Monster Hunter Wilds offers hunters an array of weapon choices, each with unique strengths. A key decision is whether to focus on elemental or raw damage weapons. This choice can significantly impact your hunting effectiveness against different monsters.
Understanding Raw Damage
Raw damage represents a weapon’s base attack power. When you strike a monster, several factors determine the actual damage dealt:
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Motion Value: Each attack has a percentage of the weapon’s raw damage it applies. For example, a Great Sword’s charged slash might have a 100% motion value, while a quick jab could be 20%.
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Hit Zone Value: Different monster parts have varying resistances. A strike to a heavily armored section deals less damage than hitting a vulnerable spot.
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Sharpness: Higher sharpness levels increase damage output, while duller weapons deal reduced damage.
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Critical Hits: These typically boost raw damage by 25%, making them especially potent for high raw damage weapons.
Raw damage is consistent across all monsters, making it a reliable choice for general hunting.
Understanding Elemental Damage
Elemental damage works differently:
- It’s applied separately from raw damage calculations.
- Most weapon attacks deal 100% of the listed elemental damage.
- Elemental damage isn’t affected by motion values.
- Critical hits don’t boost elemental damage (without specific skills).
- Monsters have varying elemental weaknesses and resistances.
Fast-hitting weapons like Dual Blades excel with elemental damage, as they can rapidly apply multiple instances of elemental damage.
Weapon Types and Damage Preferences
Generally, weapon types fall into two categories:
Fast Weapons (Favor Elemental)
- Dual Blades
- Sword and Shield
- Insect Glaive
- Light Bowgun
These weapons hit quickly and frequently, maximizing elemental damage application.
Slow Weapons (Favor Raw)
- Great Sword
- Hammer
- Hunting Horn
- Heavy Bowgun
These weapons have high motion values but attack more slowly, benefiting more from raw damage and critical hits.
Monster Hunter Wilds: A Shift in the Meta
While the traditional wisdom holds true, Monster Hunter Wilds introduces some changes that impact the elemental vs. raw debate:
- New Skills: Abilities like “Burst” and “Black Eclipse” provide significant boosts to elemental attacks.
- Weapon Redesigns: Some traditionally raw-focused weapons now have improved elemental options.
- Monster Resistances: New monsters may have different elemental weaknesses compared to previous games.
These changes have made elemental builds more competitive across a wider range of weapon types.
How to Choose Your Weapon
Consider these factors when deciding between elemental and raw damage:
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Monster Weaknesses: Check the Hunter’s Notes for detailed information on monster elemental weaknesses and hit zone values.
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Weapon Type: Fast weapons generally benefit more from elemental, while slow weapons favor raw damage.
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Available Resources: Maintaining multiple elemental weapons can be resource-intensive. Raw weapons might be more efficient early in the game.
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Playstyle: Some hunters prefer the consistency of raw damage, while others enjoy tailoring their loadouts to specific monsters.
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Endgame Goals: For speedrunning or tackling the toughest monsters, optimized elemental builds often edge out raw damage setups.
Practical Tips for Weapon Selection
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Early Game: Focus on raw damage weapons as you build your initial arsenal. They’re more versatile across different monsters.
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Mid-Game: Start investing in elemental weapons for monsters with clear elemental weaknesses. Keep your raw damage options for general hunting.
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Late Game: Develop a diverse set of both raw and elemental weapons. This allows you to optimize your loadout for specific hunts and challenges.
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Skill Synergy: Consider armor skills that complement your weapon choice. Critical Element for elemental builds or Attack Boost for raw damage setups can make a significant difference.
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Test and Adapt: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different setups. The training area and low-rank hunts are great for trying new weapon strategies.
Remember, the “best” weapon is ultimately the one you enjoy using and can wield effectively. While optimizing damage is important for tackling the toughest challenges, your skill and familiarity with a weapon type often matter more than raw vs. elemental damage in most hunts. Happy hunting!