Our Monster Hunter Rise Hammer Guide dives deep into all that you should be aware of regarding the Hammer weapon in MH Rise, including its attacks, abilities, the best hammers in the game, and more.
Monster Hunter Rise Hammer
Jump To:
- Hammer Controls
- Hammer Combos
- Hammer Switch Skills
- Hammer Silkbind Attacks
- Hammer Builds
- Best Hammers
- Hammer Weapon Trees
- Hammer Tips
To be able to quickly adapt to the playstyle of the game, you must be aware of how each of the available weapons works in Monster Hunter Rise.
In this guide, we’ll specifically be targeting the Hammer, one of the most powerful weapons of MH Rise. The Hammer features a vast array of movesets, including the brand-new Silkbind attacks. Below, we’ve outlined each one of them.
MH Rise Hammer Controls
Basic Attacks
These are some of the basic attacks you can unleash on monsters in MH Rise with the hammer. We have listed button mappings for both the Nintendo Switch and PC for your convenience.
| Attack | Switch Controls | PC Controls |
| Overhead Smash | X followed by 2x X | Left-Click followed by 2x Left-Click |
| Upswing | X + X + X | 3x-Left Click |
| Side Smash | A | Right-Click |
| Charge | ZR | Mouse Button 4 |
| Spinning Attack at Charge Level 3 | Left Stick + Release ZR | Directional Buttons & Mouse Button 4 |
| Spinning Attack (Midair) | Hold ZR > Release | Hold Mouse Button 4 and Release |
| Charge Switch While Charging | A | Mouse Button 4 |
| Charged Big Bang | Charge till Level 3 and then releasr ZR | Charge till Level 3 and then release Mouse Button 4. |
| Guard | ZR | Mouse Button 4 |
| Spinning Bludgeon | ZL + X | Middle Mouse + Left Click. |
| Impact Crater | ZL + A | Middle Mouse + Mouse Button 4. |
| Charged Side Blow | Release ZR while charge is at Level 1 | Release Mouse Button 4 while charge is at Level 1 |
Suggested Hammer Combos
Pairing basic Hammer attacks together can create deadly combos during combat. Here are some of the most effective Hammer Combos:
| Combo | Switch Controls | PC Controls |
| Bread and Butter | X > X >X | 3x Left Click |
| Stun Combo | Hold ZR until two charges, then A > X > X | Hold Mouse Button 4 and then Left-Click twice |
| Spinning Combo | Hold ZR then press X during spins. | Hold Mouse Button 4 then Left-Click during spins. |
How to Use Hammer Switch Skills
You can use Switch Skills to swap out the attacks and moves bound to that specific key. The first Switch Skill will be available to you once the Urgent Quest, Feathered Frenzy in the 3 Star Village has been finished.
Here are some of our recommended Switch Skills for their respective slots.
| Original Skill | Switch Skill | Switch Controls | PC Controls |
| Side Smash | Water Strike | A | Right Click |
| Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon | Dash Breaker | ZL + X | Middle Click + Left Click |
| Charge Switch: Strength | Charge Switch: Courage | A while charging | Right-Click while charging |
| Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon | Keeping Away | ZL+X | |
| Impact Crater | Impact Burst | ZL+A | |
| Spinning Bludgeon | Spinning Bludgeon: Charge | Hold L +ZR> Hold ZR> Press A |
Hammer Silkbind Attacks
Hammer currently comes packed with 3 Silkbind Attacks in Monster Hunter Rise.
Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon
This move propels you forward with your Hammer to make a spin attack. You can increase the damage of this attack by charging up the weapon.
Keys: Switch = ZL+X | PC = Middle Click + Left Click
Impact Crater
This move allows you to perform multiple overhead hits on the monster. The amount of damage depends on how much you charge the weapon before the move.
Keys: Switch = ZL+A | PC = Middle Click + Left Click
Dash Breaker
During this move, as you charge up your Hammer, you’ll be flung towards the monster.
All enemy attacks will be nullified during this highly damaging move.
Keys: Switch = ZL+X | PC = Middle Click + Left Click (can be switched with Silkbind Spinning Bludgeon)
Impact Burst
An attack used for folding you inside an Ironsilk. If there’s any type of charged attack caused, the Ironsilk will start vibrating and will deal damage through a shockwave that it creates.
Best Monter Hunter Rise Hammer Builds
We will mention builds that are suitable for quests of different difficulties as well as the end game that utilizes Hammers.
Hammer Build for 2 Star Quests
This hammer build is most suitable when dealing with 2 Star Quests.
Gearset
- Weapon: Iron Devil
- Head: Izuchi Helm
- Chest: Hunter’s Mail
- Arms: Alloy Vambraces
- Waist: Bone Coil
- Legs: Baggi Greaves
Stat Distribution
- Defense: 44
- Fire: -3
- Water: -2
- Thunder: -4
- Ice: 0
- Dragon: 1
- Attack Boost Lvl 2
- Critical Eye Lvl 2
- Focus Lvl 1
Hammer Build for 4 Star Quests
This hammer build is most suitable when dealing with 4 Star Quests.
