If you’ve spent any time farming mid-tier hunts in Monster Hunter Wilds, you’ve probably come across crafting blueprints for the Artian Weapons set that players swear by for both solo and group play. I stumbled on my first Artian greatsword blueprint halfway through my first playthrough, and it quickly replaced the iron set I’d been upgrading since the opening hours. Unlike niche elemental weapons that only work against specific monster types, the Artian line brings a universal set of perks that work for almost every playstyle, as long as you know how to build around its strengths. I’ve tested every weapon in the set across 120+ hours of hunts, so I’m breaking down everything you need to know to get the most out of this underrated gear line.
How to Unlock Artian Weapons Monster Hunter Wilds Crafting Blueprints
You won’t get access to Artian Weapon blueprints automatically as you progress the main story, and I missed the unlock quest for almost 20 hours because I was skipping side content to rush the first elder dragon fight. The blueprints unlock once you complete the 3-star side quest “Supply Run for the Artian Caravan” that pops up at the coastal region hub after you defeat the first poison-type large monster in the swamp biome. The Artian Weapons Monster Hunter Wilds set doesn’t require any rare elder dragon materials to craft, so you can get it much earlier than most comparable mid-tier weapons.
Every Artian Weapon requires the same base set of crafting materials, with only one unique material for each weapon type. The common materials you’ll need for any Artian Weapon are:
- 7 Artian Steel Ingots, farmed from ore nodes in the northern mountain region of the map
- 3 Toxin Sacs, dropped by poison-type small monsters roaming the swamp biomes
- 1 Monster Core, harvested from any large monster of 4-star rank or higher
For bladed weapons you’ll add 2 Sharpened Fangs to that list, for ranged weapons you’ll add 3 Sturdy Hides, and for blunt weapons like hammers or hunting horns you’ll add 4 Heavy Bones. Make sure you pick up the secondary quest "Artian Material Request" at the same time you unlock the blueprints, as it doubles your drop rate of Artian Steel Ingots for 10 hunts, cutting your farming time almost in half.
Core Perks and Weaknesses of the Artian Weapon Line
The biggest draw of Artian weapons is their unique passive perk, Stamina Surge on Hit, which restores 3% of your total stamina every time you land a charged or heavy attack on a monster. For melee players who rely on dodging and charged combos, this perk is game-changing—you’ll almost never run out of stamina mid-fight, even if you’re spamming roll dodges to avoid a monster’s enraged attacks. Ranged players get a secondary perk too: every 10th shot you fire deals 25% extra damage, no ammo type required. The Artian Weapons Monster Hunter Wilds line’s passive also stacks with food buffs, so if you eat a stamina regeneration meal before a hunt, you’ll get even more value out of the perk.
That said, the Artian line isn’t perfect. It has lower base raw damage than most endgame weapons of the same rank, and it doesn’t come with any built-in elemental damage. That means it’s not the best pick if you’re farming a specific monster you know is weak to fire or ice, as a specialized elemental weapon will finish the hunt 10-15% faster in those cases. If you’re running a build focused entirely on elemental damage, the Artian line probably won’t fit your playstyle, unless you’re willing to slot in multiple elemental attack jewels to make up for the missing base element.
Best Builds for Artian Weapons by Playstyle
For solo melee players, pair your Artian weapon with the Kulu-Ya-Ku armor set to get extra attack speed and stun resistance. Slot in 3 stamina regeneration jewels to stack with the Artian passive, and you’ll be able to chain combos nonstop without pausing to catch your breath. I used this build to beat the final boss on my first playthrough, and I only used 2 stamina potions the entire fight. The Artian Weapons Monster Hunter Wilds line also works surprisingly well for support players, as the stamina regen aura from the matching armor stacks with the weapon’s perk to keep your whole group topped up.
If you’re hunting in a group, swap the armor out for the Artian armor set to get the group-wide stamina regeneration aura that stacks with your weapon’s passive. This makes you a huge asset to the team, as your entire party will get 1% stamina regen every second just by being near you. For bow or light bowgun users, pair the Artian weapon with the Rathian armor set to get extra raw damage and poison resistance. Don’t waste slots on elemental jewels for this build—the extra raw damage boost from the Rathian set will give you better returns across all monster types.
When to Replace Your Artian Weapon for Endgame Gear
A lot of players ask if Artian weapons are worth using all the way to endgame, and the answer depends entirely on your playstyle. If you’re a casual player who hunts a mix of monster types and doesn’t want to craft 14 different elemental weapons for every situation, you can easily upgrade the Artian line to its max rank and use it for all endgame hunts. The max upgraded Artian weapon has 890 raw damage, which is only 70 points lower than the highest raw damage endgame weapon, so the difference in hunt time is almost unnoticeable for most players.
If you’re a speedrunner or you’re farming tempered monsters for rare drops, you’ll want to swap to a specialized elemental weapon eventually, but even then, the Artian line is a great backup to have in your item box. Make sure you don’t sell your Artian weapon when you upgrade to endgame gear—there are several endgame event quests that restrict you to mid-tier gear, and the Artian line is the best option for those quests by a wide margin. I’ve had mine in my box for 6 months of post-game play, and I still pull it out at least once a week for event hunts or to help new players grind their first set of gear.
The Artian Weapons Monster Hunter Wilds line is one of the most versatile gear sets in the game, and it’s criminally underrated by a lot of players who rush to endgame gear without testing mid-tier options. It’s easy to craft, works for almost every playstyle, and stays relevant even after you beat the main story. Even if you don’t main it full time, it’s worth crafting at least one Artian weapon for your preferred playstyle to have as a backup for group hunts or event quests. If you haven’t picked up the blueprint quest yet, head to the coastal region hub next time you load up the game—you won’t regret the time you spend farming the materials for this set.