Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-670597-20140808235816

So I have only recently gotten into the Monster Hunter franchise, but already it has become one of my favorite game series and I am dying to play MH4U when it’s released in America next year. I can honestly say that the number one thing I love about MH are the wide variety of unique and balanced weapons, Longsword, Switchaxe, Gunlance, and Heavy Bow Guns being my personal favorites, and I’m certain that the Insect Glaive and Charge Blade will be just as amazing. But having a complex and rather overactive imagination, I’ve come up with a trio of weapons that I would personally like to see added to the series’ arsenal in some way, shape, or form. Please note that the following are just my personal ideas and wants for new weapons, and that your opinions about them may vary, but please keep your comments polite. I’m looking for a friendly discussion, not a hostile argument.

Hunter’s Crook/Hunting Hook: A weapon that is mainly based around an old Shepherd’s Crook, which served not only as a staff or walking stick, but also as a means to keep his flock together and prevent any sheep from wandering off. The Hunter’s Crook, or Hunting Hook since either name would be decent for the weapon, would use large arching swings followed up with fierce tugs as if the Hunter were hooking onto parts of the Monster, then pulling and ripping at them as he withdraws it. It would probably swing as fast, or a little slower, then Longswords and would, like Lances, deal either cutting or piercing damage depending on what part of the monster is attacked. As for its unique ability, Hunting Hook users will be able to use a counter attack using a block. This counter attack is performed by blocking just before the Monster strikes them. However, this counter, unlike that of the Lance’s, will also be able to redirect the ranged attacks of certain monsters as well, such as Rath fireballs or Zinogre thunderballs. This will only work on projectile-like ranged attacks however and will not work on attacks like Deviljho’s Dragon Breath or a Glacial Agnaktor’s Icebeam. A note that, since some Monsters perform their range attacks in special ways, sometimes it is possible to redirect these alternate attack methods. A Baleful Gigginox’s Crawling Lightning Orbs would not be able to be redirected, however the lightning orbs he launches at you directly while hanging from the ceiling would be able to. This redirecting is also a Risk and Reward type of ability, as Redirecting something like a Rath fireball will still deal 20% of the damage it would have originally dealt and inflict you with the normal blight or status condition (Except for Paralysis), though the redirected attack will deal an additional 20% Damage to whatever it hits. A redirected attack will be directed toward the closest being in the user’s field of vision, excluding teammates like the Shakalaka or Felyne companions or other Hunters. These companions can be hit if they are in the way, but will not take any damage as the attack is now the user’s and will only receive knockback. Also, just as an added bonus, the Hunter’s Crook could also have similar vaulting ability as the Insect Glaive.

Cestuses/Gauntlets: Now I know I am not the only one who’s wanted to go hand to hand with Monsters like Lagi or Jho right? A weapon like the Cestus will allow a Hunter to do just that. A Cestus was a battle glove, not unlike modern day boxing gloves, that was used by Ancient Roman Gladiators and, unlike boxing gloves, were usually outfitted with Iron Plates, Spikes, or even Blades. As such, I’m torn between two different ways these fist weapons can function, though both ideas include the same basic play style; a great deal of maneuverability and fast, combinable attacks, along with having three different types that alter the Hunter’s fighting ability, much like the Gunlance’s Normal, Spread, and Long shot variants. These three types would alter the speed, power, and perhaps the animations of the Cestus’ attacks; Heaven having the highest attack speed along with usually having Status attacks (Poison, Paralysis, ext), Hell having the highest Damage per hit, along with usually dealing Elemental damage, and Earth having a balance between speed and power, and status and elemental damage. The first possible functionality of the Cestus would be similar to the Bowguns, having swappable parts to have the weapons deal either cutting or impact damage, being able to equip a shield to be able to auto-guard, and other possibilities that I’ll leave you to think up for yourselves. The second would be similar to the Longsword, Dual Swords, or Vial Weapons in which performing combo attacks will fill up a gage after which you can perform special attacks. Each type of Cestus would then determine how many vials they have, and what these special attacks can be; Heaven having three or four vials, Normal having two or three, and Hell having one or two. Special attacks for Heaven Cestuses could include; a flurry of strikes that deal much more damage than their average normal combo can dish out, which uses one or two of their vials; a Flash and/or Sonic bomb effect which will use up three to four; and a “Status Release”, which would be a single, strong attack that has a very high chance to inflict the target with the status condition that the Cestus is imbued with. Hell Cestuses would be the strongest of the three times in outright attack and elemental damage, so naturally they would only have one, very strong special attack that the Hunter can perform such as; A “rocket punch” like ability that can be charged and closes the distance between the Hunter and the Monster, along with dealing a great deal of damage, using up one or both of the vials; a jumping ground-pound ability that could knock flying monsters out of the sky, or cause a quake that has a chance to flinch or stun the monster (And allies nearby the impact), also using up one or both vials; and finally “Elemental Release” which is similar to the Heaven Cestus’ “Status Release” but instead deals massive elemental damage. Both these “Release” Abilities would function similarly to Wyvern Fire, requiring a charge-up and causing the Hunter to be pushed backwards. Normal Cestus would be able to have a few abilities from both the other two types and its own “Uppercut” attack that uses one vial and can stun the monster with consecutive hits to its head.

Vial Shot/Elemental Buster: I admit beforehand, this is the weakest of my three ideas. The Vial Shot, or Elemental Buster, would be a ranged weapon with traits of both the Bows and Bowgun types. It would use Vials as ammunition and specialize in dealing elemental damage. The projectiles it fires would look similar to ranged attacks that Monsters use; such as Rath Fireballs, Lagiacrus’ Thunder Ball, Lagombi’s Ice Throw, and the like. I’m still unsure if I want it to function like the bow, in which you can continuously fire “normal” rounds, which could deal the elemental damage that the Buster itself can be imbued with and make it so you cannot load vials of the same elemental type, or like the Bowguns in which you have to reload after a number of shots. As for special attacks, I was thinking that the Buster can perform an overcharged, explosive, but close-range blast like Wyvern Fire or perhaps be able to place mine-like traps that explode when the monster steps on or near them? Again, this one is my weakest idea since I love the ranged weapons as is. I was considering a way to bring an almost magical weapon into a game that really doesn’t need it. So apologies!

Wow this is long, but hopefully some of you enjoy my ideas and could perhaps give your own suggestions as to what you’d have the weapons do. Again, please be polite. 