The Silence of the Horns: A Community Reckoning

[Todokoro]

While I was answering SOS flares we just had a guy in the party when we were downing a tempered Gore Magala, and he was just running around like a bag of tools not doing anything or laying down any buffs. I was like bruh, does that horn play anything besides silence?

Guy had a japanese name too, you would think they would have been more on point, but he just seemed like he was just vibing. You guys who do play hunting horn do realize that you're on support right? like its not meant to be a fancy looking hammer.

Sorry, I'm done ranting. do with this conversation as you will. I'm out lol.

[Kiririn]

While I agree that buffing your allies is a great perk of playing horn, it's certainly not a support weapon.

[Todokoro]

Originally posted by Kiririn:

While I agree that buffing your allies is a great perk of playing horn, it's certainly not a support weapon.

lol you can keep thinking that. I won't judge.

[May]

https://youtu.be/229ADKzmSGo?si=cGpH8a4BdycxOerl

Not gonna argue that some horn mains do play safe spamming & being a lazy dispenser. Some are just plain clueless.

So I try to be more creative & fun on my part XD.

[Kiririn]

It's not a matter of thinking it. It's just a fact.

You just ran into a player that wasn't very good. Had nothing to do with the fact they were playing horn.

Originally posted by Todokoro:

Originally posted by Kiririn:

While I agree that buffing your allies is a great perk of playing horn, it's certainly not a support weapon.

lol you can keep thinking that. I won't judge.

[Todokoro]

Originally posted by Kiririn:

It's not a matter of thinking it. It's just a fact.

You just ran into a player that wasn't very good. Had nothing to do with the fact they were playing horn.

Originally posted by Todokoro:

lol you can keep thinking that. I won't judge.

if you’re not putting out a single buff the entire hunt — not even the passive ones that take zero effort — then you’re not just slacking, you’re disrespecting the entire point of the weapon.

You picked the one weapon in the game designed to lift the squad, and you chose to be dead weight with flair. That’s not stylish — that’s ignorance wrapped in ego.

It’s like calling yourself a bard and showing up without an instrument — just standing there, silently air-strumming while everyone else carries the fight.

[Passive Bot]

Pretty sure hh has faster Arkveld kill time than hammer and maybe one or two other weapons. Truely one of the support of all time

[Todokoro]

Originally posted by Passive Bot:

Pretty sure hh has faster Arkveld kill time than hammer and maybe one or two other weapons. Truely one of the support of all time

Exactly. One of the support of all time — as in, support weapon by design, DPS weapon by surprise. But you still gotta support. Otherwise, you’re just roleplaying as a bad hammer with jazz hands.

[Kiririn]

I agree. Like I said, you ran into a bad player. The horn is like any other weapon. If you are playing well you will invariably buff your allies, but the weapon itself is not a support weapon.

Whenever I play as a horn I love buffing and also love stacking the wide-range ability with the horn. I actually like playing the support role.

Originally posted by Todokoro:

Originally posted by Kiririn:

It's not a matter of thinking it. It's just a fact.

You just ran into a player that wasn't very good. Had nothing to do with the fact they were playing horn.

if you’re not putting out a single buff the entire hunt — not even the passive ones that take zero effort — then you’re not just slacking, you’re disrespecting the entire point of the weapon.

You picked the one weapon in the game designed to lift the squad, and you chose to be dead weight with flair. That’s not stylish — that’s ignorance wrapped in ego.

It’s like calling yourself a bard and showing up without an instrument — just standing there, silently air-strumming while everyone else carries the fight.

[Todokoro]

Originally posted by Kiririn:

I agree. Like I said, you ran into a bad player. The horn is like any other weapon. If you are playing well you will invariably buff your allies, but the weapon itself is not a support weapon.

Whenever I play as a horn I love buffing and also love stacking the wide-range ability with the horn. I actually like playing the support role.

Originally posted by Todokoro:

if you’re not putting out a single buff the entire hunt — not even the passive ones that take zero effort — then you’re not just slacking, you’re disrespecting the entire point of the weapon.

You picked the one weapon in the game designed to lift the squad, and you chose to be dead weight with flair. That’s not stylish — that’s ignorance wrapped in ego.

It’s like calling yourself a bard and showing up without an instrument — just standing there, silently air-strumming while everyone else carries the fight.

Fair take — and I respect that you embrace the support role instead of running from it like it’s a cart timer. The problem’s not the horn, it’s the player treating it like a fashion statement instead of a toolkit.

Yeah, it can absolutely pump out DPS now, but pretending it’s not a support weapon at all is like saying SnS isn’t versatile — it’s just ignoring the design. You don’t have to be the team’s MVP, but if you bring the horn and don’t play a single note, you're basically bringing a drumstick to a sword fight.

[May]

Tbh, the current Horn system is pretty complex, and if anyone who just touched it probably would panic with even completing a single music line for a buff.

Even I get confused when playing a note on a sekrit. Maybe just think you came across a total newbie who are trying to get better, I guess that's less stressful.

[Todokoro]

Originally posted by May:

Tbh, the current Horn system is pretty complex, and if anyone who just touched it probably would panic with even completing a single music line for a buff.

Even I get confused when playing a note on a sekrit. Maybe just think you came across a total newbie who are trying to get better, I guess that's less stressful.

