Wild Hearts offers players a diverse range of weapons to choose from. As in similar games like Monster Hunter, Dauntless, and Toukiden, these are your tools of the trade – there’s a good chance you’ll rotate between a few favourite weapons during a playthrough of Wild Hearts, clocking countless hours and plenty of trips to the blacksmith.
You can freely switch between different weapons at almost any time, so don’t feel as though you have to fully commit to just one. The training dummy on the fringes of your first basecamp will give you a good taste of what each weapon type in Wild Hearts has to offer, though mastery only comes from battling Kemono and experimenting with the game’s mechanical Karakuri.
This Wild Hearts weapon guide will provide an overview of each weapon, detailing their movesets and techniques, while examining the upgrade process and which weapon is best for solo players.
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Wild Hearts weapon types list
Each weapon is defined by several characteristics including damage, range, and speed, as well as their own unique combos and mechanics. As for which one is best depends on your own playstyle and preferences, whether unleashing a rapid flurry of blows, carefully timing heavier attacks, or supporting fellow hunters from the sidelines.
In Wild Hearts there are a total of eight weapons, though only five of these are accessible from the beginning of the game, following its brief tutorial stage. These include:
- Karakuri Katana
- Maul
- Bladed Wagasa
- Bow
- Nodachi
How to unlock the hidden weapons in Wild Heart
You’ll notice that three of the available weapon classes are greyed out with a ‘?’ symbol and can’t be used until later in the game. So how do you unlock them?
Thankfully, you don’t have to wait very long with no need for tedious grinding or meeting any lofty requirements. This trio of bonus weapons will all unlock at the same time, after defeating the Earthshaker Kemono and returning to the village of Minato. Visit Natsume or use any Field Forge to craft the following three weapons:
- Karakuri Staff
- Claw Blades
- Hand Cannon
Weapon crafting and upgrades in Wild Hearts explained
Crafting a weapon is simple and only requires a small fee of 100 Gold and one common Corestone. This will give you a basic version of that weapon which can then be improved by exchanging resources for upgrades, taking you down one of the many interweaving paths available.
There is a pretty wide web of choices available – in our Wild Hearts beginner’s tips guide, we suggest that you have at least two or more of each weapon so you can pursue different upgrade paths.
These upgrades confer a number of bonuses, whether that’s a flat increase in damage, imbuing a weapon with certain elements, gaining passive skills, or any combination of the three. When upgrading, our advice is always to experiment and adapt your loadout to face the most challenging hunt on your to-do list.
Wilds Hearts gives players the handy option of reversing upgrades and refunding precious crafting materials should you want to choose a different path.
Wild Hearts weapon overviews
Now you know more about crafting and upgrading, let’s talk about the weapons themselves. Although each one has its own distinct moveset and combat abilities there is some overlap in how they control, making it easier to switch between them.
Here is a helpful profile of the Wild Hearts weapon types and how to use them effectively:
Karakuri Katana
Your starting weapon and, having crossed paths with hundreds of hunters since Wild Hearts launched, a clear favourite. The katana has three attack inputs each with their own multi-button combo. Throwing a special slash into a light or heavy combo will trigger a powerful finisher, unleashing a flurry of slashes or performing a wider cleave that will reposition you behind your target respectively.
The katana also has a gauge that, when full, can be used to temporarily transform your weapon into a barbed blade that will hit multiple times when landing blows while also extending its maximum range.
Maul
A hulking blunt weapon like the Maul may not have the same flashy appeal as some of the more exotic blades Wild Hearst has in its Kemono hunting arsenal. However, its incredible stopping power, rhythmic attack pattern, and aerial strikes make it a reliable choice.
Its unique mechanic is simple to learn. During a combo, the Maul will flash between moves, signalling for you to press the special button which will supercharge your next attack if timed correctly. Getting a feel for that button-pressing rhythm won’t take long, though the Maul’s sluggish swings can leave you exposed if you overcommit, especially when trying to wind up a combo finisher. Thankfully, it has some added functionality with charged heavy attacks launching you into the air. These can be looped to deal multiple blows to otherwise hard-to-reach airborne targets.
Bladed Wagasa
While not a particularly complex weapon, the Bladed Wagasa is perhaps the toughest one to master. Why? In order to tap the massive damage potential of this deadly, umbrella-like instrument requires perfect timing and a sharp sense for Kemono attack patterns, carefully studying their behaviours.
