I’ve been playing Monster Hunter for 12 years, starting back on the PSP with Freedom Unite, so I’ve seen every weapon balance change and roster tweak across every mainline entry. When Capcom first dropped gameplay trailers for Wilds, the first thing I looked for was info on the weapon system — would they keep the classic 14 weapon roster, or mix things up? After spending 30 hours with the closed beta, I’ve put together everything you need to know about monster hunter wilds all weapons, from core mechanic changes to playstyle fits for every type of player.
How Monster Hunter Wilds All Weapons Change From Previous Entries
The core 14 weapons we all know and love are back, but every single one gets a suite of upgrades and quality of life changes that make them feel fresh, even for veteran players. The biggest change is the addition of terrain synergy skills, which let your weapon interact with the open world environment both in and out of combat. For example, if you’re using a Great Sword in a forested area, you can slash through thick underbrush to create a clear path, or chop down a large tree to block a fleeing monster’s escape route.
Every weapon now has at least one non-combat utility skill to make open world traversal faster, which is a huge improvement over past entries where you had to sheath your weapon every time you wanted to climb a small ledge or gather a resource. I tested this out with the Sword and Shield during the beta, and I could climb 2-foot ledges without sheathing my weapon, and even use my shield to knock loose ore nodes without switching to a gathering tool. It saved me so much time during long hunts across the new savanna map.
Combat changes are just as meaningful. Hunting Horn players no longer have to recite long note sequences to apply buffs to their party — you can store up to three buffs at a time, and activate them all with a single attack mid-fight. Bow players get a new grappling shot that lets them pull themselves up to high ledges or zip out of the way of monster attacks, without using up any stamina. None of these changes break the core identity of any weapon, but they make even the most niche picks feel viable for both solo and group play.
Core Weapon Categories and Playstyle Breakdown
All 14 weapons fall into three main categories, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and ideal playstyles. I’ve grouped them below to help you narrow down your first pick if you’re new to the series, or find a new main if you’re a veteran looking to switch things up.
- Melee Blunt Weapons: Great Sword, Hammer, Hunting Horn. These deal high stagger and KO damage, perfect for knocking out monsters repeatedly and breaking hard parts like horns, shells, and armored backs. They have slower attack speeds, so you’ll need to learn monster attack patterns and time your hits carefully to avoid taking damage, but their high single-hit damage makes the payoff worth it.
- Melee Sharp Weapons: Long Sword, Dual Blades, Sword and Shield, Lance, Gunlance, Switch Axe, Charge Blade, Insect Glaive. These deal cutting damage, which can sever monster tails and cut through soft, squishy parts like underbellies and wings. Most have medium to fast attack speeds, with complexity ranging from super accessible (Sword and Shield) to extremely high skill ceiling (Charge Blade). A lot of these weapons also have movement skills that make traversal faster, like the Insect Glaive’s ability to ride your kinsect for short flights.
- Ranged Weapons: Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun, Bow. These let you attack from a safe distance, avoiding close-range AoE attacks and stomps that can one-shot low-armor players. They require a bit more resource management, though: Bow players need to keep track of coatings to boost their damage, and Bowgun players need to carry the right ammo types for every monster they’re hunting.
If you’re a first-time Monster Hunter player, start with Sword and Shield or Bow to learn core mechanics without being overwhelmed. I brought three friends who had never played a Monster Hunter game into the beta with me, and the two who picked Sword and Shield were comfortably taking down 3-star monsters within two hours. The friend who picked Charge Blade, on the other hand, spent six hours just trying to figure out how phials work, and still carted twice on the first 2-star hunt. There’s nothing wrong with picking a complex weapon if you’re up for a challenge, but starting simple makes the learning curve a lot less frustrating.
Veteran players will be happy to know that all the iconic combos they know are still intact. Long Sword still has the counters and spirit gauge system, Gunlance still has explosive shelling, and Dual Blades still let you zip around the battlefield spamming fast attacks. The new utility skills just add an extra layer of strategy to every hunt, instead of replacing the core gameplay that made the series popular.
