Kusarigama

Idea: Kusarigama
A weapon class consisting of a sickle and a heavy weight attached to long cord/chain system.

Description
The kusarigama has two modes: Close and Ranged.

Close Mode
In close mode, the hunter keeps their weapon close to their body, favoring quick swipes and slashes over more powerful hitting attacks. In this mode, the kusarigama deals less damage than dual blades, and attacks about as fast as a sword and shield user or dual blades for some attacks. Because of this, the kusarigama is good for dealing quick damage, but is outclassed by dual blades and the sword and shield in terms of dps. However, unlike dual blades or the sword and shield, the kusarigama can easily deal both cutting and impact damage in rapid succession, enabling the hunter to easily take advantage of the specific weaknesses of a monster's body parts. Along with its low attack power, the kusarigama deals little KO and exhaust damage in close mode with the weight. As such, while the kusarigama can exhaust or knockout a monster, it is not very efficient at doing so in close mode.

Additionally, in close mode, the hunter is incredibly mobile. This is due to a large number of gap closing and re-positioning attacks that enable the hunter to stay close to the monster. Because of this, the Kusarigama resembles the longsword in terms of how it evades attacks and follows them up with more attacks. However, the kusarigama also possesses a unique weakness in this mode, which is that the hunter will accidentally drop their weapons if they are hit while attacking. If the hunter drops their weapons, they will be unable to attack until pulling their weapons back by retracting the cords attached to the sickle and weight.

Ranged Mode
In ranged mode, the hunter charges up and unleashes stronger and longer reaching attacks. In this mode, the kusarigama deals damage comparable to a sword and shield or a longsword depending on how long an attack is charged for. However, damage such as KO and exhaust, as well as part damage, are unusually high in comparison to the damage dealt per hit. Because of this, while the dps of ranged mode isn't that much different from close mode, the ability to weaken the monster is increased heavily. This also works well with the long reach of ranged mode, which starts out at 2x the range of a greatsword (charge lv 1) and can increase to 4x the range of a greatsword (charge lv 3).

The catch of this mechanic being that the further an attack is thrown, the longer the hunter must wait to attack again as they pull their weapon back. This does not mean that the hunter is vulnerable, as they still can walk, hop, or roll away from danger. However, the hunter is vulnerable for a brief moment as a ranged attack is thrown, as the hunter cannot move or dodge during the final wind-up and throwing animation. The only constant limitation on the hunter is that the ability to put away the weapon is not possible, unless the hunter is holding both the sickle and the weight.

Additionally, in ranged mode, the hunter gains access to an ability known as as latching. This ability can be triggered when a ranged attack hits a monster's head, arms, legs, or tail. Once triggered, the sickle or weight will wrap around the monster, firmly ensnaring the body part in question. While latched onto a monster, the monster becomes easier to flinch and trip. In addition, if the hunter pulls away from the monster, then the hunter will deal small, but continuous damage to the monster. This damage will either be treated as cutting or as impact damage (+exhaust damage) if done with the sickle or weight respectively.

However, during latching, if the monster moves towards the hunter, the hunter won't be able to deal damage to the monster until they manage to get far enough away to actually cause the cord to pull on the monster. However, if the monster moves away from the hunter, the hunter will take damage, and can be tripped, flung, or dragged depending on how quickly the monster moves. At any time the hunter can release the monster, at which time they will reel in their weapon. As a final note, latching will fail if the weapon bounces, which will lead to a longer reel time if the weapon does bounce irregardless of whether or not the hunter tried to latch the monster.

Design
The kusarigama consists of a sickle and a heavy weight attach to 2 cords. These cords feed into a storage unit on the hunter's back, which controls how much cord is released or reeled in when the hunter attacks. The storage unit is controlled using small buttons on the sickle and or on the grip near the weight. When pressed, the storage unit will allow the cord to extend for whichever weapon the hunter wishes to use. Releasing the button will cause the storage unit to reel the cord back in, causing the weapon to return to the hunter.

As such, if the hunter wished to throw their sickle, then they would press the button on grip near the weight, which would into turn extend the cord attached to the sickle. When they wished to pull the sickle back, all they would need to do is release the button near the weight. However, if the hunter wished to throw both the sickle and the weight, then they would only need to tap both buttons, which would in turn extend both cords, but would automatically pull them both back after a short period of time.

Controls
Figured I would include these in the event that Capcom is looking for fleshed out weapon designs.

Notes:
1) Once latched, you can walk or press B to roll or hop

2) Alternating between the weight and allows for faster attacks

3) Direction of hop slash controlled by input given during attack

4) Cyclone Attacks only deal heavy damage near outer edge of the attack (will trip hunters if hit)

5) Key: normal attack // alternate combo path // Strong hit (ends combo+recovery period)

From Sheathe
X=Advancing Sickle Slash (hunter runs forward and slashes upwards with Sickle)

X+R=Quick Forward Sickle Shot (hunter quickly draws sickle into a spin and throws it straight forward)

+left or right (before throw) =Curved Sickle Shot (sickle will arc slightly to the side)

+hold R (upon hit) =Sickle Latch (hunter will latch to monster if part hit was latchable)

+release R=Unlatch monster

X+A=Advancing Weight Swipe (hunter runs forward and swings weight upwards)

X+A+R=Quick Forward Weight Shot (hunter quickly draws weight into a spin and throws it straight forward)

