When tackling *Monster Hunter Wilds* solo, choosing the right weapon can make all the difference. You want a weapon that can handle everything without relying on team support. Some excel at guarding, others at sheer power, and a few are adept at exploiting monster weaknesses. Here’s our curated list of the top five weapons for solo play, each with a detailed explanation to help you decide which suits your style best.
Best Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons for Solo Play
Switch Axe
Mastering the Switch Axe requires time, planning, and patience, but the payoff is well worth it. It's a versatile weapon that can handle powerful monsters without needing support from other hunters. Unlike the charge blade, the Switch Axe offers more potent combos in both its axe and sword forms.
In axe form, you can unleash the wild swing, continuously battering the monster with high damage. Switching to sword form unlocks intricate combos, including the traditional burst attack and heavy-hitting chain attacks that can skyrocket damage numbers, even with low-level versions of the weapon.
Hammer
The hammer is not only a great choice for beginners but also excels in solo play. It's one of the most powerful weapons in *Wilds*, boasting high damage output. This allows you to focus on ailment branches like sleep or paralysis while still delivering significant blows and controlling monster behavior effectively.
Hammers are perfect for breaking weak points and knocking monsters down, increasing your chances of creating wounds. The focused strike, designed to break wounds, packs a particularly hard punch, leading to faster hunts and more crafting materials from broken parts.
Great Sword
The great sword is akin to a sharp hammer, excelling in a few key areas. Its size makes movement slow, but it doubles as a shield, allowing you to guard against incoming attacks. Beyond the regular slash and overhead strike, the charged attack is the real highlight.
The great sword's charged attack has three levels, with the highest being the most powerful. Achieving this requires precise timing—hold the attack button, release, then hold again before the animation ends to charge the next blow. Even the basic and first-level charged attacks deal substantial damage, making it a formidable choice for solo hunters.
Lance
The lance in *Monster Hunter Wilds* has seen significant improvements, offering more than just defensive capabilities. It boasts the game's most powerful guard and thrust attacks, which lead into strong multi-hit combos. Additionally, it offers enhanced mobility and a new guarding skill that uses stamina to block attacks more effectively.
While the lance remains a defensive weapon, its new features and ramming attack make it a robust choice for solo play. Though damage numbers might be lower than with the great sword, its versatility and endurance can make hunts manageable and rewarding.
Heavy Bowgun
The heavy bowgun stands out in solo play due to its higher damage output and larger ammo capacity compared to the light bowgun. Its burst mode, despite a cooldown, delivers significant power, making it a valuable asset in solo hunts.
Like the light bowgun, it can equip various ammo types, including endless standard ammo, piercing rounds, and status ailment-coated shots. This versatility, combined with the ability to attack from a distance, makes the heavy bowgun an excellent choice for solo players, allowing you to engage monsters safely and effectively.
