Sunbreak Gunlance Guide: Combos, Controls and Moveset

This is a guide to the Gunlance, a weapon in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (MH Rise). Read on to learn about new Gunlance controls and combos, how to use Gunlance shelling, Gunlance's Blast Dash as well as details on Gunlance Switch Skills.

All Gunlance Guides
Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds

Gunlance Balance Changes

Update 15.0

Gunlance Balance Changes and Fixes (Update 15.0)
・Increased the power of the the Gunlance's Wyrmstake Cannon (Normal, Long, Wide). ・Increased the power of the Gunlance's shelling (Wide only).

Gunlance New Sunbreak Attacks and Moves

Official Gunlance Preview Video

Silkbind Attack: Bullet Barrage

The hunter uses a Wirebug to close in on the monster, then it unleashes everything loaded in the Gunlance! Note that a full reload will be done first if any of the ammunition (including Wyvern's Fire cooldown) is not ready before performing the attack, so time it properly!

The reload and blast dash also cannot be stopped by roars or enemy attacks.

Switch Skill: Erupting Cannon

This Switch Skill fires an exploding stake at the target. The Gunlance heats up after the explosion, indicated by a blue flame, and enhances all slashing attacks for a limited time. This will likely switch with the Wyrmstake Cannon.

Silkbind Attack: Reverse Blast

Not introduced in any trailer, Reverse Blast is an additional Silkbind Attack added to the Sunbreak Expansion. The reverse of Blast Dash, you use the thrust from your Gunlance to increase the gap between you and the monster. Use this when you're in a pinch and need to retreat.

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
Release Date and New Monsters

How Good is the Gunlance?

Tier List Ranking

MHRise Ranking	→	Sunbreak Ranking
(S - A - B) 3 Level Tier		(SS - S - A) 3 Level Tier

The Gunlance received really great weapon improvements in the Sunbreak expansion. Bullet Barrage gave it a big burst damage option that unloads all its ammo in one, single attack.

However, this over-reliance on Switch Skills and Wirebugs stunded this weapon's effectiveness. It also do not benefit from the elemental burst meta we have today.

Weapon Tier List

Gunlance Strengths

Shelling neglects monster armor Physical attacks are strong too Long reach and can aim high places One of the best with guarding

Shelling Neglects Monster Armor

Shelling attacks ignore monster armor so Gunlance players revolve their playstyle around it. This is mostly where the Gunlance shows its full potential!

Physical Attacks Are Equally Strong!

Though shelling is where the power lies, Gunlance's physical attacks are not too shabby either! Depending on the situation, you can build your Gunlance for poking only!

Long Reach and High Aim

Like the Lance, the Gunlance also has a long reach and can aim high. This enables the hunter to reach the high heads of Anjanath or hit flying enemies like Rathalos!

Gunlances Can Guard!

The Gunlance is also top tier when it comes to guarding! It is possible to bombard enemies with shelling while guarding to keep this in mind!

Gunlance Weaknesses

Shelling consumes sharpness Very poor mobility Wyvern's Fire and Shelling Ammo needs proper management

Shelling Consumes Sharpness

Unfortunately, shelling rapidly consumes sharpness. Remember to use Guard Edge or sharpen during the fight! We suggest putting in the skills Razor Sharp or Protective Polish to slow down sharpness degradation. If not, just opt with Speed Sharpening so you can sharpen in less time.

Very Poor Mobility

When unsheathed, the Gunlance reduces the hunter to a crawl. Sheath your weapon or build your Gunlance for Evade Extend to reposition effectively! Blast Dash can be used to mitigate this but you will not have access to Charged Shelling anymore.

Wyvern's Fire and Shell Ammo Needs Proper Management

In addition to managing sharpness, Gunlance users must also manage the Gunlance's Wyvern's Fire and Shelling ammo. This requires a steady presence of mind whenever you play!

