Starting up Monster Hunter Wilds for the first time? It’s time to do the thing that every Monster Hunter player dreads: choosing a weapon. Your weapon is your best friend in Monster Hunter. It defines your playstyle and defines your role on the battlefield. This is the most important decision you will make in Monster Hunter Wilds, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
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If Wilds is your first Monster Hunter game, you might feel a little overwhelmed with all the choices. Your best bet is to try out all of the weapons that interest you in the in-game training area. But if you need a little guidance on where to start, here are some things to consider when choosing your weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds.
No Weapon Is Easy, But Some Are Easier Than Others
No matter which weapon you choose, you’ll find that the road to mastery is long. Every weapon has its own strengths, weaknesses, and unique qualities that shape its playstyle and utility. It will take time and practice to learn all the intricacies of your chosen weapon, but you can give yourself a nice head start by choosing a weapon with a linear play pattern, rather than one that ramps up over time.
To break it down further, I’ve organized all 14 of Monster Hunter Wilds’ weapons into two categories: simple weapons and complex weapons. Before we dive into each category, take a look at this chart to see which weapons are recommended for beginners.
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Simple Weapons
Weapon
Damage Type
Guard
Great Sword
Severing
Yes
Long Sword
Severing
None
Sword & Shield
Severing
Yes
Lance
Severing
Yes
Dual Blades
Severing
None
Light Bowgun
Projectile
None
Bow
Projectile
None
Hammer
Blunt
None
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Complex Weapons
Weapon
Damage Type
Guard
Switch Axe
Severing
None
Insect Glaive
Severing
None
Heavy Bowgun
Projectile
Yes
Hunting Horn
Blunt
None
Gunlance
Severing
Yes
Charge Blade
Severing
Yes
Any of the weapons in the lefthand column will be great choices for beginners.
Best Beginner Sword
Two of the most common weapon choices for new Monster Hunter players are the Long Sword and the Great Sword, and they’re both fantastic options that appeal to two very different playstyles.
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The Long Sword is a quick and agile weapon that allows you to dash through enemies and dish out lots of rapid hits. It requires finesse and constant vigilance because it does not have a way to block, but if you want to slice and dice monsters like your favorite anime character, this is a great weapon to start with.
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Alternatively, the Great Sword is a slow and methodical weapon capable of dishing out outrageous amounts of damage, especially when you learn to master its brutal three-hit combo. You’ll have to be cognizant of your spacing and carefully choose your moments to attack. You have to commit to all of your attacks when you use a slow weapon, but the benefit is big swings and lots of cinematic moments. This weapon also allows you to guard, which is important because you won’t be moving quickly with it.
I also recommend the Sword & Shield for beginners because it offers a lot of flexibility and versatility. This is the smallest and lightest shield-bearing class so it’s a good way to get started with shield-style gameplay. You also get to eat without putting your weapon away, which is a massive benefit.
Sword & Shield players often end up playing the role of support on their team, so this is a good choice if you want to impress your squadmates with your altruism.
Other simple weapons include the slow-yet-long-reaching Lance and the frenetic Dual Blades, which will let you cosplay as Wolverine and punish your victims with a death by a thousand cuts.
Best Blunt And Projectile Options
If you’d rather stun and exhaust your targets with blunt damage instead of severing their body parts, the classic Hammer is a great choice and one of the most rewarding weapons to use when you get the hang of it. Once you’ve launched yourself off of a ledge and bashed a monster in the face with a spinning hammer of death, you’ll never look back.
If you’d rather target monsters from a safe distance, both the Light Bow Gun and Bow are great choices. You will have to learn the ammunition system with the Light Bow Gun so it is considered the most complex simple weapon, but it offers a lot of flexibility in its different ammo types. The bow is more of a midrange weapon that will require you to get closer to the monster than you may think, but dashing around the monster and peppering it with arrows is always satisfying.
Starting With A Complex Weapon
Of course, not everyone will feel the need to start slow in Monster Hunter Wilds. If you want to jump in the deep end and pick up a complicated weapon straight away, here’s what you can expect from the weapons in this category.
Should You Use The Switch Axe?
The benefit of learning more complicated weapons is that they often offer a lot more flexibility on the battlefield. The Switch Axe can transform back and forth between two modes: a slow and heavy axe, and a quick combo sword. In sword mode, you can further enhance this weapon’s capabilities by consuming phials, which are built up over time while in axe mode. Switching back and forth between the two modes and managing your resources is key to playing this weapon correctly but a rewarding skill to master.
The Charge Blade can also switch between two modes: a quick and nimble sword mode with a small shield, and a longer-range axe mode. This weapon can charge up energy phials in both modes, which can be unleashed with devastating attacks. You never want to waste these charged-up attacks, which is why Charge Blade is a great weapon for more experienced players.
Should You Use The Insect Glaive Or Heavy Bowgun?
The most complicated weapon in the game also happens to be one of the most enjoyable. The Insect Glaive is a two-handed polearm that builds its power by sending an insect out to extract essence from monsters. This weapon allows you to launch yourself into the air to avoid attacks and to target parts of monsters that are usually inaccessible. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a highly mobile playstyle.
If you prefer to stay on the ground, the Heavy Bowgun is a highly defensive weapon that allows you to target enemies at range, and is especially effective against flying enemies. The Gunlance is a great weapon that combines the defensive playstyle of the lance with the big bursts of damage you would get from a Heavy Bow Gun
Should You Use The Hunting Horn?
If you want to play a true support in Monster Hunter Wilds, then pick up the Hunting Horn. This musical weapon combines the blunt damage of the Hammer with powerful team-wide buffs. Your friends will love you if you can master the Hunting Horn, but you might have a slightly harder time hunting solo.
This isn’t the perfect option for beginners, as it requires quite a lot of knowledge and practice before you’re proficient in actually utilizing the weapon’s supportive songs.
What About Your Second Weapon?
Monster Hunter Wilds is the first game in the series that lets you equip a primary and secondary weapon at the same time. You can holster one of your weapons on your seikret and swap back and forth whenever you’d like. This is a great way to diversify your playstyle so that you’re prepared for any monster at any time, but it can also be overwhelming for anyone who is just learning how to use their weapon.
If you don’t feel comfortable using two weapons at once, don’t worry. There’s no reason you ever have to swap weapons if you don’t want to. Instead, you can equip two of the same weapons. This way, you can bring an elemental weapon or a status effect weapon with you and swap only when the situation calls for it.
If you want to bring two weapons, try to bring a secondary weapon that compliments your primary. For example, if you’re using a heavy slow weapon like the Great Sword, you may want to bring a faster weapon like the Dual Blades, or something with more range like the Bow or Light Bowgun. It’s up to you how you make use of this extra weapon slot, but don’t feel like you have to use it if you aren’t ready.
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