Tonfa

Unofficial Japanese Translations
Some names in this Article may use unofficial translations, these are obtained through different means, official localizations from other games in the series take precedent over fan translations where possible, otherwise the Staff will provide temporary translations.

Weapons

Topics: Weapon Types • Weapon Mechanics • Sharpness • Element • Status

Weapon Types:
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Weapon Overview[]

The Tonfa (穿龍棍 Senryūkon: "Piercing Dragon Stick") is a Weapon Type introduced in Monster Hunter Frontier G Genuine. It is an Impact type weapon. The more attacks hunters make with the weapon, the more it charges up in power. It also has the ability to guard and dash freely.

The Tonfa is made up of two light, swift poles with a propulsion system. This allows the hunter to strike monsters multiple times in short periods. Because of the light weight and propulsion system, hunters can easily evade while the weapon is drawn and even propel themselves from the ground. The propulsion system also enables the hunter to perform a finishing move called "Dragon Spirit Piercing Attack" (龍気穿撃) where the poles of the Tonfa are quickly jabbed at the monster with tremendous force. By performing this move on a monster when parts of the monster have been sufficiently weakened, it will trigger explosions on the monster where it has been weakened. Every body part on a monster can be weakened and is recognized by a red, wispy aura that is emitted from the weakened part.

Similar to Long Sword, the Tonfa has a gauge that fills up when attacking monsters in order to gain an attack boost (Earth Style). This bar has 5 levels of boosts and a timer (6 when using the Piercing Phoenix skill). When striking a monster, the semi-circular timer to the left of the bar will fill up with several seconds and begin dropping while the bar level fills. Every time that the Tonfa strikes a monster, the timer refills and the boost bar increases. All attack boosts will be lost if the timer runs out.

The Tonfa has 2 different modes: long mode and short mode. Each mode shares the basic attack moves, KO damage on head strikes, finisher and pole launch while still having unique moves and abilities.

Modes[]

Long: Normal impact zone damage. At the end of the main button attack combo, the hunter can perform a charged attack. While midair, the secondary attack button creates a spinning drop attack.

All attacks in long mode do Impact damage at regular Impact damage modifiers.

Short: Reversed impact zone damage. At the end of the main button attack combo, the hunter can perform a short series of swift attacks. While midair, the secondary button creates a rolling kick attack that will cause the hunter to bounce back and a little upwards if the attack strikes a monster. This allows the hunter to remain airborne.

Impact zone damage modifiers in short mode are reversed. The weakest Impact damage area becomes the most resistant while the most resistant becomes the weakest. All other areas are given Impact damage modifications based on the difference between the weakest and most resistant Impact damage zones.

Dragon Spirit[]

The Tonfa finisher goes beyond the expected damage of the strike. Using a finisher on a monster when it has a point(s) with enough Dragon Spirit will cause the monster to take damage from a delayed explosion at the inflicted points after the initial strike. Once this explosion occurs, a secondary effect can be seen on the monster depending on the weakened part(s) at the time of the finisher.

Head: The monster is surrounded by a burning, yellowish aura. All strikes to the monster will cause KO damage, regardless of damage type or location attacked for a short time.
Monsters that can't be KOed will have one of the other effects trigger from their heads. (Lao-Shan Lung, Fatalis, Yama Tsukami, Yama Kurai)

Body: The monster is surrounded by an emitting, orange aura. This is a chance for Hunter's close enough to recover a small amount of weapon sharpness, as well as a small attack boost for a limited time.
An active Heat Blade on a Gunlance prevents sharpness restoration for the hunter.

Tail: The monsters tail will be injured, left bleeding and taking damage, even if the tail cannot be cut or has already been cut. The bleeding lasts for a short period and causes cutting damage to the tail. If enough damage is done to the tail during or prior to this state, the tail will be severed/broken.
Monsters without a lone tail hitzone will have the bleeding effect trigger from another location. (Iodrome, Lao-Shan Lungs neck, Fatalis' wings)

Salvage: An effect that is on all small monsters and very few large monsters heads. (Lao-Shan Lung, Fatalis, Yama Tsukami, Yama Kurai) If the Hunter is able to inflict enough Dragon Spirit to small monsters before slaying them, using the finisher will cause them to drop a shiny, this drop is based on the monsters carve rates.

Notes[]

Having 30 points in the Tonfa Tech skill adds another bar to the tonfa meter.
Tonfas Earth, Heaven and Storm Hunting Styles are very distinct from eachother, and use different types of gauges.
The ability to change how you deal impact damage makes them hugely versatile but harder for inexperienced users.
- Learning the values of hitzones on monsters is a very important part of using Tonfa to their full effectiveness.
Tonfas can be very useful in team hunts, as well placed finishers can help all members.
Tonfa are naturally fast hitting weapons with lots of mobility, this however makes it important to handle their sharpness well with skills like Razor Sharp.
- Tonfa work brilliantly with the Fencing +2 skill, making Sword God a perfect skill to use.
The finisher move used without any Dragon Spirit inflicted will deal little damage and leave the hunter open. This move also uses a lot of sharpness regardless of if it hits anything or not.
One of the ground-based attacks has the ability to parry an attack if timed correctly.