Monster Hunter Wilds - Best Weapon Tier List

Monster Hunter Wilds has a considerable number of weapons that hunters can use. However, the best options are a firearm spear, a long sword, and a bow. Find the best weapons to reach your full potential and win every battle.

What levels of weapons are there?

Let's first take a look at which groups of weapons for battle are provided in the game. There are only four of them:

So look at them in more detail.

SS Tier Weapons

Gunlance

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Medium	⭐️⭐️⭐️

Few weapons blend brute force and ironclad defense like the Gunlance. This beast doesn’t just block — it reacts. Guarding now opens up the chance for devastating counterattacks, making every clash feel like a tug-of-war of raw power.

Add to that the freedom to move while shelling, and suddenly the once-clunky Gunlance feels smoother and more responsive than ever. It's not just about tanking hits anymore — it's about dishing them back out with explosive precision. No surprise it’s sitting comfortably at the top of the SS Tier.

Long Sword

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re into graceful swordplay with a side of high-octane counters, the Long Sword’s your go-to. It’s not just flash — it’s deadly. Foresight Slash and Iai Slash let you parry with pinpoint accuracy, and the new Spirit Charge makes building up your Spirit Gauge smoother than ever.

Reach the max, and you unlock the Crimson Slash — a flashy, high-damage finisher that punishes anything foolish enough to stay in your path. With returning moves from Iceborne and Sunbreak, the Long Sword has evolved into a stylish monster-slayer’s dream. You’re not just hunting — you’re performing.

Bow

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Medium	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Bow isn’t playing around anymore. It’s had a serious overhaul, turning it into a high-skill, high-reward powerhouse. Coatings now rely on the new Trick Arrow Gauge, which also fuels Tracer Arrows — clever shots that make follow-up attacks home in like heat-seeking missiles.

This rework cranks up the damage but also adds a new layer of complexity. Managing both your stamina and the Trick Gauge takes practice, but if you stick with it? You’ll have a sleek, long-range weapon that can dance around even the nastiest monsters and strike back with pinpoint brutality.

S Tier Weapons

Great Sword

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️⭐️

This weapon has always been about patience, timing, and hitting like a truck — and now it hits even harder thanks to some slick new mechanics.

Focus Mode completely changes the way you approach big swings, letting you steer your True Charged Slash mid-animation. No more whiffing and crying — now you can actually land that monster-destroying blow. Plus, Focus Slash: Perforate turns wounds into fuel for chaining multiple True Charged Slashes back-to-back. It’s like turning rage into results.

Offset Attacks and Power Clashes open up new windows to unleash your full power — so if you play it right, the Great Sword becomes a surgical sledgehammer. S Tier, and rightfully so.

Sword and Shield

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️⭐️

We might not have the flash of a Long Sword or the brute power of a Great Sword, but don’t be fooled — this weapon's toolkit is stacked. With better invincibility on Backstep and the addition of a Perfect Guard that can shrug off even heavy hits with ease, it’s one of the safest weapons to play. And when you see that opening?

Charged Chop and Perfect Rush let you turn a tiny window into a burst of meaty damage. It cuts, it stuns, it blocks, it lets you pop potions on the fly — Sword and Shield does it all while barely breaking a sweat. It may be the jack-of-all-trades, but in the hands of a seasoned hunter, it feels like a masterclass in adaptability.

Heavy Bowgun

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️

Think heavy guns can’t support the squad? Think again. This weapon brings solid damage through Wounding and the beastly Ignition Mode, while also tossing out Paralysis, Demon, and even healing ammo to keep the team rolling. It’s a slower-paced toolset, sure, and it demands careful positioning — but once you get a feel for its rhythm, it becomes a powerhouse on any hunt.

Defensive options keep you safe in the chaos, and your ammo selection gives you endless ways to mess with monsters. Whether you’re locking enemies down or going full DPS, this one’s a team player that hits like a tank.

Insect Glaive

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	High	⭐️⭐️⭐️

If stylish aerial combos and fast-paced movement are your thing, the Insect Glaive is still king of the skies. It blends dynamic ground play with acrobatic vertical attacks, and now it's even more layered with the return of Jumping Advancing Slash and the addition of Spiral Slash — a high-risk, high-reward finisher that burns your buffs but hits like a meteor.

Managing Kinsect extracts and juggling air time isn’t easy, and the button holds can get a little technical, but for those who master the rhythm, this weapon is a thrill ride of controlled chaos. Nothing else in the game lets you surf a monster’s spine quite like this.

A Tier Weapons

Charge Blade

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	High	⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Charge Blade is a walking arsenal disguised as a shield and sword combo. Between its explosive phial discharges and the brutal, raw damage of Savage Axe mode, this weapon absolutely slaps — but only if you master its intricate system. It’s not pick-up-and-play friendly. You’ve got to study it like you’re prepping for a final exam. In Wilds, Savage Axe is locked behind a checklist: Perfect Guards, successful Mounts, and well-timed Focus Strikes. That’s right — you don’t just get to be powerful, you have to earn it.

Everything with Charge Blade is about cycles — charge your phials, position carefully, land Guard Points to counterattack — and if you mess up, the weapon will punish you with whiffs, deflections, and wasted time. But if you do it right? You’ll send shockwaves through monsters, leaving only scorched earth behind. A-tier not because it’s weak — but because it’s demanding. This weapon doesn’t reward spam. It rewards precision and brains.

Dual Blades

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fast, furious, and flashy — the Dual Blades are back to turn your hunts into a high-speed action movie. With some of the fastest attack speed in the game and a focus on hit-and-run tactics, they’ve always been the weapon of choice for players who want to stay in the monster’s face without getting hit.

