Gunlance finally changes in Monster Hunter Wilds
The excitement surrounding Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance continues to build, and Capcom recently delivered the eighth weapon showcase trailer, focusing on one of the franchise’s most beloved and versatile weapon types: the Gunlance. This expansion isn’t just adding new gear; it’s fundamentally reshaping how players interact with the Gunlance, turning a historically underpowered weapon into a dynamic powerhouse ready for the endgame.
While the base game already gave the Gunlance some much-needed explosive and defensive capabilities, the new DLC expansion introduces mechanics that true fans have been clamoring for since the franchise’s early days. The gameplay is significantly enhanced by the introduction of the new Boost Bracer mechanic, which transforms mobility and combat rhythm.
Players can now initiate Boost Driver attacks, allowing them to dash forward while simultaneously blocking incoming attacks with their shield. This enhanced mobility is a game-changer, providing fluid movement that drastically improves reaction time and positioning during intense fights. Following this powerful dash, players have the option to impale an enemy with a launched drill or execute a rising uppercut Offset attack to counter incoming blows, followed by a forward aerial divebomb to close the distance.
Activating the Boost Gauge unlocks a suite of synergistic enhancements. During this active state, the Gunlance becomes noticeably faster in both its regular and shelling attacks. Furthermore, players gain access to new combo attack paths, reduced knockback while blocking—allowing for quicker recovery—and the ability to side-step while reloading ammunition and blocking at the same time. Most dramatically, the Gunlance can now mount a monster, pierce its body, and unleash a Wyrmstake Cannon inside it for devastating damage.
But perhaps the most anticipated feature, the trailer finally confirmed, is the introduction of Elemental Shelling attacks. This change addresses a long-standing frustration among Monster Hunter players: the lack of elemental properties in Shelling attacks. Previously, Shelling damage was fixed and lacked the elemental versatility that fans demanded.
With this major update, Gunlance attacks can now deal extra damage to monsters that resist physical attacks but are weak to elements like Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice, and Dragon. This isn’t just a cosmetic change; it completely revolutionizes build-crafting. Players are no longer locked into physical damage output but can now leverage elemental properties to exploit weaknesses, opening up incredible build-crafting variety for tackling endgame content.
This infusion of elemental power ensures that elemental Gunlances can finally be effective tools, capable of exploiting resistances and unlocking new strategic layers in the world of Monster Hunter. With these deep mechanical improvements and the promise of elemental freedom, the Gunlance is set to become one of the most dynamic and versatile weapons in the entire franchise as Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance prepares to launch in 2027.
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