A common issue Monster Hunter Wilds players face when theory-crafting their endgame build is trying—and failing—to understand what certain skills in the game do, exactly, and figuring out whether or not they would be good for their build.
One of these vaguely described skills is Counterstrike, as its description only gives an overview of what it does but without providing specifics. Here is how it works.
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How Does Counterstrike Work in Monster Hunter Wilds
Counterstrike’s skill description states:
Temporarily increases attack power after being knocked back.
Counterstrike has three levels, each progressively increasing the amount of raw damage it gives on activation as well as increasing the active duration of the effect.
- Level 1 : Attack +10 while active. Duration 30 Seconds.
- Level 2: Attack +15 while active. Moderately extends effect time. Duration 35 Seconds.
- Level 3: Attack +25 while active. Extends effect time. Duration 45 Seconds.
Not only does Counterstrike not say what, exactly, constitutes ‘being knocked back’ it also doesn’t specify how long of a duration ‘Temporary’ is.
What Counts as Knockback for Counterstrike in Monster Hunter Wilds
For the purposes of activating the Counterstrike skill in MH Wilds, only attacks that would send you flying count as knockback attacks. An attack that pushes you back or interrupts you does not count as a knockback attack. This means interruptions from allies, monster roars, and regular monster attacks that only deal damage are not considered Knockback attacks.
Best Way to Use Counterstrike in Monster Hunter Wilds
The only requirement to activate Counterstrike is to get hit by a knockback attack. However, if you are invincible during that time period through a Perfect Guard or an I-frame move like Focus Strike and Long Sword’s Parry, Counterstrike will still activate even though you won’t technically be knocked down. This is because the skill activation requires ‘being hit by an attack that would knock you down’, not ‘actually being knocked down’.
The Barrel Bomb’s AoE blast is also considered a knockback attack and will activate Counterstrike because the player is sent flying if they are caught within the blast zone. For anyone hoping to actively use Counterstrike, Barrel Bombs are a great way to self-inflict the knockback status in order to activate the skill on command, significantly increasing the uptime and making it a more reliable source of damage.
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Is Counterstrike Worth Using in Monster Hunter Wilds
Counterstrike is a bit of a mixed bag. The only way to properly use this skill is to craft a dedicated build around it so that you have as much uptime as possible with it. It is not as good as skills like Burst that don’t really have any stringent activation requirements but provide a lot of damage, because while it competes with them in terms of raw DPS, its uptime is very hard to maintain.
That said, weapons like the Long Sword and the Great Sword, which can easily I-frame through Barrel Bomb attacks using their inherent parry/hyper armor mechanics, benefit immensely from Counterstrike, making it a viable option even in the late game.
How to Get Counterstrike in Monster Hunter Wilds
Counterstrike can be acquired by equipping the following pieces of gear.
- Released
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February 28, 2025
- OpenCritic Rating
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Mighty