Insect Glaive Controls Guide for Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds). Guide includes how to use Insect Glaive, combo, moves, balance changes, leaping strike, kinsect, and more!
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Table Of Contents
Insect Glaive - How To Use
1 | ▼ Harvest 3 Extracts (Red, White, Orange) using Kinsect |
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2 | ▼ Utilizing Focus Mode |
3 | ▼ Do Aerial Actions to Aim for a Mount |
4 | ▼ Punish Openings with Rising Spiral Slash |
5 | ▼ Mark Target to Deploy Kinsect Dust |
Harvest 3 Extracts (Red, White, Orange) Using Kinsect
How to Do Harvest Extract |
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+ + |
In Monster Hunter Wilds, mastering the Insect Glaive revolves around harvesting extracts with your Kinsect to strengthen your Hunter. There are four extract colors, but the red, white, and orange extracts provide crucial buffs. The Insect Glaive shines when all three are active, so always aim to maintain them before engaging in combat.
▼ Effects Gained From Harvesting Each Extract
![]() | Allows you to charge with ◯ |
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![]() | Increase Movement Speed and Jump Height |
![]() | Grants Flinch Free |
![]() | Restores Hunter's Health |
![]() ![]() | Increases Attack |
![]() ![]() | Increases Defense |
![]() ![]() ![]() | - A certain action changes & Hunter's attack power has been increased. - Reduces Wind Pressure, Tremors, and Roar (as per the final version specifications). |
When Targeting A Monster's Body Part, the Color Of The Extracts Is Displayed
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The color of the extracts you can harvest varies depending on the monster's body part. By holding the R2 button to aim, the available extract colors from each body part will be displayed, making it easier for beginners to harvest the extracts.
Efficiently Harvest Multiple Extracts with Charged Kinsect
How to Do Charged Kinsect to Harvest Extract |
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+Hold Release + |
When the player attacks with Kinsects while charged, the Charge attack is enhanced and becomes penetrating. This allows you to collect multiple extracts from the hit body part at once. For better efficiency, focus on harvesting two or more extract colors with an Empower Kinsect attack, then gather the remaining color with the next.
Utilizing Focus Mode
Attack with Your Kinsect in Focus Mode
How to Do Focus Mode |
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+ Weapon Attack Button Weapon Attack In Focus Mode |
When you attack while activating Focus Mode, Kinsects will attack alongside you and collect extracts. Therefore, it's important to always focus on attacking in Focus Mode during combat.
Harvest Multiple Extracts with Focus Strike (Focus Thrust)
How to Do Focus Strike (Focus Thrust) |
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+ Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike (Focus Strike) |
Insect Glaive's Focus Strike "Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike" is a highly effective move. When it hits a monster's weak point, the Kinsect will destroy the wound and gather all three extracts (red, white, orange) at once. Be sure to use this technique proactively when your extract buffs have worn off.
Focus Mode Can Be Toggled On or Off in Options
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By default, Focus Mode is activated by holding the L2 button, but you can change it to a toggle in the options under the control settings. If holding the button while performing other actions is difficult, it's recommended to switch it to toggle mode.
Focus Mode GuideDo Aerial Actions to Aim for a Mount
Controls for Aerial Actions After Vaulting |
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+ Vault ➡ While Jumping Jumping Advancing Slash ➡ While Jumping Jumping Slash ➡ While Jumping Midair Evade |
The Insect Glaive is a weapon that allows you to vault and attack from the air. By continuously landing aerial attacks, you can mount the monster and aim for a knockdown. When you want to create more attack opportunities, be sure to actively engage from the air as well.
How to Ride / Mount MonstersAttack Openings with Rising Spiral Slash
How to Do Rising Spiral Slash |
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Hold Charge ➡ Release Descending Slash ➡ With 3 Extracts+ Rising Spiral Slash |
When an opening occurs, such as after a mount or knockdown, unleash the powerful Rising Spiral Slash. Although this will cancel your extract buff, it allows you to inflict heavy damage on the monster.
You Can Harvest Extracts Again with Rising Spiral Slash
During the Rising Spiral Slash, the Kinsect also has attack hit detection. While this will cancel your extract buffs, it allows you to collect extracts simultaneously. There's no need to start harvesting extracts from scratch, so make sure to actively aim for this opportunity.
Mark Target to Deploy Kinsect Dust
How to Do Mark Target / Fire |
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Kinsect: Mark Target (Melee Attack That Creates A Mark) + Kinsect: Fire (Long-Range Attack That Creates A Mark) |
When you apply a mark to a monster using Kinsect: Mark Target / Kinsect: Fire, the Kinsect will place dust on the marked body part. The dust types vary depending on the Kinsect, but attacking the dust will grant various effects.
▼List of Kinsect Dust Effects
Blast | Builds up Blast on the monster |
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Poison | Builds up Poison on the monster |
Paralysis | Builds up Paralysis on the monster |
Recover | Restores a small amount of Health to the Hunter |
Insect Glaive - Attack Combos & Moves
*Vaulting Dance skill becomes available in Final Version.
Basic Controls
Kinsect Attack Combos & Moves
Rising Spiral Slash
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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Hold Release + Charge (To Level 2) ➡ Strong Descending Slash ➡ Rising Spiral Slash |
- Only possible while in a 3-color (full) extract effects - Enhanced state will be canceled after using Rising Spiral Slash - You can harvest the extracts from the hit area |
Rising Spiral Slash is a powerful fire technique that can only be used when all 3 color extracts (red, white, and orange) are active. It can be performed by following up with Strong Descending Slash.
