[Top 10] MHW Best Wakeup Up Attacks

Monster Hunter Wakeup Attacks
Hope He Brushed His Teeth and Said His Prayers First


Shhhhh. Quiet. I’m hunting a monster and the giant turd is asleep. Usually the method of choice from here and how it usually goes down is to mega barrel the monster’s head and whoever in the party hits the target first, well that’s who just did the wakeup. But sometimes, just sometimes, with the right party you can plan some serious wakeup damage usually involving some of the methods below. 

And in some cases doing a wall bang wakeup is the best secenario but I would only do that if you just don’t think your single attack wakeup will do enough damage. Happy bombing and waking up defenseless sleeping monsters.

10. Hunting Horn Echo Wave Wakeup

Do a three set Dragon Echo Wave on the encore and into the fourth Echo Wave which will do the actual wakeup/bomb detonation. This may take some moving around and positioning as you’ll find there’s no telling with the chaos always involved in MHW where the monster will finally drop for his nap. 

What’s Good About Hunting Horn Dragon Echo Wave Wakeup:

  • Hunting Horn
  • Echo Wave
  • Play Some Beautiful Music

Hunting Horn Dragon Echo Wave Wakeup Details:

  • Three Set Dragon Wave On the Encore
  • Hit With Fourth Echo Wave 

9. Light Bowgun Mines Wakeup

The highest damage you’re going to get with the Light Bowgun is with its mines. Simply place Wyvern Mines around the monsters head and melee attack it for the Wakeup/detonation. Melee attack because it’s the highest single hit damage the Light Bowgun has.

What’s Good About Light Bowgun Mines Wakeup:

  • Light Bowgun
  • Wyvern Mines
  • EXPLOSIONS!

Light Bowgun Mines Wakeup Details

  • Place Wyvern Mines
  • Melee Attack Wakeup

8. Hammer Charged Big Bang Wakeup

Approach the monster and Power Charge to boost your attack power. Then go into the Big Bang combo only hitting the intended spot on the monster with the 3rd attack. Also the Golf Swing attack is very powerful and can be executed without any missed prep attacks. 

What’s Good About Hammer Charged Big Bang Wakeup:

  • Ungabunga Big Bang
  • Hammer Time
  • Big Bang Combo
  • Charge Your Weapon

Hammer Charge Details:

  • Hit Target With 3rd Attack of Big Bang Combo

7. Gunlance Wyvern Fire Wakeup 

This one is pretty simple folks. Set up mega bombs around your target’s head encouraging your teammates to do the same, and Wyvern Blast the monster right in the face, chain reaction detonating the bombs. 

Wyvern Blast. Then just walk away!! It’s that easy!!! Even your Gramma can do it!!

What’s Good About Lance Wyvern Fire Wakeup:

  • Wyvern Blast 
  • Big Explosions 
  • Other Smart Players Will Happily  Wait for you to Wakeup

Gunlance Wyvern Fire Wakeup Details:

  • Wyvern Blast Target In the Face Detonating Bombs

6. Switch Axe Heavy Slam Wakeup

Set this smoker up with just 2 or 3 missing Wild Swings and Follow Up with a Heavy Slam attack. As always, the most powerful single attack in your arsenal is what you’re gonna want to use to Wakeup and the Heavy Slam is Switch Axes finest.

What’s Good About Switch Axe Heavy Slam Wakeup:

  • Switch Axe
  • Wild Swings Are So Wild
  • Heavy Slam Attack

Switch Axe Heavy Slam Wakeup Details:

  • Miss First Couple Wild Swing Attacks
  • Hit Target With Follow Up Slam Attack

5. Insect Glaive Descending Thrust Air Attack Wakeup

Probably the coolest part about the Insect Glaive besides the Kinsect is the ability to launch yourself into the air with your glaive which is like a long pole with a sick blade on the end of it. And like the Longsword’s Helm Breaker, what goes up must come down, down meaning slamming your Insect Glaive into you target’s head like it owes you money.

