@Senyor
Each game balances the weapons around the macro data of the last, to help the less popular weapons have more play and the more popular weapons focus less. The horn was the least used weapon in the world and the icinosa is a main hunting horn and I wanted people to start using it.
According to the leaks, it will have a standalone mode that works as before, but in its current form, it is definitely the best weapon to avoid DPS with Long Sword (and LS has a bug that Helm Splitter does more damage than the full game will , so HH may even be closer to LS than we realize).
We know that customization and interchangeable moves will be in play, for data extraction and leaks, and the fact that the moves shown in the gun showcase trailers were not in the demo, which already had 2 wire moves assigned. . But to what extent we don’t know, but maybe it’s just wire movements. I like how the arts changed at MHGU as you unlocked more.
I really recommend Charge Blade and Switch Ax. Weapons so satisfying to use.
According to your healing comment, I think you skipped World? I was so used to old school mechanics that my knee reaction was to reject many of the new QoL improvements (like healing). But when I finished World, I realized I was the best. There are no safe areas on an open area map and more aggressive and fluid monster attacks combine movement as they heal.
But at Rise they changed it from World. It is rather a hybrid between the world and the old school. You’ll get a partial cure right away, and then it will slowly fill up over time, as long as you don’t cancel your session or get hit. In World you have no healing right away and in old games you had it all at once. This new system ensures that even if you dodge the shoot or get hit during the animation, you continue to feel punished, but not 100% complete punishment. About 75%. I think it’s a fair compromise. This little one might be enough to keep you alive if you are in a state of health while poisoned.
If you come from old school games, there will have to be a lot of changes. I remember having to adjust to World from all the changes, but now they feel normal.