Now, in Wilds, Demon Mode gets a major mobility upgrade. The improved dodge roll lets you weave through attacks like you’re made of mist, and if you time it just right, you’ll even boost your damage for the next flurry.

Blade Dance has been broken into separate, more flexible components, and you can now slide in Demon Flurry moves between them. This gives you control over your flow, letting you commit only when you want to — and get the heck out when the monster throws a tantrum. The catch? Range is still an issue.

You’re always toe-to-toe, and without proper elemental builds, your damage ceiling stays low. But when everything clicks, Dual Blades feel like you’re controlling a blur with blades — and nothing gets out alive.

Light Bowgun

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️

The Light Bowgun has always been the agile archer of the Monster Hunter arsenal — and in Wilds, it doubles down on that identity. Rapid Fire Mode turns you into a bullet hose, letting you hammer monsters with elemental or raw rounds while dancing around them with nimble dodge steps.

Add in the new Focus Shot: Eagle Strike Shot, and you can tear open multiple monster wounds in a single burst, setting yourself up for sustained DPS.

This weapon is especially good for new players thanks to its forgiving range and high mobility. Just don’t expect it to be as brainless as in previous games — Critical Distance is shorter now, and the reduction in Special Ammo means you’ve got to plan your loadout more carefully.

That said, Pierce Ammo remains devastating, and Burst Step lets you reposition while firing like an action movie hero. It may not be S-tier anymore, but Light Bowgun still has all the tools you need to succeed — and look cool doing it.

Switch Axe

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Medium	⭐️⭐️

The Switch Axe is equal parts transformer and chainsaw — and it absolutely rules once you understand how to make it sing. It swings wide, hits hard, and has knockback immunity during many of its best attacks, letting you commit to your combos without constantly flinching.

But let’s be honest: this weapon is a bit of a wild beast. You’ve got meters to manage, forms to swap between, and timing windows to nail. For newcomers, it can feel like juggling flaming axes — but stick with it, and you’ll unlock a vicious, satisfying rhythm.

The latest updates fixed some pain points from the Beta. Full Release Slash now comes with knockback immunity, which means you can finally finish your moves without getting bonked mid-animation. Counter options are smoother, and you get better feedback on when to switch modes.

If you’re willing to dig into its mechanics, Switch Axe rewards you with screen-shaking damage and monster control. If not? Well, there’s still a more casual playstyle — just know it might not carry you all the way through the hardest hunts. Still, if you like stylish brutality, this weapon’s for you.

B Tier Weapons

Hunting Horn

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	High	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hunting Horn is no longer just the support pick you take to please your team — it's a full-on powerhouse that slaps, buffs, and stuns with rhythm and style. While it’s still the king of utility weapons, it now comes packed with more versatile tools than ever. Need Attack Up? Got it.

Want Earplugs or Stamina Reduction? Just play the right tune. Echo Bubble’s back too, adding extra crowd control flavor to your musical carnage. If you know your setlist, you can carry entire hunts — literally and figuratively.

In Wilds, the Horn evolves once again. You can now chain successive notes during specific combos, and there's a perfect input system that rewards precision with faster songs and stronger effects. While it won’t match the sheer DPS of Dual Blades or Great Sword, the Hunting Horn makes up for it by turning your team into a squad of buffed-up wrecking balls.

In the hands of a seasoned maestro, it’s a support tool, KO machine, and morale booster all rolled into one bonky instrument. And let’s be real — there’s something deeply satisfying about blasting monsters with musical violence.

Lance

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lance doesn’t care about flair. It doesn’t need flash. It’s the “I came here to block, poke, and never flinch” weapon — and it’s better than ever in Wilds. For a weapon that’s always been about steady pressure, the Lance has received some much-needed agility. With new tools like Triple Thrust, Payback Thrust, and Charge Counter, you’re not just a walking wall — you’re a wall with spears growing out of it that hits back hard.

The new combo options make the weapon feel more reactive, more dynamic, and way more fun when reading monster patterns. Yes, it’s still not the most explosive or speedy weapon, but that’s not the point. The Lance excels at consistency.

When others are scrambling after a monster’s tail, you’re right in its face, poking it again and again while barely moving. And while the meta weapons keep dancing in and out of relevancy, the Lance just keeps on trucking, delivering steady, reliable performance. If you like control, counterplay, and not dying — give this underrated classic a go.

Hammer

Image	Entry Barrier	Difficulty to Master
	Low	⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Hammer doesn’t slice. It doesn’t shoot. It doesn’t even block. What it does is flatten monsters into the dirt with some of the biggest single hits in the game — and that hasn’t changed in Wilds. It’s a KO machine that trades reach for raw, meaty impact. With the Charging Sway mechanic, you’ve now got more mobility baked into your wind-ups, and the new Upswing move gives you better vertical control — especially great for targeting those tender noggins.

That said, the Hammer demands finesse. You’ve got to understand monster behavior and commit to charge timings like a true bruiser. Its short range means you’re always in danger territory, and if your positioning’s off, you’ll end up bonking the air more than the enemy. And sure, it may take more effort to reach the same numbers other weapons drop casually, but the payoff is glorious: stuns, staggers, and team-wide DPS windows.

It’s not the easiest weapon to master, but the Hammer is the weapon of choice for players who like their hunting with a side of brute force and knockout flair. Few things in Monster Hunter are as satisfying as hearing that clunk and watching a monster crumple under your hammerhead.

It was a shooting list in Monster Hunter Wilds, which is sure to be useful to every player who decides to buy this title.

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