How do you use the Monster Hunter Wilds Lance? You might not think of the Lance as being a defensive weapon, but it’s actually one of the most protective options out there. Paired with a large shield, most monsters have a tough time breaking through the defenses of a capable Lance user.
If you’re the type of person who hates taking unnecessary risks, the Lance could be the perfect Monster Hunter Wilds weapon for you. The Lance behaves differently in Monster Hunter Wilds compared to previous RPG games in the series, so it’s important to know what has changed before you go jumping in head first. Here’s our Monster Hunter Wilds Lance overview, including how to use the weapon and the moveset we know about so far.
How to use the Monster Hunter Wilds Lance
Just to be clear, the Lance is going to receive another overhaul, though this won’t be reflected in the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds beta. While some changes made to the weapon have been welcomed by the community, there are several problems with the Lance that some players would like to be addressed. Capcom hasn’t stated what exactly it plans to change, but just know that there are balance tweaks coming in the future.
The Lance is considered a defensive weapon because most of its attacks can be performed while in a defensive stance. You don’t have to commit yourself to every attack thanks to your handy shield, allowing you to perform thrusting attacks immediately after blocking. That’s not to say there aren’t unsafe moves with the Lance, but most players tend to play it safe by dealing damage using poking attacks from a safe distance.
In Wilds, the Lance’s overall mobility has been improved while attacking, stopping you from being rooted to the ground during combat sequences. This should make the Lance a considerably more interesting to play as you’re able to branch out from the standard three hit poke string seen in previous games. The Lance also has access to multiple guard-related moves and counters that make it possible to block a heavy attack and immediately follow up with a crushing blow.
You can separate yourself from the average Lance user by learning to analyze each combat scenario, carefully identifying the right times to attack and defend. Once you identify a monster’s attack pattern, it’s up to you to use your range of guard and counter options to open up your opponent to deliver a lethal blow.
Thanks to Monster Hunter Wilds focus mode, the Lance can now be used to target specific areas, giving you a chance to attack a monster’s wounds and weak points with either a shield bash or a thrust attack. A shield bash has the potential to stun a monster, creating an opportunity to go directly for a weak point using your Lance.
Monster Hunter Wilds Lance moveset
Here are all the moves and combos for the Lance:
- Triple Thrust: A thrust attack that can hit small targets. The attack can be chained up to three times and is compromised using Mid Thrust I, Mid Thrust II, and Mid Thrust III.
- Leaping Thrust: Lunge towards your opponent using a short hop in the air while thrusting your Lance forward. This attack can be followed up using a Wide Sweep.
- Wide Sweep: Cover lots of ground with a large, sweeping attack to hit tall and airborne enemies.
- High Thrust: A thrust attack that can hit tall targets. The attack can be chained up to four times and is compromised using High Thrust I, High Thrust II, High Thrust III, and Charge Counter.
- Charge Counter: A charged up upwards thrust that has the potential to counter attacks from enemies.
- Guard Thrust: While your shield is currently active, attack using a thrusting attack to poke at your opponent.
- Guard Dash: Run forward with your shield held out to bash enemies in your path.
- Payback Thrust: Perform this attack immediately after a successful block to produce a lunging attack that targets tall enemies.
- Guard Follow-Up: After landing a successful guard, follow up with a quick thrust attack.
- Focus Strike – Victory Thrust: Lunge towards your opponent using your shield, then switch to your Lance as you attack your enemy using a string of thrust attacks.
- Dash Attack: Run in a straight line with your Lance out, dealing more damage the longer you run for. This attack can be followed up using Finishing Thrust, or run in the opposite direction with Reverse Attack.
- Finishing Thrust: End your Dash Attack with one final thrust.
And that’s all we have on the Monster Hunter Wilds Lance right now, but stay tuned as we intend to update this guide with the latest information once we know what the upcoming balance changes do. In the meantime, if you’re searching for a different set of weapons to use in the multiplayer game, why not take a look at our Monster Hunter Wilds Sword and Shield overview to discover a new weapon?