Gearset
- Weapon: Carapace Hammer
- Head: Basarios Helm
- Chest: Ludroth Mail
- Arms: Ludroth Braces
- Waist: Basarios Coil
- Legs: Ingot Greaves
Stat Distribution
- Defense: 114
- Fire: -7
- Water: 3
- Thunder: 1
- Ice: 2
- Dragon: -6
- Attack Boost Lvl 1
- Defense Boost Lvl 3
- Speed Sharpening Lvl 1
- Stamina Surge Lvl 1
- Marathon Runner Lvl 1
- Critical Eye Lvl 1
Hammer Build for 5 Star Quests
This hammer build is most suitable when dealing with 5 Star Quests.
Gearset
- Weapon: Izuchi Hammer
- Head: Izuchi Helm S
- Chest: Kamura Garb S
- Arms: Kulu-Ya-Ku Braces S
- Waist: Khezu Coil S
- Legs: Khezu Greaves S
Stat Distribution
- Defense: 181
- Fire: -4
- Water: -2
- Thunder: 6
- Ice: 5
- Dragon: 2
- Slugger Lvl 3
- Critical Eye Lvl 2
- Stamina Thief Lvl 2
- Wirebug Whisperer Lvl 1
- Recovery Speed Lvl 1
- Wall Runner Lvl 1
Hammer Build for End Game Activities
This hammer build is most suitable when doing end-game activities.
Gearset
- Weapon: Night Eternal
- Head: Anjanath Helm S
- Chest: Anjanath Mail S
- Arms: Rathalos Braces S
- Waist: Rathalos Coil S
- Legs: Ingot Greaves S
Stat Distribution
- Defense: 283
- Fire: 12
- Water: -8
- Thunder: -2
- Ice: -3
- Dragon: -2
- Attack Boost Lvl 6
- Slugger Lvl 3
- Focus Lvl 3
- Affinity Lvl 2
- Marathon Runner Lvl 1
- Windproof Lvl 1
Best Hammers
These are some of the best Hammers in terms of stats and passive buffs currently available in Monster Hunter Rise:
Tigrex Hammer
Tigrex is arguably the best hammer in the game with the excellent White Sharpness and Raw Damage. You can deal some serious damage using this hammer
Night Eternal Hammer
This hammer comes with 45% affinity from the start and has a Level 2 slot for Agitator, Weakness Exploit etc which can be very helpful during longer battles.
Sinter Hammer
This hammer comes with a Level 1 decoration slot and very high water damage so it can prove to be an excellent choice against monsters that are weak against water attacks.
Despot’s Crackle Hammer
Despot’s Crackle does not come with impressive white sharpness but what it does excel at is, Electrical elemental damage. It can be very helpful against monsters that are weak against electric attacks and weapons.
Hammer Weapon Trees
We’ve listed all the hammers in MH Rise under their respective trees below.
Hammer Kamura Tree
- Kamura Hammer
- Purity Hammer
- Sinter Hammer
- Binding Bludgeon
- Armored Gogue
- Almudron Hammer
- Doom Bringer Hammer
- Five-Pronged Hammer
- Great Pronged Hammer
- Wroggi Hammer
- Dirty Hammer
Hammer Ore Tree
- Iron Hammer
- Iron Devil
- War Hammer
- Bag o’ Horrors
- War Stamp
- Frozen Core Hammer
- Great Nova
- SuperNova
- Striped Striker
- Tigrex Hammer
- Flaming Fury
Hammer Bone Tree
- Bone Hammer
- Hard Bone Hammer
- Cyclo-Hammer
- Pukei Hammer
- Atlas Hammer
- Basarios Blow Hammer
- Red Bludgeon
- Yeti Hammer
- Usurper’s Thunder
- Calamitous Portent
- Izuchi Hammer
Hammer Independent Tree
- Sinister Hammer
- Egg Hammer
- Mane Malice
- Azure Elder Hammer
- Thunderbolt Hammer
- Icesteel Hammer
- Teostra Hammer
- Genie’s Expanse
- Graceful Death
- Pumpking
- Rampage Hammer
Hammer Tips
While using the Hammer, there are certain important things that you must keep in mind.
Be Patient, Wait for Your Chance
The first noteworthy thing is that despite being very impactful and strong, a hit of this bulky weapon takes a considerable time to be executed, inevitably leaving you open to a monster attack.
So, while using Hammer, you are going to need a lot of patience as well as correct positioning.
Wait for the right moment before you carry out your attack!
Use the Chargeable Ability to Your Advantage
Furthermore, the Hammer is a chargeable weapon, having three different charge levels.
You can enter the weapon’s charged state by pressing ZR, and you’ll remain in the charged state as long as you keep the button pressed.
What’s great about this state is that while in it, you can even run and evade your enemies.
Anyway, what you should do is that charge up until you’re at level 3, which will make your Hammer super deadly, and then go for the monster.
However, be sure to do this when the monster is knocked out or stunned. Otherwise, you’ll be vulnerable throughout the course of the attack.
Other than that, you can also use Hammer’s chargeable ability to perform a move called Charge Switch.
So, what you have to do is as you charge, click A, and change the weapon’s final charged attack to a single, destructive hit.
You can revert this change by doing the same again. However, know that it’s your best bet of carrying out a pacey Spinning Attack.
Use the Silkbind Attacks Wisely
By providing you with an alternative finisher move, the new Silkbind attacks make the Hammer even more powerful.
Since the more charged up the weapon is, the more effective are the Silkbind attacks, it’s recommended that you first charge up the Hammer to the limit and then use the Silkbind abilities.
However, charging up drains away stamina. So, keep your resources in check. Don’t get carried away!
