User blog comment:Lord Loss/Discussion of the Week: Sword and Shields/@comment-1758220-20120517031541

Swords and shields were what kept me from taking MHF1 back to the store and quitting my MH carreer early. If it weren't for the Sword and Shield weapon class, I would not be typing this message right now.

Way back in the distant past of 2006, I was having a hard time with Monster Hunter. The weapons sucked, it was too hard, there wasn't enough explanation for things, etc. I had taken a month long break from the game before trying it out agin. I hated all the other weapons, so I figured I may as well skip the last one. Thank god I didn't. I was instantly impressed by the combo varieties, the speed, the balance, things that weren't present with other classes. I was finally able to fight my way through the village quests, and though the guild material was too challenging for me to ever beat, thanks to the SnS, I was able to progress and be further immersed into the world of Monster Hunter, which I promtly fell in love with.

Now what can I say about the class now, 6 years later? Well it's as strong and versatile a weapon as ever, with a few new attacks and abilities picked up along the way. Though still under used and under rated by the community, Swords and Shields will always have a special place in my heart as the first stepping stone of my MH career.