Monster Hunter Wildsis one of Capcom’s most popular titles in a while following a few flops likeExoprimalwhich also tried to bring multiplayer monster hunting to the forefront. One of the reasons this latest addition is so successful can be chalked up to the new improvements, additions, and changes to the formula which are welcoming to newcomers and diehards who were growing tired of the same gimmicks.
One ofMonster Hunter Wilds’best changes comes in the form of Wounds. By continually striking an area, players have a chance at opening up a weak point, a Wound, that they can then exploit. What weapons can take advantage of Wounds the most by laying out a Focus Strike? Let’s find out.
6Gunlance
Add Some Ammo To Your Lunges
TheGunlance is one of the more unique weapons inMonster Hunter Wildsas it combines a Lance with a gun tip at the end. It’s like howFinal Fantasy 8was the first game in the series to combine a sword with a revolver to create the Gunblade. With some combos, players can end them by blasting a monster full of lead inMonster Hunter Wildswith the Gunlance.
This is most potent when performing a Focus Strike with the Gunlance. Players need to be close enough to lodge their weapon into the beast which will then blast it with ammo before pulling out to detonate one last explosion. It’s a powerful attack to inflict on a Wound to be sure but it’s not the fastest or the safest one to pull off either.
5Insect Glaive
Bug And Man Unite
TheInsect Glaive might be the best weapon to inflict Wounds with inMonster Hunter Wildsbut not exactly the best weapon to perform a Focus Strike with. Insect Glaives are sharpened with blades on both ends, giving players more to work with during their combo build. It can still be a slow start compared to smaller weapons but the Insect Glaive is flexible vertically as players can launch themselves into the air.
This airborne system will make it easier to mount monsters during battle. In this state, players can hammer on a monster to open up multiple Wounds for allies to take advantage of. When players strike a Wound with the Insect Glaive themselves, the finisher is the best part. They will flip away from the monster to a safe distance and then send their Kinsect in to have one last go at it. Kinsects are attached to Insect Glaives and can do all sorts of things from heal players to weaken foes with status ailments.
4Charge Blade
Buzz Through Hides
While slower than the Insect Glaive, the damage a Charge Blade can do to a monster is wondrous. At first glance, this may look like a standard sword and shield combo found in a lot of other action RPGs. ACharge Blade can be used this way inMonster Hunter Wildsas the shield can block attacks to some degree.
However, the sword and shield can be combined to create a giant sword with a spinning blade at the end. This is when things get a bit unwieldy but with practice, especially in the training area, it should be easy to remember the right combo patterns. For inflicting a Focus Strike, players can stab their Charge Blade into a monster and then let that thing go as if they were a logger trying to see through a mighty tree in the Redwood Forest.
3Dual Blades
Attack On Titan
TheDual Blades are the go-to melee weapon inMonster Hunter Wildsthat are the simplest to use for novices. They are the weakest damage dealers as far as melee weapons go but they are also the fastest in contrast. If players can get a good combo going, they can whip around an enemy like they were a fly buzzing around fresh food during a picnic.
This is most obvious when players attack a Wound with a set of Dual Blades. They will begin striking the Wound with spin attacks before flying through the entire monster and then coming down with a cinematic landing. Suffice it to say, that the animators must have watched a lot ofAttack on Titanto get those moves right. Now THAT would be a killer crossover event: Titans invading the world ofMonster Hunter Wilds.
2Heavy/Light Bowgun
Say Hello To My Little Friend
There’s not much of a difference between the Heavy and Light versions of theBowguns inMonster Hunter Wildsbesides one obviously being lighter and more versatile than the other. Both pack one heck of a punch no matter if players are using normal ammo or special types like some that can infuse elemental damage. Bowguns in Monster Hunter Wilds are basically the equivalents of Gatling Guns in shooting games.
To open up Wounds, all players have to do is continually shoot an area that won’t take long, and then they can Focus Strike it without any sort of unique combo mechanic. In many ways, Bowguns are the easiest weapons to use as players just have to point, shoot, and hope for the best. That, however, leaves them without a lot of unique properties like skills and their range can be weak but as far as exploiting Wounds go, Bowguns are top-notch.
1Bow
A More Skillful Ranged Weapon
Bows are great for a lot of things like introducing beginners to the world ofMonster Hunter Wilds. Bows can keep players out of harm’s way from monsters which is one reason why they are user-friendly. Another reason is that they are the simplest way to exploit Wounds.
When a Wound opens up, players can tag it by using R1 on the PS5 controller, and then an arrow will lock in once deployed. After a few seconds, it will explode and typically cause the monster to topple over, exposing it to players and their allies to gain some extra hits before the monster begins its terrifying rampage again. The range and heat-seeking aspect of the Bow and its Focus Strike is above all others in the game without question.
