Ultimate Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List (Title Update 1)

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Since the debut of “Monster Hunter Wilds“, I’ve been thoroughly exploring all the available weapons, from the initial launch up until the most recent Title Update 1. Consequently, I’ve compiled this comprehensive “Monster Hunter Wilds” Weapon Tier List to assist both novice and seasoned players in making an informed choice about which weapon to select.

Table of contents

  • All MH Wilds weapons, ranked
  • S Tier
  • A Tier
  • B Tier
  • C Tier

All MH Wilds weapons, ranked

In this post, I have compiled a detailed assessment of every weapon available within the “Monster Hunter World” Tier, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages while considering whether they cater more to beginners or experienced players. We’ll further discuss why each weapon stands out in Title Update 1 and its impact on the current gameplay meta. Below you will find my comprehensive “Monster Hunter World” weapon tier list:

(Note: The term “Wilds” has been corrected to “World.”)

S Tier

Insect Glaive

  • Pros: Swift mobility, excellent damage rates, and Kinsects
  • Con: Doesn’t offer as many defensive tactics as the others
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best For: Beginners and veterans

Ever since the release of Monster Hunter Wilds, the Insect Glaive has consistently maintained a strong position in gameplay—and it’s still proving its worth with Title Update 1. This versatile weapon is suitable for both newcomers and seasoned players, providing swift, agile movement and thrilling aerial combat. Although it doesn’t have a guard function, its quick evasion makes it simple to move around and dodge incoming attacks.

As a devotee of the Insect Glaive, I can attest to the immense power of my trusty Kinsect companion. This little buddy doesn’t just collect beneficial extracts that boost my speed, attack, and stamina—it also inflicts debuffs on monsters during combat, making them easier for me to take down by weakening my targets mid-fight.

Great Sword

  • Pro: High DPS rates
  • Con: Slow in movement
  • Guard Accessibility: Yes
  • Best for: Veterans

In Monster Hunter Wilds, The Great Sword boasts exceptional Damage Per Second (DPS) and frequently inflicts immense damage with a skillfully timed strike alone. Notably resilient monsters such as the High-Rank Zoh Shia can be swiftly defeated with a handful of well-executed combos.

Yet, its measured, thoughtful actions make it more appropriate for experienced gamers accustomed to its heavy gameplay dynamics. Although it may lack agility, the strategic employment of evasion and defense mechanics ensures you can hold your ground in combat.

Bow

  • Pros: Excels in mid to long-range distance attacks, precision targeting, and versatile attacks
  • Cons: Always requires you to keep your distance from the enemy, making you vulnerable during close-range combat
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best for: Beginners

The Archery provides a friendlier gameplay experience for beginners, allowing you to ward off monsters using swift moves like Quick Shot, Dragon Piercer, and Charging Sidestep. Among these, I particularly enjoy the Dragon Piercer – it unleashes a powerful firebolt, but requires charging to reach its full potential.

One potential drawback when using the Bow is that it requires keeping a safe distance from monsters due to their tendency to charge towards you. Maintaining this distance can sometimes be tricky given their aggressive nature. However, the Bow’s advantage lies in its high mobility, making evasion easier. Cooperating with other players in multiplayer might prove beneficial, particularly if your teammates are using close-range weapons for a more direct approach.

Long Sword

  • Pros: Swift movements and high-damaging strikes
  • Con: A little less DPS than the others in S Tier
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best for: Veterans

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but sing praises for the Long Sword! Mastering the Spirit Gauge to amplify my strategically timed combo attacks makes the Long Sword one of the most skill-intensive weapons in the vast world of Monster Hunter Wilds.

Despite the Long Sword having a slightly lower Damage Per Second (DPS) compared to the Great Sword, its exceptional agility more than compensates for this difference. If you find the Great Sword moves at a pace that’s too leisurely for your liking, the nimble Long Sword is an ideal, swift substitute to ensure you remain engaged in the action.

