i have seen that a ton of hunters around here use hammers and i am going to try to use them. any tips?

Choose the monsters you use hammers against, don't decide that you'll use them exclusively. Use them against the largest, armoured monsters like diablos, lavasioth, gravios, etc. Use a faster weapon like a longsword on more aggressive creatures like blangonga, rajang, or dragons. Of course, you could use them exclusively, but flexibility is your best weapon in this game.

Dragonbuster, again it's easy to hammer blangonga,rajang, and teostra/lun. Even though your idea makes sense, he should tackle these monsters if he ever wants to be a decent hammer user. Hammers are my main, you can use it on anything.

oh, yeah, i am trying to get all of the lao shan lung armor. what hammer would be the best for that?(the hr2 lao)

Don't get lao armor unless you lance/gunlance. Look at the skills of the armor, I use duals for lao because of the wind res but with hammer use Anvil. Or finishing hammer, even better.

quote Dragonbuster91

Choose the monsters you use hammers against, don't decide that you'll use them exclusively. Use them against the largest, armoured monsters like diablos, lavasioth, gravios, etc. Use a faster weapon like a longsword on more aggressive creatures like blangonga, rajang, or dragons. Of course, you could use them exclusively, but flexibility is your best weapon in this game.

I agree. Hammers are my 3rd main weapon, following GS, and longsword in first, but I love the three for different times. Hammers have a great damage output, and aren't the slowest weapons. What HR are you, and what weapons do you have access to?

quote Dirge of Elliot

They're really fun, but sort of hard to use sometimes. If you can manage to triple pound the face, then they can get confused. When they're confused, charge them. They die quickly since you're doing insane amounts of damage.

*chokes*
That's a joke, right?

*Suggests*

<You should triple pound his weak spot if he's down, charges does less damage, charges are good if you want to inflict status effects>

i must say that hammers use a sort of "breakneck" techique. the sort of RUN QUICK WHILE HES FLASHED to the GET THE bleep AWAY FROM IT. personally apart from the comapact slow hits and the ability to not be able to guard, id suggest using another wep with it to start off. not just rush in and get yourself repeatedly.

Hammers are all about timing.

Anyone who charges Super Pound the whole fight, releases it on the head when they get the chance and run the *bleep* out to repeat is a pussy and isn't using hammer right.

To use it properly, Super Pound (charge pound) is the LAST thing you want to do.

It's better to time a triple pound so the last hit, the golfswing, connects - even if that means missing the first two hits (example: starting a triple pound on the tail, so by the time you golf-swing it has turned to face you and takes the huge damage and KO damage from the final attack in the combo - the first two pounds are useless).

Another way is to start the spinning attack, which is usually easier to time, as after the 4th spin, press Triangle and you will golf-swing.

With a good hammer, your golfswing should flinch the monster. If not, try to know when it will flinch, so you can safely predict and execute a golfswing (either triple pound or spinning) without fear of getting trampled as you do it.

Super Pound should ONLY be done if you have missed the chance to get either of those two in.

Most people I see using hammers just charge the entire fight, release the pound when they get the chance and run away, only triple pounding when it's KO'd. This is not the way to use a hammer. If you're the kind that constantly chases a monster holding down charge, let me know, so I can slap you.
While not my favourite, they are an absolutely brilliant weapon with an immense damage output - you just have to use them right.

You're doing half right by triple pounding the face.

But charging when it's down? What on earth are you doing?!