Endgame Gunlance Meta & Progression

4-pc Ebony Odogaron

Gunlance is quite an easy weapon to build for, simply because of how Shelling works:

• Shelling cannot crit
• does not deal Elemental damage
• Scales with Raw Damage (new change in Wilds)
• Scales with Artillery
  
• Shelling Type (Normal, Long, Wide)
• • Different playstyles and damage bonuses to certain moves
• Shelling Power (Slightly Weak, Normal, Slightly Strong)
• • Inherent to weapon
• Shelling uses 2x amount of Sharpness
• Shelling damage only decreases once at Yellow or Red Sharpness

Since the majority of your damage will be through Shelling, the build simply focuses on maxing out Raw Damage.

Burst & Burst Boost II are great ways to do this, as Burst 5 will give 18 Raw, and Burst Boost will grant an additional 10 for 28 Raw total.

• Burst 5
• Agitator 4
• Resentment 4 (Optional)
• Earplugs 2 (Optional)
• Divine Blessing 1
• Self-Improvement 1 (Optional)

Level 2 Decorations

This build has a lot of open slots for Level 2 Skills. There are a total of 5 slots and the build naturally has 1 point of Earplugs already.

Earplugs Level 3 blocks "Strong Roars," which only 3 monsters have: Gore Magala, Jin Dahaad, and Gravios. You can add one more Decoration in for those monsters.

Level 2 Skill Option Examples:

• Earplugs / Earplugs Jewel: Allows for time to combo while monster is roaring. Most monsters only require Level 2, making it very efficient to add in. (Build naturally has 1 Level already)
• Resentment / Furor Jewel: Solid option for Raw Damage. Might not have amazing uptime but if you get chipped while guarding it can be consistent and helpful.
• Counterstrike / Counter Jewel: Very strong option, but only if you get hit decently often, which ideally doesn't happen on Gunlance. Very powerful for casual gamers. (no flame)
• Ambush / Ambush Jewel: Speedrun option/quick fights.
• Heroics / Potential Jewel: Niche option if you're willing to use it.

Weapon / Why not Artian?

G. Lawful Bors is the Gunlance that just about everyone should use. It has Wide Shelling and Slightly Strong Shell Power.

Slightly Strong is one of the main reasons this Gunlance is used. Slightly Strong provides a 1.25x multiplier on Shelling Damage, where Normal is just 1x.

For reference, every Artian Gunlance Argenesis is unfortunately Normal Shelling Power. (Shelling type will depend on Element)

Since we mainly care about the Shelling damage output of Gunlance, Shell Power is one of the top priorities. There are some other Gunlances with Slightly Strong, but they sacrifice Raw for Element/Affinity which we don't want.

Options: If you want to experiment/play around with other Shelling types, here is a quick recommendation. (High Raw and Slightly Strong)

• G. Lawful Bors (Wide Shelling / Slightly Strong Power)
• White Cannon (Long Shelling / Slightly Strong Power)
• Firetrail Quemador (Normal Shelling / Slightly Strong Power)