.
Here are the Monsters who are weak to Paralysis:
- Great Jagras
- Pukei-Pukei
- Barroth
- Diablos
- Odogaron
- Black Diablos
- Ebony Odogaron
- Savage Deviljho
Poison
Poison inflicts damage slowly over time, and it is helpful to get a little bonus damage when you are attacking from another area. If you can hit the face with a ton of Poison damage, and then move to the tail, its head will take a bunch of damage while you attack the tail. Also, if you are playing with other people, you can mix elements to deal the most amount of damage to the creature.
Poison is a great element to have because you know all the Poison creatures and how annoying they are, just give them a taste of their own medicine. Poison is important for the creatures that are weak to it, so make sure you have a Poison weapon for that specific creature. Look up what its weaknesses and strengths are before fighting just to be sure.
Here are the Monsters who are weak to Poison:
- Great Jagras
- Tobi-Kadachi
- Barroth
- Legiana
- Dodogama
- Lavasioth
- Kushala Daora
- Xeno’jiiva
- Coral Pukei-Pukei
- Shrieking Legiana
- Ebony Odogaron
- Savage Deviljho
- Namielle
Ice
There is not much to say about this element other than that it deals extra direct damage to the creature you are fighting. It is very good against Thunder and Dragon, but very bad against Fire. If you are to use this, make sure you find the right creatures to use it on or the quest will last a little longer than you should want it to.
Here are the Monsters who are weak to Ice:
- Diablos
- Odogaron
- Tzitzi-Ya-Ku
- Black Diablos
- Teostra
- Lunastra
- Kulve Taroth
- Coral Pukei-Pukei
- Brachydios
- Fulgur Anjanath
- Seething Bazelgeuse
- Shara Ishvalda
- Zinogre
- Rajang
Fire
Fire slowly burns the monster and drains its health. It is similar to Poison, but it works a lot differently. Also, the creatures you use this element on are totally different from the ones you would be using Poison on. Keep in mind that there are a lot of creatures that inflict Fire damage.
Fireblight can be cured by consuming a Nulberry, or using a Cleanser Booster, or it can be prevented entirely by having 20 Fire Resistance, the Blight Resistance Skill, the Blight Res Up or Blight Negated effects from the Hunting Horn, or by wearing the Fireproof Mantle. In addition, dodge-rolling will take 10 seconds off the remaining effect duration, while rolling in water will cure it immediately.
Here are the Monsters that inflict Fire:
- Anjanath
- Bazelgeuse
- Rathian
- Pink Rathian
- Rathalos
- Azure Rathalos
- Lavasioth
- Teostra
- Xeno’jiiva
- Deviljho
- Lunastra
- Behemoth
- Banbaro
- Glavenus
- Tigrex
- Gold Rathian
- Silver Rathalos
- Brute Tigrex
- Safi’jiiva
Blast
Blast causes a damaging explosion after a certain amount of time has passed, or upon sustaining a heavy impact. When Blast is triggered, an explosion will occur at the nearest unbroken Monster Body Part, dealing 120 Parts Damage to all Parts in a small radius. Each successive trigger of Blast requires more buildup than the last, but the effect damage remains the same.
Here are the Monsters who are weak to Blast:
- Great Jagras
- Barroth
- Paolumu
- Radobaan
- Kushala Daora
- Beotodus
- Banbaro
- Velkhana
- Namielle
- Ruiner Nergigante
- Shara Ishvalda
- Yian Garuga
- Scarred Yian Garuga
Water
Water Element will produce aqueous attacks that can result in the draining of the monster’s stamina. Waterblight can be cured by consuming a Nulberry or using a Cleanser Booster, or it can be prevented entirely by having 20 Water Resistance, the Blight Resistance Skill, the Blight Res Up, or Blight Negated effects from the Hunting Horn, or by wearing the Waterproof Mantle.
Here are the Monsters that inflict Water:
- Barroth
- Jyuratodus
- Deviljho
- Tigrex
- Coral Pukei-Pukei
- Namielle
- Banbaro
Thunder
Thunder produces extra lightning damage that will deal extra damage to any creature that is weak to it. There is not much to say about this element to other than it is very strong against Water and Dragon, so make sure you take advantage of the strengths and weaknesses of all monsters.
Here are the Monsters who are weak to Thunder:
- Tzitzi-Ya-Ku
- Pukei-Pukei
- Bazelgeuse
- Jyuratodus
- Legiana
- Nergigante
- Dodogama
- Kushala Daora
- Deviljho
- Viper Tobi-Kadachi
- Nargacuga
- Tigrex
- Savage Deviljho
- Gold Rathian
Sleep
Sleep renders the hunter or monster inactive and susceptible to increased damage, but only for the first hit, as it will then wake them up. When Sleep is triggered, the Monster will topple over and remain asleep for about 40 seconds. Once the Monster is fully asleep, damage from any single source will be doubled and wake the Monster up, ending the effect.
When the monster has this element, it causes the Hunter to stumble for a few seconds – only allowing for movement input – before falling asleep and being completely incapacitated for several seconds. Damage taken is increased. Hits that cause knock back while triggering Sleep will result in the Hunter succumbing to the effect immediately.
Here are the Monsters who are weak to Sleep:
- Great Jagras
- Great Girros
- Pukei-Pukei
- Seething Bazelgeuse
- Savage Deviljho
Dragon
This is a very different element from the others because the best way to combat this element is with the same element. Monsters with Dragon Element and gears that are made of them tend to have a weakness for Dragon Element themselves, with extra weaknesses for Thunder and Ice depending on the Monster. If you are fighting an Elder Dragon or a monster with Dragonblight, use your Dragon Weapons.
Here are the Monsters that inflict Dragon:
- Xeno’jiiva
- Deviljho
- Ebony Odogaron
- Savage Deviljho
- Stygian Zinogre
- Safi’jiiva
Do you need an element on your weapon?
You don’t necessarily need an element on your weapon, although it helps majorly with the specific monsters you will be fighting in the future. There is the bone tree that usually does not have an element, but that is basically raw damage while other elemental weapons use the specific element that is tied with them to do the most damage. I would say use an element if you can, but you will have to have a few weapons with different elements so you can combat different monsters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a lot of weapons to choose from, but I would definitely grind materials just to get all the different weapons with elements. You can either get all the same weapon, or you can mix and match different weapon types with different elements. It it whatever you want to do. Have fun hunting those monsters!