The Best Beginner Weapons In Monster Hunter: Wilds

Choosing the right weapon in Monster Hunter: Wilds can make or break your hunting experience. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned hunter, some weapons are easier to pick up than others. Here’s a ranking of the weapons based on accessibility, learning curve, and complexity.

1. Sword and Shield – The Most Beginner-Friendly

If you’re new to Monster Hunter, the Sword and Shield is the safest bet. It has a balance of offense and defense, allowing you to stay mobile while blocking attacks. It’s also the only weapon that lets you use items without sheathing, which is a game-changer when managing health mid-fight. Simple, fast, and versatile—this weapon is an excellent entry point.

2. Dual Blades – Speed and Agility for Aggressive Players

For players who love high-speed combat, Dual Blades are a fantastic choice. They offer rapid attacks and fluid combos, allowing you to unleash relentless offense. While they don’t have a blocking option, their sheer speed and ability to enter Demon Mode make them one of the more accessible melee weapons.

3. Light Bowgun – Ranged Simplicity

Want to keep your distance? The Light Bowgun provides a straightforward approach to ranged combat. It allows you to stay mobile while dealing consistent damage, making it a solid choice for those who prefer not to get up close. With different ammo types for status effects, it also provides utility without overwhelming complexity.

4. Hammer – Raw Power with Stunning Potential

If you like straightforward but powerful weapons, the Hammer is a great pick. It specializes in blunt force attacks that can stun monsters by targeting their heads. While it lacks blocking capabilities, it allows for mobility while charging attacks, making it a solid weapon for aggressive hunters. Its simplicity makes it accessible, but positioning and timing are key to mastering it.

5. Bow – Versatile and Mobile Ranged Combat

The Bow is a highly versatile ranged weapon that provides a balance of agility and firepower. It allows hunters to fire continuously while maintaining mobility, making it excellent for evasion-based combat. The Bow also features various coatings that can enhance damage or apply status effects, adding depth to its playstyle. However, managing charge levels and coatings requires a bit of practice, making it moderately challenging for new players.

6. Great Sword – High Power, But Requires Patience

The Great Sword is a powerhouse, dealing some of the highest raw damage in the game. However, its slow swings require precise timing. This weapon is best for those who don’t mind a learning curve and are willing to practice positioning to maximize damage output.

7. Lance – The Ultimate Defensive Weapon

The Lance is a powerhouse of defense, allowing hunters to block almost any attack while maintaining pressure with precise thrusts. It has one of the strongest shields in the game, making it excellent for absorbing damage. Its counter-thrust ability rewards careful timing, making it great for patient players. However, the weapon’s slow movement and methodical attack patterns require commitment, making it moderately challenging to use effectively.

8. Long Sword – Stylish but Demanding

In Monster Hunter: Wilds, the Long Sword offers fluid movements and powerful combos but comes with a skill requirement. You’ll need to manage the Spirit Gauge effectively, which adds complexity. While the weapon rewards precise play, its lack of defensive options makes it riskier for newcomers.

9. Insect Glaive – High Mobility and Aerial Combat

The Insect Glaive is perfect for those who love agility and dynamic movement. It allows hunters to vault into the air for aerial attacks and mounts, making it one of the most mobile weapons in the game. Additionally, it features a Kinsect companion that extracts buffs from monsters, enhancing your abilities. However, managing Kinsect extracts requires practice, making this weapon moderately complex for newcomers.

10. Gunlance – Explosive Power with a Shield

For those who want defense but also enjoy explosive offense, the Gunlance offers a mix of powerful thrusts and shelling attacks. Unlike the Lance, it features Wyvern’s Fire, a devastating blast attack with a cooldown. The weapon requires managing shell types and positioning carefully, making it more complex than the standard Lance. While it retains strong defensive capabilities, its explosive mechanics require practice to maximize its potential.

11. Switch Axe – Versatile but Requires Resource Management

The Switch Axe is a hybrid weapon in Monster Hunter: Wilds that transitions between Axe Mode and Sword Mode, giving it both reach and high damage potential. Axe Mode provides mobility and sweeping attacks, while Sword Mode enhances offensive power but requires managing the Switch Gauge. Additionally, it features an Amped State, which boosts damage after sustained attacks. Due to its resource management mechanics and the need for mode-switching, it has a moderate-to-high learning curve but is rewarding once mastered.

12. Heavy Bowgun – High Power, Low Mobility

For hunters in Monster Hunter: Wilds who prefer raw firepower, the Heavy Bowgun offers some of the most powerful ranged attacks in the game. It can fire devastating ammo types, including explosive rounds, and features an Ignition Mode for sustained special attacks. However, its heavy weight reduces mobility, requiring careful positioning. While it has an auto-guard feature for some defensive capabilities, its slow movement and complex ammo management make it more suited for experienced players.

13. Hunting Horn – Supportive but Strategic

More than just a blunt weapon, the Hunting Horn provides buffs to allies while dishing out heavy hits. Its unique mechanic of playing melodies adds a layer of strategy. If you enjoy supporting teammates and don’t mind learning song rotations, this is a strong pick—but it’s not as straightforward as the other weapons.

14. Charge Blade – High Skill, High Reward

For those who love technical play, the Charge Blade is one of the most complex yet rewarding weapons. It switches between a sword-and-shield mode and a devastating axe mode, requiring resource management and timing. If you’re up for a challenge, the Charge Blade offers unmatched versatility and power.

Which Weapon is Right for You?

Every weapon in Monster Hunter: Wilds has a place depending on your playstyle. If you’re just starting out, the Sword and Shield or Dual Blades are excellent beginner choices. More experienced players looking for depth might enjoy the Insect Glaive, Bow, Long Sword, Heavy Bowgun, Switch Axe, Lance, Gunlance, Hunting Horn, or Charge Blade. Ultimately, the best way to find your ideal weapon is to experiment and see what feels right in the heat of battle!