Gunlance Controls

Controls		Action
PC Left Click	PS Triangle	Lateral Thrust
Switch X	Xbox Y
PC Right Click	PS Circle	Shelling
Switch A	Xbox B
PC Hold Right Click	PS Hold Circle	Charged Shelling
Switch Hold A	Xbox Hold B
PC + Left Click + Right Click	PS + Triangle + Circle	Rising Slash
Switch + X + A	Xbox + Y + B
PC After Rising Slash, Left Click	PS After Rising Slash, Triangle	Overhead Smash
Switch After Rising Slash, X	Xbox After Rising Slash, Y
PC After Overhead Smash, Left Click	PS After Overhead Smash, Triangle	Wide Sweep
Switch After Overhead Smash, X	Xbox After Overhead Smash, Y
PC MB4	PS R2	Guard
Switch zR	Xbox rt
PC + MB4 + Left Click	PS + R2 + Triangle	Guard Thrust
Switch + zR + X	Xbox + RT + Y
PC + MB4 + Right Click	PS + R2 + Circle	Reload
Switch + zR + A	Xbox + RT + B
PC + MB4 + Right Click	PS + R2 + Circle	Quick Reload
Switch + zR + A	Xbox + RT + B
PC Space	PS X	Backstep
Switch B	Xbox A
PC After Overhead Smash, Right Click After Hail Cutter, Right Click	PS After Overhead Smash, Circle After Hail Cutter, Circle	Burst Fire
Switch After Overhead Smash, A After Hail Cutter, A	Xbox After Overhead Smash, B After Hail Cutter, B
PC After Wide Sweep, or Left Click or Right Click After 2 Shelling, Right Click After Burst Fire, Right Click After Guard Edge, Right Click + (x2) X or A	PS After Wide Sweep, or Triangle or Circle After 2 Shelling, Circle After Burst Fire, Circle After Guard Edge, Circle + (x2) Triangle or Circle	Wyrmstake Cannon
Switch After Wide Sweep, or X or A After 2 Shelling, A After Burst Fire, A After Guard Edge, A + (x2) X or A	Xbox After Wide Sweep, or Y or B After 2 Shelling, B After Burst Fire, B After Guard Edge, B + (x2) Y or B
PC + + MB4 + Left Click + Right Click	PS + + Triangle + Circle	Wyvern's Fire
Switch + + zR + X + A	Xbox + + RT + Y + B
PC + Middle Click + Left Click	PS + L2 + Triangle	Hail Cutter
Switch + zL + X	Xbox + LT + Y
PC + Middle Click + Right Click	PS + L2 + Circle	Guard Edge
Switch + zL + A	Xbox + LT + B

Useful Combos

Basic Combo
Lunging Upthrust	Mid Thrust I	Mid Thrust II	Shelling
+ Left Stick + X	X	X	A
+ Directional Button + Left Click	Left Click	Left Click	Right Click
+ Left Stick + Triangle	Triangle	Triangle	Circle
+ Left Stick + Y	Y	Y	B

Burst Fire Combo
Rising Slash	Overhead Smash	Burst Fire
+ X + A	X	A
+ Left Click + Right Click	Left Click	Right Click
+ Triangle + Circle	Triangle	Circle
+ Y + B	Y	B

Strong Combo
Rising Slash	Overhead Smash	Wide Sweep	Wyvern's Fire
+ X + A	X	X	+ + zR + X + A
+ Left Click + Right Click	Left Click	Left Click	+ + MB4 + Left Click + Right Click
+ Triangle + Circle	Triangle	Triangle	+ + R2 + Triangle + Circle
+ Y + B	Y	Y	+ + RT + Y + B

Gunlance Silkbind Attacks

Bullet Barrage

Switch Controls	＋ zL + X
PC Controls	+ Middle Click + Left Click
PS Controls	+ L2 + Triangle
Xbox Controls	+ LT + Y

The hunter uses a Wirebug and the Gunlance to launch themselves forward and sets off an explosion that unloads everything the Gunlance has loaded. The reload and blast dash also cannot be stopped by roars or enemy attacks.

A fully loaded Gunlance will perform the action quickly. Note that shells, Wyrmstake Cannon, and Wyvern's Fire will be reloaded first before the move is executed if any of them are not fully loaded or ready. When using Bullet Barrage, make sure that you are in a safe position before using it as it has a relatively long windup time.

This move costs two Wirebug charges and has a medium recovery speed.

