Lance Guide and Best Combos in Monster Hunter Wilds

The Lance is all about strong defense and steady offense. With its massive shield, you can block some of the hardest-hitting attacks in Monster Hunter Wilds, while its precise thrusts let you keep up constant pressure on the monster. If you like standing your ground, countering at the perfect moment, and staying in control of the fight, the Lance is a great choice.

Unlike most weapons, the Lance is not about flashy combos; it is all about patience, positioning, and knowing when to strike. Monster Hunter Wilds makes it more mobile and aggressive than before, adding Power Guard, Victory Thrust, and new movement options that let you stay on the attack while keeping your defense up.

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

In case you're looking for our Lance builds, click below.

Strengths

• Unmatched Defense – Can block almost anything with minimal knockback.
• Steady Damage – Precise thrusts let you stay on the attack without dropping guard.
• Hard-Hitting Counters – Power Guard and Victory Thrust turn defense into big damage.
• More Mobility – Guard Dash and Dash Attack help close gaps and stay aggressive.

Weaknesses

• Slow Recovery – Some attacks (like Victory Thrust) leave you open if not timed properly.
• Limited Evasion – Sidesteps and backsteps need perfect timing to avoid hits.
• Struggles with Tails – Thrust-based attacks make tail cutting rather difficult.
• Stamina Drain – Blocking, countering, and dashing eat up stamina fast.

The Lance in Monster Hunter Wilds stays true to its identity as a high-defense weapon with powerful counterattacks, but new mechanics make it faster, more aggressive, and more flexible than ever. While it still rewards patience and precision, you now have more ways to control fights, close gaps, and punish monsters for every attack they throw at you.

One of the biggest changes is the ability to maintain your guard while charging, keeping your defense up without losing momentum. Blocking strong hits speeds up charge levels, letting you use high-damage moves faster!

Power Guard takes your defense to the next level, reducing knockback and making it easier & faster to follow up with a counter. Instead of just absorbing a hit, you can transition straight into an attack, letting you stay aggressive even while blocking.

• Prevents Shield Pushback and stops heavy attacks from knocking you back.
• Increases Counterattack Damage based on the number of attacks blocked.
• Best used against rapid multi-hit attacks to stay in control of the fight.

• Perfect Guard Timing: Blocking at the right moment does not just protect you, it reduces stamina drain and makes your counterattacks hit harder! Instead of holding your guard up the whole time, try to time your blocks just before impact.

This is your big damage move, best used after blocking or countering an attack. It's a lunging stab that deals high damage and breaks parts easily, which makes it a great combo finisher.

• Deals extra damage when used on wounded monster parts.
• Can be triggered after blocking or countering with Power Guard.
• Best used when a monster is staggered for maximum impact.

• Power Clash Mechanic: If you keep blocking certain heavy attacks, you can trigger a Power Clash, where you and the monster enter a stand-off. When this happens, mash your attack button to push back and stagger the monster, setting up a free counterattack.

Dash Attack now gets stronger the longer you maintain it, making it a great way to close distances and land high-damage thrusts.

• Increases speed and attack power the longer you maintain the charge.
• Great for repositioning and punishing monsters from a distance.
• Combos well into mid-thrusts and counterattacks.

• Mobility Management: The Lance is definitely not the fastest weapon, but Dash Attacks and Guard Dashes help you stay close to the monster and keep up the pressure. Use Guard Dash to reposition without dropping your shield, then follow up with thrusts to keep control of the fight.

While the Lance is built for defense, you still need to manage stamina carefully, especially when blocking, countering, and attacking all at once.

• Blocking and Power Guard drain stamina, and If you run out, you will not be able to guard!
• Guard Dash keeps your shield up but still uses stamina, so do not spam it!
• Counter Instead of Just Blocking – Counter Thrust and Victory Thrust turn defense into offense and save stamina.

With these changes, the Lance in Monster Hunter Wilds is still the best weapon for tanking damage, but now it feels more fluid and rewarding for players who know when to block, when to attack, and when to go all in.

Basic Lance combos are all about steady, reliable damage while keeping your guard up. These will help you get a feel for the weapon's flow before moving on to more advanced techniques.

Mid Thrust I → Mid Thrust II → Mid Thrust III → Triple Thrust

A straightforward series of forward thrusts ending with a powerful triple strike. Great for maintaining pressure on the monster while keeping your shield up:

1. Mid Thrust I: Press / /
2. Mid Thrust II: Press / / again
3. Mid Thrust III: Press / / again
4. Triple Thrust: Continue pressing for a final hit

• This is a safe, go-to combo that allows you to keep attacking without dropping your shield.
• Use this combo whenever the monster is in a vulnerable state but not staggered.

High Thrust I → High Thrust II → High Thrust III → Charge Counter

An upward thrust sequence that transitions into a charged counterattack, with increased damage when timed with a monster's strike.

1. High Thrust I: Press / /
2. High Thrust II: Press / / again
3. High Thrust III: Press / / again
4. Charge Counter: Hold / / after High Thrust III, then release in sync with the attack.

• The Charge Counter deals massive damage when timed correctly with an incoming monster attack.
• Use this combo to punish predictable monster patterns or after blocking a heavy attack.

Once you have got the basics down, it’s time to step up your game. The Lance is not just about blocking; it can be surprisingly aggressive when used right, letting you stay on the attack without dropping your defense.

Guard Dash is one of the best ways to stay mobile while keeping your defense up. It allows you to push forward safely and immediately follow up with thrusts or counterattacks. Here are a few ways to use it:

Guard Dash → High Thrust → Counter Thrust (Safe Damage):

1. Guard Dash: Press + / + / +
2. High Thrust: Press / /
3. Counter Thrust: Press / / immediately after

Guard Dash → Leaping Thrust → Mid Thrust II → Mid Thrust III (Aggressive):

1. Guard Dash: Press + / + / +
2. Leaping Thrust: Press + / + / +
3. Mid Thrust II: Press / /
4. Mid Thrust III: Press / / again

• Use the first version for safer damage and the second version when you have an opening for aggressive play.
• Generally, Guard Dash is a great ability for positioning and staying close to the monster.

Guard Dash → Shield Attack → Leaping Thrust

This is another guard dash combo that allows you to close distances safely and transition into aggressive attacks.

1. Guard Dash: Press + / + / +
2. Shield Attack: Press / /
3. Leaping Thrust: Press / /

• Great for repositioning while staying defensive.
• Can be used to quickly close the gap and transition into an aggressive assault.

Power Guard → Victory Thrust

Use Power Guard to absorb/block an attack and then immediately counter with Victory Thrust for massive damage.

1. Power Guard: Press + / + / +
2. Victory Thrust: Press + / + / +

• Best used against large monsters with heavy attacks that can be safely blocked.
• Victory Thrust deals extra damage when you hit wounded monster parts with it.

Dash Attack → Mid Thrust → Counter Thrust

Dash Attack gets stronger the longer you maintain it, allowing you to build momentum before executing a heavy-hitting thrust.

1. Dash Attack: Press + + / + + / + +
2. Mid Thrust: Press / /
3. Counter Thrust: Press / / immediately after

• Best used to close distance and transition into offensive pressure.
• Try to time the end of the Dash Attack with a weak spot!

This combo turns monster aggression into an insane counterattack.

1. Power Guard Activation: Hold + / + / +
2. Absorb Attack: Hold Guard to absorb monster's hit.
3. Immediate Counter: Press / / to deliver a quick counterattack.

• This is one of the best ways to turn defense into offense.
• Time the Power Guard correctly to make sure the counter lands effectively.

The Lance in Monster Hunter Wilds is all about defense, precision, and control. It has a massive shield and powerful counterattacks, and lets you hold your ground while punishing monsters for every mistake. Wilds takes it even further with Victory Thrust and Power Guard, making the Lance more aggressive than ever. If you like staying in control, countering at the right moment, and overwhelming monsters with relentless thrusts, this might just be the weapon for you.