Gunlance Guide and Best Combos in Monster Hunter Wilds

The Gunlance is a very strong and complex weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, combining the defensive abilities of a Lance with explosive shelling attacks. This hybrid weapon excels with its strong offense, allowing you to unleash a barrage of high-damage explosions while maintaining a solid defense with its shield.

Unlike traditional melee weapons, the Gunlance's shelling mechanic ignores monster hitzones, making it especially effective against tough, armored enemies. With multiple shelling types, a powerful Wyrmstake attack, and the devastating Wyvern’s Fire, the Gunlance is perfect for those who want strong defense, and explosive explosions.

This guide covers everything you need to know about the Gunlance in Monster Hunter Wilds, from its mechanics and best combos to its strengths, weaknesses, and how to use it effectively during hunts.

In the event you are looking for our Gunlance builds, please click the link below.

Strengths

• Consistent Damage Output – Shelling ignores monster hitzones, making it effective against armored enemies.
• Strong Defense – Gives High survivability.
• Explosive Burst Damage – Moves like Wyvern's Fire and Wyrmstake Blast deal massive burst damage.
• Variety of Playstyles – Different shelling types provide options for varied combat approaches.
• Explosions.

Weaknesses

• Slow – Moves are way slower compared to other weapons.
• Shelling has close range, you need to be up close to the monster.
• Many moves have long animations, making you vulnerable more often.
• Requires you to manage three different Gauges.

Mastering the Gunlance requires a deep understanding of its shelling types, reloading mechanics, explosive power, and defensive abilities. Whether you prefer to bombard enemies with Burst Fire, unleash devastating Wyrmstake Cannon shots, or hold your ground with a strong shield, the Gunlance has something for every situation.

This section will break down each of the core mechanics, helping you understand how to maximize your damage and survivability with this explosive weapon.

The Gunlance is one of the weapons with the best defensive abilities, allowing you to block powerful attacks with its shield. In order to guard, all you have to do is press , , or . Your basic guard will use a little bit of stamina.

If you manage to execute a Perfect Guard, you will negate any damage, and it will allow you to counter with a powerful Overhead Smash. From there, you can combo into Burst Fire or Wide Sweep.

Of course, as with all defensive weapons, you can enter Power Clash with the Monster after a Perfect Guard.

Monster Hunter Wilds introduces new gauges for the Gunlance, adding more depth to its mechanics, but also forcing you to keep an eye on multiple different gauges. Managing these effectively is key to optimizing damage output and maintaining offensive pressure.

You will find the following three gauge:

Wyvern Gauge:

This one is specific to Wivern Fire. You have two charges that reload over time or through landing other attacks. Of course, each Wyvern Fire attack will consume one charge.

Wyrmstake Gauge:

The second one is used for the Wyrmstake Cannon. Reloading will refill it.

Shells:

The last one will allow you to track your remaining shells. Similar to the Wyrmstake Gauge, you recover shell charges through reloading.

The Gunlance's Shelling system allows you to unleash explosive attacks that deal heavy damage, bypassing a monster's defenses. In Monster Hunter Wilds, Shelling now scales with attack power, making it more viable throughout the game. Additionally, shelling no longer reduces sharpness, allowing for more sustained offense.

There are three shelling types, each with distinct characteristics:

• Normal Type – Balanced shelling with higher ammo capacity, making it ideal for burst fire combos.
• More shells per reload than other types.
• Ideal for Burst Fire because of the high amount of shells available.
• Weak attacks.
• Long Type – Focused on charged shelling, dealing higher damage per shot at extended range.
• Moderate shell capacity.
• Medium power shelling.
• Strong Wyrmstake Cannon.
• Wide Type – Specializes in powerful single blasts with a large explosion radius.
• Fewer shells per reload but high damage per shot.
• High power shelling.
• Strong Wyvern Fire.

The Overhead Smash is a powerful downward strike with the Gunlance, dealing significant raw damage. This move serves as a crucial link in many combos, often leading into Burst Fire or Wide Sweep. The impact of the smash makes it a great option for breaking monster parts, and it can be followed up with shelling attacks or a Wyrmstake Cannon for additional burst damage.

Burst Fire is executed after an Overhead Smash. This move rapidly fires all remaining shells in the chamber in a single, concentrated blast. In Monster Hunter Wilds, Burst Fire receives a 20% damage boost, making it one of the strongest shelling attacks in the Gunlance's kit.

• Best used when your shelling capacity is full to maximize damage.
• Works well in combo sequences, especially following Overhead Smash.
• Since shelling no longer affects sharpness, hunters can use this move freely without worrying about their weapon.

The Wyrmstake Cannon is a devastating attack unique to the Gunlance, allowing you to stick an explosive stake into a monster. Once implanted, the stake remains lodged for a short duration, doing damage before bursting in a final explosion.

The Wyrmstake consumes a special type of ammo mentioned earlier, which can be reloaded. Certain attack combos allow the Wyrmstake Cannon to be enhanced into a Full Blast, further increasing its explosion power.