Descending Slash
How to Do |
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Hold |
- When three-color Extracts are active, it becomes Strong Descending Slash - In the Final Version, it becomes Offset Attack |
Descending Slash is a high-firepower move that you’ll want to use actively. Hold ◯, then release it after the weapon glows to activate. You can also charge it during other ground actions, allowing for combos like Strong Reaping Slash → Descending Slash.
Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike (Focus Strike)
How to Do |
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Hold+ |
- Hitting the wound allows you to harvest the three colors of extracts (red, white, orange) |
Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike is the Insect Glaive's focus strike. You can easily harvest extracts if you hit the weak point, so aim for it actively.
Kinesct: Fire
How to Do |
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+ |
- Places Kinsect Dust on the hit area - Attacking the dust will cause it to explode, triggering the Kinsect's unique effects |
Kinsect: Fire is a technique that allows you to place Kinsect Dust on the monster's body by hitting it. When the dust is attacked, it will explode, granting the Kinsect's unique effects such as attacks or healing.
Insect Glaive - Recommended Combos
Tornado Slash to Close Distance
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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+ |
This is a combo where, with all 3 color extracts gathered, you close the distance with a Leaping Slash (using the ◯ button while tilting the Left Stick) and then transition into Tornado Slash.
Strong Rising Slash Combo → Tornado Slash Loop
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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Loop Continues |
This is a combo that repeats the Strong Rising Slash Combo and Tornado Slash. Pressing △ while holding the L Stick will transition the Strong Rising Slash Combo into a Sidestep Slash, which is useful for adjusting your position.
Strong Rising Slash Combo → Descending Slash Loop
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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Right After Hold Release Hold Release Loop Continues |
This is a combo where you repeat Strong Rising Slash Combo and Descending Slash. Immediately after pressing △ start holding ◯ to smoothly connect the moves.
Tornado Slash into Rising Spiral Slash
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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Hold Release + |
During the recovery after Tornado Slash, hold ◯ to charge and then follow up with Strong Descending Slash → Rising Spiral Slash. If you want to maintain the 3 color extract effect, you can also stop with Strong Descending Slash.
Rising Spiral Slash → Focus Thrust
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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Hold Release + + |
Immediately after Rising Spiral Slash, follow up with Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike from the air to target and collect all three types of extract. This combo is useful when you can't fully collect the extracts with Rising Spiral Slash, as it will allow you to quickly recover all three types of extracts that were consumed.
Vault → Descending Thrust
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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+ Hold Release |
This is a Kinsect combo that can be used for aerial movement. It starts from Vault with the following sequence: 'Midair Evade → Jumping Advance Slash → Descending Thrust.
Insect Glaive - New Attack Overview
Attacks | Button Input |
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▼Rising Spiral Slash | Hold Release During Full Extract Effect+ |
▼Descending Slash | Hold |
▼Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike | Hold+ |
Rising Spiral Slash
How to Do (During Full Extract Effects) |
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Hold Release + Charge (To Level 2) ➡ Strong Descending Slash ➡ Rising Spiral Slash |
- Only possible while in a 3-color (full) extract effects - Enhanced state will be canceled after using Rising Spiral Slash - You can harvest the extracts from the hit area |
Rising Spiral Slash is a powerful fire technique that can only be used when all 3 color extracts (red, white, and orange) are active. It can be performed by following up with Strong Descending Slash.
Descending Slash
How to Do |
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Hold |
- When three-color Extracts are active, it becomes Strong Descending Slash - In the Final Version, it becomes Offset Attack |
Descending Slash is a high-firepower move that you’ll want to use actively. Hold ◯, then release it after the weapon glows to activate. You can also charge it during other ground actions, allowing for combos like Strong Reaping Slash → Descending Slash.
Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike
How to Do |
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Hold+ |
- Hitting the wound allows you to harvest the three colors of extracts (red, white, orange) - Upon a successful attack, Kinsect charges forward and collects all three types of extracts |
Focus Thrust: Leaping Strike is the Insect Glaive's Focus Strike. You can easily harvest extracts if you hit the weak point, so aim for it actively.
Insect Glaive - Balance Adjustment
Planned Overall Performance Enhancements in the Final Version
Balance Adjustments Overview |
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◆ Added Vaulting Dance to strengthen aerial action. - Able to combo into a variety of aerial actions after vaulting. - Aerial Attack power increases by 2 levels each time you vault. ◆ Adding an offset effect at the beginning of Descending Slash. ◆ Orange extract effect now also negates knockback while the weapon is drawn. Red + White + Orange extract effect now also mitigates wind pressure, tremors, and roars. |
In The Monster Hunter Wilds community update, the following balance adjustments for the Insect Glaive were revealed.
Vaulting Dance Returned
You'll now be able to perform 'Vaulting Dance,' where you can rebound off monsters midair for a second jump. During the beta test, this move was disabled to give players a chance to experience the new motions. Many fans will likely be thrilled to see the return of this iconic action for the Insect Glaive.
Expand Combat Versatility with Descending Slash & Extract Boost
With the addition of the offset effect at the beginning of Descending Slash and the strengthened effects during extract absorption, the versatility of gameplay has significantly expanded. Beta testers who use the Insect Glaive have expressed their excitement, saying it has become 'the best Insect Glaive version yet'、so expectations are high.
▼Descending Slash Charge Mechanic to be Retained
There were concerns about the difficulty of 'Descending Slash' charging, but after considering the expanded gameplay opportunities it provides and the benefits of getting accustomed to the mechanic, it has been decided to keep the charge mechanic in place.
Weapon Adjustments GuideMonster Hunter Wilds Related Articles
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