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This Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons tier list classifies all the weapons into four tiers and explains which ones are the absolute best.
Your playstyle in Monster Hunter Wilds greatly depends on the weapon that you are using. Each weapon has its unique style and gameplay loop, which adds considerable variety if you look at them objectively. If you are a veteran hunter, you already have a main weapon and will stick to the same weapon in Wilds as well.
Putting all the Monster Hunter Weapons in a tier list is a difficult task, since no weapon is actually bad. In the hands of a skilled user, each weapon can be devastating and effective. That said, it is possible to classify them based on some important factors.
In this article, we will create a tier list of all the weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds, based on the following criteria:
- Damage output – how well it dishes out damage.
- Ease of access – how easy it is to pick up and use (disregarding advanced mechanics that need to be mastered.)
Note: The contents of this article are based on the open beta tests of Monster Hunter Wilds. If necessary, we will update this tier list once the actual game releases. Moreover, this list is based on the opinions of the writer only.
Monster Hunter Wilds Tier List: Best Weapons That You Should Use
All 14 weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds are classified in this tier list, separated into 4 tiers – S, A, B, and C:
| Weapon Tier | Weapons |
|---|---|
| S | Dual Blades, Greatsword, Longsword, Gunlance, Bow |
| A | Hammer, Insect Glaive, Charge Blade, Sword and Shield |
| B | Hunting Horn, Switch Axe, Lance, Heavy Bowgun |
| C | Light Bowgun |
Here is a detailed explanation of why each weapon is in their respective tier:
S Tier: The Best Weapons
| Weapon Icon | Weapon Name | Weapon Type |
|---|---|---|
 | Dual Blades | Melee |
 | Long Sword | Melee |
 | Great Sword | Melee |
 | Gunlance | Melee |
 | Bow | Ranged |
Dual Blades, Great Sword, Longsword, Gunlance, and Bow stand out as S-tier weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds due to their exceptional versatility, damage output, and adaptability.
The Dual Blades are primed for speed and rapid attacks, overwhelming monsters with unmatched speed and chip damage. Fast and nimble, this weapon also has a special Demon Mode and Archdemon Mode than can drastically increase your damage output by consuming stamina.
The Great Sword, though slow, boasts sheer raw power. It can deal staggering blows to all monsters and is one of the most preferred weapons for a lot of the OG hunters. The Long Sword has access to special Spirit Attacks, which can boost all your stats temporarily. Long Swords have a steeper learning curve than the Great Sword and do slightly lesser damage, but they compensate with the speed buff.
The Gunlance is an extremely versatile weapon; it serves as both a close -range and a long-range option. Its Focus Strike deals both raw and elemental damage, making it incredibly effective at toppling monsters. Furthermore, the Gunlance is a fairly easy weapon to pick up, with good damage dealing potential.
Finally, the Bow is the best ranged weapon that you can use in Monster Hunter Wilds. It offers top-notch mobility and precision, allowing you to use Focus Mode and target weak points from a distance while maintaining a steady barrage of attacks.
A Tier: The Next Best Option
| Weapon Icon | Weapon Name | Weapon Type |
|---|---|---|
 | Hammer | Melee |
 | Insect Glaive | Melee |
 | Charge Blade | Melee |
 | Sword and Shield | Melee |
Hammer, Insect Glaive, Charge Blade, and Sword and Shield occupy the A-tier in Monster Hunter Wilds. Their mix of strengths and weaknesses place them just below the top tier.
The Hammer offers excellent stun potential and high raw damage, but its slow attack speed can leave hunters vulnerable. It is a great weapon to deal blunt damage and “break” (not “cut”) monster parts. On the downside, only its full combo actually does decent damage. Paired with the slow attacks, it is sometimes difficult to maintain the combo uptime.
The Insect Glaive provides aerial mobility and consistent damage, but it relies on kinsect buffs. It also has relatively lower per-hit damage, which can often be a limiting factor. The Charge Blade has high burst damage potential with its charged attacks, but it has a steep learning curve. Mastering its complex mechanics and doing proper resource management can be very challenging at times.
The Sword and Shield is another weapon that boasts high mobility. In terms of playstyle, it is very similar to the Dual Blades, though without its sheer aggression. You do get a shield that can block and stun monsters instead. Pair that with its ability to mount monsters easily, and you have a weapon that is extremely versatile in the right hands. It offers a balanced approach between offense and defense.
B Tier: Requires Significant Mastery
| Weapon Icon | Weapon Name | Weapon Type |
|---|---|---|
 | Hunting Horn | Melee |
 | Switch Axe | Melee |
 | Lance | Melee |
 | Heavy Bowgun | Ranged |
Hunting Horn, Switch Axe, Lance, and Heavy Bowgun find themselves in the B-tier of Monster Hunter Wilds. A multitude of factors hold them back from being as effective as the weapons in higher tiers.
The Hunting Horn provides useful buffs, but it also relies on the memorization of proper tunes and songs.
You will get some of the best animations with the Switch Axe, which does a decent amount of damage as well. It has two modes that can deal damage, and you will have to find the right combination between the two that works for you. That said, it has slow transitions between the modes. On top of that, it relies too much on the phials and their usage to be properly effective.
The Lance boasts incredible defense but has one of the lowest damage outputs overall. You will need to counter the monsters and deal flurry attacks for it to be effective, which can be difficult against faster monsters. The hassle is further amplified by the weapon’s terrible mobility when drawn, which makes it sub-optimal in many situations.
The Heavy Bowgun is a ranged weapon that can deal high damage, but it has several downsides. It has limited mobility and relies on specific ammo types to deal effective damage. This automatically makes it difficult to use in many situations. On the other hand, the Heavy Bowgun is a great choice for a secondary weapon, and you can get decent value from it by swapping to it when you are at a distance from a monster.
C Tier: Not That Great
| Weapon Icon | Weapon Name | Weapon Type |
|---|---|---|
 | Light Bowgun | Ranged |
The Light Bowgun is the only C-tier entry in this Monster Hunter Wilds tier list due to a combination of several factors. While this weapon offers great mobility, its damage output lags behind. It does have access to a wider variety of ammo compared to the Heavy Bowgun, but you will still need to properly manage your resources. The Light Bowgun’s Rapid Fire mode is its primary method of dealing damage, so you will also need to maintain its uptime consistently.
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