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Lance
September 9, 2026 at 01:07 AM
Initial version (2026-09-08)
The Lance is one of the seven weapon types in Monster Hunter Outlanders at launch. Official material describes it as excelling at defence with swift thrusts, and it is the clearest defensive counterpart to the guardless Hammer: where the Hammer converts everything into movement, the Lance converts everything into blocking.
The weapon offers varied guard options and counterattacks. That plural is meaningful, because it means the Lance is not a single block button but a set of defensive choices, each presumably leading somewhere different. What those options are has not been detailed.
Blocking an attack allows the player to perform stronger counterattacks. The Lance therefore treats an incoming hit as fuel rather than as an interruption, and its damage output is tied to how well the player reads the monster. This is the same design instinct that drives the Long Sword counter loop, but expressed through guarding rather than through evasion.
The Lance has a rush whose speed and power both increase over time. Finishers triggered after a rush are also enhanced, so the rush operates as a build-up: the longer it is sustained, the better both the rush itself and the attack that ends it. This gives the weapon an offensive resource alongside its defensive one.
Mechanic | Confirmed behaviour |
|---|---|
Attack profile | Swift thrusts with a defensive focus |
Guard options | Varied, with counterattacks attached |
Block counter | Blocking an attack enables a stronger counterattack |
Rush | Speed and power increase the longer it runs |
Rush finisher | Finishers triggered after a rush are enhanced |
Two Adventurers carry the Lance, and they sit in different classes, which is the sharpest illustration of how far a single weapon can be pulled by its wielder.
Adventurer | Class | Confirmed traits |
|---|---|---|
Arkaya | Support | Builds a resource called Resolve through a steady stream of attacks. Some skills consume all Resolve to power a devastating blow while granting a massive shield. |
Ouyang Varen | Assault | A sturdy lance with strong guard capability, using the shield to deflect attacks. Certain skills build Impetus, which powers his thrusts to deal increased damage. |
Arkaya spends her resource on a burst that also protects the party, which is what places her in the Support class. Ouyang Varen keeps his resource pointed at damage. The Lance's own rush and guard systems sit underneath both.
What the individual guard options are and how they differ.
Whether a Perfect Guard applies to this weapon, as it does on the Heavy Bowgun.
How long a rush can be sustained and whether it has discrete stages.
The names of the counterattacks and rush finishers.
Guard stamina, knockback and chip damage behaviour.
Raw values, sharpness, elemental variants and upgrade paths.