Hail Cutter

Switch Controls	＋ zL + X
PC Controls	+ Middle Click + Left Click
PS Controls	+ L2 + Triangle
Xbox Controls	+ LT + Y

Hail Cutter is a Silkbind Attack that launches the hunter airborne while reloading the Gunlance. The move finishes with a downward slam where you may opt to use Burst Fire or Wyvern Fire with a shortened charge time!

Guard Edge

Switch Controls	+ zL + A
PC Controls	+ Middle Click + Right Click
PS Controls	+ L2 + Circle
Xbox Controls	+ LT + B

Guard Edge is a Silkbind Attack that acts like a counter-guard but restores sharpness. Considering how Gunlance shelling eats up sharpness at a rapid rate, this is a great addition to Gunlance's arsenal!

Ground Splitter

Switch Controls	＋ zL + X
PC Controls	+ Middle Click + Left Click
PS Controls	+ L2 + Triangle
Xbox Controls	+ LT + Y

Ground Splitter is a Switch Skill switchable with Hail Cutter. The hunter will drag the Gunlance on the ground while moving forward and strike with an upward slash. It also temporarily boosts the damage for shells, Wyrmstake Shots, and Wyvern's Fire.

Reverse Blast

Switch Controls	＋ zL + B
PC Controls	+ Middle Click + Space
PS Controls	+ L2 + X
Xbox Controls	+ LT + A

The reverse of Blast Dash where you use the thrust from your Gunlance to increase the gap between you and the monster. Use this when you're in a pinch and need to retreat.

Gunlance Switch Skills

Switch Skills are unlocked with different conditions as you progress in the game. Base game MHRise provides Hunters with three (3) slots of Switch Skills, with the Sunbreak expansion adding two (2) more.

Note: Skills in red are exclusive to the Sunbreak expansion.

Skill Slot	Switch Skill Choices
1	・ Charged Shelling ・ Blast Dash
2	・ Quick Reload ・ Guard Reload
3	・ Wyrmstake Cannon ・ Erupting Cannon
4	・ Hail Cutter ・ Ground Splitter ・ Bullet Barrage
5	・ Guard Edge ・ Reverse Blast

Switch Skills Guide: How to Unlock Switch Skills

Blast Dash

Switched With
Charged Shelling
Description
Uses recoil to travel far. Aims the Gunlance backwards then launches forward to close in the target. It is possible to use Blast Dash again while hurtling!
Controls
Hold (A) and release when charged. Can be performed in midair using + zR + A Hold (Right Click) and release when charged. Can be performed in midair using + MB4 + Right Click Hold (Circle) and release when charged. Can be performed in midair using + R2 + Circle Hold (B) and release when charged. Can be performed in midair using + RT + B

Blast Dash propels your hunter using the force of the Gunlance artillery. It does not have any damaging potential but is useful for closing out the distance between you and the monster. Blast Dash can be used up to three times.

Ground Splitter

Switched With
Hail Cutter
Description
Scrapes the ground while slashing upwards. Increases shell, Wyrmstake Shot, and Wyvern Fire damage temporarily. Wirebug Gauge Recovery Speed: Slow Wirebug Cost: 1
Controls
+ zL + X + Middle Click + Left Click + L2 + Triangle + LT + Y

Ground Splitter drags your Gunlance on the ground, heating the tip while increasing the damage of shelling and Wyvern's Fire for a short time. Change into this Switch Skill as soon as you unlock it!

Guard Reload

Switched With
Quick Reload
Description
Has a Guard at the start of the reload. Reloads both the shells and the Wyrmstake Cannon but only reloads less shells than normal Reload.
Controls
+ zR + A + MB4 + Right Click + R2 + Circle + RT + B

In Guard Reload, your artillery rounds are reduced to 3 but reloading is now guarded. This will also reload your Wyrmstake Cannon.

Erupting Cannon

Switched With
Wyrmstake Cannon
Description
The Gunlance fires an exploding stake onto your target. When using this, the tip of the Gunlance heats up and slashing attacks are enhances for a certain period.
Controls
Switch after firing two shells or after a Burst Fire after a Wide Sweep ↓ + after Charged Shelling PC after firing two shells or after a Burst Fire after a Wide Sweep + after Charged Shelling PlayStation after firing two shells or after a Burst Fire after a Wide Sweep ↓ + after Charged Shelling Xbox after firing two shells or after a Burst Fire after a Wide Sweep ↓ + after Charged Shelling

Replaces the consistent tick damage of Wyrmstake Cannon with a huge, single burst damage attack. Useful for breaking parts of the monster since it's a big, single point damage.