What’s Good About Insect Glaive Descending Thrust Air Attack Wakeup:

  • Insect Glaive
  • Launching Air Attack
  • Descending Thrust

Insect Glaive Descending Thrust Air Attack Details:

  • Pole Vault Into the Air
  • Descending Thrust Into the Target

4. Charge Blade SAED Wakeup

This wakeup combo will take one attack to get your Phial attack ready because you’ll be using your SAED to actually attack the monster. So draw attack away from your target and then turn to face it and go all in with your SAED attack. This may take some practice and camera tweaking to ensure all of your elemental discharge actually hits your intended target. Bombs always included of course.

What is Good About SAED Wakeup:

  • One of the Most Powerful Wakeups
  • Multiplayer Will Always Want You To Wake Up (Unless HBG Is There, Holler)
  • Super Amped Elemental Discharge 

SAED Wakeup Details:

  • Draw Attack Away From Target First
  • Turn To Face Target, Then SAED in the FACE
  • May Take Some Positioning Practice

3. Great Sword True Charge Slash Wakeup:

When the monster is sleeping, simply walk up to it and, from it’s head, roll backwards to get the perfect position. From there start charging up your True Charge Slash, allowing the first attack to miss but connecting with the second. He should wake up with a huge knot on his head after that one. 

What’s Good About True Charge Slash Wakeup:

  • Great Sword 
  • Easy to Position
  • Wonderful When Bombs Are Set

True Charge Slash Wakeup Details: 

  • Roll Backwards From Targets Head For Perfect Position
  • Hit WIth Second True Charge Slash Attack

2.  Longsword Helm Breaker Wakeup

What goes up must come down. And by down I mean landing on top of your target’s head with Longsword skull crushing tenacity. The second flying attack in the Helm Breaker combo never fails to impress and is one of the Longsword’s most powerful attacks. Don’t forget the bombs!

What’s Good About Helm Breaker Wakeup:

  • Flying Air Attack Looks So Cool
  • Impress Your Friends
  • Show’s The Monster Who Is Boss

Helm Breaker Wakeup Details:

  • Hit With Second Attack of the Helm Breaker Combo

1. Heavy Bowgun Wyvern Fire/Cluster Bomb Wakeup

Ok much like the Lance Wyvern Fire Wakeup, the HBG Wyvern Fire Wakeup goes without saying. But HBG players know that Cluster Bombs are just amazing but can be hard to actually hit the target. When running Spare Shot/Ammo Up you can sometimes shoot up to 5 of these bad boys without reloading which is absolutely devastating. 

So what I personally do is Wyvern Wakeup then switch to Cluster Bombs and get out as many as I can while the monster is waking up and it always interrupts it’s roar leaving it staggered. Then I just sit and smile as my teammates jump in on getting amazing DPS while the monster is staggered.

What’s Good About Heavy Bowgun Wyvern Fire/Cluster Bomb Wakeup:

  • Wyvern Blast In the Face
  • Cluster Bombs are a Wonderful Alternative 
  • Cluster Bombs Almost Always Interrupts Wakeup Roar to Stagger
  • Dude Cluster Bombs Rock

Heavy Bowgun Wyvern Fire/Cluster Bomb Wakeup Details:

● Wyvern Blast in the Face to Wakeup
● Cluster Bomb the Poop Out Of It While It's Waking Up
● Cluster Bomb Wakeup Is Powerful Too (Don’t Worry Your Teammates Will Forgive You)

Also be sure to check out these articles:

More on this topic:


Since the beginnings of Mario, Zelda and Metroid, Jordan has embraced the escape and fantasy of video games despite the social norm and expectations of friends and family. Viva la gaming
Gamer Since: 1986
Favorite Genre: RPG
Currently Playing: Fallout 76, Tekken Tag Tournament, State of Decay 2
Top 3 Favorite Games:Dead Island 2, State of Decay, Borderlands 2


More Top Stories