• Wyrmstake Cannon: Implants a stake into the monster that explodes, dealing continuous damage before a final detonation. Best used on weak points for maximum effect.
• Wyrmstake Full Blast: A powerful follow-up attack that consumes all remaining shells for a high-damage explosion.
• Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast: An advanced version of Wyrmstake Full Blast that automatically reloads shells before executing another more powerful explosion.

Wyvern Fire is one of the signature attacks of the Gunlance, delivering a devastating explosion that bypasses monster armor. This attack requires the Wyvern Gauge, which regenerates passively over time and can be accelerated through consistent offensive attacks as well.

• Charging and Cooldown: Wyvern Fire has two charges, allowing for consecutive uses if both are available..
• Execution: The standard Wyvern Fire takes a moment to charge before unleashing its full force, making it best suited for large openings, such as when a monster is knocked down or staggered. The animation is rather long.
• Enhanced Activation: There is a way to speed up the Wyvern Fire's animation. This is possible when used after certain attacks, such as:
• After a Wyrmstake Cannon Blast or Full Blast Combo
• After a Perfect Guard
• If you fire a second shot right after the first Wyvern Fire

Drake Auger is a powerful new Focus Mode attack that enhances the Gunlance's ability to exploit monster wounds for maximum damage. It is executed when in Focus Mode when pressing + , + , or + . Your Gunlance will drill forward into the monster, dealing heavy damage. This attack can be followed up by Shells or Wyvern Fire.

Basic combos are rather easy to pull off and good for beginners or anyone just starting out with the Gunlance. Once you get the hang of the basics, you can easily move on to more advanced combos.

During a Combo → Reload
Faster Reloading during a combo.

• When executing a combo
• Reload: Press + / + / +

Shelling
Shoot out Shells while also be able to move around.

• Shells: press / /
• Charged Shells for more damage: Hold / /

Lunging Upthrust → Lateral Thrust I → Lateral Thrust II → Wide Sweep → Wyrmstake Cannon → Guard → Reload
Standard thrusting sequence for the Gunlance.

• Lunging Upthrust: Press / /
• Lateral Thrust I: Press / /
• Lateral Thrust II: Press / /
• Wide Sweep: Press / /
• Wyrmstake Cannon: Press / /
• Guard + Reload: Press + / + / +

If you need to guard at the same time, you can also use the Guard Thrusts instead of the normal Lateral Thrusts, which simply consists in holding the Guard at the same time you thrust so: Press + / + / +

Guard → perfect Guard → Overhead Smash → Burst Fire
This is the best way to use Burst Fire as doing it through perfect guard will make the combo shorter while also countering the monster.

• Guard: Press / /
• Perfect Guard: Time the Guard right before the monster's attack hits
• Overhead Smash: Press + / + / +
• Burst Fire: Press / / +

Focus Mode + Focus Strike → Reload
This is new Gunlance move. It is rather straightforward and mostly used to deal extra damage to wounds. This use a Wyrmstake charge, so you have to reload right after.

• Focus Mode: Press / /
• Focus Strike: Press + / + / +
• Reload: Press + / + / +

Once you got the basics down, it is time to step up to more advanced combos. They can be tricky to pull off, but if you can land them consistently, you will deal massive damage and have better control over the fight.

Lateral Thrust I → Lateral Thrust II → Wide Sweep → Wyrmstake Full Blast → Guard → Reload
More powerful version of your basic Thrust combo. This will consume all your shells and the Wyrmstake Cannon, which can then be reloaded again and transition into the next combo.

• Lateral Thrust I: Press / /
• Lateral Thrust II: Press / /
• Wide Sweep: Press / /
• Wyrmstake Full Blast: Press + / + / +
• Guard + Reload: Press + / + / +

Lateral Thrust I → Lateral Thrust II → Wide Sweep → Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast → Guard → Reload
Right after you reloaded from your Wyrmstake Full Blast, unleashing even more power on the monster.

• Lateral Thrust I: Press / /
• Lateral Thrust II: Press / /
• Wide Sweep: Press / /
• Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast: Press or / or / or
• Guard + Reload: Press + / + / +

Lateral Thrust I → Lateral Thrust II → Wide Sweep → Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast → Wyvern Fire
This combo allows you to fire more powerful hits, and shorten the Wyrvern Fire's animation if you follow-up with it.

• Lateral Thrust I: Press / /
• Lateral Thrust II: Press / /
• Wide Sweep: Press / /
• Multi Wyrmstake Full Blast: Press or / or / or
• Wyvern Fire: Press + + / + + / + +

The Gunlance in Monster Hunter Wilds is perfect if you want a high-damage, playstyle with strong defensive options, and a powerful Burst for sustained firepower. It requires methodical positioning, and you need to learn specific combos, but it can deal heavy damage and protect you enough, no matter the monster you are hunting.