Bullet Barrage

Switched With
Hail Cutter
Description
Uses a Wirebug to Blast dash toward your target, and unleashing all your ammo in one go. Shells, Wyrmstake Cannon, and Wyvern're will automatically be reloaded first before performing the attack so a windup animation is needed. Can also be used after firing in midair. Wirebug Gauge Recovery Speed: Medium Wirebug Cost: 2
Controls
Switch + zL + X PC + Middle Click + Left Click PlayStation + L2 + Triangle Xbox + LT + Y

A quick burst damage move that Hunters can use to drop a big boom on monsters! It even has a small blast dash at the start to close the gap with the monster! Use this whenever you see an opening!

Reverse Blast

Switched With
Guard Edge
Description
A rapid, backward evasive maneuver using a Wirebug to stop. If no shells are loaded, a quick reload will happen so be careful. Can be followed up with a Burst Fire. Wirebug Gauge Recovery Speed: Fast Wirebug Cost: 1
Controls
Switch + zL + A PC + Middle Click + Right Click PlayStation + L2 + Circle Xbox + LT + B

The reverse of Blast Dash where you use the thrust from your Gunlance to increase the gap between you and the monster. Use this when you're in a pinch and need to retreat.

Gunlance Attacks and Moves

Charged Shelling

Switch Controls	Hold, A
PC Controls	Hold, Right Click
PS Controls	Hold, Circle
Xbox Controls	Hold, B

Charged Selling is an old Gunlance attack that allows you to increase a shell's damage by charging your shots. It's extremely effective for long-type Gunlance ammo due to its inherently high damage output.

Unlike the Unload Burst, charged shelling only consumes 1 ammo at the cost of dealing less damage.

Change Direction of Attack

While charging, the direction of the Gunlance's shot can be changed by moving the joystick up or down or with W or S. Charged Shelling can be shot forward, at a 45° angle, or directly above the user.

Wyrmstake Cannon

Controls
After 2 Shelling, , , , or A, Right Click, Circle, or B After a Shelling, ↓ + , , , or Down + A, Right Click, Circle, or B After a Burst Fire, , , , or A, Right Click, Circle, or B After a Guard Edge, , , , or A, Right Click, Circle, or B After a Wide Sweep, , , , or A, Right Click, Circle, or B + (x2) X + A + (x2) Left Click + Right Click + (x2) Triangle + Circle + (x2) Y + B

The Wyrmstake Cannon uses a large metallic stake or harpoon-like ammo which deals a massive amount of damage when fired. Accompanied by this cannon are two attacks which in turn makes the combo a devastating blow to any enemy monster.

There are multiple ways to achieve this combo so practice what feels comfortable the most to you.

Remember to Reload your Wrymstake Cannon Using Normal / Guard Reloading

With Ammo

Without Ammo

Switch Controls	＋ zR + A
PC Controls	＋ MB4 + Right Click
PS Controls	＋ R2 + Circle
Xbox Controls	＋ RT + B

Reloading your Wrymstake Cannon is different from reloading the ammo in your Gunlance. Always keep in mind that you cannot successfully perform a Wyrmstake Cannon combo if your Gunlance is empty.

Reload them using Normal Reload or Guard Reload, Quick Reload will not reload the Wyrmstake Cannon.

Wyvern Fire

Switch Controls	+ + zR + X + A
PC Controls	＋ + MB4 + Left Click + Right Click
PS Controls	+ + R2 + Triangle + Circle
Xbox Controls	＋ + RT + Y + B

The Gunlance is charged and unleashes an explosive shot after a few seconds. You can adjust the Gunlance's aim while winding up the attack.

Wyvern Fire will force you to stay in place until the weapon is fired and also has a long cooldown, so it is better to use this move when the monster is down.

Block Attacks When Using Wyvern Fire

While the Wyvern Fire isn't a new move to the Gunlance, it has received a new feature wherein it can guard the user against attacks while the Gunlance is charging the move.

