Gunlance Guide
Gunlance is patience with an explosive answer. Read the monster's commitment alongside loaded shells, sharpness, and Wirebugs, then use each opening to hold the shield, move to stay close, or spend the magazine on a shelling route that fits the weapon. Defense and repositioning feed the next explosion rather than interrupting the attack. This chapter builds that rhythm through Normal shelling and its slam into Burst Fire.
Melee strikes reward good hitzones and physical damage skills. The fixed portion of Shelling does not use your Attack stat, affinity, or critical hits, so shell damage and melee damage need different build priorities. Use the shield when an attack will outlast your opening. In Sunbreak, Reverse Blast can instead pass through an incoming attack and lead back to a slam, but spending that Wirebug may leave you without Wirefall.
Sunbreak, final balance. Use the in-game Hunter's Notes for weapon controls; the official manual covers common controls and weapon systems. Combat Mechanics explains why the same melee attack can deal different amounts of damage. Shelling damage mostly ignores those calculations. The Motion Values page lists every move.
If this weapon is new to you, try it in the Training Area first. Use the in-game Hunter's Notes to practice its basic attacks; this guide explains how to connect them into a hunt.
Shelling
Gunlance shells are Normal, Long, or Wide. The type and level are shown on the weapon. When shelling supplies most of a build's damage, compare shelling level before spending slots on physical Attack. Qurious Weapon Crafting can raise a fully upgraded gunlance to shelling level 8.
- Normal carries the largest magazine, so it gains the most shells from Burst Fire. After a slam, fire the magazine, sweep, and reload.
- Long gives shells more reach. It can use that reach for individual or charged shells, or still join a slam-and-burst route.
- Wide carries fewer shells but makes each individual shell stronger. Its small magazine also reduces the drawback of Guard Reload, which reloads fewer shells than Quick Reload.
raises shell damage. Lv 2 adds one shell of capacity, directly giving Burst Fire another shell to fire. does not affect shell damage.
Quick Reload fills the magazine, but does not restore a fired Wyrmstake Cannon. A full reload restores both, while Guard Reload restores both under the shield but loads fewer shells. Wide Sweep leads into planting Wyrmstake Cannon in the targeted monster body part. Do not begin that sequence if the monster is about to move away.
Shells do not bounce, and a monster part's physical hitzone does not change the fixed portion of their damage. Shelling still consumes sharpness, and its damage drops at orange and red sharpness. Sharpen before the gauge falls that far; green or better also preserves more damage for the melee strikes in the sequence. Every loaded shell in Burst Fire incurs shelling wear, so Normal's larger magazine consumes more sharpness per burst than a one-shell pattern.
Wyrmstake and Wyvern's Fire
When Wyrmstake Cannon connects, its planted projectile deals repeated damage and then explodes. Erupting Cannon is the faster Switch Skill alternative, and it consumes the same stake ammunition. Its heat temporarily strengthens slashing attacks and persists through sheathing. That speed makes Erupting Cannon the starting choice for the hybrid Normal loop in this guide.
Wyvern's Fire has its own cooldown. The guard before firing protects the charge, not the entire recovery, so use it when the monster will remain still long enough for both. Every shelling type can use it during a knockdown.
Ground Splitter carries you forward through knockback and temporarily raises damage from shells, Wyrmstake attacks, and Wyvern's Fire. Sheathing removes that buff, so refresh it after a forced retreat instead of refusing to heal. Bullet Barrage reloads any missing shells, stake ammunition, and Wyvern's Fire before firing the whole payload. Missing ammunition lengthens its preparation, and the move costs two Wirebugs, so reserve it for an opening that will hold. Hail Cutter and Bullet Barrage occupy the same Switch Skill slot as Ground Splitter — you cannot equip all three on one scroll. Blast Dash uses shelling to propel you forward. Charged Shelling trades that movement for a stronger shell that takes time to charge.
Reverse Blast
Reverse Blast costs one Wirebug and consumes a shell when one is loaded. If the magazine is empty, it reloads before takeoff, making the move slower. The takeoff can pass safely through an incoming attack. Its shield strike deals blunt damage and can contribute to a stun when it hits the head.
Reverse Blast → Overhead Smash → Burst Fire → Wide Sweep → Quick Reload is Normal's route back to a full magazine. From there, use another Reverse Blast only when its movement or protection answers the monster's next action. Otherwise continue from the reload without spending a Wirebug.
Switch Skills
You have two scrolls, and each slot offers a choice. This Normal starting setup supports movement into a full magazine and a quick slashing buff.
| Slot | Normal starting choice | Alternative Gunlance option |
|---|---|---|
| Charge or travel | Blast Dash | Charged Shelling |
| Reload | Quick Reload | Guard Reload |
| Stake | Erupting Cannon | Wyrmstake Cannon |
| Forward Silkbind | Ground Splitter | Hail Cutter or Bullet Barrage |
| Defensive Silkbind | Reverse Blast | Guard Edge |
Switch Skill Swap lets the second scroll carry Hail Cutter or Bullet Barrage, then lets you return to a scroll with Ground Splitter. Keep both scrolls otherwise identical at first; this makes the one changed slot easy to remember during a hunt.
