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Best Hammer Builds for Iceborne

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These are the best builds for the Hammer in Monster Hunter World (MHW) Iceborne for DLC progression and endgame. Learn about the best builds, skills, and weapons for the Hammer below!

List of Contents

Hammer Endgame Meta Build

Endgame Fatalis Armor Build

Weapon Decorations
Fatalis Demolisher Challenger/Protection Jewel 4 x2
Armor Slots and Skills Decorations
Dragonhead Beta + Dragonhead Beta + Slots: ④④④
Stun Resistance (Lv 3) 		KO/Protection Jewel 4 x2
Critical/Evasion Jewel 4 x1
Dragonhide Beta + Dragonhide Beta + Slots: ④④④
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1) 		Critical/Evasion Jewel 4 x2
Satiated/Attack Jewel 4 x1
Dragonclaws Beta + Dragonclaws Beta + Slots: ④④④
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1)
Handicraft (Lv 3) 		Attack Jewel+ 4 x2
Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Dragonbarbs Alpha + Dragonbarbs Alpha + Slots: ④③③
Critical Eye (Lv 3)
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1) 		Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Tenderizer/Evasion Jewel 4 x1
Brace/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Frostfang Greaves Alpha + Frostfang Greaves Alpha + Slots: ①①ー
Attack Boost (Lv 1)
Slugger (Lv 3) 		Expert Jewel 1 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Challenger Charm V None

Fatalis Build Skill List

Skills
Agitator 7 Attack Boost 7
Critical Eye 7 Divine Blessing 5
Evade Window 5 Slugger 5
Critical Boost 3 Stun Resistance 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Flinch Free 1
Free Meal 1 Punishing Draw (Frostfang Absolute Art 1)
Inheritance (Fatalis Legend 2) Transcendence (Fatalis Legend 4)

Taking advantage of Inheritance from the Fatalis Legend Set Bonus, this build provides high affinity, attack, and stun damage using the unlocked Agitator 7 and Slugger 5, complemented with Critical Eye, Attack Boost, and Weakness Exploit.

Transcendance from the Fatalis Legend Set Bonus provides comfort and survivability with True Razor Sharp and the huge Health and Stamina boost. This allows for less sharpening between each encounter and gets you to max HP without Health Boost and eating meals or consuming Max/Ancient Potions.

Divine Blessing and Evade Window are nice defensive skills that allow you to dodge more effectively and lighten the punishment of making mistakes, allowing for a more aggressive playstyle.

Hammer Meta Builds

Meta Builds
Checkmark Agitator/Master's Touch
Checkmark Slugger/Master's Touch

Agitator/Master's Touch Hammer Build

Weapon Decorations
Lightbreak Hammer Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Charger Jewel 2 x1
Armor Slots and Skills Decorations
Kaiser Crown Beta + Kaiser Crown Beta + Slots: ④ーー
Latent Power (Lv 1)
Critical Eye (Lv 2) 		Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Brachydium Mail Beta + Brachydium Mail Beta + Slots: ④②①
Agitator (Lv 2) 		Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Slots: ④③ー
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1)
Heat Guard (Lv 1) 		Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Brace Jewel 3 x1
Kaiser Coil Beta + Kaiser Coil Beta + Slots: ④②①
Blast Attack (Lv 2) 		Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Brachydium Greaves Beta + Brachydium Greaves Beta + Slots: ④①①
Weakness Exploit (Lv 2) 		Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Challenger Charm V None

Agitator/Master's Touch Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Agitator 7 Health Boost 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Blast Attack 3 Heat Guard 1
Latent Power 1 Flinch Free 1
Master's Touch (Teostra Technique 3) Agitator Secret (Brachydios Will 2)

A high afifnity and attack build that uses the unlocked Agitator 7 complemented by Attack Boost, Critical Eye, Critical Boost, and Weakness Exploit.

