The Monster Hunter series has grown in scope from its humble beginnings on the PlayStation 2, withMonster Hunter Worldestablishing it as a prime action RPG experience. After half a decade of development, it only makes sense forMonster Hunter Wildsto be the richest and most varied title in the series yet. The game boasts over a dozen weapon types that you can forge and upgrade to hunt down monsters ever more effectively.
As the gameplay grows more varied, it also gets more complex. Whether you’re new to the series or a returning veteran, you’ll need to carefully consider which weapon to stick with. The game gives you a recommendation of its own, but only after a couple of basic questions. For a more in-depth analysis of the best weapons in the game, read on.
8Switch Axe
If you want the best of both worlds - swords and axes - going with the Switch Axe is a safe option. This weapon appears dauntingly complex at first, but if you’re willing to invest some time inlearning its mechanics, the Switch Axe pays dividends by way of massive damage.
As you attack in the more mobile and evasion-oriented Axe Mode, a gauge will fill up in the upper left corner of your HUD. Once the gauge is one-third full, you can switch to Sword Mode, which has a shorter range and drains your gauge, but does big numbers. Sword Mode itself fills up the Amped Gauge, which lets you hurt monsters even more. Finally, there’s the Power Axe mode, which lets you charge up the Switch Gauge faster, keeping monsters trapped in a cycle of pain.
7Hammer
To a Hammer, everything looks like a monster. The Hammer is not going to be your prime choice if you’re interested in speed or efficiency - by all metrics, it deals the same damage at a lower rate - but it’s a great weapon if you’re looking to be a team player, rather than chasing your own glory.
The Hammer is an ideal weapon if you’renew to the series: it’s simple, direct and makes you a useful member of any hunting party. Its charged attacks are easy to grasp: learning how to evade takes a bit more effort. Master dodging and even the humble Hammer will make you a mighty hunter.
6Dual Blades
If you’re more God Eater-oriented in your approach to Monster Hunter, the Dual Blades should be your weapon of choice. A lot of Monster Hunter Wilds' gameplay revolves around being efficient with your attacks and making sure you don’t get blindsided by your own button-mashing: the Dual Blades allow you to circumvent that.
Unlike the heavier weapons, the Dual Blades allow you to cancel out of animations quickly, so you can reposition yourself. They’re also great for applying status ailments because of their attack rate. And if you’re willing to expend stamina, you can enter Demon Mode, which is the Monster Hunter equivalent of pulling your devil trigger.
5Light Bowgun
While the standard Bow has itself been buffed for Monster Hunter Wilds and no longer feels like a stepping stone, nothing beats the Light Bowgun for ranged combat. Where the Heavy Bowgun is slow and plodding, the Light Bowgun lets you use evasion effectively.
The Light Bowgun specializes in wounding monsters while keeping you mobile. You have to get within a certain distance to use it effectively, but the payoff is tremendous. It also lets you shoot special bullets to inflict status effects quickly, and fire charged shots to destroy wounds.
4Gunlance
If you don’t want to constantly call your Seikret to switch weapons, and want both the melee and ranged playstyle in one weapon, the Gunlance is what you’re looking for. Be warned, however: it’s one of the most complex weapons in the game to learn.
In melee, the Gunlance excels at defensive combat, letting you guard and counterattack. Once you’re ready to switch to the gun components, use the Shelling attacks to deal huge damage. The Gunlance requires a lot of time invested to truly reap the benefits of its bimodal gameplay.
3Long Sword
The Long Sword is easy and intuitive to choose, butdifficult to master. It is one of the best weapons in the game, with the tradeoff of being incredibly complex to get the most out of. Making good use of the Long Sword requires mastering counters and getting accustomed to its various gauges.
While basic attacks can be combined in any way you please, the real Long Sword gameplay comes when the Spirit Gauge turns red. This imbues your weapon with faster, deadlier attacks and lets you use new combos, which are a ton of fun.
2Great Sword
The Great Sword represents the ultimate mastery of Monster Hunter Wilds. It is not awelcoming weapon for newcomers: it’s slow, heavy and limits your mobility. It punishes you for overcharging your attacks, and getting the timing down requires lots of practice. But if you can’t handle the Great Sword at its low sharpness, you don’t deserve it at its True Charged Slash.
Due to the Focus Mode in Monster Hunter Wilds letting you aim your attacks much better, the Great Sword is a much more viable weapon than in previous games. Its charged attacks dish out absurd damage once you get the timing down. Just make sure you’ve got your Whetstone handy.
1Insect Glaive
Damage-wise, the Insect Glaive is not the most interesting weapon in the game. The Great Sword does exponentially larger numbers, and the Heavy Bowgun is more safety-oriented. But the Insect Glaive is nonetheless perhaps the most fun weapon to use in the entire game. This polearm lets you do thrusting and sweeping attacks while retaining your mobility.
Its most interesting gimmick is the Kinsects, which shoot out of the weapon and harvest essence from monsters. Different types of essence allow for different effects: red essence lets you do charged attacks, while white essence gives you greater mobility. The Insect Glaive also allows you to vault around, rendering many environmental hazards trivial. Lastly, its Focus Thrust destroys wounds and topples monsters instantly, allowing you to get on top of them and attack their weak point for massive damage.
