10 Most Improved Weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance
Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance is set to release sometime in 2027, and Capcom has been holding the community over with the slow rollout of new information. Most recently, they just finished showing off all the new tools…
Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance is set to release sometime in 2027, and Capcom has been holding the community over with the slow rollout of new information. Most recently, they just finished showing off all the new tools coming in the update for each weapon surrounding the Boost Bracer, Ascendance's central mechanic.
Alongside these boosted attacks, each weapon is also undergoing fresh changes, leading to one major question: which has won out? That's what I'm here to walk you through, the top 10 weapons that are getting the best changes in Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance.
We'll be going over the new Boost Bracer moves, as well as the fresh tools these weapons are getting at a baseline to determine who is looking the best, and who just got more of what they already had. To be clear, every weapon is a winner here, even the 4 we didn't discuss are in a stronger spot, just not quite as wild as the following. Let's get started!
10 Long Sword
By far one of the flashiest weapons on this list, Long Sword was the last to get their changes revealed, and while they're saucy, they don't add much to this already powerful weapon. A stronger perfect timing for Iai Spirit Slash, a bit more damage on Crimson Slashes 1 and 2, and the new Peerless Multislash are useful, but nothing wild the weapon didn't already have.
The biggest game changer, in my opinion, is the introduction of Offset Slash: Flash, a special unsheathing strike that can be used to Offset monster attacks from a running position. This is an incredibly flexible ability to have, but Long Sword's short unsheathe animation and myriad of counters and parries make this more of a bonus than a true new tool. Sure to see plenty of use in Ascendance either way!
9 Switch Axe
While it stings to put my personal favorite weapon this low on the list, the Switch Axe had already been in a strong spot prior to Ascendance. Despite this, the Swaxe has gotten stellar, but small, modifications to some of its most important moves, including the ability to delay Rising Offset Slash in Axe mode, and a dash during the startup of Elemental Discharge.
Alongside these solid consistency additions, Switch Axe has new follow-up attacks after either Morph attack, and a new diving finisher after Zero Sum Discharge. This way, Swaxe has a much easier time sticking directly to enemies, keeping up the pressure and allowing both Sword and Axe mode to put out proper damage.
8 Hunting Horn
Hunting Horn didn't really get a lot of fully new tools, but they got great alterations to major mechanics and a very convenient new move. Encore and Echo Bubble both got buffs, allowing them to more easily serve both as party-wide support and self-defense, striking the surrounding area on cast for Echo Bubble and gaining an Offset effect for Encore while in Boost Bracer.
Honestly, the wildest changes come without the Boost Bracer at all, allowing the Hunting Horn to stock 2 Offset Melodies for higher uptime, and the addition of full on invulnerability during the start of a Performance. Pure invincibility is rare in Monster Hunter, and getting to use it either to force out a buff or fully dodge a monster's nuke is beautiful to have.
7 Hammer
Hammer got a ton of ways to loop in and out of its higher damaging sequences, with Mighty Charge follow-ups out of Big Bang finishers, both the standalone level 3 charge and combo variant. On top of this, while in Boost Bracer, both Big Bang variants deal even more damage, rewarding the initial hit, and allowing you to easily keep up the pressure.
Alongside all this, Hammer gains a ton of mobility through Boosted Soaring Hammer, a massive aerial leap attack, and Leaping Smash, a repositioning tool available while charging. Charge is the Hammer's bread and butter, and with these new tools, the Hammer can ensure it's always ready, even by chasing flying monsters into the air to deliver concussions from orbit.
6 Insect Glaive
Insect Glaive has gotten a bunch of new tools for extracting and utilizing Extracts, but fans of the pure aerial form the weapon took on in World will remain disappointed. Despite this, Insect Glaive has plenty of new tools, including a full new Kinsect Dust system available in and out of Boost Bracer.
Insect Glaive's Boost Driver is a massive spinning strike that ends in a slam, both of which function as Offset Attacks. This gives the Glaive a massive period of time to counter incoming attacks. Inputting a basic attack after the slam will have the Kinsect follow up and yoink Extract from any monster hit, allowing you to quickly restock.
