Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Guide-Monster Hunter Wildsfeatures14 different weapons, the same as the previous installments with theLancebeing one of them. In this guide, we will be taking a look at how to use theLanceand all the changes, combos and additions that have been added with Monster Hunter Wilds. Whether you’re a new hunter looking to join the hunt or veterans looking for a quick refresher to help with the weapon, this Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Guide is here to help you.
Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Guide to Combos & Changes
If you are looking for a weapon that will help you laugh in the face of danger then look no further because the Lance is the perfect weapon for you. The Lance is a weapon that lets you play as an unmoving bulwark andpunish monster attacks with powerful counterattacks and intense thrustsmaking the Lance the weapon of choice for those who prefer a defensive playstyle. In Monster Hunter Wilds, the Lance has received some combat flow changes and additions with more options for counterattacks than in previous installments.
Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Combos
We’ll start this Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Guide by taking a look at the Combos of the Lance. It doesn’t have as many as other Weapons, as it relies a lot on counter attacks to deal most of its damage.
Basic Combo into Triple Thrust
This is a basic combo that will perform three thrusts in a row straight ahead of you with a Triple Thrust at the end.
Basic Combo into Counter-Thrust
The second combo performs three high thrusts, which is amazing for hitting the monster’s heads and it can be followed by a Charge Counter.
Counters After Successful Guard
This last combo is only able to be performed after successfully Guarding against an attack and lets the player perform a variety of different attacks. Return Thrust Y (Xbox) or Triangle (Playstation) does a simple thrusting attack, Payback Thrust B (Xbox) or Circle (Playstation) which is similar to a High Thrust, and Retribution Thrust Y + B (Xbox) or Triangle + Circle (Playstation) which is a powerful two hit thrusting attack. you’re able to also follow up Retribution Thrust with one of three options which are the Triple Thrust Y (Xbox) or Triangle (Playsation), Charge Counter Hold B (Xbox) or Hold Circle (Playstation), and a Follow-Up Dash Attack which is Y + B (Xbox) or Triangle + Circle (Playstation).
Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Changes & Moveset
The Lance has a surprisingly fluid movement considering the nature of the weapon. Pairing this movement with good positioning to land your thrusts and knowing when to guard will be even more important in the latest iteration of the weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, and is an important thing to mention in this Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Guide.
Firstly, a good change to the Lance is the ability to move in any direction while using yourthree-hit thrust combos. What this allows you to do is to continue your barrage of thrusts while adjusting your position as needed so that the monster stays in range. This added maneuverability in combination with the Focus Mode makes the Lance much easier to use than ever before.
Another addition is theTriple Thrustcombo finisher that can be performed at the end of your traditional thrust combos. This attack will help you maintain your damage on the monster as you keep in range and poke it continuously.
Charge Counter
The Charge Counter is a new addition to the Lance in Monster Hunter Wilds and it functions similarly to the Counter Thrust from the previous games:Hold B (Xbox) or Hold Circle (Playstation)while Guarding or at the end of combos. In Wilds, you may charge up the Charge Counter as the name implies, up to three levels. This Counter Charge can be used in a way similar to Offset Attacks as you can release the Charge with an incoming Monster attack, it will perform the double thrust counter dealing massive damage. However, you do not need to wait for a monster to attack you in order to use it, although doing so would be the most optimal way. If you fail to let go of the charge or get hit during the charge, you will fail the counter and no counterattack will occur.
Offset Attacks are a new type of attack that was added in Monster Hunter Wilds. These attacks fill up an invisible Offset meter on the monster, much like a status effect, and will topple the monster when you trigger the effect. And like status effects the subsequent triggers will get harder and harder to trigger after the first topple.
Guarding & Perfect Guards
With the inclusion of the Perfect Guard mechanic, the Lance hasreceived a ton of changes around the guard mechanic. While holding the Guard button will protect the hunter from most incoming damage, triggering a Perfect Guard by guarding just before the monster’s attack will prevent hunters from taking any damage.
The difference between triggering the Perfect Guard with this weapon as opposed to other blocking weapons is that it will automatically attack with the shield when triggered and you’re able to follow up with a special counter-Return Thrust, by pressing Y (Xbox) or Triangle (Playstation) after a Perfect Guard.