Fight loop
At the start of a hunt, activate Ground Splitter during an opening and use Erupting Cannon when its target will stay in reach. On Great Izuchi, for example, the head has a severing hitzone value of 80. Aim Overhead Smash and Wide Sweep there even though the shell damage in the same sequence has a fixed portion that does not depend on the body part.
With Normal shelling, use Reverse Blast to cross a committed attack, then continue through Overhead Smash → Burst Fire → Wide Sweep → Quick Reload. Guard instead when the attack outlasts the move's protection or when the Wirebug must remain available. Do not begin the magazine dump when a roar or another attack is about to interrupt it. If the monster remains in reach after Wide Sweep, replace the reload with Erupting Cannon to refresh its slashing buff, then reload at the next opening.
During a knockdown, use the full Normal sequence and add Wyvern's Fire if its cooldown is ready. If Bullet Barrage is equipped, use it instead when its two-Wirebug cost will still leave the recovery option you need. Reload before the monster gets up rather than beginning another commitment that cannot land. With Long shelling, its extra reach makes separated shells easier to land. With Wide shelling, use its stronger individual shells and reload frequently.
Keep a shell loaded when you plan to use Reverse Blast through the next attack; an empty magazine adds the move's reload delay. If the Wirebug is unavailable, end the combo before impact and raise the shield. Hop clear of an attack outside the shield's facing. Save the last Wirebug for Wirefall when being knocked down would otherwise put the hunt at risk.
Skills
If one or two monster attacks can make you faint, address that problem before adding offense. Eat a meal, then collect Spiribirds up to the limit of the equipped Petalace. See Getting Started. Combat Mechanics explains . It benefits the slams, not the shells.
Starting priorities
This guide's starting style is Normal Burst Fire.
| Offensive | Why |
|---|---|
| Highest practical shell level | Shell level sets fixed shell damage. Prioritize it when shells supply most of the build's damage, while still checking the weapon's sharpness and slots. |
| Raises damage from shells, Wyvern's Fire, and Wyrmstake Cannon explosions. | |
| Lv 2 | Adds one shell of magazine capacity, giving Burst Fire another shell to fire. |
| Sharpen before orange | Orange and red sharpness reduce shell damage. Higher colors also preserve the melee damage in the sequence. Use the options in Keep a color below. |
| Lv 3 | Adds affinity to Overhead Smash and Wide Sweep against a physical hitzone of 45 or higher. Shells do not use affinity. |
| Raises Attack and affinity while the monster is enraged. It affects melee attacks, not shell damage. |
| Defensive | Why |
|---|---|
| Eat every hunt | Raises maximum health and stamina for the quest; Dango can add shelling skills. |
| Spiribirds | Raise quest health up to the limit of the equipped Petalace. |
| Armor Sphere | Raises Defense at the smithy. Spend them on armor you expect to keep when hits start to hurt. |
| 20 resistance to the relevant element | Prevents the corresponding elemental blight. , , , , . |
| Reduces guard knockback and stamina loss. Use enough levels for the target's attacks so a large knockback does not break the next reload-and-burst sequence. | |
| Has a chance to reduce damage, including chip damage that passes through a guard. | |
| Lv 3 | Prevents stun when an attack gets around the shield or catches a mistimed commitment. |
When playing with other hunters, add to prevent friendly attacks from causing damage reactions. It has no purpose solo.
Often added, not required:
| Skill | Why |
|---|---|
| Lets the shield block certain attacks that are normally unblockable. Those blocks can still deal chip damage. | |
| Raises Attack after a properly timed guard. Simply holding the shield does not trigger it, and shell damage does not use Attack. | |
| Shortens the charge time when Charged Shelling is equipped. It does not speed up Burst Fire. | |
| Raises critical damage from slams. Skip it when shells provide most of the damage. | |
| Lv 3 | Increases damage by 20% when an attack lands from behind, including shells and Wyvern's Fire. does not raise shell damage; this does. |
| Lv 3 | Speeds passive Wirebug recovery while you are on the ground, shortening the wait between Reverse Blast, Hail Cutter, Bullet Barrage, and Ground Splitter. |
| Lv 4+ | Adds physical Attack after the starting priorities are covered. It does not raise shell damage. |
| Adds physical damage at full health. Any blocked chip damage deactivates it until you heal. | |
| Raises damage for a short time after a blight or abnormal status ends. The portion of the bonus that raises Attack does not affect shell damage. | |
| After its gauge fills, one attack that would knock you back instead causes no damage reaction and deals reduced damage. This can keep one committed sequence moving. | |
| Breaks tails and horns faster. It does not multiply shell damage to the monster's health. | |
| Raises physical Attack and Defense after a faint. It helps salvage a troubled hunt; it is not a reason to plan a faint. |
Keep a color
Sharpen before orange if shell damage matters. Higher colors continue to improve the melee attacks in the same sequence. Shelling consumes sharpness; guarding with Gunlance does not.
