Monster Hunter Wilds weapon tier list

If you want to diversify your arsenal in Monster Hunter Wilds, deciding on a new weapon type might seem overwhelming with all the technical jargon and details. The weapon manual can appear as a confusing whirl of gauges, meters, and mechanisms. Questions like, “What does amped state mean?” or “How do I understand these ammo types?” may arise. And regarding the Gunlance, you might wonder if it’s really cooler because of its built-in gun (indeed, it often is).

Our Wilds weapons ranking guide is now available! I’d like to clarify that we compiled our tier list considering gameplay in a general context after investing over 500 hours into hunting. This isn’t a ranking for speedrunning optimizations where, under highly specific circumstances, you can defeat a monster in just 37 seconds. Instead, our focus is on versatility, usefulness, playstyle and build diversity, enjoyable mechanics, and overall the weapon’s cool factor during use.

In the end, the optimal Monster Hunter weapon is the one that suits your playstyle best. If you’re seeking suggestions for weapons to try out, here are some top picks to consider.

If you’re seeking additional hunting strategies, be sure to explore our comprehensive Monster Hunter Wilds Guide, packed with valuable G-Rank tips that we’ve carefully put together.

Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons, Ranked

S Tier: Switch Axe, Great Sword

A Tier: Hammer, Gunlance, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades

B Tier: Lance, Hunting Horn, Insect Glaive, Bow, Long Sword

C Tier: Heavy Bowgun, Charge Blade

D Tier: Light Bowgun

Monster Hunter Wilds weapons: S Tier

S: Switch Axe

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Switch Axe builds

Using a newly refined arsenal for the Switch Axe in Wilds, there’s a sense of seamless combat flow that makes wielding it feel similar to mastering a martial art, as its gradual progression and high-yield payoff become more and more natural.

In agile axe form, you can swiftly execute an Offset Attack that sends enemies tumbling back to the ground. Meanwhile, in powerful sword mode, a well-timed Counter Rising Slash imbues the Switch Axe with some Long Sword finesse, seamlessly deflecting incoming attacks and retaliating with one of your own.

Given some proficiency, the Switch Axe you favor, be it one with a powerful energy charge or poisonous properties, high physical damage or an elemental nature, can easily push aside or deftly maneuver around any obstacle that stands in your path.

S: Great Sword

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Great Sword builds

Even though the basic idea behind using a massive sword is straightforward – causing immense damage – mastering the Great Sword involves intricate skill and finesse. Inexperienced users often face harsh consequences when they fail to account for their positioning or miscalculate the timing of their charging attacks, as monsters are quick to exploit such mistakes.

In the game Wilds, Capcom decided to highlight the Great Sword as their main demonstration of combat. Being the iconic weapon for monster slaying, the Great Sword can utilize almost all new combat mechanics in Wilds, making it easier to use and understand.

The weapon remains tricky to handle, as it can cause harm even if mishandled; after all, a Chatacabra could give you a good wallop with its strong slaps if you push too hard. However, for those ready to find common ground, one of Monster Hunter’s most challenging weapons has transformed into a versatile tool for monster-hunting.

Monster Hunter Wilds weapons: A Tier

A: Hammer

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Hammer builds

Oh, my cherished Hammer! To me, the Hammer embodies the essence of Monster Hunter’s core principles. It’s a straightforward weapon, devoid of unnecessary features, that demands proficiency in three key aspects: master your positioning, master your timing, and master them thoroughly. If you can do this, you’ll reap the benefits of dealing significant damage and causing crucial stuns when you strike the monster’s head.

In motion, the hammer is agilely nimble. Ducking and dodging incoming attacks offers its own amusement: Battles turn into boxing contests against adversaries much larger than you, where you seek opportunities to land a decisive punch. It’s a dance of narrow escapes and powerful counterattacks that shake the ground.

A: Gunlance

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Gunlance builds

The Gunlance, true to its name, serves as an instrument of intense burst damage. Unlike the Lance, which employs its shield for prolonged skirmishes in close quarters, the primary function of the Gunlance’s shield in the Wilds is to facilitate a rapid succession of devastating attacks.

Personally, I prefer the Lance, but come on. This one’s got a gun on it.

I have to admit that I sometimes find the extended preparation periods for some Gunlance initiating attacks challenging, but there’s an undeniable joy in the sheer power it can deliver. It’s definitely worth taking the time to understand the various shelling types so you can choose the one that offers the best way to wreak havoc comfortably.

A: Sword and Shield

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Sword and Shield builds

In the gaming world, Sword and Shield is often overlooked, but in the Wilds, it proves to be an unstoppable force. It can swiftly cut through monsters with a barrage of attacks, and it’s surprisingly resilient against incoming threats, providing ample opportunities for Perfect Guard transitions.

However, what truly captivates in Sword and Shield is the fluidity of its moves. In the Wilds, it performs effortlessly, allowing for seamless maneuvers during and between attacks, all while maintaining an uninterrupted combo flow.

Prior to playing Wilds, I considered Sword and Shield as the foundation for Monster Hunter. Now, it seems like one of its peak experiences. Similar to the Hammer, but I can’t help but wish there was an additional feature to enhance the gameplay.

A: Dual Blades

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Dual Blades builds

Dual Blades in Wilds are like if a Beyblade learned to hate.