Burst Fire

Switch Controls	After Using Overhead Smash, A
PC Controls	After Using Overhead Smash, Right Click
PS Controls	After Using Overhead Smash, A
Xbox Controls	After Using Overhead Smash, B

The Burst Fire is a returning move in Monster Hunter Rise! Burst Fire is a move that quickly fires all the current shells you have and is a great move to use for Gunlances with normal ammo types due to its massive amount of ammunition.

Recommended Combos for the Gunlance

Full Firepower Combo

Switch Controls	+ → → → → X + A → X → A → X → A
PC Controls	+ → → → → Left Click + Right Click → Left Click → Righ Clickt → Left Click → Right Click
PS Controls	+ → → → → Triangle + Circle → Triangle → Circle → Triangle → Circle
Xbox Controls	+ → → → → Y + B → Y → B → Y → B

This combo utilizes all of the high damage moves of the Gunlance but leaves you open to counterattacks. Only use this combo when the monster is down.

Wyrmstake Cannon + Guard Edge Combo

Switch Controls	+ → zL + A → A
PC Controls	+ → MB4 + Right Click → Right Click
PS Controls	+ → L2 + Circle → Circle
Xbox Controls	+ → LT + B → B

With this combo, you can start prepping the Wyrmstake Cannon when the monster roars as that is your opening. Quickly transferring into guard edge can help block against the attack after the roar which then leaves the monster open for you to blast them with your readied Wyrmstake Cannon.

Guard Edge Burst Fire Combo

Switch Controls	+ → → zL + A → X → A
PC Controls	+ → → Middle Click + Right Click → Left Click → Right Click
PS Controls	+ → → L2 + Circle → Triangle → Circle
Xbox Controls	+ → → LT + B → Y → B

This combo allows you to enter into a Guard Edge and then transfer into a Burst Fire. You can also integrate movements for repositioning yourself while slamming down attacks.

Infinite Burst Fire Combo

Switch Controls	+ → → → → + → .... X + A → X → A → X → zL + A → ...
PC Controls	+ → → → → + → .... Left Click + Right Click → Left Click → Right Click → Left Click → Middle Click + Right Click → ...
PS Controls	+ → → → → + → .... Triangle + Circle → Triangle → Circle → Triangle → L2 + Circle → ...
Xbox Controls	+ → → → → + → .... Y + B → Y → B → Y → L2 + B → ...

A full combo that bombards the target with endless Burst Fires using Ammo Up and Reload Speed and goes well with Normal Shelling Gunlances.

Fast Wyrmstake Cannon Combo from Charged Shelling

Switch Controls	Hold → ↓ + Hold A → Down + A
PC Controls	Hold → + Hold Right Click → S + Right Click
PS Controls	Hold → ↓ + Hold Circle → Down + Circle
Xbox Controls	Hold → ↓ + Hold B → Down + B

This combo enables your Wyrmstake Cannon to execute faster if shot from Charged Shelling. Combine this with the Switch Skill Guard Reload and you will have an infinite combo.

Tips on How to Use the Gunlance

Use the Wyvern Fire Shelling bypasses Monster Armor Use Guard Edge to recover sharpness Use Wyrmstake Cannon Use traps to lock a monster in place for your high artillery combos Know the different shelling types' individual pros and cons Master the three types of reload Wyvern Fire can flinch allies

Deal a Lot of Damage With Wyvern Fire!

Wyvern Fire is the most powerful attack the Gunlance can deliver. Make sure it hits the monster so it would not be wasted!

Shelling Bypasses Monster Armor

Shelling bypasses monster armor so you may bombard any part of the body regardless of the toughness!

Use Guard Edge to Recover Sharpness

Guard Edge is a great addition to Gunlance's arsenal. This is very useful considering that shelling rapidly decreases Gunlance sharpness! You may also use armor skills like Handicraft or Speed Sharpening to mitigate the rapid sharpness decrease.

Always Lodge a Wyrmstake Cannon Into Monsters

The Wyrmstake Cannon is Gunlance's main DPS improving skill. It almost doubles your damage so always make sure that the monster has a Wyrmstake cannon in it and keep firing on it with shells!

