Fancy using the hard-hitting bludgeoner weapon? Then you need my Monster Hunter Now hammer build. In this guide, I’m going to detail everything that you need to know about this weapon type, and recommend you the best weapons and armour to use. I’ll recommend individual pieces for those of you that don’t mind mix-and-matching, and the best sets for those that favour aesthetics. What’s more, I’ll update this guide alongside new hammer introductions to ensure it’s always up-to-date. So, please bookmark it!
Monster Hunter Now takes the location-based formula laid down by Pokémon GO, and applies it to the Monster Hunter universe. You still wander around your real life neighbourhood, but this time you’re hunting monsters, gathering materials, and crafting new gear. As you progress, you can take on even more powerful monsters, work as part of a team, and improve your gear.
You can grab Monster Hunter Now on Google Play. I’ve also put together a Monster Hunter Now Great Sword build and Monster Hunter Now best gear guide.
Monster Hunter Now Hammer Build
Now, let’s take a look at our recommended Monster Hunter Now hammer build.
Monster Hunter Now Best Hammers
So, what are the best hammers in Monster Hunter Now? Well, the best is almost always the option that triggers your enemy’s elemental weakness. This gives you a damage bonus that surpasses any other bonus you can get from a weapon’s Equipment Skill.
When elemental weakness is less of a pressing issue, it’s the Equipment Skill that defines the best weapon. The best Equipment Skills either focus on increasing your damage potential or boost the unique features of your weapon, like hammer’s stun potential.
With that in mind, here are what I consider to be the best hammers in the game:
Crushing Beak
Crushing Beak is the most powerful upgrade of the Kulu Beak. It provides you with an attack power boost each time you revive after fainting in a hunt, with a maximum 40% boost in damage.
It’s not the best option, given that you actively have to die to trigger it, but if you’re facing an incredibly powerful monster it might give you the edge you need.
It’s also worth noting that Crushing Beak doesn’t have an elemental bonus. Instead, it has a high critical hit chance at maximum level. That’s a decent trade off when elemental bonus isn’t an issue.
- Attack: 1,596
- Element: None
- Special: None
- Affinity: 30%
- Special Skill: Spinning Bludgeon
- Equipment Skill: Fortify
Buon Fiore
This is the ultimate upgrade of the Blooming Hammer, and it’s a great offensive option with a bonus to Poison damage. Its Equipment Skill also provides an enormous damage boost when you attack from behind, which is pretty easy to trigger if you get in the habit of dodge-rolling.
- Attack: 1,596
- Element: Poison
- Special: 400
- Affinity: 0%
- Special Skill: Spinning Bludgeon
- Equipment Skill: Sneak Attack
Malady’s Fist
Malady’s Fist is the final upgrade for the Girros Hammer, and is the Paralysis equivalent of Bion Fiore. The weapons are otherwise identical, with the same stats and Equipment Skill. Use this one against enemies with a weakness to Paralysis!
- Attack: 1,596
- Element: Paralysis
- Special: 400
- Affinity: 0%
- Special Skill: Spinning Bludgeon
- Equipment Skill: Sneak Attack
Water Basher
The Water Basher, the final form of the Aqua Hammer, is the ultimate in Water damage. It trades raw attack damage for a massive increase in water special attack damage, so you really only want to use this weapon against enemies weak to Water. It’s not a great weapon against other enemies.
Its Equipment Skill, Last Stand, boosts your attack and defence by a significant amount when your HP is below 15%. That’s difficult to trigger, but against a challenging enemy it could provide the difference you need.
- Attack: 1,293
- Element: Water
- Special: 910
- Affinity: 0%
- Special Skill: Spinning Bludgeon
- Equipment Skill: Last Stand
Anja Striker
The Anja Striker is the Fire equivalent of the Water Basher. It once again trades raw damage for an increase in special attack damage, though its Equipment Skill increases your attack as the hunt draws to a close.
Again, this is useful against powerful monsters as you will grow in strength as that timer runs out. It just might provide you with the advantage you need.
- Attack: 1,293
- Element: Fire
- Special: 910
- Affinity: 0%
- Special Skill: Spinning Bludgeon
- Equipment Skill: Rising Tide
Diablos Shatter
The Diablos Shatter is the most powerful hammer in the game if we’re talking raw damage potential, but it also lacks an element and doesn’t include any affinity. However, its Equipment Skill vastly increases your attack power when your health is below 29%.
If your HP goes below that, your raw damage will just decimate any opponent. It’s incredibly hard-hitting under those circumstances.
Whether you prefer this to Crushing Beak when elemental weakness isn’t a priority is up to you. You’re trading a low HP attack boost for a faint boost, and superior raw attack damage for increased critical hit chance.
- Attack: 1,979
- Element: None
- Special: None
- Affinity: 0%
- Special Skill: Spinning Bludgeon
- Equipment Skill: Heroics
Monster Hunter Now Best Hammer Equipment
Now, let’s take a look at the best equipment that you can equip in each slot for the hammer.
- Headgear:
- Kulu Headpiece – Boosted criticals and you can lock onto specific body parts
- Diablos Helm – Vastly improves attack when your HP drops below 35%
- Mail:
- Diablos Mail – Boosted stuns
- Anja Mail – Boosted special attacks
- Rathalos Mail – Boosted attacks against enemy weaknesses
- Gloves:
- Kulu Vambraces – Boosted attack and defence at low HP and boosted criticals
- Diablos Vambraces – Boosted attack and defence when HP is below 35% and boosted part breaking
- Belt:
- Jagras Coil – Boosted damage after falling in battle
- Diablos Coil – Boosted damage after a block and boosted part breaking
- Trousers:
- Anja Greaves – Boosted damage at max HP
- Kulu Greaves – Boosted criticals
- Jyura Greaves – Shortened charging time for charged attacks and damage when below 15% HP
- Diablos Greaves: Boosted stuns
Monster Hunter Now Best Hammer Sets
Want to wear a full set and maintain the aesthetics? We hear you. If that’s you, here are the best sets to wear:
- Diablos: This feels custom-built for hammer users, and I’d argue it’s the best. The only downside to this set is the Diablos Coil, which includes Offensive Guard. That’s useless for hammer users
- Anjanath: A fire-focused set that boosts your special attack and damage when at max HP