+left or right (before throw) =Curved weight Shot (sickle will arc slightly to the side)

+hold R (upon hit) =Weight Latch (hunter will latch to monster if part hit was latchable)

+release R=Unlatch monster

X (from ledge) =Downward Sickle Slash (hunter sweeps the sickle downwards) [has mind's eye]

+X, A, X+A, X+R, A+R, X+A+R (further weapons combos to be shown later)

X+R (from ledge) =Aerial Sickle Top (hunter goes into a spin, lashing out rapidly with the scythe)

[Long recovery]

X+A (from ledge) =Downward weight swipe (hunter sweeps the sickle downwards) [has mind's eye]

+X, A, X+A, X+R, A+R, X+A+R (further weapon combos to be shown later)

X+A+R (from ledge) =Weight Slam (hunter arcs weight over head for a powerful downward slam)

[Long recovery]

Close Mode
X=Sideways Sickle Slash // X+forward =Advancing Sickle Slash

+X=Diagonal sickle slash // A=Diagonal Weight Swipe // X+A=Cross Strike

+X=Double Sickle Slash (hunter sweeps sickle down then up) // A=Spinning Weight Strike

+X=Sideways Sickle Slash or +A=Sideways Weight Swipe // X+A Sideways Sickle and Weight Hop Slash

(loops to 2nd moves or 1st move if sideways hop used)

A=Sideways Weight Swipe // A+forward=Advancing Weight Swipe

+A=Diagonal Weight Swipe // X=Diagonal sickle swipe // X+A=Cross Strike

+A=Double Weight Swipe (hunter swings weight left then right) // X=Sickle Pierce

+X=Sideways Sickle Slash or +A=Sideways Weight Swipe // X+A Sideways Sickle and Weight Hop Slash

(loops to 2nd move or 1st move if sideways hop used)

X+R=Backwards Scythe Cartwheel (hunter spins sickle while jumping backwards) [hits 3 times]

A+R=Backwards Weight Cartwheel (hunter spins weight while jumping backwards) [hits 3 times]

X+A+R=Fading X Strike (hunter diagonally slashes with weight and sickle, then jumps back 3 times)

(weapon is sheathed when using this move)

B=Backwards hop (if back held), otherwise standard roll in direction imputed

X (from ledge) =Downward Sickle Slash (hunter sweeps the sickle downwards) [has mind's eye]

+X, A, X+A, X+R, A+R, X+A+R (acts like 1st attack of combo )

X+R (from ledge) =Aerial Sickle Top (hunter goes into a spin, lashing out rapidly with the scythe)

[Long recovery]

A (from ledge) =Downward weight swipe (hunter sweeps the sickle downwards) [has mind's eye]

+X, A, X+A, X+R, A+R, X+A+R (acts like 1st attack of combo)

A+R (from ledge) =Weight Slam (hunter arcs weight over head for a powerful downward slam)

[Long recovery]

Strong moves: Deal slightly more damage, but deal heavy part damage +(KO and exhaust with weight)
X+A=Cross Strike (hunter diagonally slashes with weight and scythe) [medium recovery]

A=Spinning Weight strike (hunter spins weight over head, hitting monster multiple times) [long recovery]

X=Sickle Pierce (hunter tenses up, then does 360 degree slash) [long recovery, deals pierce damage]

Ranged Mode
hold X=Sickle shot charge (can charge up to lv 3) [hunter can walk while doing so]

+R=aim shot [hunter can't walk while doing so] (tap R to leave aim mode)

+B=shot cancel

+release X=Forward Sickle Shot (hunter does final wind up, then throws scythe forward)

+left or right (before throw) =Curved Sickle Shot (sickle will arc slightly to the side)

+hold R (upon hit) =Sickle Latch (hunter will latch to monster if part hit was latchable)

+release R=Unlatch monster

+A (upon hit)=Sickle Cyclone (hunter spins cord, causing 360 sickle spin) [drains stamina]

(7 times max, with each spin getting faster, but the recovery time afterwards will increase each time)

hold A=Weight shot charge (can charge up to lv 3) [hunter can walk while doing so]

+R=aim shot [hunter can't walk while doing so] (tap R to leave aim mode)

+B=shot cancel

+release A=Forward Weight Shot (hunter does final wind up, then throws scythe forward)

+left or right (before throw) =Curved Weight Shot (sickle will arc slightly to the side)

+hold R (upon hit) =Weight Latch (hunter will latch to monster if part hit was latchable)

+release R=Unlatch monster

+X (upon hit)=Weight Cyclone (hunter spins cord, causing 360 weight spin) [drains stamina]

(7 times max, with each spin getting faster, but the recovery time afterwards will increase each time)

hold X+A=Top Spin charge (hunter stops moving focuses energy in their lower body)

+B=Top Spin Cancel

+release X+A=Top Spin (hunter spins both sickle and weight in 720 degree spin) [very long recovery]

(This attack has half the max range of kusarigama, but deals massive KO, exhaust, and part damage)

B=backwards hop (if latched) or roll if direction imputed

Note to the Reader
This is a work in progress, and any suggestions from the community would be appreciated. If you can create a decent sketch of the Kusarigama or can suggest good motion values for this, then please leave a comment. Also, if you like this idea, please help make this an official weapon for monster hunter.