If you want more damage after guarding, you can use thePayback Thrust, which isan upward leaping counter having a longer wind-up but deals more damageto the monster. The Payback Thrust can also act as a combo starter, meaning you can chain into your poke and thrust combos.
Power Guard
The Power Guard is a more powerful Guard that blocks almost every attack in the game in a full 360 degrees around the hunter and is commonly used to block dangerous attacks, however, you cannot go directly into the Power Guard stance in Monster Hunter Wilds. To perform a Power Guard you will need to start with the Charge Counter byHolding B (Xbox) or Holding Circle (Playstation) while Guarding, and then pressingA (Xbox) or X (Playstation) afterwards while still Guarding. This allows you cancel out of your Charge Counter into a Power Guard if you realize you will be hit by an attack by simply pressing one button. You will not be able to Power Guard if you strike with the attack from the Counter Charge though, so choose wisely.
You can also go into the Power Guard more quickly if you pressA (Xbox) or X (Playstation), immediately after pressingB (Xbox) or Circle (Playstation)while holding Guard. This will cancel your Charge Counter instantly allowing for faster Power Guarding, and should become muscle memory as quickly as possible for emergencies.
An important thing to note though, is that using Power Guard will drain your stamina bar if you hold it once triggered, so you cannot hold it very long, meaning you will still need to learn the timing of monster attacks to use this properly. The advantage of using Power Guard is that most of the damage you block while Power Guarding will transfer into your Counterattack resulting in the most powerful counter attacks in the game. The level of the damage you will do with the Counter can be seen by the Lance’s glowing color with red being the highest level of damage.
After a Power Guard you may counter using one of the three counters, the Leaping Thrust - Y or Triangle, Payback Thrust - B or Circle or the Retribution Thrust, Y + B (Xbox) or Triangle + Circle (Playstation), similar to counters after a normal guard. But the Retribution Thrust will be upgraded into a stronger version called Grand Retribution Thrust if an attack hits you during your Power Guard.
The Guard Dash
In Monster Hunter Wilds, the Lance also received an amazing move called the Guard Dash which will let you dash in a specific direction without needing to stop blocking. To do this, while guarding, you may press Y (Xbox) or Triangle (Playstation) while holding the directional key in the direction you want to move. After dashing you can follow up with a shield attack that will deal stun damage called theShield Bash, Y (Xbox) or Triangle (Playstation), or aLeaping Thrust, B (Xbox) or Circle (Playstation) where you will jump forward and do a two hit thrust attack covering more distance. This is an amazing addition since the Guard Dash will give the Lance user some much needed mobility while using the Lance and it is extremely useful in closing the distance between you and the monster while keeping your guard up.
Focus Strike: Victory Thrust
With the addition of the focus mode, the lance gains Focus Strike: Victory Thrust: Pressing RB while in Focus Mode (Xbox) or R1 (Playstation), and this isa high-damage multi-attack focus strikethat can be executed very quickly. The quick nature of this strike means it is easy to weave this attack into your combos to sustain damage.
Final Tips
The Lance is one of the weapons that has the strongest block in the game and with the perfect guard mechanic, and power clashes, it also has very strong damage and toppling potential.
Players using the Lance should remember to block and guard more where others would evade as blocking allows the lance to go into powerful counters. Practicing perfect guard timings and managing your stamina well for your power guards will help in using this weapon.
Also, master the timing of the Charge Counters as the Offset damage it provides is a wonderful option not only to prevent damage but also for dealing huge damage.
Keep in mind though, although the power guard can withstand some of the most powerful attacks in the game, it cannot withstand ALL of them. You’ll still need to dodge some of them and in such cases, sheathing your weapon and dodging out of the way is a better solution.
For Secondary Weapons
As a secondary weapon for a Lance user, theGunlanceis a solid option being the close cousin, providing a very similar gameplay and flow of combat while giving you access to a better option to break monster parts.
If you are looking for something to buff your defenses even further, theHunting Hornwill provide you and your teammates with buffs.
That wraps up our Monster Hunter Wilds Lance Guide, and I hope you found it helpful, and be sure to check out our otherMonster Hunter Wilds Guides. If you have questions you can leave them in the comments or drop by ourDiscordand ask. We also have aMonster Hunter Wilds Wiki with all the information you could possibly need about the game.
