What Weapons Exploit Mantis Weakness Grounded Effectively?

If you're facing mantis-style enemies — the lightning-fast, leap-happy bug-lords or nimble humanoid assassins — the whole game changes when you can keep them planted on the ground. I love those tense fights where everything hinges on whether they get their aerial dodges or not, and the best way to shut them down is to combine tools that stop movement with weapons that punish exposed joints and chitin. The core idea I follow is simple: prevent the mantis from closing distance or launching into the air, then hit hard and slow so their speed advantage becomes meaningless.

Start with weapons that directly interrupt mobility and break limbs. Heavy blunt weapons — hammers, mauls, maces — are brilliant because they stagger, concuss, and crack exoskeletons, making recovery slow. Polearms and spears are my go-to for reach and precision: you can poke at legs and shoulders while staying out of their swipe arcs, and many polearms have follow-ups that trip or knock back. For ranged play, shotguns and buckshot-inspired weapons excel at knockback close up; they disrupt momentum and often force a mantis to the ground. Explosives and area-of-effect ordnance (grenades, mines, sticky bombs) do the same on a broader scale and are especially useful when you anticipate a pounce.

Tools that actually pin or tether are priceless — nets, bolas, sticky grenades, traps, and webbing turn a skittery foe into a stationary target. I always try to carry at least one trap or immobilizer: throw it down where the mantis wants to leap from or put it on the path you want to control. Status-inflicting weapons are another layer: freeze or ice effects slow movement and make them clumsy, paralysis or stun tech locks them in place so teammates can pile on, and glue/adhesive throws force grounded, flailing combat. In many games the ‘earth’ or gravity-themed attacks work thematically well; grounding abilities that pull or anchor the mantis to the floor let you exploit their lack of aerial options. If the setting allows, electrified floors or shock plates that trigger when they step onto them are hilarious and effective ways to keep them from springing back up.

Tactically, focus on leg and joint damage. Those are the parts that enforce mobility — take them out and their teleporty lunges turn into awkward crawls. I love coordinating with teammates: one player lays a trap or pins with a net, another follows up with a heavy hitter to smash and cripple, while a third watches flanks or throws down area denial. Environmental tricks are underrated too — funnel them into Choke points, lure them over pits or spike traps, and avoid fighting them in open air where they can fully exploit jumps. In games like 'Monster Hunter' that emphasize breaking parts, this is especially satisfying: cripple the limb, then the mantis becomes a different enemy entirely.

My favorite loadout for a solo run usually pairs a hammer (for stagger and massive blunt damage) with bolos/nets and a couple of sticky grenades — it feels great to see a mantis bounced out of the air and then slowly get walloped into submission. There's a real joy in turning their greatest strength into their downfall, and using grounding tactics makes fights feel smarter and more rewarding.