Monster Hunter Wilds: Which Is the Best Weapon for Beginners?

Which weapon is best for beginners in Monster Hunter Wilds, and which should you use? Capcom's action RPG series has a range of different weapons with which to slay those big beasts, but each of them plays very differently from the rest, so choosing your armament can be a tricky decision — especially for new players. As part of our Monster Hunter Wilds guide, we're going to explain each weapon type so you can make an informed choice.

Which Weapon Should You Use in Monster Hunter Wilds?

Below, we'll be going through every weapon type in Monster Hunter Wilds, explaining their unique properties and giving you a general idea of what might suit you best.

What's important to note is that every weapon type is viable; they're all very different, but you can get through the game handily with any of them once you've learned their quirks.

Which Is the Best Weapon for Beginners in Monster Hunter Wilds?

Of the 14 weapon types found in Monster Hunter Wilds, some are definitely more suited to new players than others.

Firstly, we would encourage all players to go to the Training Area and try out every weapon before making any firm decisions about what you'll stick with. Some are easier to learn, no question, but it's worth experimenting, as your favourite may well be a weapon that's a little more advanced.

With that in mind, we'd suggest the following weapon types as solid starting points. Click the links to get more information on each of them:

• Dual Blades
• Great Sword
• Hammer
• Light Bowgun
• Sword & Shield

What Are All the Weapon Types in Monster Hunter Wilds?

Below is a breakdown of each weapon in the game, explaining how they play, how difficult they are to use, and more.

Bow

• A ranged weapon with unlimited arrows you can coat to inflict status effects on monsters
• Attacks can be charged, and you can fire Tracer arrows into monsters that temporarily give subsequent attacks a homing effect
• This weapon provides a lot of mobility and keep you out of harm's way most of the time, leaving you free to chip away with flurries of arrows
• It's relatively simple to use, but there's some depth to be found by combining coatings and other effects, which can make this a potent damage dealer in the right hands

• Can you guard? No
• Best For: Players who like to hang back and stay mobile, dishing out damage with calculated setups
• Difficulty:

Charge Blade

• A complex melee weapon with two modes — Sword Mode to build up charge, and then Axe Mode to expend the charge
• Additionally, you can power up the axe even more by pulling off a perfect guard or attacking wounds
• There's lots of layers to using the Charge Blade, but basically it boils down to using Sword Mode's quick attacks to fill up phials and Axe Mode to go on the full attack with slow, powerful blows
• It can take a while to get used to, but once learned, it can be a devastating offensive force
• Its methodical play style will suit those who appreciate the versatility of its two modes

• Can you guard? Yes, in Sword Mode
• Best For: Players who want the flexibility of two weapon styles and enjoy the heavy-hitting payoff after a technical setup
• Difficulty:

Dual Blades

• A melee weapon that sees the player wield two swords for fast-paced flurries of attacks
• It has additional stances, Demon Mode and Archdemon Mode, which you can activate to deliver faster and stronger attacks
• The Dual Blades are a solid starting point for beginners as they're relatively easy to use and offer a lot of mobility, letting you dip in and out of fights as and when opportunities to deal damage arise

• Can you guard? No
• Best For: Players who like the "death by a thousand cuts" approach with speedy attacks and plenty of manoeuvrability
• Difficulty:

Great Sword

• A melee weapon that's slow but potentially very powerful with its chunky charged attacks
• It sacrifices movement and attack speed in favour of dealing out high damage numbers per hit
• The only real complexity here comes from the fact your attacks have numerous charge stages, each dealing more damage than the last
• Despite its relative simplicity, it requires skill and knowledge to use effectively; memorising monster attack patterns is key to knowing when it's safe to pull off those juice charges

• Can you guard? Yes
• Best For: Players with the patience to deal the perfect charged blows and want the satisfaction of carving huge chunks of monster health
• Difficulty:

Gunlance

• A defensive weapon that's similar to the Lance but with the ability to fire shells as well as sweeping melee strikes
• You don't have great manoeuvrability but a shield lets you defend effectively while attacking
• Capable of explosive damage output as long as you keep your target close
• With various ammo types able to target a monster's weaknesses, this is a versatile but complex weapon with numerous gauges to keep track of while you fight

• Can you guard? Yes
• Best For: Players who like to tank incoming damage and deal it back with a mix of counters, stabs, and explosions
• Difficulty:

Hammer

• A blunt melee weapon with a short range but some of the highest potential damage output in the game
• The Hammer has some key combos and charged attacks to keep track of, but in general terms is one of the easier weapons to pick up
• Typically you want to stay close and aim for the head; thankfully the weapon allows for decent mobility, letting you dodge out the way of incoming attacks
• The real skill comes in knowing when and where to wind up your strongest attacks and get the most out of the weapon
• While you can't block, you can parry monster attacks with the upswing, but this is quite tricky to master

• Can you guard? No
• Best For: Beginner players looking for a heavy weapon, and those who want to stun monsters with concussive blunt damage
• Difficulty:

Heavy Bowgun

• A long range weapon that excels at dealing high damage over long bursts of sustained fire
• While the Heavy Bowgun lacks the overall versatility and mobility of the Light Bowgun, you can block while using it
• The Heavy Bowgun's guard is linear, meaning that you can only block attacks from the front, and so positioning is key
• Switching between ammo types changes your effective range, so you'll need to adapt as the situation demands
• As you land hits, you'll gain Ignition Energy, which can then be spent via the weapon's Ignition Mode
• Ignition Mode lets you unleash a barrage of special ammunition for serious damage

