To put it simply: it’s a Lance with a shotgun strapped to the front like a reverse bayonet. I wonder how often jousting knights thought to themselves, “Damn, if only my lance could cause explosions with the pointy end!” Probably not so often, considering they never had to hunt dragons the size of small islands. Although it has “gun” in its name, the Gunlance doesn’t count as a ranged weapon. It fires no bullets, but rather blank shells designed to add some kick to your melee attacks. These blasts deal true damage ignoring defenses and helping you break monster parts off easily. In addition to this it can also use the Wyvernstake special move, shooting a short-range projectile from the tip of the lance which lodges itself in the monster and deals some damage before blowing up and, well, dealing even more. Whether you’re a Lance veteran trying to shake things up or a new player who’s still figuring out whether the Gunlance was the right choice, then you’ve arrived at the right corner of the Internet. The following list will help you get acquainted with the several options, and maybe you’ll find the right hunting gun(lance?) to accompany you on your adventures.
15. Dragonbone Gunlance III
Have you ever wondered what a revolver in the Jurassic period would have looked like? Well CAPCOM clearly thought about that a lot when creating this Gunlance, which is basically a big gun with bone plating and a nice carapace shield to go with it. Although it’s the Gunlance with the most Dragon elemental damage in the game, this weapon’s raw damage leaves a lot to be desired. Furthermore its shelling type is Normal, a tricky one to work with. While it does have great potential for damage when used with Burst Fire due to the simple fact that it carries more shells, it will eat through your sharpness really fast. If you do choose to use this weapon I recommend you get both Handicraft and Protective Polish to make its mediocre sharpness last longer.
14. Glutton Gunlance III
Much like the previous entry in the list, this Gunlance made of sharpened Jagras bones has the same issues regarding its Normal shelling type. It also has a much higher raw damage output and access to the Non-Elemental Boost to further improve it. And also has both one large and one medium-sized decoration slot you can use. Even though it can’t reach white sharpness, it’s still worth it to get Handicraft for this weapon, so that its blue sharpness lasts longer.
13. Great Bone Gunlance II
In the same damage range as the previous entry we find the Great Bone Gunlance II, which basically looks the same, only less colorful. In addition to its good raw damage and access to the Non-Elemental Boost, this Gunlance offers a small Defense boost and has a large decoration slot to help you work on your build. What really sets this one apart from the previous Gunlance is its shelling type, Long level 2. This type has a longer range than the other two and is an excellent option for Charge Shots. In fact most of the Long shelling type lances are primarily used to shoot down airborne enemies and target hard to reach weak spots. Even though you won’t be using Burst Shot with this one, you’re still better off getting Handicraft to lengthen its blue sharpness durability.
12. Xeno Hemta
This next entry is also a Long shelling type Gunlance, just one level higher (Long 3) which simply means it’ll deal more damage. The Xeno Hemta with its alien Xeno’jiiva frills and tiny red eyes on both lance and shield, is one of the most amazing-looking options in this list. It’s also one of the easiest to use since you won’t have to worry much about sharpening. It has white sharpness by default and it’ll hardly ever run out if you get a high-enough level of the Handicraft skill. Not to mention it offers a 15% affinity bonus and two large decoration slots to help you power it up, which it’ll need if you plan on using it. While it does have a decent Dragon damage output, its raw damage is pretty low which keeps it from reaching a higher spot. Still, it’s 100% a valid option and great for going against Deviljho, Lunastra, and other enemies weak to the Dragon element.
11. Barroth Blaster III
On the other side of the sharpness spectrum there’s the Barroth Blaster III, made of sharpened bone and the Barroth’s characteristic copper-colored scales (or whatever those are). This Gunlance offers great raw damage and access to the Non-Elemental Boost, as well as a nice Defense boost to keep you healthy. Now its sharpness leaves much to be desired since it almost forces you to get Protective Polish. Not only that, but you’ll have to deal with its 10% negative affinity as well. Overall your build flexibility isn’t great with this weapon. The reason such a problematic Gunlance gets this respectable eleventh spot on the list is its Wide shelling type, which is considered by many to be the best you can get. It’s the type that’ll deal the most damage making it a good idea to insert shelling into your combos to maximize DPS.
10. Anja Cannon III
Looking at the stats, you’d be confused as to how it made it so high up on the list. While it does have an amazing raw damage output and a lot of Fire elemental damage to complement it, its sharpness is an absolute joke. How are you supposed to use its shelling capabilities considering it eats through sharpness so fast? Well, you don’t. This is one of a few Gunlances that you’re better off using as a purely melee weapon. With Handicraft and perhaps Protective Polish you’ll have enough sharpness to hunt effectively and take advantage of its great damage potential as long as you don’t shell. Just don’t forget to account for its 20% negative affinity when planning a build!
