"Top-class defense. Low mobility but has speedy attacks with a small vulnerability window and various defensive abilities. Guarding: Yes (with counterattack)."
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Overview
The Lance offers top-class defense and a higher range than most melee weapons. Its thrusting attacks are swift and precise, and it can even counter incoming attacks with well-timed blocks, turning defense into a devastating offensive opportunity.
Players who love to stay in the middle of the battlefield, luring the monster’s attention and acting as a tank for the team will enjoy the Lance. This weapon can guard against all incoming attacks and incorporates guard-related moves that allow striking in retaliation.
If you're interested in the Lance, you'll likely also find the Gunlance interesting. They're similar but have small differences. (outside of the gun part) You can find a more in-depth breakdown of all the weapons in our "Choose a Weapon" guide.
This article was written by @dxvis.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- The Lance is the go-to defensive weapon out of all.
- It can attack while blocking and has powerful counter-moves.
- Power Clashes can happen after blocking for a few times.
Weaknesses
- Its damage tends to be lower than other weapons unless making full use of counter attacks.
- Needs quick reactions to make full use of Perfect Guards, which enhance the weapon’s play style.
- It is a heavy weapon, and maneuvering through fights can be difficult.
Changes from Monster Hunter World
NOTE: The Lance will see significant changes on the game’s full release:
Guard Stalwart
One of Wild’s coolest additions, and unique to the Lance, is the ability to guard through monster lasers and beams, stopping it from hitting other Hunters standing behind you.
Triple Thrust
Pressing (â–³) after a Mid or High Thrust III will execute this move, which thrusts three times, ending with a high thrust.
This move can be canceled into a Guard at any time.
Moving while Mid Thrust
In Monster Hunter Wilds, you can move while performing Mid Thrusts by tilting the Left Joystick in the desired direction. Your character will move a bit, allowing for precise aiming of attacks to avoid having to reposition.
Moveset Highlights
Thrusts
The Lance’s signature three-thrust combo comes out quickly and can be canceled into a guard at any time.
There are Mid Thrusts (â–³) and High Thrusts (â—¯), which can be chained up to three times. It is possible to switch between Mid and High Thrusts in the same combo.
- Mid Thrusts are quicker and allow for repositioning by tilting the Left Joystick in a direction as the attack comes out. Use them when you need to set up a three-thrust combo quickly or reposition while attacking.
- High Thrusts deal more damage and can reach higher. Use them to reach a higher body part or when a sufficient opening presents itself.
Combo Finishers
After performing a three-thrust combo of any kind, two new moves can be performed: The Triple Thrust (â–³) or the Charge Counter (Hold â—¯).
The Triple Thrust (â–³) is the quicker of the two. Use it when there is no imminent danger after a three-thrust combo.
On the other hand, the Charge Counter (Hold ◯) will have you stand in place and prepare for an incoming attack. Releasing (◯) as a monster attack hits will perform a Double Counter-Thrust, which is one of the Lance’s highest damaging moves. The longer (◯) is held, the more power the Double Counter-Thrust will have.
Guard (R2), Perfect Guard, and Counter-attacks
By pressing (R2), the Hunter will ready their shield, blocking all attacks coming from the front. If a monster attack is blocked, a swift strike with the shield will be automatically performed.
It is possible to Guard while in the middle of an attack animation during most moves.
After guarding, your available moves change:
- Returning Thrust (â–³) is very quick, allowing to guard immediately after.
- Payback Thrust (â—¯) deals significantly more damage but is slower to perform.
Both of these moves act as the first Thrust in a combo.
If (R2) is pressed as an incoming attack would land, a Perfect Guard will be performed instead. The time window for the Perfect Guard is shown by the shield glowing white. A Perfect Guard negates knockback and allows retaliating with a stronger attack.
The Follow-up Dash Attack (â–³ + â—¯ after a Perfect Guard) is the slowest counter-attack but deals huge damage. It makes the hunter start charging forward, dealing even more damage. This attack can be ended by pressing (â–³) or (â—¯).
