Want to know what the best Dual Blades are in Monster Hunter Rise? The Dual Blades are one of the many different Monster Hunter Rise weapons that you can use, and they’re best suited for those who like to hit monsters many times. While the attack power is generally on the weaker side, there are a few advantages to using them that are worth considering.
Chief among these is their multi-hitting abilities and how well they resonate with status ailments. By using the various Demon Modes this weapon set has to offer, you can steadily ramp up the damage while the monster is recovering after using a move. Combined with decent use of the mobility that allows the Dual Blades user to avoid trouble, you can be a great asset to the team. If a Hunting Horn player is boosting your attack stat or topping off your health, then you’re almost assured to come out on top.
So here is a primer on how to use Dual Blades in Monster Hunter Rise, the best Switch Skills to use, and our recommendations for the best Dual Blades builds in the game.
How to use the Dual Blades in Monster Hunter Rise
Your bread and butter while using the Dual Blades is the Demon Mode. By pressing the ZR button, you’ll enter an enraged state of sorts, and your attacks will slowly build up a sword bar close to your stamina. When this is fully red, you can come out of Demon Mode to find your attacks are remarkably similar to the ones you were just using. This is Archdemon Mode, and it essentially gives your move set a lot more oomph.
You have many different attacks that you can use while in either Demon Mode. It might be tempting to just spam the X+A flourish attack, but this is a mistake. You’re planted in place until the combo is finished, leaving you vulnerable to being attacked. It is the fastest way to increase your Archdemon meter, so only use it while any of the bigger Monster Hunter Rise monsters are recovering from a big attack.
Instead of wailing with the flourish, clever use of the X and A buttons separately is the key to keeping yourself safe. Your dodge is very fast, but it’s not a roll. It doesn’t offer the same amount of temporary immunity that a standard dodge or dive does. You’ll therefore want ample time to dodge, so spinning away from minor dangers with the A button (if you’re using the Demon Flurry skill) can help a lot.
The other thing to know about the Demon Mode is that it drains your stamina. Don’t let the stamina reach zero. It’ll take a short time to recover your stamina, leaving you open to attacks, so it’s better to turn it off temporarily when it’s low, then turn it back on when your stamina has recovered.
Since you have such a short range, you’ll be close to the monster when attacking. It’s therefore very important to know when to back off. Look for telltale signs that a monster is about to attack you. If you are hit, use the new Monster Hunter Rise Wirebug to get away from any potential followup attacks, then heal and back off.
Another thing to consider when using your Dual Blades is that your stamina bar is not fixed. As the hunt progresses, your hunter will become hungrier, so you’ll need to keep a supply of rations, cooked meats, and energy potions to restore your stamina gauge to its maximum level. Any yellow Spiribirds collected will also increase your max stamina, so are well worth seeking out during a hunt.
Stunning a monster is possible using the Dual Blades, but it requires some muscle memory. As you chase a monster while riding on your Palamute, press the ZR button to make your doggo jump, then press B to dismount. Activate Demon Mode with the ZR button once more and then press A. You’ll perform a small flurry of attacks that don’t deal a lot of damage, but the numbers surrounded in blue indicate that you’ve done damage that lowers the point where you can mount them. It is, of course, far easier to lure another monster using a Stinkmink to fight your target.
The best Monster Hunter Rise Dual Blades Switch Skills
Monster Hunter Rise Switch Skills are a new feature that you can equip to your hunter via the Item Box or at a camp mid-mission. As you progress through the game, talking to Master Utsushi in the Gathering Hub whenever he has a yellow speech bubble above him will either give you a new Switch Skill to use, or a quest that you must complete to unlock a Switch Skill for that weapon.
We’ve so far been able to unlock a couple of options for Switch Skills for the Dual Blades, and the best Dual Blades Switch Skills are Demon Flurry Rush, Tower Vault, and Feral Demon Mode. While Demon Flight can be handy against flying monsters like Rathalos, you can get much of the same effect by using the Wirebug, so it’s not worth using over the Demon Flurry Rush. The damage output and mobility of the Demon Flurry Rush is really good, particularly if you just need to move quickly to another part of the monster.
