@Sir
In each game, they balance the weapons around the latter’s macro dice, to help the low-popularity weapons get more game and the most popular weapons to less focus. Horn was the least used weapon in the world, and Ichinose is a main hunting horn, and he wanted people to start using it.
According to the leaks, it will have a separate mode that operates the way it used to, but in its current form, it is definitely the best weapon for DPS except Long Sword (and LS has a bug where Helm Splitter does a lot more damage than than in the full game, so HH may be even closer to LS than we think).
We know that customization and interchangeable movements will be in the game, due to data mining and leaks, and the movements actually shown in the weapons showcase trailers were not in the demo, which already had 2 wirebug moves assigned. To what extent, however, we don’t know, but it may just be wirebug movements. Like how gear could be switched at MHGU as you unlocked more.
I really recommend Charge Blade and Switch Ax. These weapons are satisfactory to use.
Based on your healing comment, I assume you skipped World? I was so used to the old school mechanics that my automatic reaction was to reject many of the most recent improvements in QOL (as a cure). But when I finished the World Cup, I realized that it was the best. There are no safe zones on an open area map, and more aggressive and fluid monster attacks together balance movement during healing.
But in Rise they kind of changed World. It is more of a hybrid between the world and the old school. You get a partial cure right away, and then it fills up slowly over time, as long as you don’t cancel or get hit. In the World you have no immediate cure and in the old games you get everything at once. This new system ensures that, even if you dodge rolling or get hit during the animation, you will still be punished, but not a 100% full force punishment. More like 75%. I think it’s a fair deal. That little touch right away can be enough to keep you alive if you have a health chip while you are poisoned.
If you’re coming from old school games, this must be a lot of changes to understand. I remember having to adjust World with all the changes, but now they look normal.