Hey there, fellow hunters! Are you ready to dive into the awesome world of Monster Hunter World (MHW) and master the Hunting Horn? This guide is your ultimate companion to crafting killer builds in the base game. We'll cover everything from the best weapons and armor to skills and strategies, ensuring you can rock those monsters and support your team like a pro. So grab your horn, tune up, and let's get started!

Understanding the Hunting Horn: The Maestro of the Hunt

Alright, first things first: what is the Hunting Horn all about? Think of it as the ultimate support weapon with a punch. While it's great at dealing damage, its real strength lies in its ability to buff your entire team (including yourself!) with a variety of melodies. These melodies provide stat boosts, like attack, defense, and stamina, making your hunts smoother and more successful. This makes the Hunting Horn a great weapon for both solo and multiplayer. The Hunting Horn also allows you to move while attacking, making it a very safe weapon.

Before you start crafting, understand the Hunting Horn's mechanics. The Hunting Horn has a unique combo system that involves playing melodies. Each Hunting Horn has a set of notes (Red, Blue, Green, etc.). You play these notes in a specific order to create melodies. Here's a breakdown:

• Melody Play: Pressing the attack button after performing a note. This will play the melody. Performing the performance while having a melody active will refresh the buffs. Performing the performance while having no melodies active will do an overhead smash.
• Self-Improvement: This is a crucial melody for almost every Hunting Horn build. It boosts your attack and defense while also giving you a small amount of stamina. Play it before every hunt!
• Attack Up (L) and (S): Increase the attack power of all your teammates. This is a game-changer.
• Defense Up (L) and (S): Boosts everyone's defense, making them tougher. Great for survival.
• Elemental Buffs: Some horns provide buffs to elemental resistances. Useful against specific monsters.

Mastering these basics is key to becoming an effective Hunting Horn user. Remember, good music and well-timed buffs can be the difference between a swift victory and a cart ride back to camp! The key is to find horns that suits your playstyle. Experiment with different note combinations and learn which buffs benefit you and your team the most. Don't be afraid to try out different horns. Practice makes perfect, and the more you play, the better you will get at playing songs. You can play songs while evading attacks and moving. This makes the Hunting Horn a very mobile and safe weapon.

The Importance of Songs

Each Hunting Horn has a different set of songs. Choosing the right horn is crucial. Some horns focus on damage, while others are better for support. Here's a quick guide:

• Attack Up (L): Almost a must-have for any horn. Increased damage is always welcome.
• Defense Up (L): Increases survivability. Always a good choice.
• Health Recovery (S): Small healing over time. Useful in multiplayer.
• Stamina Up: Increase stamina recovery. Great for blademasters.
• Elemental Resistances: Useful against monsters with elemental attacks.

Essential Skills for Your Hunting Horn Build

Now, let's talk skills! Skills are the bread and butter of your build, and the right skills can elevate your Hunting Horn gameplay. Here are some must-haves for your base game builds:

• Attack Boost: This is a must-have for all builds. Increases your raw attack power, which boosts your damage output.
• Weakness Exploit: This is a very important skill, especially for players who are new to the game. Increases your affinity when hitting weak spots. More critical hits mean more damage!
• Health Boost: Increases your maximum health, making you more resistant to attacks. This skill is useful for any build!
• Stamina Thief: Allows you to exhaust the monster more frequently and make it easier to deal more damage to the monster.
• Horn Maestro: Extends the duration of your Hunting Horn melodies. This skill is extremely important for Hunting Horn builds. This lets your buffs last longer, reducing the need to play them constantly.
• Earplugs: Blocks monster roars, giving you openings to attack. Some monsters roar very frequently. This is especially helpful in multiplayer.

Armor and Weapon Choices

Choosing the right armor is vital. Focus on armor sets that offer a combination of damage and utility skills. Early on, you might consider the Bone set or Alloy set. As you progress, aim for armor pieces that provide a good balance of skills. Mix and match pieces for the best results.

• Bone Set: Early game option that gives decent defense and skills.
• Odogaron Set: Good for builds that focus on critical hits. Offers good attack and affinity.
• Rathalos Set: Great for raw damage builds and offers a good mix of attack and critical skills.

Weapon Choices are also key to your Hunting Horn build. Each Hunting Horn has different notes and songs. Consider the following:

• Raw Damage Horns: Great for general hunts and offer a solid damage output.
• Elemental Horns: If you are hunting a monster that is weak to a certain element, these are a good choice.
• Support Horns: Offer a variety of buffs that help your teammates.

Early Game Hunting Horn Builds (Low Rank)

Okay, let's get you started with some builds for the early game. These builds will help you to get through the Low Rank content.

Build 1: Basic Attack & Defense

• Weapon: Bone Horn (Upgrade as you go)
• Armor: Mix of Bone set and other pieces. Prioritize Attack Boost and Defense Boost.
• Skills: Focus on Attack Boost, Defense Boost, and Health Boost.
• Gameplay: Play Self-Improvement and Attack Up (S) melodies before engaging. Attack the monster while maintaining your buffs. Keep an eye on your teammates' health and provide support when needed.

Build 2: Versatile Support

• Weapon: Hunting Horn with Health Recovery (S) or Stamina Up (Example: Hunting Horn of Valor)
• Armor: Mix of Leather, Alloy, and Bone pieces.
• Skills: Health Boost, Horn Maestro, and Earplugs.
• Gameplay: Prioritize keeping your buffs active and supporting your team. Use Health Recovery melodies to keep your teammates alive. Use stamina up to help your teammates get more attacks off.

Mid-Game Hunting Horn Builds (High Rank)

As you advance into High Rank, you will want to start upgrading your weapons and armors. Here are some build examples to aim for:

Build 1: The Damage Dealer

• Weapon: Upgrade a high raw damage horn (e.g., Diablos Horn, or the Teostra Horn for blast damage)
• Armor: Mix and match for Attack Boost, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Eye.
• Skills: Attack Boost, Weakness Exploit, Critical Eye, Horn Maestro.
• Gameplay: Focus on maximizing damage while maintaining your self-improvement buff. Go for critical hits on monster weak points. Use your team buff to keep your team alive and improve their damage.

Build 2: The Support Specialist

• Weapon: Horn with Health Recovery (L), Defense Up (L), and other support songs (e.g., Bazelgeuse Horn)
• Armor: Prioritize health, defense, and Horn Maestro.
• Skills: Health Boost, Horn Maestro, Defense Boost, Earplugs.
• Gameplay: Maintain buffs for your team. Use healing songs when needed. Block roars and provide support.

Advanced Tips and Strategies for Hunting Horn Users

Okay, time for some pro tips to take your Hunting Horn game to the next level!

• Learn Monster Weaknesses: Knowing the monster's weaknesses to damage and elements can help you choose the right horn.
• Understand Song Priority: Some songs are more important than others. Know which ones to play at the right time. For example, the Self-Improvement buff should always be active.
• Practice Combos: Experiment with different attack combos to find what works for you.
• Cooperate with your team: Let them know what buffs you can provide.
• Learn Monster Patterns: Learn the attack patterns of each monster to avoid taking damage.
• Use the Environment: Use the environment to your advantage. Try to knock down monsters using ledges or other environmental hazards.

Conclusion: Become a Hunting Horn Master

And there you have it, a comprehensive guide to building your Hunting Horn in the MHW base game. Remember to experiment, have fun, and adapt your builds to each hunt. With practice, you'll become a valuable asset to any hunting party. Good luck, and happy hunting! This guide should give you a good start to build your own hunting horn. Happy Hunting!