9. Earthshaker Magda Lahat
The next gunlance in the line of powerful weapons with questionable sharpness comes from the Zorah Magdaros Elder Dragon. This hefty cannon looks devastating, and it has the raw damage to back it up. Not only that but it has an insanely high Blast build-up to further establish itself as the quintessential “boom-stick”. You have two options with this one. You either try to focus on using it as a melee weapon, or you accept you’ll have to sharpen a couple more times than most weapons and you take advantage of its Long 4 shelling type, continuously blowing up monster parts and keeping your enemies shell-shocked half the fight. The choice is up to you!
8. Royal Burst
One of the most used Gunlances overall is the Royal Burst made from Pink Rathian parts like the scales the cover both lance and shield.
The reason it’s so popular is simple: it has a good cost-benefit ratio.
It’s easy to craft and packs one hell of a punch while still looking pretty cool.
This weapon has a good raw damage output but shines thanks to its very high Poison status build-up on a Normal shelling type Gunlance, which is arguably the best for the job.
In fact, this sharp-looking hunting tool is the best craftable Normal shelling Gunlance in the game. In great part thanks to its white sharpness potential with Handricraft, 15% affinity bonus, and small decoration slot that’ll allow you to maximize your Poison damage.
7. Bazel Buster II
Here we have a Blast damage Gunlance from the Bazelgeuse monster. It sports a heavy powerful look with beautiful colors mimicking the explosive Elder Dragon. You’ll need a high level of the Handicraft skill to raise its sharpness to white as well as something to compensate its 10% negative affinity. But once you do you’ll be left with an amazing Wide 3 shelling type Gunlance sure to bring you victory against enemies like Paolumu or the fearsome Kushala Daora. Overall a great choice, especially if you like distinctive designs on your weapons.
6. Eradication Flame
Here’s another Gunlance with an incredible look is: the Eradication Flame, created with parts from the Eater of Elders and Nergigante, as you can probably tell from the horns adorn the shield. True to its origin, this is a great option to go against most Elder Dragons thanks to its high level Elderseal and solid Dragon elemental damage. Its raw damage output is also among the best and although it can’t reach white sharpness, it already has the most durable blue sharpness possible. So you can completely forget that sharpness is a thing. It even has a medium-sized decoration slot for your customization needs. Its only downside is the fact that its shelling type is only Wide 2, far from the most powerful. Still, it gets the job done, and you can always focus on melee if you so desire.
5. Hazak Spysa II
This ominous-looking lance with the signature Vaal Hazak look is also a really good option to take against the Elder Dragons in general. It boasts great raw damage along with excellent Dragon elemental damage and average level Elderseal. It also has a medium-sized decoration slot to further improve any of its qualities. Being a Long 3 shelling type Gunlance, you’re better off focusing on powering up its shelling capabilities with skills such as Artillery and Capacity Boost rather than trying to improve its melee prowess. This will give you a lot of flexibility in regards to your build, in which you’ll also want to include Handicraft to get a nice white sharpness. Just sit back and relax behind your shield while spamming those Charge Shots!
4. Taroth Buster Sleep
The best Normal shelling type Gunlance is, without the shadow of a doubt, this relic weapon from the Kulve Taroth monster. Its raw damage is nothing to write home about. But its insane Sleep build-up will let you put almost any foe to sleep at least two times during each encounter. It competes with the Royal Burst for best ailment lance and ultimately comes out on top if you don’t mind spending some resources on awakening that status build-up. In terms of sharpness, this weapon has the potential to achieve a somewhat durable white bar, which you may even want to further preserve with the Protective Polish skill given Normal shelling types lose sharpness at an accelerated rate. A great option if you have a coordinated team who can truly make the best of a monster taking a forced nap.
3. Empress Howl “Styx”
What basically looks like a blue-bladed Xeno Hemta is actually much, much more. While this weapon doesn’t shine in the raw damage department, it compensates this lack with a nice Blast build-up. Along with both a small and a large decoration slot to further increase its destructive power. The reason it’s so high up on the list is the ease with which it maintains sharpness. Not only does it have a durable white sharpness bar by default, but also comes with the Razor Sharp skill integrated to halve its sharpness loss. Thanks to this, any hunter can truly take advantage of its Wide 3 shelling type without worrying a bit about the weapon going blunt. An amazing and versatile choice for any hunt.
2. Ravenous Gunlance
The title of best craftable Gunlance in MHW goes to the Deviljho Gunlance. This weaponized lump of chained Deviljho flesh provides the best raw damage among the Gunlances by a long shot, along with high level Elderseal and great Dragon damage which also makes it the best Elder-hunting Gunlance. The best way to use this weapon is by going full-melee and completely forgetting about shelling. That way your build is freed up so you can take care of its 30% negative affinity and get its sharpness up to white.
1. Taroth Buster Water
This amazing-looking golden weapon doesn’t have the highest raw damage. Not even after getting the Non-Elemental Boost on it. This puts it on a tough spot when competing with the likes of the Insatiable Gunlance for the first spot on our ranking. What really holds this weapon up is its Wide 4 shelling type, easily the strongest among them all. Not only that, but this Gunlance has the sharpness to keep up the shelling for a long time which will maximize your DPS when compared to all other possibilities. If you manage to get your hands on it you’ll never need another Gunlance again.