Totally get that — the current Horn system can feel like learning jazz mid-battle if you’re new to it. But at the same time, testing out a complex weapon like HH against arguably the hardest monster in the game right now isn’t just brave — it’s borderline self-sabotage.

There’s a difference between learning and throwing yourself into the deep end while dragging three other players with you. Everyone wants to get better, but there’s a reason training quests and low-stakes hunts exist.

Practice with Low rank hunts, or the training room. Not with Tempered Gore Magala.

[Kiririn]

I guess we agree then.

When I read "support weapon" I am thinking more in terms of classic MMOs where there exist specific roles.

This is an old comment from Reddit that I think does a better job than I could do at explaining what I think of the horn's role, emphasis mine.

"Hunting Horn is a "Support" weapon in the sense that it amplifies your teams capabilities by supporting them with buffs. However in the gaming landscape when people say "support" their minds immediately go to 'passive' gameplay popularized by MMOs and Hero Shooters like Overwatch. Not really in the action but you help keep your team alive. This does not apply to Hunting Horn. Hunting Horn is a fantastic weapon in Iceborne, the buff songs are really the icing on the cake. Hunting Horn should be side by side with the Hammer attacking the head, applying team wide buff when openings permit (or take the risk and doot while the monster is active).

There's a reason the derogatory term "corner horner" is a thing. People who actively avoid fighting the monster and just buff the team are not helping."

https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHunter/comments/e9f1is/hunting_horn_is_a_support_weapon_discuss/

Originally posted by Todokoro:

Originally posted by Kiririn:

I agree. Like I said, you ran into a bad player. The horn is like any other weapon. If you are playing well you will invariably buff your allies, but the weapon itself is not a support weapon.

Whenever I play as a horn I love buffing and also love stacking the wide-range ability with the horn. I actually like playing the support role.

Fair take — and I respect that you embrace the support role instead of running from it like it’s a cart timer. The problem’s not the horn, it’s the player treating it like a fashion statement instead of a toolkit.

Yeah, it can absolutely pump out DPS now, but pretending it’s not a support weapon at all is like saying SnS isn’t versatile — it’s just ignoring the design. You don’t have to be the team’s MVP, but if you bring the horn and don’t play a single note, you're basically bringing a drumstick to a sword fight.

[Todokoro]

Originally posted by Kiririn:

I guess we agree then.

When I read "support weapon" I am thinking more in terms of classic MMOs where there exist specific roles.

This is an old comment from Reddit that I think does a better job than I could do at explaining what I think of the horn's role, emphasis mine.

"Hunting Horn is a "Support" weapon in the sense that it amplifies your teams capabilities by supporting them with buffs. However in the gaming landscape when people say "support" their minds immediately go to 'passive' gameplay popularized by MMOs and Hero Shooters like Overwatch. Not really in the action but you help keep your team alive. This does not apply to Hunting Horn. Hunting Horn is a fantastic weapon in Iceborne, the buff songs are really the icing on the cake. Hunting Horn should be side by side with the Hammer attacking the head, applying team wide buff when openings permit (or take the risk and doot while the monster is active).

There's a reason the derogatory term "corner horner" is a thing. People who actively avoid fighting the monster and just buff the team are not helping."

https://www.reddit.com/r/MonsterHunter/comments/e9f1is/hunting_horn_is_a_support_weapon_discuss/

Originally posted by Todokoro:

Fair take — and I respect that you embrace the support role instead of running from it like it’s a cart timer. The problem’s not the horn, it’s the player treating it like a fashion statement instead of a toolkit.

Yeah, it can absolutely pump out DPS now, but pretending it’s not a support weapon at all is like saying SnS isn’t versatile — it’s just ignoring the design. You don’t have to be the team’s MVP, but if you bring the horn and don’t play a single note, you're basically bringing a drumstick to a sword fight.

Yeah, I’m with you now — I think we were just using different mental definitions of ‘support.’ I totally agree that HH isn’t meant to be some passive MMO-style backline healer. It’s an aggressive, front-line weapon with team utility baked into its design.

My only gripe is with the players who pick up the horn and ignore that utility altogether — like they’re trying to make it a hammer with bad aim. The buffs are part of the identity, not optional flair. HH should be brawling and buffing — otherwise, you’re just a ‘corner horner’ without the corner.

[May]

Originally posted by Todokoro:

But at the same time, testing out a complex weapon like HH against arguably the hardest monster in the game right now isn’t just brave — it’s borderline self-sabotage.

There’s a difference between learning and throwing yourself into the deep end while dragging three other players with you. Everyone wants to get better, but there’s a reason training quests and low-stakes hunts exist.

Practice with Low rank hunts, or the training room. Not with Tempered Gore Magala.

100% agree on that. The guy's a douche XD

At the same time, I've seen light/heavy bowguns & bow users who just die with one shot on that mission with ♥♥♥♥♥♥ defense gear...one too many times.

Kinda wish people would learn what "preparation" means before joining other players' game. Also skill-wise.

[Khergit Horse Archer]

so far i have only seen one doot that does dat thing where they hide in a corner away from a monster and play melodies lol

but arkveld seys no u cant hide and chased after him its pretty funni cuz he got targeted way more often for some reason