Sword and Shield

  • Pro: The most well-balanced weapon that caters to offense and defense
  • Con: Doesn’t really have counterattacks
  • Guard Accessibility: Yes
  • Best for: Beginners and veterans

Before mastering the intricacies of Monster Hunter Wilds, the Sword and Shield combo offers a user-friendly approach for beginners to quickly defend against and assault monsters with their shield. This method helps minimize the overall harm you’ll receive as you learn the ropes. It’s an optimal choice for getting acclimated to the game while ensuring your survival.

The Sword and Shield is an extremely versatile weapon, capable of managing various scenarios effortlessly due to its excellent mobility, robust defensive capabilities, and powerful offenses. It truly excels in all areas, save for a counterstrike, which many other weapons in this list possess. However, considering its numerous advantages, the lack of a counterstrike is almost insignificant.

A Tier

Gunlance

  • Pros: Thrives in long-reaching attacks and guarding techniques
  • Con: Slow mobility
  • Guard Accessibility: Yes
  • Best for: Veterans

The Gunlance is essentially a supercharged version of a Sword and Shield, but instead of a typical sword and shield, it wields a gigantic gunblade and shield. Despite appearing powerful enough to overtake the Sword and Shield, its limited mobility places it in the A tier as opposed to the S tier. However, it has a distinct advantage: the capacity to charge its shell, converting it into a weapon resembling a gun.

For those who invest effort in understanding its intricacies, the Gunlance becomes an exceptionally sturdy choice among weapons, empowering seasoned players to assume a protective role while simultaneously dishing out impressive damage with potent and impactful bursts of explosive ammunition.

Switch Axe

  • Pro: Axe Mode harnesses a long reach, while Sword Mode triggers fast attacks
  • Con: It can get tedious with the same combos
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best for: Veterans

For skilled hunters, the Switch Axe offers a lethal arsenal, allowing them to fluidly move between Axe and Sword modes. This versatility enables them to unleash far-reaching swings and swift, unyielding strikes in quick succession. Once mastered, it becomes one of the highest damage-inflicting weapons within the realm of Monster Hunter Wilds.

As a gamer, I’ve got to admit that the dual modes don’t offer a lot of chances for combos, which makes combat drag on a bit longer. However, when it comes to dealing damage, this choice is a force to be reckoned with.

Charge Blade

  • Pro: Axe Mode can be devasting
  • Con: Fairly challenging mechanics
  • Guard Accessibility: Yes
  • Best for: Veterans

Just like the Switch Axe weapon, the Charge Blade has two distinct forms: Sword and Axe. At first glance, they may appear quite similar, but upon closer examination, their gameplay styles differ significantly. The Sword form offers exceptional defensive options together with increased mobility, making it ideal for keeping you on your toes while protecting yourself. On the other hand, the Axe form unleashes powerful, heavy-hitting attacks that truly make you feel the force behind each swing.

Mastering the Charge Blade can be tricky due to its intricate mechanics. To fully harness its capabilities, you must accumulate Phial charge by amassing Sword Energy, followed by switching to Axe Mode to discharge that built-up power in powerful explosive outbursts. Given its complexity, it’s essential for beginners to first get accustomed to the weapon.

Dual Blades

  • Pro: Best in mobility
  • Con: Less damage rates than the others
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best for: Beginners and veterans

The Dual Blades are perfect for quickly attacking monsters, even suitable for beginners. They’re among my favorite weapons in the game because they offer maximum mobility. What makes this weapon truly exceptional is its distinct, swift, and agile maneuvers that don’t require much guarding. However, do watch your stamina; if it runs out at an inconvenient time, you could be left vulnerable to a severe attack.

If you execute sufficient assaults, you can trigger Demon Mode, a temporary boost in power for the character. Mastering this will make the Dual Blades a more formidable choice in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Heavy Bowgun

  • Pros: Great for long-distance and precision attacks
  • Con: Low mobility
  • Guard Accessibility: Yes
  • Best for: Veterans

As a gamer, if you’re yearning for a weapon that lets you unleash potent ranged attacks on monsters without moving an inch, then the Heavy Bowgun is tailored just for you. If you think of the Light Bowgun as a machine gun, imagine the Heavy Bowgun as an artillery cannon. But beware, its lack of mobility might pose challenges for newcomers, although it does offer the option to block when defending yourself.

