MHW: ICEBORNE | How To Use Hammer Guide - Recommended Combos & Tips

Check out this Monster Hunter World: Iceborne guide and walkthrough on how to use the weapon - Hammer! Learn recommended combos, skills, play tips, and more!!!

Related Article On Hammer

How To Use	Best Builds
Best Skills	Endgame Tier List

Should You Use Hammer In Iceborne?

Hammer Is Even Better!

With the introduction of Clutch Claw, Hammer got a significant mobility boost. You're less exposed after attacking, you can lower monster defenses with new moves, & can close the distance fast leading you to use the hammer's massive damage to its potential.

Less Exposed After Attack

Hammer is more exposed between swings, but if you immediately press L2 after an attack, you can let loose your clutch claw. If it hits, you close the distance & move in a crouching state leaving you less exposed.

Press △ While Attached

If the cluth claw hits, press △ to attack the monster while attached. This will charge your gauge.

Down Monsters With Slinger Burst

By succeeding with a Slinger Burst attack, you can down monsters. Down monsters has their head on the ground letting you pommel it even more.

Hammer Tips For Iceborne

Sliding Attack Is Powerful As Before

The iconic hammer move of sliding down a hill is just as devastating, and by using the clutch claw, you can do a immediate follow up attack. The new map: Hoarfrost Reach has many sliding terrain the can be used for such attacks.

Soften Up Monster Parts With Clutch Claw

You can wound monster parts by attacking the same part twice with clutch claw. Focus on monster head with clutch claw to increase your damage and cause stun.

Let Loose Clutch Claw If You See An Opening

Hammer has a inherent characteristics of short reach, and must be near the monster for damage. If you find yourself out of reach, use the clutch claw to get back into the fight.

Hammer Iceborne Weapon Changes

Shoot Slinger Burst While Charging Attacks

The Hammer will be able to shoot Slinger Burst shots even while charging attacks. The charged state of the weapon will not diminish even if you've fired the Slinger Burst shots.

Use Clutch Claw To Grab Onto Monster

The Clutch Claw is useful for Hammer uses as it also doesn't lessen its charged state when fired while charging. This way, Hunters can grab onto the monster and deal charged attack damage to soften monster parts.

Hammer - Overview & Strengths

Heavy Blunt Damage With High Attack Power

The Hammer boasts one of the highest attack power across all the weapons in the game, and is useful for dealing massive amounts of damage on a monster.

Ideal Weapon For Stunning Monsters

As a heavy blunt weapon, the hammer is effective in stunning monsters while dealing high amounts of damage, making a hammer wielder a valuable addition to any team.

Can Break Horns Or Armor But Cannot Cut Off Tails

As a blunt weapon, the hammer will be unable to cut of monster tails, however the hammer is great for breaking off harder parts, such as horns, or armor plating.

Simple Controls & Move Set

The Hammer features a simple move set, and easy to learn unique features of the weapon such as the Power Charge.

Use Power Charge to Increase Attack & Stun Power

A new feature introduced to hammer in Monster Hunter World is Power Charge, which allows you to spend stamina and charge up the attack & stun power of your weapon.

Power Charge Opens Up Other Moves

When charged up, the hammer opens up other more devastating moves. Moves available will change depending on how much you've charged the weapon.

Immune To Flinching While Charging

Charging also limits your flinch while charging, allowing you to power through certain attacks.

Wide But Short Reach

The hammer hits wide, but has a relatively short reach compared to other melee weapons.

Slow Hitting & Can Leave You Vulnerable

The hammer's attacks hit slow and certain moves can leave you vulnerable to monster counter attack.

Hammer - Recommended Combo List

Overhead Smash Combo

• 1. Overhead Smash I
• 2. Overhead Smash II
• 3. Upswing

▶ ▶

A basic useful all around combo.

Combo To Close In Distance

• 1. Charge Tier 2
• 2. Charged Upswing
• 3. Side Smash
• 4. Overhead Smash II
• 5. Charged Upswing

Charge ▶ Release or at Charge Tier 2 ▶▶▶

A combo that allows you close in the distance between you and the monster. Ideally, you want to hit and finish the combo to the last hit, but if you notice an incoming attack, dodge to the side safely.

Spinning Bludgeon Combos

• 1. Charge Tier 3 → Spinning Bludgeon → Spinning Side Smash (Δ at the first rotation)
• 2. Charge Tier 3 → Spinning Bludgeon → Spinning Follow Up (Δ at the 2nd or 3rd rotation)
• 3. Charge Tier 3 → Spinning Bludgeon → Spinning Strong Upswing (Δ at the 4th or 5th rotation)

Charge ▶ + Release or at Charge Tier 3 ▶

A combo that unleashes your Power Charge via a spinning attack and finishes with a powerful swing. The spinning attack can be finished anytime during the rotation.

Hammer - Recommended Skill List

Increase Attack Power, Defense & Resistances

It's important to increase the attack power of the Hammer to maximize its damage potential. It's also beneficial to keep your hunter consistently attacking.

Recommended Skills To Increase Attack & Stun Power

This skill mix allows you to complement the hammer's moveset with jumping and sliding attacks to aim for the head. This will allow you to be able to stun monsters quicker.

Recommended Skills To Improve Durability & Resistance

The Hammer relies on the Power Charge quite a lot, which can be removed by receiving an attack, flinching, and stun from monster shouts, thus Jump Master & Ear Plugs work well. This also speeds up Power Charge.

Hammer - Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Focus Your Attacks On The Monster's Head

The key to using the hammer is to use it against the monster's head to stun it and break off horns. Since most of the monster's heads are their weakspots, focus your attacks on monster heads.

Make Use Of Slopes For Aerial Spins

Whenever given an opportunity, make use of the environment's slope to perform a Charged Slide and chain it to a powerful Aerial Spin aimed at the monster's head.

Hammer - Damage Per Move

Motion values are still being confirmed in-game and damage per move written below is based on the Training Area.

Hammer - Basic Move List

Basic Move List

Button	Move
	Standard Attack
+	Side Swing
	Big Bang I
	Charge
After Charging Release	Charged Attack (Attack changes depending on charge tier)
On Slope: or Press	Slide
While Sliding	Jumping Charged Attack
While Sliding	Charged Slide
While Sliding / On Ivy / Run Up Wall +	Jump
While Jumping	Jumping Smash
While Jumping	Mid Air Charge

While Charging Move List

Button	Move
	Power Charge
Release	Tier 1: Charged Side Blow Tier 2: Charged Upswing Tier 3: Charged Big Bang
+ + Release	Tier 1: Charged Side Blow Tier 2: Charged Upswing Tier 3: Spinning Bludgeon
On Charged Slide or Mid Air Charge	Tier 1: Jumping Charged Attack I Tier 2: Jumping Charged Attack II Tier 3: Jumping Charged Attack III
On Charged Slide: Release	Tier 1, 2 or 3: Midair Spinning Bludgeon

Power Charge Move List

Button	Move
After Charging Release	Tier 1: Charged Side Blow Tier 2: Charged Brutal Upswing Tier 3: Charged Brutal Big Bang
After Charging + + Release	Tier 1: Charged Side Blow Tier 2: Charged Brutal Upswing Tier 3: Spinning Bludgeon