Capcom Unveils New Sword and Shield Moves in Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance

No matter the Monster Hunter, the weapons are the stars of the show. Even above the Monsters themselves, Capcom's 14 weapons are the icons that give the series shape, and with a new expansion, that just means more toys thrown into the box.

Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance is right around the corner, and as the days tick down, Capcom has revealed the upcoming buffs surrounding the series' staple starter weapon, the Sword and Shield. Despite its ease of use, the Sword and Shield is known for overwhelming offense, adaptability, and flexibility with items.

With the expansion's premier addition, the Boost Bracer, each weapon gains the ability to enter an upgraded state for a limited time, upgrading its base attack, maneuverability, and granting access to new finishers and attacks. The Sword and Shield is no different, growing faster, stronger, and swapping out some already strong tools for newer, flashier versions.

Of particular note is the Sword and Shield's Boost Driver, an attack that allows the weapon to quickly enter the Boost state without standing still. For S&S, the hunter is rocketed forward, mimicking Monster Hunter Rise's Shield Bash, as the hit deals Blunt damage, a fantastic way to close the gap.

While every attack gains a buff in Boost Mode, two new tools are definitely the highlights. The first is a way to pop a monster's wounds from a distance, à la the Clutch Claw from Monster Hunter World's Iceborne expansion. With Boost active, the hunter can target a wound and attack from a distance, rapidly closing the gap to break the wound with a boosted follow-up.

The other highlight comes in the form of a fresh skill usable in and out of Boost Mode, dubbed the Bladecoating Slash. The hunter tosses up an item before shattering it on their blade, gaining unique properties on their attacks based on the weapon consumed. For now, Capcom only showed the effect with a Potion, granting healing on hit for a limited time.

This leans even further into Sword and Shield's unique effectiveness with items while maintaining the spirit of an all-but-forgotten Sword and Shield mechanic: Oils. The possibilities feel endless. Imagine popping Dash Juice for some extra Stamina on hit, or a Hot Drink to apply extra Fire damage on each blow. We don't know the limits of this new mechanic, and that's what's so exciting.

The daily showcases Capcom has been putting out have led some members of the Monster Hunter community to react poorly, believing Ascendance aims to homogenize each weapon to a point where none have any truly unique strengths or weaknesses. This stems from the increased number of Offset attacks and counters for weapons that previously had limited access, like Bow.

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