In *Monster Hunter Wilds*, choosing the right weapon for solo play is crucial to cover all bases without relying on support from other hunters. Some weapons offer robust guarding capabilities, others deliver exceptional power, and a few allow you to exploit monster weaknesses with ease. Below, we've curated a list of the top five weapons for solo play, each with a detailed explanation of why they're worth your time.
Best Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons for Solo Play
-----------------------------------------------Switch Axe
Mastering the Switch Axe in *Monster Hunter Wilds* requires time, planning, and patience, but it rewards you with exceptional versatility and power. This weapon stands out for its ability to handle strong monsters without the need for support hunters. Compared to the Charge Blade, the Switch Axe offers more powerful combos in both its axe and sword forms.
In axe form, you can unleash the wild swing, continuously dealing high damage with massive swings. Switching to sword form unlocks more intricate combos, including the traditional burst attack and heavy-hitting chain attacks that can significantly boost your damage output, even with lower-level versions of the weapon.
Hammer
The Hammer, featured on our list of best beginner weapons, is also a top choice for solo players due to its high damage output. In *Wilds*, the Hammer surpasses many other weapons in raw power, allowing you to invest in ailment branches like sleep or paralysis while still delivering substantial hits and controlling monster behavior effectively.
Hammers excel at breaking weak points and knocking monsters down with repeated attacks, increasing the likelihood of creating wounds in vulnerable areas. The focused strike, which breaks wounds, is particularly potent, enabling faster hunts and yielding more crafting materials from broken parts.
Great Sword
The Great Sword in *Monster Hunter Wilds* is a powerhouse that does a few things exceptionally well. While movement with this weapon is slow, it can be used as a shield to guard against incoming attacks. The weapon features a regular slash and an overhead strike, but its charged attack is the true highlight.
The Great Sword's charged attack has three levels, with the most powerful requiring precise timing to reach. Holding the attack button, releasing it, and then holding it again before the animation ends allows you to charge the next blow. Mastering this timing can be challenging, especially with monsters on the move, but even the basic and first-level charged attacks deliver impressive damage.
Lance
The Lance in *Monster Hunter Wilds* has seen significant improvements and is no longer just a defensive tool with occasional pokes. It boasts the most powerful guard in the game and thrust attacks that lead into stronger skills, including multi-hit thrust combos and enhanced mobility options.
A new guarding skill uses stamina to block attacks more effectively than the standard guard, complemented by a ramming attack. While the Lance remains a defensive weapon, its enhanced capabilities make it a formidable choice for solo play, though damage output might be lower than with weapons like the Great Sword, potentially extending hunt times.
Heavy Bowgun
The Heavy Bowgun offers several advantages over the Light Bowgun for solo play in *Monster Hunter Wilds*. It delivers higher damage, which is crucial when you're the sole damage dealer. Additionally, it can fire more ammo before reloading and features a powerful burst mode, despite a cooldown period.
Like the Light Bowgun, the Heavy Bowgun can equip various ammo types, including unlimited standard ammo, piercing ammo, and status ailment rounds, providing greater versatility than most weapons. Its ability to attack from a distance, without needing to stay close to a monster's head, makes it an ideal choice for solo players.