Power Guard (R2 + â—¯)
The Power Guard is one of the Lance’s most powerful assets in its move set. It can block incoming attacks from any direction, even those that a regular Guard can’t block against.
Power Guarding continuously drains stamina, and may not fully block damage from the strongest attacks, but it allows for a heavy-hitting counter afterward, just as if a Perfect Guard was performed.
The first attack after a Power Guard will be powered up based on the strength of the blocked attack. The stronger it is, the more damage the counter will deal. The Lance will glow either white, yellow, or red to show the counter’s attack boost, with red being the highest damage.
Guard Dash (R2 → △ + Left Joystick in a direction)
While Guarding (Hold R2), it is possible to dash in a direction by pressing (â–³) while tilting the Left Joystick.
Guard Dashes allow for swift repositioning while also triggering Perfect Guards.
Back-Hops and Sidesteps
Immediately after a Thrust attack or while Guarding, Hunters can press (X) to perform a quick Back-Hop. This move is useful for repositioning, as most of the Lance’s attacks move the Hunter forward.
Pressing (X + Left Joystick left/right) will instead perform a quick Sidestep, which is also useful for repositioning and even quicker than a Back-hop.
Wide Sweep (â–³ + â—¯ after a Thrust I or II)
This move can be performed after your first or second Thrust in a combo, replacing one Thrust in it. It is slower than Mid and High Thrust but deals significantly more damage. Try to weave in a Wide Sweep in your combo whenever possible.
Focus Strike: Victory Thrust (L2 + R1)
The Lance’s unique Focus Strike will bash with the shield that, if it connects with a wound, will do a charge attack forward, dealing massive damage.
Advanced usage of Focus Mode
The Lance greatly benefits from the use of Focus Mode to aim its attacks, which often move the Hunter forward. Without it, players will often find themselves out of position. After players familiarize themselves with the Lance, they will want to stay in Focus Mode almost all the time while fighting.
When using the Lance, it is a good idea to use the setting that turns Focus Mode into a toggle. (Options → Controls → Controller Aim/Focus Mode Controls → Press (L2) to Toggle Mode)
Recommended Combos
Most of the Lance’s strength comes from the fluidity of its combos and quick reactions to incoming attacks to prepare Perfect Guards. However, some combos will come in handy during hunts, as shown below.
Basic Combo (△ → △ → △ → △)
This is the standard damaging combo, using three Mid Thrusts, and ends with a Triple Thrust.
Counter-Thrust Basic Combo (◯ → ◯ → ◯ → Hold ◯)
This combo uses High Thrusts and ends with a Charge. Hold â—¯ if there is a monster attack incoming and release as it hits to perform a powerful Double Counter-Thrust.
Use this if you have a sufficient opening to chain three High Thrusts and prepare for an attack afterward.
Power Guard into Payback Thrust (R2 + ◯ → ◯)
This combo is primarily used to guard against powerful monster attacks that can’t be normally blocked by other means, retaliating with an empowered Payback Thrust.
Recommended Skills
Depending on your Lance build, here are the sort of skills you'll often see Lance players using.
| Increases attack power and affinity when large monsters become enraged. |
|---|---|
| Slightly increases recovery rate after contracting the Frenzy. Affinity +3% if cured. |
| Continuously landing hits gradually increases attack and elemental attack (Amount increased depends on weapon). |
| Reduces stamina depletion when evading, blocking, or doing certain other actions. |
| Temporarily increases attack power after being knocked back. |
| Reduces knockback and stamina consumption when blocking. |
| Allows to block against otherwise unblockable attacks. |
| Increases affinity if stamina is kept full for a long period of time. |
| Raises attack power after guarding. |
| Makes it easier to break large monster parts, and increases damage dealt when destroying a wound with a Focus Strike. |
| Increases the affinity of attacks that exploit a monster's weak points and wounds. |
Video
From the official Monster Hunter channel:
