Best Monster Hunter Wilds weapons tier list

The best Monster Hunter Wilds weapons are in the tier list below, where we lay out what weapon is better and which aren't quite bringing it to the S-tier. Now, the Monster Hunter Wilds beta is, at least in part, a chance for Capcom to analyze the state of gear and rebalance what's there for the full release, but it's still giving us a lot of indicative data about the final options that will give new hunters a foothold, as well as help those playing the beta for the first time get a handle on combat.

With that in mind, we've put together a full MH Wilds weapons tier list below, as well as some info on all the best weapons, and which are easiest for beginners and newcomers to the series. From the reliable long sword to the high-powered bow to the trust Dual Blades, we've got everything you need to know about the best weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds here!

Monster Hunter Wilds weapon tier list and rankings

The current tier list for the best weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds is as follows:

• S-tier weapons
  • Long Sword
  • Bow
  • Heavy Bowgun
• A-tier weapons
  • Dual Blades
  • Hammer
  • Sword & Shield
  • Great Sword
  • Insect Glaive
  • Charge Blade
  • Light Bowgun
• B-tier weapons
  • Switch Axe
  • Gunlance
  • Lance
  • Hunting Horn

Keep in mind that this is only from data within the beta, and this is almost certainly not going to be the way things land in the full game, as new gear, equipment, builds and simple fixes and balances made in the meantime will almost completely change the meta and change what weapons are best. Still, for those who are enjoying the beta as much as we are, this should help you make the maximum impact along the way.

Best weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds

After playing the beta for Monster Hunter Wilds, these are the best weapons we've put to use so far:

• Long Sword: The Long Sword is legendary in the Monster Hunter community for getting a certain amount of preferential treatment from the devs, and very little has changed in Monster Hunter Wilds. By charging up the Spirit Gauge, players can do truly astoundingly damaging attacks - and with the Wound system, landing a Focus Strike charges it to red very easily. It's also pretty easy to use in comparison to some of the more complex weapons out there, with less of a learning curve.
• Bow: The bow is another easier one to learn, and its powerful ranged shots mean you can do heavy damage at distance - a surprising amount of damage, in fact. This is effectively a sniper build, but a decent amount of evasion abilities and some allies to play distraction mean that an archer can devastate monsters from range.
• Heavy Bowgun: This massive piece of artillery fires all sorts of powerful bolts, and a smart player can use the incredibly heavy firepower while not letting the decreases mobility limit them. Though more complex than the other two weapons, the Heavy Bowgun rewards aggressive play, unleashing a barrage of attacks that stun or compromise enemies before they reach you. And of course, having melee allies hold back the enemy gives you even more of an advantage, letting them tank the blows while you rain ranged pain down on them.

Best weapons for beginners and new players in Monster Hunter Wilds

If you're starting a Monster Hunter game for the first time in MH Wilds, we recommend picking either the Dual Blades, Long Sword, Great Sword, Hammer or Sword & Shield. These weapons are alternately more simple to use (like the Blades) or have built-in defensive abilities that allow players some margin of error (like the Sword and Shield).

The game gives you a little pop quiz when it starts off to try and see what's right for you, but it doesn't really take into account ease of use and how intuitive (or not) certain weapons are, which can make for a difficult learning curve. Of course, any weapon can be learned by new players, it's just the options above are far simpler and more accessible to newcomers than - say - the Hunting Horn or Insect Glaive.

Once you've picked out a new weapon, read its guide in the menu so you understand it completely, and try a few easy hunts on low level monsters or even endemic wildlife for practice. You won't master anything straight away - and that's OK, as you're not supposed to! These are skillsets that you build over time, and very few players keep practice with more than two or three weapons at a time.

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