Master's Touch takes advantage of the high affinity to reduce sharpness loss, allowing your weapon to deal maximum damage for longer, lessening the amount of times you need to sharpen.

Slugger/Master's Touch Build

Weapon Decorations
Safi's Shattercrusher Brace/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Awakened Ability
Teostra Essence Attack Increase VI Attack Increase V Sharpness Increase V x2
Armor Slots and Skills Decorations
Frostfang Helm Beta + Frostfang Helm Beta + Slots: ④②①
Critical Eye (Lv 2) 		Challenger Jewel+ 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Frostfang Mail Beta + Frostfang Mail Beta + Slots: ④②ー
Attack Boost (Lv 3) 		Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Kaiser Vambraces Alpha + Kaiser Vambraces Alpha + Slots: ②ーー
Weakness Exploit (Lv 2)
Heat Guard (Lv 1) 		Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Kaiser Coil Beta + Kaiser Coil Beta + Slots: ④②①
Blast Attack (Lv 2) 		Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Frostfang Greaves Alpha + Frostfang Greaves Alpha + Slots: ①①ー
Attack Boost (Lv 1)
Slugger (Lv 3) 		Expert Jewel 1 x2
Attack Charm V None

Slugger/Master's Touch Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Agitator 5 Slugger 5
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Health Boost 3 Blast Attack 2
Heat Guard 1 Punishing Draw (Frostfang Absolute Art 1)
Slugger Secret (Frostfang Absolute Art 3) Master's Touch (Teostra Technique 3)

A similar build to Agitator/Master's Touch but focuses more on the KO capability of hammers. Has high affinity and attack thanks to Attack Boost, Agitator, Critical Eye, Critical Boost, and Weakness Exploit.

Slugger Secret from equipping 3 pieces of the Frostfang Barrioth set lets you get Slugger 5, making stunning monsters much quicker.

The two Sharpness Increase V from the Safi'jiiva Awakening increases the hammer's sharpness to purple while Master's Touch takes advantage of the high affinity to keep you in purple sharpness for longer.

Hammer Progression Builds

Progression Builds
Checkmark Early Iceborne Progression Build
Checkmark Mid-Late Iceborne Build

Starter Iceborne Build

Defender Armor

The Guardian Armor plus Defender Weapon combo is a viable starter build for Iceborne's early game. It has good enough defense to take hits from the early monsters, as well as enough damage to let you farm for your early Iceborne build.

The Guardian Armor set is given to all players from the start of the game and has good defense and survival skills while the Defender Weapon can be crafted from the Smithy and can be fully upgraded with ease.

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Barroth Crusher I Tenderizer Jewel 2 x2
Armor Slots and Skills Decorations
Bone Helm Alpha + Bone Helm Alpha + Slots: ③ーー
Health Boost (Lv 2)
Partbreaker (Lv 1) 		Brace Jewel 3 x1
Bone Mail Alpha + Bone Mail Alpha + Slots: ②ーー
Attack Boost (Lv 2)
Health Boost (Lv 1) 		Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Bone Vambraces Alpha + Bone Vambraces Alpha + Slots: ②ーー
Slugger (Lv 2)
Attack Boost (Lv 1) 		Destroyer Jewel 2 x1
Barroth Coil Beta + Barroth Coil Beta + Slots: ④ーー
Agitator (Lv 2) 		Satiated/Attack Jewel 4 x1
Rathalos Greaves Alpha + Rathalos Greaves Alpha + Slots: ③ーー
Slinger Capacity (Lv 2)
Attack Boost (Lv 2) 		Destroyer/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Attack Charm III None

Early Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Health Boost 3
Partbreaker 3 Slugger 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Agitator 2
Divine Blessing 1 Flinch Free 1
Free Meal 1

A high attack build that can carry you to mid-game. The Attack Boost and Slugger helps you deal a lot of damage from stun windows and Partbreaker allows you to break those parts for materials easier.