It’s the only weapon that can parry and doing so will power the Wagasa’s ‘spindance’ gauge and can link into a devastating counter attack. However, lining up these counters means putting yourself directly in harm’s way – fluff a couple of consecutive parries and you could end up wasting one of your precious lives. It’s also worth noting that your weapon gauge will deplete when you aren’t attacking. Therefore, the Wagasa is designed for experienced hunters who enjoy high pressure, risk and reward gameplay with a flourish.
Bow
The Bow is one of two ranged weapons Wild Hearts has to offer. In truth, it’s not the most exciting one to play with, turning the game into more of a third person shooter than the melee-heavy action game advertised. That said, it’s not uncommon to find plenty of hunters wielding Bows while exploring Azuma, raining down arrows on unsuspecting Kemono.
The Bow can quickly switch between two stances – one rapid fire stance used to cover a target Kemono in arrows, and another that allows more powerful, charged shots that will detonate those lodged arrows for big bursts of damage. This establishes a rhythm when using the Bow and, if used accurately, you can make short work of Kemono by hitting their weak spots, especially once you’ve mastered the bow’s more advanced attacks. It’s not the most ideal weapon for solo play, though lends itself beautifully to a support role in online co-op.
Nodachi
Much like the Maul, the Nodachi can feel too slow and unwieldy for those who approach Wild Hearts expecting it to play like Devil May Cry or similar high-octane action games. Every swing of this giant blade needs to be deliberate -rewarding smart timing and situational awareness by ripping chunks out of a Kemono’s HP.
It may only have one light attack combo though using a heavy slash will allow you to quickly reposition, then rinse and repeat. To get the most of the Nodachi, you should be focusing on using its Iai attacks, holding the special button to charge the weapon gauge, then releasing for a devastating blow. Watching those giant damage numbers pop on-screen is immensely satisfied but may require too much patience for a novice hunter.
Karakuri Staff
This weapon looks more complicated to use than it actually is. It almost feels like Omega Force took a handful of weapons destined for the cutting room floor and fused them together.
With a simple button press you can switch between the staff’s four mutating forms, each with their own special Karakuri attacks and properties. These forms include a shaolin-style longstaff, twin knives, a war pike, and a gnarly-looking jumbo shuriken. With a well-timed button press you can switch forms mid-combo, powering the weapon gauge in doing so to boost damage output. You can then spend this gauge to trigger a finishing blow that transforms the weapon into a colossal juggernaut blade. Again, looks can be deceiving – the Karakuri Staff is easy enough to pick up though memorising the attack properties of its various forms is key for expert-level play.
Claw Blades
Channel your inner shinobi with these deadly ninja-style knives, using rapid ground and air combos to quickly boost your weapon gauge. You can then ‘Claw Plunge’ into your target, creating a phantom tether that allows you to pull yourself towards them to keep up the pressure, or push away when you sense they are about to retaliate. It’s all very Attack on Titan.
The Claw Blades are easily the most agile weapon class Wild Hearts has to offer, allowing hunters to run rings around even the more nimble Kemono the game throws at you. It’s the perfect choice for those who favour an all-out offensive play style though stamina management is key. Mastering their aerial movement also takes a lot of practice.
Hand Cannon
The only other ranged weapon available in Wild Hearts and one that’s far more technical than the Bow. Basic shots will graze away at your target’s health bar as well as your ammunition which can be replenished by standing in range of deployable Ki bases.
You’ll also need to monitor the Hand Cannon’s temperature gauge. Too many successive shots will cause it to overheat, rendering the weapon useless until it cools down again. There is a risk and reward element at play, however. Hitting a Kemono with a mortar-like special attack will result in a red Ki base being formed where Cannon-wielding hunters can stand to unleash a barrage of fire that makes Monster Hunter’s Bowguns look like peashooters.
What is the best weapon for Wild Hearts solo play?
There’s a reason why Wild Hearts starts you out with the Karakuri Katana. It’s a superb all-rounder that’s easy to pick up and master with decent damage, range, and reposition capability. Not only that, the combos are flashy and fun to use, giving Wild Hearts an energetic action game edge with plenty of depth as you encounter tougher Kemono and learn to use a variety of Karakuri.
Good luck in Wild Hearts!
