What is weapon bouncing in Monster Hunter Wilds?

Weapon bouncing in Monster Hunter Wilds is a mechanic and one of the first things new players will encounter — and likely get frustrated by — if they’re not paying attention to their weapon’s sharpness. It happens when your attacks fail to cut through a monster’s hide, leading to clumsy, deflected strikes that barely do any damage.

Understanding why this happens and how to prevent it is key to mastering combat in MH Wilds. This article explains more about the in-game mechanic.

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Why does weapon bouncing in Monster Hunter Wilds happen?

Check the orange mark in the Sharpness Meter (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming // Capcom)

Weapon bouncing in Monster Hunter Wilds takes place when your weapon loses sharpness. Your weapon is dulled a little with each hit that you land, and if you don't sharpen it, sooner or later, you'll be bouncing off things rather than slicing through them. The Sharpness Meter, positioned just below the Stamina bar, informs you of exactly where you are:

• Green (High): Attacks connect cleanly, dealing full damage. Only the most armored monster parts might resist your strikes.
• Yellow (Moderate): Most attacks land but deal slightly reduced damage. Heavily armored enemies have a higher chance of deflecting your hits.
• Orange (Low): Damage drops significantly, and bouncing becomes very common.
• Red (Critical): Almost every hit bounces off, even against weaker monsters. Damage is minimal.

The duller your weapon, the less effective you become in battle, making sharpening a constant necessity.

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Steps to prevent weapon bouncing in Monster Hunter Wilds

The fix for weapon bouncing is simple: sharpen your weapon. In Monster Hunter Wilds, you use a Whetstone to restore sharpness.

• Whetstones are provided early in the game – the first hunt includes a tutorial on sharpening.
• To sharpena weapon, open the radial menu, then open the Equipment menu.
• Use the Whetstone, restoring your blade to fighting shape.

Sharpening is quick and can be done anywhere, even while riding your Seikret. A smart hunter sharpens their weapon before it gets too dull, especially when chasing down a fleeing monster.

Keeping your weapon sharp ensures every strike lands with full force, preventing weapon bouncing in Monster Hunter Wilds and stopping your attacks from deflecting off tough monster hides.

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Check out our other guides on Monster Hunter Wilds:

• How to get and use Poisoned Meat in Monster Hunter Wilds
• Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough: How to complete Beware the Gypceros side mission
• Monster Hunter Wilds: How to obtain Artian Parts
• How to get Thundering Fulgurite and Fulgurite Shard in Monster Hunter Wilds