In Boost Bracer, you can also have the Kinsect rocket forward, piercing the monster and stealing Extract for every body part hit. With a ton of more ways to get Extract, Insect Glaive's uptime and spenders are much easier to achieve and return to.
5 Gunlance
Gunlance similarly got plenty of new tools aside from their upgraded Boost Bracer attacks, including new ways to enhance all shots fired, and a fast way to load both Shelling and Wyrmstake ammo while attacking. Their Boost Driver is a fun one, allowing the Gunlance to sprint forward and either thrust for massive damage or fire off shots to Offset.
The actual Boost Bracer moves are fairly simple, but nice changes overall. Assault Reload allows the Gunlance to load and attack, all while on the move, maintaining uptime. Meanwhile, the weapon's basic combo becomes multihit, dealing extra damage. It's hard to overstate how minimizing the downtime on load the Gunlance's most powerful shots changes everything, putting the weapon in a beautiful spot.
4 Greatsword
Greatsword is the king of the neutral game, and each of its changes seem based on solidifying this fact. The earliest change isn't even tied to the Boost Bracer, allowing Offset Rising Slash to be charged while the weapon is still sheathed. Much of Greatsword's identity is centered around repositioning while sheathed and letting loose quick bursts of massive damage.
With this new change, the Greatsword doesn't even need to unsheathe to get started, pouring on the pressure whenever the monster swings. Early points of the Charge Slash combo are faster on hit, and the Greatsword's Boost Driver lets it close the gap with a huge leaping strike.
Offset Rising Slash can now be comboed twice in a sequence, a scary prospect for what we may need to fight in Ascendance. Boost Bracer also gains access to a new True Charged Slash variant, complete with an Offset effect.
3 Sword and Shield
Sword and Shield is all about being flexible, fast, and hitting quick whenever you can, and Ascendance gives new ways of doing all these things. The Bladecoating Slash is a particularly interesting new tool, allowing the hunter to coat their weapon with an item for on hit effects. This has almost limitless potential, and could do wonders for elemental and statue variants of Sword and Shield.
Sword and Shield's Boost Driver launches the hunter shield first forward, dealing blunt damage and comboing into either aerial or grounded combos. While in Boost Bracer, the S&S can grapple for Wound pops at a range, and Falling Bash can even offset, allowing the Sword and Shield to safely keep up damage from almost any angle.
2 Charge Blade
Charge Blade gains plenty of new attacks and a method of passively gaining Phials, allowing them to more easily maintain Amped State and spend them for big damage. To start, Amped Elemental Discharge gains a follow-up complete with an Offset, as well as the ability to store sword charge right before a Super Amped Elemental Discharge.
Charge Blade's Boost Driver can either buff Sword more or enable Power Axe Mode, while giving the chance to both close the gap and reflect damage with a Guard Point, all the while gaining Phials. After Boosted Charging Slash, the Charge Blade can let out a massive AOE Full Release Discharge, catching multiple monsters in the powerful strike.
Finally, the new Mega Condensed Element Slash buffs the sword further, enabling the passive build of Phials for any kind of use, a massive boost to the weapon's uptime.
1 Light Bowgun
The Light Bowgun is easily our winner, getting fresh options for defense, offense, new DPS rotations that actually grant extra resources, and the return of the Aerial Stance dodge from Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate. Without the Boost Bracer active, the Light Bowgun can now perfect dodge, allowing reloads or Chaser Shots, and Offset via Counter Shots, a new type of shot meant to counter incoming monsters.
Boosted Trigger Dash is the weapon's Boost Driver, enabling a period of enhanced movement while mag dumping monsters, all the while building up the Rapidfire Gauge. Doubling down on the mobility, while in Boost Driver the hunter can leap forward, springing off a monster if one is landed on. While soaring over the monster, you can tear into them from above.
Combine all this with some follow-ups to Chaser Shots, and the Light Bowgun has fantastic buffs to mobility, damage, and defense, turning it from a solid choice to a potentially phenomenal one.