| Skill | What it does |
|---|---|
| Adds sharpness when the gauge is not already full. | |
| Critical attacks do not consume sharpness. Helps slams. Shells do not crit. | |
| No sharpness loss for a fixed time after you sharpen. | |
| Gives each hit a chance not to consume sharpness, reducing consumption over time. | |
| Grants a timed boost after sharpening restores enough levels of sharpness. Attacks within a combo do not restore sharpness. | |
| Lets you use a whetstone during a small opening. |
Comfort
| Skill | Why |
|---|---|
| Increases healing, helping restore health lost to blocked chip damage. | |
| Shortens the time spent drinking after you sheathe. | |
| The red portion of the health bar returns faster. | |
| Adds Defense after armor has already been upgraded with Armor Sphere. | |
| Prevents blights when resistance to the relevant element cannot reach 20. | |
| Lets you survive one otherwise lethal attack when its condition is met. The next attack can still make you faint. | |
| Prevents a roar from interrupting Burst Fire. Equip it when the plan needs to attack through roars instead of guarding them. | |
| Extends hops. Choose a level that repositions you without consistently carrying the next attack past its target. | |
| Reduces the stamina cost of hops. It does not recover Wirebugs. | |
| Sometimes lets you consume an item without removing it from the pouch. | |
| Calls a random Spiribird at intervals, reducing the time spent collecting birds. | |
| Resists roars, wind, and tremors while a large monster is enraged. |
Other styles and late-game options
| Style | Skills |
|---|---|
| Long | Prioritize when shells supply most of the damage. Add only when the equipped route uses Charged Shelling. |
| Wide | Prioritize for individual shell damage. Its smaller magazine pairs naturally with Guard Reload. |
| Melee | Prioritize and when melee attacks provide most of the damage and shells serve as backup. |
| Raises damage from behind, including shell damage. Add it only when the hunt lets you reach the monster's back consistently. | |
| While active, a Switch Skill Swap restores sharpness and reloads. The effect is lost when you are knocked back. | |
| Afflicted | grants a benefit when you overcome Frenzy. is useful when your build reliably applies poison, paralysis, or an elemental blight. |
This hunt
These are not for every set. Add one only when its condition occurs in the specific hunt often enough to matter.
| Skill | When |
|---|---|
| Use it when the plan requires blocking an attack that is normally unblockable. The skill still allows chip damage through the guard. | |
| Prevents a tremor from interrupting Burst Fire. | |
| Prevents wind pressure from interrupting Burst Fire after you begin firing the magazine. | |
| Raises Attack while you have a blight. It improves the melee attacks in a burst sequence, but not the shell damage from Burst Fire. | |
| Raises barrel-bomb damage. Equip it only when bombs are part of the plan; it does not raise Gunlance shell damage. | |
| Makes your attacks draw more attention. In a group, this can keep the monster facing your shield, but it also makes more attacks your responsibility. | |
| Reduces the movement penalties from monster muck and deep snow when those hazards interfere with staying in range. | |
| Supports a route that uses a Wirebug move to leave hellfire on the ground before committing to Burst Fire. | |
| Lv 2 | A well-timed Switch Skill Swap negates the hit, moves you backward, and restores Wirebug gauge. Use it only if scroll swaps are already part of the fight plan. |
| Improves defense, guarding, and evasion while the monster targets you. It helps between committed attacks; it does not protect Burst Fire itself. |
A hunt can also make , , , , or more important than another offensive skill.
Common mismatches
- Do not use to increase shell damage; it affects melee attacks instead. When you attack from behind, is the skill that increases shell damage.
- is a poor fit for a shell-primary set because shells cannot deal critical hits.
- Choose Erupting Cannon instead of Wyrmstake Cannon when the set benefits from refreshing a slashing-damage buff during its usual combo.
- helps break monster parts, but it does not multiply shell damage to the monster's health.
- supports a Charged Shelling route, not Normal Burst Fire.
- does not improve a shell fired while you pass through an incoming attack because shell damage does not use Attack.
- Do not add to prevent bouncing, because shells already do not bounce.
- Combo attacks do not restore sharpness and therefore cannot activate .
- Do not spend the last Wirebug on Hail Cutter when a knockdown would make Wirefall the safer response.
- only activates after sliding, so equip it only for a route where slopes make that condition repeatable.
- affects Wyvern Riding, not the aerial movement of Blast Dash or Hail Cutter.
- requires full stamina, which conflicts with the stamina spent on hops.
Settings
Set automatic sheathe to Manual so an automatic sheathe does not remove the Ground Splitter buff. Your guard direction follows the shield rather than the camera.
Before a long Wyvern's Fire, confirm the shield still faces the part you meant to shell. A camera turn during a guard step often leaves the blast pointed past the wound into open air.