Best Weapon Picks for Different Hunt Scenarios
There’s no single “best” weapon in Wilds, but some picks are way better suited for specific scenarios than others. I tested every weapon against every available monster in the beta, so I’ve got a good idea of what works where.
If you’re hunting fast, flying monsters like the new flame-coat vulture that roams the savanna map, go for Dual Blades or Bow. Dual Blades have high mobility, so you can keep up with the monster as it zips around the map, and Bow lets you hit it from the ground even when it’s flying high. I tried to take down the vulture with a Great Sword during my first beta run, and I spent more time running after it than actually attacking — it took me 27 minutes to finish the hunt. When I switched to Bow, I beat it in 11 minutes flat.
For slow, heavily armored monsters like the new rock-shell tortoise, pick Great Sword, Hammer, or Gunlance. These weapons deal high damage per hit, and can break through the tortoise’s thick shell way faster than sharp or ranged weapons. The tortoise only has a few slow, easy to dodge attacks, so you don’t have to worry about the slow attack speed of blunt weapons getting you hit. You can switch weapons between hunts at your camp, so don’t feel locked into one choice for your entire playthrough. I usually main Long Sword for general hunts, but I always swap to Hammer when I know I’m going after an armored monster.
If you’re playing with a group, try to balance your weapon picks to cover all bases. The best group comp I found during the beta was one Lance player to tank all the monster’s attacks, one Hunting Horn player to apply attack and defense buffs, and two DPS players with either Long Sword or Bow. We beat the 8-star beta final boss in 9 minutes and 12 seconds, which was one of the fastest times on the beta leaderboard for our region. Groups with four DPS players, on the other hand, usually took 20+ minutes and had at least one or two carts, because no one was there to draw aggro or buff the party.
Common Weapon Mistakes to Avoid for New Players
I saw a lot of new players making the same mistakes over and over during the beta, so I’ve put together a quick list of things to avoid when you’re first starting out. These small tweaks can make a huge difference in how easy your hunts feel, even if you’re still learning the basics.
First, don’t skip the training area. A lot of new players pick a weapon that looks cool and jump straight into hunts, without learning the basic combos or mechanics. Spend 10 to 15 minutes in the training area testing out every weapon before you pick your first main, and you’ll avoid a lot of frustration later on. I even spend 10 minutes in the training area every time I pick up a new weapon I haven’t used in a while, just to refresh my memory on the combos.
Second, don’t ignore element and affinity stats. A lot of new players just pick the weapon with the highest raw damage number, without paying attention to element or critical hit chance. Always match your weapon’s element to the monster’s weakness to deal up to 30% more damage per hit. For example, a water element Long Sword will deal way more damage to a fire monster than a raw damage Long Sword with 50 more raw attack. You can check a monster’s weakness in your hunter notes once you’ve fought it once, so make a habit of checking before you head out on a hunt.
Third, don’t be afraid to use your weapon’s utility skills. I saw so many players during the beta completely ignore the terrain synergy skills, even when they would have made the hunt way easier. For example, if you’re fighting a monster that likes to run away when it’s low on health, you can use a Great Sword to chop down a tree and block its path, or use a Bow’s grappling shot to zip after it immediately. These skills aren’t just for traversal — they can cut your hunt time in half if you use them right.
Finally, don’t feel like you have to stick to one weapon. A lot of new players think they have to pick a main and never switch, but that’s not true at all. I swap between four different weapons regularly depending on what monster I’m hunting and whether I’m playing solo or with friends. It keeps the game fresh, and helps you learn monster attack patterns faster, since you have to approach fights differently with every weapon.
At the end of the day, there’s no wrong choice when picking a weapon. The monster hunter wilds all weapons roster is designed to fit every possible playstyle, from casual players who want to take hunts slow to more competitive players who want to speedrun every boss. Spend some time testing a few options in the training area before you dive into the main story, and you’ll be set up for success from your very first hunt. If you find one weapon isn’t clicking for you, swap it out next time you’re at camp — you might be surprised by how much more fun you have.