The Wyrmstake Cannon Gets Triggered By Wyvern's Fire

The Wyvern's Fire used to be Gunlance's strongest move but is replaced by the less flashy Wyrmstake Cannon. The Wyvern's Fire is a burst attack and using it on a monster that has a Wyrmstake Cannon will make the Cannon proc extra explosions from the Wyvern's Fire. The deadliest artillery combo.

Don't Hesitate To Use Traps

Traps are a valuable item in Monster Hunter games. It allows you to ensnare a monster and potentially capture it when its HP is low. With Gunlance's bursty nature, a single opening can prove fatal to monsters, and using traps is a surefire way to get that opening.

List of All Traps and Bombs | Monster Hunter Rise

Know Your Shelling Types

The Gunlance's playstyle, while fixed into the DPS tank role, will vary greatly depending on their weapon's shelling type.

Ammo	Best Movesets and Playstyles
Normal	Most Ammo capacity, gets high damage from Burst Fire due to ammo quantity.
Spread	Least ammo capacity, benefits greatly from a poke, fire, quick reload style of play.
Long	Medium ammo capacity, has the highest shelling damage and can benefit the most from Wyrmstake Cannon and Shelling only playstlyle.

Master the Three Types of Reload

Reload	Slow Reload Speed Bullets and Wyrmstake are both reloaded
Quick Reload	Fast Reload Speed Only the bullets are reloaded
Guard Reload Switch Skill	Can Guard while reloading Fast Reload Speed that includes the Wyrmstake but reloads only 3 bullets

It is important to know when to use these types of reloading. Wyrmstake Cannon is very powerful but it is cumbersome to reload. A great Gunlance player knows if the situation calls for Reload or Quick Reload.

The Switch Skill Guard Reload is the middle ground but you don't unlock it until the Hub ★6 so it's a long way to go. By that time, you should have mastered both Reload and Quick Reload.

Switch Skills Guide: How to Unlock Switch Skills

Wyvern Fire Can Flinch Allies

Be careful when using the Wyvern Fire if your teammates are nearby. The explosion can flinch them and will disrupt their combo. Maintain proper decorum and use Wyvern Fire only when there isn't an ally nearby or let them know if you will use it so they can back off.

Gunlance Known Bugs and Fixes

Update 3.5 Bug Fixes

There are a couple of bugs related to the Gunlance that Update 3.5 that are now fixed!

First is when Gunlance players jump off a ledge while dodging, it occasionally prevented them from using the Aerial Burst (called Aerial Shelling in-game). The second is a cosmestic bug related to Rampage Gunlances. Its appearance used to change whenever the Gunlance player changes the shelling type and performs a Wyrmstake Cannon attack.

Update 3.5: Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection Collaboration, DLC, and Patch Notes

Changes from MHW: Iceborne

Wyvern Fire can be shot while guarding Wyvern Fire cooldown is shown (below the Wyrmstake Cannon icon) Burst Fire now possible from the start of a combo Spread Shelling has the stun values

Wyvern Fire Cooldown is Shown Under the Wyrmstake Cannon Icon

The cooldown for the Wyvern Fire is now displayed with an orange meter below the Wyrmstake Cannon icon. You can now see (at a glance) if Wyvern Fire is ready!

Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise) Related Guides

Weapon Type Guides
Weapons and Weapon Types	Weapon Type Tier List	Builds for Each Weapon Type

Melee Weapon Guides

Melee Weapons
Great Sword Guide | Weapon Tree	Long Sword Guide | Weapon Tree	Sword and Shield Guide | Weapon Tree
Dual Blades Guide | Weapon Tree	Lance Guide | Weapon Tree	Gunlance Guide | Weapon Tree
Hammer Guide | Weapon Tree	Hunting Horn Guide | Weapon Tree | Melodies	Switch Axe Guide | Weapon Tree
Charge Blade Guide | Weapon Tree	Insect Glaive Guide | Weapon Tree | Kinsects

Ranged Weapon Guides

Ranged Weapons
Light Bowgun Guide | Weapon Tree	Heavy Bowgun Guide | Weapon Tree	Bow Guide | Weapon Tree