The small affinity gains from Attack Boost and Agitator cancels the negative affinity from Barroth Crusher and Weakness Exploit actually lets you crit if you hit the weakspots.

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Chaos Shatterer Elementless Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor Slots and Skills Decorations
Rathalos Helm Beta + Rathalos Helm Beta + Slots: ④①ー
Attack Boost (Lv 2) 		Drain/Expert Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Diablos Mail Beta + Diablos Mail Beta + Slots: ④①ー
Slugger (Lv 2)
Heroics (Lv 1) 		Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Diablos Nero Braces Beta + Diablos Nero Braces Beta + Slots: ④②ー
Slugger (Lv 1)
Marathon Runner (Lv 1) 		Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Diablos Nero Coil Beta + Diablos Nero Coil Beta + Slots: ④①ー
Slugger (Lv 2) 		Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Dober Greaves Beta + Dober Greaves Beta + Slots: ④②ー
Attack Boost (Lv 1)
Mushroomancer (Lv 1) 		Drain/Expert Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Attack Charm III None

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Slugger 5 Health Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Stamina Thief 2
Heroics 1 Marathon Runner 1
Mushroomancer 1 Non-elemental Boost 1
Slugger Secret (Diablos Ambition 3)

An improved build over the early game using Slugger Secret to knock some monsters down with relative ease for a good damage window.

Featuring a high attack from Attack Boost and Non-elemental Boost and a much higher affinity from Critical Eye and Weakness Exploit to combat the negative affinity from Chaos Crusher, this build really packs a punch that can get you to late game.

Best Hammer Weapons and Skills

Best Weapons for Hammer

Weapon Explanation
Fatalis Demolisher
[Atk] 1404 | [Affinity] -20%		 ・Weapon with the highest attack damage
・Has a high sharpness
Lightbreak Hammer
[Atk] 1560 | [Affinity] 0%		 ・High attack power with excellent sharpness
・Highly versatile weapon

Best Skills for Hammer

Skill Explanation
Health Boost
( ★★★ )		 Increases maximum health to increase your survival rate
A must have for beginners
Weakness Exploit
( ★★★ )		 Significantly increases your attack by targeting weakpoints
Critical Boost
( ★★★ )		 Increases the damage of critical hits. Best used when paired with Weakness Exploit
Critical Eye
( ★★★ )		 Increases your Affinity
Flinch Free
( ★★★ )		 Prevents knockbacks and tripping. Useful when playing multiplayer
Earplugs
( ★★ )		 Nullifies most monster roars, allowing you to execute your attacks without flinching
Focus
( ★★ )		 Increases gauge fill rate and reduces charge times
Slugger
( ★★ )		 Makes it easier to stun monsters with attacks
Handicraft
(★★)		 Increases sharpness gauge
Teostra Technique
(★★)		 Prevents sharpness loss with critical hits

Best Skills for Hammers

Monster Hunter World (MHW) Iceborne Related Guides

Best Builds

Best Builds Banner.png

Best Endgame Builds and Weapon Progression Builds

Best Builds Per Weapons

Melee Weapons
Long Sword Icon.jpegLong Swords Great Sword Icon.jpegGreat Swords Sword & Shield Icon.jpegSword and Shield Dual Blades Icon.jpegDual Blades
Hammer Icon.jpegHammer Hunting Horn Icon.jpegHunting Horn Lance Icon.jpegLance Gunlance Icon.jpegGunlance
Switch Axe Icon.jpegSwitch Axe Charge Blade Icon.jpegCharge Blade Insect Glaive Icon.jpegInsect Glaive
Ranged Weapons
Bow Icon.jpegBow light bowgun icon.pngLight Bowgun
Heavy bowgun icon.pngHeavy Bowgun

Best Counter Builds

Monster Counterbuilds
fatalis icon.pngFatalis alatreon icon.pngAlatreon

Comment

6 Anonymous Anonymous about 2 years

Typo on fatalis armor set having Crit Boost

Post (1 Comments)

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