• Can you guard? Yes
• Best for: Players who want to stand back and rain destruction down upon their enemies from a (relatively) safe distance
  
• Difficulty:
  

Hunting Horn

• A blunt weapon that can also be played like an instrument, providing buffs to both yourself and your allies
• As you attack with the Hunting Horn, you'll hit different notes, resulting in different melodies
• While quite easy to pick up and swing around, the Hunting Horn's depth lies in being able to hit the right notes at the right time, in a sequence that gives your hunting party a specific boost
• An experienced Hunting Horn user can have a huge impact on the overall effectiveness of their group; buffs can be stacked and as such, they can greatly enhance your abilities
• Different Hunting Horns come with different buffs — so you need to be aware of what your current weapon is capable of, and plan accordingly

• Can you guard? No
• Best for: Players who want to smack their enemies with a heavy weapon, but desire additional depth in the form of a very unique style of play
• Difficulty:

Insect Glaive

• Probably the game's most mobile weapon once you're familiar with its airborne abilities
• The Insect Glaive's normal attacks are fast and agile, but in order to maximise its effectiveness, you need to make use of your Kinsect — an insectoid companion exclusive to the weapon
• Your Kinsect can extract different types of energies from your enemies, providing buffs to your hunter's abilities
• Each Kinsect has its own set of attack properties and potential buffs, and all of these elements need to be considered if you're going to wield an Insect Glaive effectively
• As such, this is a complex weapon — but the benefits of mastering it are clear, with the aforementioned buffs giving you a serious edge in battle, all while your aerial combos keep you away from the monster's aggression

• Can you guard? No
• Best for: Players who want an agile style of play, with plenty of depth and subsequent reward for those who dedicate themselves
• Difficulty:
  

Lance

• The game's most defensive weapon, built around blocking and parrying incoming attacks in order to stick close to the monster
• Attacks revolve around fast, accurate thrusts that are easy to chain together
• Mastering perfectly timed blocks and counterattacking thrusts can make your defence near unbreakable
• Your guard can be raised almost immediately, even while executing basic combos
• The Lance is fairly easy to pick up but mastering it requires efficient short-range movement and clever positioning to make up for its lack of mobility

• Can you guard? Yes
• Best For: Players who want to block rather than dodge, becoming a near immovable object that's more than capable of striking back
  
• Difficulty:
  

Light Bowgun

• A mid-range weapon that lets you stay mobile between shots
• Versatile and surprisingly speedy, the Light Bowgun is relatively easy to wield and lets you keep out of your opponent's reach while dealing consistent damage
• You can dodge while shooting to help maintain your damage output across the fight
• Getting to know your different ammo types is key to mastering the weapon, and so switching between them at the right time becomes a priority in tougher fights

• Can you guard? No
• Best For: Players who want to stay just out of the enemy's reach, while dealing consistent and near constant damage with bursts of projectiles
• Difficulty:
  

Long Sword

• A fast, long-reaching weapon that specialises in combos
• The Long Sword is built around its Spirit Gauge — a bar that fills up and changes colour as you land combos and certain attacks
• Because the Spirit Gauge can greatly increase your damage output, bolstering normal attacks and unlocking special moves as it builds, you need to maintain it in order to maximise the Long Sword's potential
• With that in mind, the Long Sword requires an aggressive style of play, unleashing powerful abilities via the Spirit Gauge as often as you can
• However, the Long Sword does have access to a couple of moves that either lessen or completely negate incoming blows, resulting in instant counterattacks
• Weaving these techniques into your combos and overall gameplay flow is crucial in mastering the weapon

• Can you guard? No
• Best For: Players who want to master an aggressive, but stylish weapon, complete with special moves and high damage
  
• Difficulty:
  

Switch Axe

• A fairly slow but powerful weapon, combining wide, sweeping slashes with explosive finishers
• The Switch Axe is made up of two modes: Axe Mode and Sword Mode
• The general idea is that you use Axe mode to build up your Switch Gauge, before swapping to the faster and more deadly Sword Mode, which consumes said gauge
• The Switch Axe is quite easy to wield; its depth lies in your ability to switch to Sword Mode at the right time and maximise your damage
• Counters can also be a big part of an experienced Switch Axe user's arsenal, letting you cleave through incoming attacks — although the timing can take some getting used to

• Can you guard? No
• Best For: Players who want a fairly straight forward weapon that's capable of explosive damage output
  
• Difficulty:
  

Sword & Shield

• A melee weapon that provides a solid balance of offence and defence, and even lets you use some items while the weapon is drawn
• With a shield for blocking and a sword drawn, you can get into some serious back-and-forths with monsters when mastered
• The shield is surprisingly effective thanks to Wilds' new perfect guard mechanic, letting you block a lot of incoming damage with the right timing
• Its versatility and relative simplicity makes it an ideal first stop for new players
• While there are some advanced moves to unpack, the Sword & Shield is probably the most straightforward weapon to learn as you get used to the rhythms of Monster Hunter

• Can you guard? Yes
• Best For: New players looking for a familiar place to start that offers a mix of solid defence, good mobility, and offensive options
• Difficulty:

So, which weapon should you use in Monster Hunter Wilds? We hope this guide has given you a little more insight into each of them. Which one have you chosen to take into the fight? Tell us in the comments section below, and check out our Monster Hunter Wilds guide for more.