Tower Vault is just more useful overall than Piercing Bind. While it doesn’t do damage, it sets you up for aerial attacks and has a far faster cooldown. The raw damage output of the Piercing Bind is substantial, and if you’re tackling an opponent that doesn’t move around too much, then this is a better option, but generally speaking you’re not landing this often and the cooldown is way too slow.
The advantages to the Demon Mode and Feral Demon Mode are more subtle, but from what we can tell, the slight drawbacks for the Feral Demon Mode are worth bearing with. When you activate it, you’ll attack with a little flourish, locking you in place for a second or two. This does make you slightly more vulnerable to, say, a charging Arzuros, but it comes with the advantage of having dodges deal damage to your foes. With these two skills, you can dance around your foes, chipping away at their legs.
Dual Blades Switch Skills
Demon Flurry Rush – A spinning multi-hit attack performed on the ground. Only when Demon or Archdemon Mode is active.
Press A while in Demon Mode. A draw attack while in Archdemon Mode. Press A while in Archdemon mode.
Demon Flight – An attack performed by slamming down with both blades. A successful hit vaults you into the air, slicing your target as you spin upwards. Highly effective against larger monsters and those with weak spots up high. Easy to follow up with a Midair Spinning Blade Dance.
Press A while in Demon Mode. A draw attack while in Archdemon Mode. Press A while in Archdemon mode.
Demon Mode – Changes moveset and drains stamina slowly. Acts just like the regular Demon Mode.
Press ZR to enter Demon Mode
Feral Demon Mode – Similar to regular Demon Mode, but attacks while activating and dodging attacks.
Press ZR to enter Feral Demon Mode
Piercing Bind – An attack that drives a blade bound by Ironsilk into the target like a stake. The blade remains connected to the hunter by Ironsilk, dealing additional slash damage to the same spot every time you attack. The added damage accumulates over time, eventually unleashing massive damage. Wirebug Gauge recovery speed is slow.
Hold ZL and press X while in Demon Mode. (Costs one Wirebug Gauge)
Tower Vault – Launches a Wirebug upwards and you with it. This action does not do any damage, but allows you to move through the air in most cases, even with your weapon drawn. Wirebug Gauge recovery speed is fast.
Hold ZL and press X while in Demon Mode. Can be used in mid-air. (Costs one Wirebug Gauge)
Complete ‘Dissect the Dual Blades’ to unlock (Gathering Hub HR6)
The best Monster Hunter Rise Dual Blades builds
It’s a bit too early to determine which the best builds are in Monster Hunter Rise, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t builds that are better suited to the Dual Blades for the early game. Of course, a good offense should always be accompanied by the best possible defence, so make sure your Monster Hunter Rise armor is of the correct type for your opponent.
While you’re starting out in Monster Hunter Rise, we highly recommend that you spec into the Khezu weapon tree. This is because paralysis is far more useful against the bulk of the monsters in the game (outside of the Thunder element monsters), as triggering the paralysis status ailment has the same effect as using a Shock Trap on a monster. Your teammates will thank you for the free opportunity to pummel the monster while it’s stunned.
Most of the builds that inflict status ailments are very good with this weapon type. Since you’re hitting the monster repeatedly, the time it takes to trigger is lower than other weapons, so you’ll see its effects more often. If a monster is weak to poison, this can be devastating, and the Wroggi tree has access to some great options, while any sleep inducing weapons like the Smithy tree or the Somnacanth tree are a good fit for any build.
When you do eventually beat Magnamalo, the Magnamalo tree weapons are disgustingly good with Dual Blades. Blast is an ailment that triggers often, causing a blast that deals a big chunk of damage. It has decent sharpness levels too, so as long as you thoroughly maintain your blades by using Whetstones, you’ll be dealing the maximum damage possible.