Although it primarily uses stationary attacks, I’ve discovered that the Heavy Bowgun is one of the top choice secondary weapons for me. There are numerous instances when I require long-range firepower, and this weapon truly shines in those moments, offering crucial assistance when it matters the most.

B Tier

Hunting Horn

  • Pro: Great for the support role
  • Cons: Adequate damage rates and complicated mechanics
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best for: Veterans

Fundamentally, the Hunting Horn is like a strong, versatile mallet that not only deals damage but also grants buffs to the player and their nearby allies. In the hands of an experienced user, it can be incredibly adaptable. Although it might not lead in raw damage output, the Hunting Horn’s Echo Bubbles enhance your battle strategies. Scatter these bubbles across the battlefield to boost the attack rates within its area.

If you’re new to Monster Hunter Wilds (or the series), consider giving the Hunting Horn a try at the Training Grounds before venturing out. The mechanics might seem complex initially, as you need to hit the right musical notes sequentially for a successful performance. To make things more challenging, it sometimes requires a specific button input for Special Performances, which can be tough to execute when monsters are chasing you.

Light Bowgun

  • Pros: Fast mobility and heavy-hitting mid-range attacks
  • Cons: Not as powerful as the Heavy Bowgun
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best for: Beginners and veterans

For novice gamers, the Light Bowgun could be an excellent choice since it offers a rapid-fire capability against monsters, similar to a machine gun. In the early stages of gameplay, maintaining distance from the monsters is a significant advantage, and consistently dishing out damage while moving around will greatly benefit new players.

As a gamer, I’ve found that when it comes to raw damage, the Heavy Bowgun outperforms the Light Bowgun. However, don’t let their names fool you – it’s not always about dealing the biggest bang. If you’re someone who prefers nimbleness over brute force, the speed and agility of the Light Bowgun might just be your ideal weapon choice.

C Tier

Lance

  • Pro: Best for defense
  • Cons: Low mobility and damage rates
  • Guard Accessibility: Yes
  • Best For: Veterans

Due to the Lance focusing more on defense, its offensive power is quite weak, causing it to rank low in this Monster Hunter Wilds tier list. Monsters tend to take longer to defeat with this weapon, forcing you to rely heavily on your teammates. Moreover, its limited mobility makes it simple for enemies to strike you.

Conversely, if you prioritize defense over offense, the Lance might suit you well. It delivers quick strikes and retaliates powerfully when used at opportune moments.

Hammer

  • Pros: Powerful attacks
  • Con: Lacks in adaptability
  • Guard Accessibility: No
  • Best For: Beginners and veterans

As a gamer, let me tell you, nothing quite matches the satisfaction of wielding the mighty Hammer! If you’re just starting out and fancy smashing monsters good and proper, this is the weapon for you. With it, you can boost your attacks to deliver a solid whack right on their heads, potentially stunning them too. It may not be the fastest tool in the box, but when it comes to power, it’s second to none. If you see yourself as someone who prefers a more powerful, yet deliberate approach, then give the Hammer a go!

It might appear a bit severe, but for the most part, the Hammer may be more suited to B Tier, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player in Monster Hunter Wilds. Instead of using the Hammer, it seems like Hammer users would benefit more from using the Hunting Horn. Although they are both blunt weapons, the Hunting Horn offers an exceptional level of utility compared to the Hammer, particularly with its unrivaled support features, which the Hammer lacks in comparison.

It’s clear that weapons perform optimally when wielded by a player with higher skill level. Therefore, I recommend you test various weapons to find the one that suits your preference best since they each offer unique gameplay styles. Once you discover your favorite, continue practicing it until you become proficient, and it will outperform any other weapon on this tier list! For additional assistance in building your character, refer to our recommended weapon tree guide.

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2025-04-15 02:48