The Lance is the ultimate defensive weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds. With its shield and counter mechanics, it can hold its own against any monster while still dealing solid damage. This guide covers the best builds for solo and multiplayer play.
Why Lance
The Lance rewards patience and positioning. Its shield can absorb any attack and its counter-thrusts punish any monster that hits your shield. The weapon is best for hunters who:
- Prefer a defensive playstyle
- Want to hold a position without dodging
- Like to counter-attack after monster attacks
- Don't mind slower attack speed
The downside is the low damage per hit. The Lance makes up for it with high uptime.
Best Lances
Best for Raw Damage
Royal Lance
Raw damage: 320. Sharpness: White. Affinity: 10%. Skills: Attack Boost 3, Guard 3.
Best for: general-purpose hunting.
Best for Elemental Damage
Legiana Frost Lance
Element: Ice. Elemental damage: 280. Sharpness: White. Skills: Ice Attack 3, Guard 2.
Best for: ice-weak monsters.
Rathalos Flame Lance
Element: Fire. Elemental damage: 270. Sharpness: White. Skills: Fire Attack 3, Guard 2.
Best for: fire-weak monsters.
Best Armor
Best for Tank Builds
Uragaan Armor
Skills: Guard 5, Guard Up 2, Defense Boost 4. Defense: 450. Slots: 2 level-2, 2 level-1.
How to get: Crafted from Uragaan materials.
Barroth Armor
Skills: Guard 3, Defense Boost 3, Recovery Up 2. Defense: 420. Slots: 2 level-2, 2 level-1.
How to get: Crafted from Barroth materials.
Best for Damage Builds
Rathalos Armor
Skills: Attack Boost 4, Critical Eye 3, Guard 2. Defense: 380. Slots: 2 level-2, 2 level-1.
How to get: Crafted from Rathalos materials.
Best Skills
Guard 5
Reduces stamina loss on block by 50%. Essential for tank builds.
Guard Up 2
Allows you to block unblockable attacks. Required for some Elder Dragons.
Defense Boost 4
Reduces all damage by 12%. Helps with chip damage.
Attack Boost 4
Boosts raw attack by 8%. Required for damage builds.
Recovery Up 2
Heals 25% more from healing items. Helps with chip damage healing.
Best Combos
Standard Combo
- Poke, Poke, Poke (3 light attacks)
- Mid Thrust (heavy attack)
- Poke, Poke (2 more lights)
- Repeat
This combo is the bread-and-butter Lance combo.
Counter Combo
- Hold Counter (hold Circle)
- Monster attacks
- Counter-thrust fires automatically
- Poke, Poke (follow-up)
- Repeat
The Counter is the Lance's signature move. Use it on every monster attack.
Charge Combo
- Charge forward with Circle
- Slam into monster
- Poke, Poke (3 lights)
- Repeat
Use this combo to reposition while dealing damage.
How to Use Guard
Guard is the Lance's signature defensive move. Hold R2/RT to enter Guard stance. While guarding:
- You cannot be staggered
- You take reduced damage
- Stamina is consumed
- You can counter-thrust after a successful block
The Guard stance has three levels based on stamina consumption:
- Level 1: 50% stamina reduction
- Level 3: 75% stamina reduction
- Level 5: 90% stamina reduction
Best Matchups
Best Monsters for Lance
- Monsters with predictable attacks (Rathalos, Rathian)
- Monsters with long attack animations (Tigrex, Brachydios)
- Monsters with multi-hit attacks (Barioth, Glavenus)
Worst Monsters for Lance
- Monsters with constant movement (Pawpawd, Tobi-Kadachi)
- Monsters with chip damage attacks (Legiana)
- Monsters with ranged attacks (Legiana, Rathalos)
Solo Strategy
For solo play, focus on:
- Counter-thrusting โ counter every monster attack
- Holding position โ don't chase the monster
- Healing while guarding โ you can heal while in Guard stance
- Damage windows โ use stun windows for full combos
Multiplayer Strategy
For multiplayer play, focus on:
- Aggro management โ use Guard to take monster aggro off teammates
- Healing support โ heal teammates with Lifepowders
- Stun setup โ chain your stuns with other hunters
Common Mistakes
- Don't dodge with Lance. You have a shield, use it.
- Don't forget to sharpen. Low sharpness ruins Lance damage.
- Don't guard through chip damage. Some attacks are best dodged.
- Don't ignore stamina. Guard costs stamina and you need stamina for combos.
FAQ: Lance
Q: Is Lance the most defensive weapon?
A: Yes, along with Gunlance. Lance has slightly more mobility.
Q: Should I use Guard 5 or Guard 3?
A: Guard 5 is best for tank builds. Guard 3 is fine for damage builds.
Q: Are there monsters that can break Lance guard?
A: Yes. Elder Dragons with multi-hit unblockable attacks can break guard. Use Guard Up to counter.
Q: Do I need Guard Up?
A: It depends on the monster. Most monsters can be blocked without Guard Up.
Q: What's the best Palico for Lance?
A: The Healer Palico with the Healing Horn. It will keep you alive while you guard.
With this build, you will be the most defensive hunter in the group. Master the counter-thrust, learn to guard at the right time, and always keep your stamina topped off.