In Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, Dual Blades are a versatile weapon class with a unique playstyle that emphasizes rapid attacks and evasive maneuvers. To maximize their damage output, players can choose to focus on either raw damage or elemental damage, depending on the specific monsters they are hunting.
Raw damage is the base damage dealt by a weapon, unaffected by any elemental modifiers. It is generally more effective against monsters that are weak to physical attacks, such as Diablos or Brachydios. On the other hand, elemental damage is the additional damage dealt by a weapon based on its elemental affinity. There are five main elements in the game: fire, water, ice, thunder, and dragon. Each element is effective against certain monsters and weaker against others. For example, fire is effective against monsters like Legiana and Velkhana, while water is effective against monsters like Jyuratodus and Namielle.