This weapon consistently promotes aggression, and in the Wilds, this intensity is amplified significantly. Introducing the Demon Boost: By skillfully dodging at the right moment, you’ll not only evade incoming attacks but also activate a damage multiplier. With a bit of practice, you can effortlessly dodge monstrous blows and continue slicing through with a whirlwind of swift slashes, acting like a lethal, spinning blender.

I don’t use them as frequently as I might because they sometimes come across as too promotional, giving the impression that the content doesn’t really matter whether it’s a specific type of slash I’m sharing.

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Monster Hunter Wilds weapons: B Tier

B: Lance

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Lance builds

For those new to Monster Hunter, Lance’s large, imposing shield might suggest a defensive weapon. However, you’d be mistaken. The Lance embodies an aggressive playstyle within the game. Far from hiding behind the shield to dodge attacks, it’s used to brush aside the monster’s attempts to keep you at bay. With a Lance, you become a tenacious bulldog, wielding a six-foot spear as your weapon of choice.

Occasionally, it can be quite frustrating, but a more appealing solution might be at hand if some aspect of it were to malfunction or fail dramatically.

B: Hunting Horn

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Hunting Horn builds

If you primarily stick to DPS roles in MMOs and hero shooters, you might not realize that playing support can be enjoyable! The Hunting Horn in Monster Hunter doesn’t just offer a distinctive playstyle where you string notes together while dealing damage. Each Horn comes with its own set of songs, which introduces an additional layer of gear customization. This encourages you to align song effects with the challenges of your upcoming hunt, adding an engaging twist to the Monster Hunter experience.

I end up staring at the staff to make sure I’m lining up the right notes, but that’s on me.

B: Insect Glaive

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Insect Glaive builds

I am greatly impressed by the unique way Insect Glaive is played, unlike any other game, and it leaves me feeling somewhat inferior observing Insect Glaive users dart through the air. However, it’s still worth experimenting with, merely for the sake of experiencing Monster Hunter from a perspective outside of gravity constraints; hunting monsters assumes an entirely different feel when one can move freely without constant ground contact.

In some battles, it might seem as though the actions of the creature below don’t have much impact on you, making it feel somewhat detached or unimportant. However, once something knocks you off your feet, its relevance becomes clear.

B: Bow

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Bow builds

Among the choices in Wilds, I’d recommend starting with the Bow initially. It may not seem obvious at first, but it’s more effective to dodge rather than charge for stronger shots. What makes this weapon interesting is that you can neutralize monster attacks and replenish your stamina upon a successful perfect dodge, leading to a surprisingly aggressive playstyle considering its long-range nature. In Wilds, the Bow also has options to convert its arrows into homing projectiles.

In the heat of battle, those tracer and fuse arrows might prove confusing to use effectively, and the Bow’s stamina demands can restrict your choice of armor to some extent.

B: Long Sword

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Long Sword builds

In terms of popularity, Long Sword would undoubtedly lead our ranking. It wouldn’t just be at the top; it would be in a category of its own. Moreover, it boasts a style that rivals any other weapon on the list. To execute a sweeping slash after drawing the sword from its sheath, which then triggers a sequence of ghostly cuts, is undeniably impressive and stylish.

In Wilds, although the attacks have become more stylishly impressive, the introduction of Spirit Charge disrupts my gameplay a bit. It streamlines spirit gauge management so much that it reduces my motivation to provoke Iai counters. This change presents a conflict for me.

Monster Hunter Wilds weapons: C Tier

C: Heavy Bowgun

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Heavy Bowgun builds

It’s indisputably thrilling to unleash rapid machine gunfire against a dragon while others are wielding swords and hammers. What’s more, given your skill at creating an armor design, the Heavy Bowgun can deal enough damage to defeat a Tempered Gravios within sixty seconds.

To put it simply, alterations to ammunition and recoil in Wilds give bowgun gameplay a touch of awkwardness. However, I wouldn’t dare discourage Heavy Bowgun (HBG) fans from holding their weapons. In fact, Monster Hunter still offers intriguing alternatives amidst the abundance of shooting games available today.

C: Charge Blade

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Charge Blade builds

Achieving proficiency with the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter offers a rewarding conquest over its complex mechanics. When your sword is aglow, your shield is charged, and your axe head is whirling, you’ve successfully harnessed some of the game’s nearly inconceivable forces into a lethal blend.

In other words, increasing mechanical intricacy often means sacrificing certain move variations. Personally, I find the charge mechanics of the Charge Blade more engaging than using it as a sword or axe. The combination possibilities seem somewhat limited to me.

Swinging a spinning saw blade into a deflating Rompopolo helps, though.

Monster Hunter Wilds weapons: D Tier

D: Light Bowgun

Best Monster Hunter Wilds Light Bowgun builds

In essence, all weapons in Monster Hunter have their unique strengths, and with the right strategy, they can defeat even the most formidable wyverns. However, some weapons may not seem as effective, and in this game world, the Light Bowgun seems to be on the weaker side.

Similarly to the Heavy Bowgun, modifications in ammo and recoil give a more cumbersome feel to the Light Bowgun. However, it lacks the power that the Heavy Bowgun possesses to compensate for this heaviness. Its rapid-fire function doesn’t compare to the HBG’s rapid gatling gun spray, and its chaser shots can be awkward to use effectively.

There’s still joy to find in the Light Bowgun. It’s just harder to track down.

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2025-03-13 22:19