How To Use The Lance In Monster Hunter Rise

One of the best things about the Monster Hunter series is how each and every game gives players all the tools they need to come up with their unique playstyles. Some weapons are more geared towards offense, others support, and a few others towards defensive play that, while not as exciting as offensive play, can be incredibly satisfying. The Lance is the weapon for those players who like to play defensively, and Monster Hunter Rise introduces some welcome tweaks that make this weapon type even better than before.

What can the Lance really do in Monster Hunter Rise and is it a viable choice? Let us find out.

Overview

The Lance is a great choice of weapon in Monster Hunter Rise for those players who want to play defensively. The weapon’s basic attacks are not particularly fast, and they are meant to be used as counterattacks, rather than offensive tools. As this weapon type has a lot of different defensive actions that need to be mastered for maximum efficacy, the Lance isn’t a particularly good weapon for newcomers, but definitely a strong one for those who have a little more experience under their belts.

A Strong Defense Is A Strong Offense

The Lance has so many defensive actions that any hunter using this weapon will have an answer for pretty much any situation. Alongside the regular guard, you can use Power Guard by pressing ZR while charging Counter Thrust to reduce Stun time at the cost of stamina, which is quite useful when you know a monster is unleashing its ultimate technique.

Your Offense Is My Offense

Counterattacks make for a big part of the Lance moveset, being the safest way to deal damage to monsters. Counter Thrust is a basic counterattack that is unleashed by pressing ZR and A, a great way to turn your enemies’ offense into your own. The new Silkbind technique, Anchor Rage, is yet another way to turn an enemy attack into something beneficial: press ZL and A, block an attack, and receive a damage bonus while counterattacking.

Defensive Mobility

The great thing about Lances in Monster Hunter Rise is that they grant you great mobility as well as amazing defense. The new Silkbind Attack, Twin Wine, lets you leap at your enemy while guarding, making it a great way to close distances in a completely safe manner. Guard Dash, unleashed by pressing ZR, a direction on the left stick and X, is not as effective as Twin Wine, but it still lets you get closer to enemies without taking any risk. And if you want to take some risks, you can use the Dash Attack by pressing the ZR, X and A buttons. This iconic Lance move is every bit as good as it was in previous games, and an essential move in the Lance’s moveset.