With the launch of the PlayStation and Xbox versions, Monster hunter rise is destined to attract an even greater number of hunters, both veterans who have already played World, and new recruits, who perhaps are now interested in the Capcom series taking advantage of the fact that the game is included in the PC and Xbox subscription Game Pass.
Monster Hunter Rise, like its predecessors, is an action RPG that potentially offers a large number of hours of fun, but, despite being the most accessible chapter of the series, at the same time it could intimidate budding hunters with its enormous size. of information and tutorial texts and with the apparent cumbersomeness of its gameplay. For this reason we thought we would share some with you advice which we hope will prove useful in becoming familiar with the game.
Better few weapons, but good ones
Monster Hunter Rise allows you to wield numerous types of different weapons, fourteen to be precise, each characterized by different movesets and characteristics. While it is true that the charm of the series is partly linked to the variety in terms of gameplay offered by the available death tools, our advice, especially if Rise is your first Monster Hunter, is to concentrate on just one weapon or at most two, at least until you reach the endgame.
As we have already said, each type of weapon has a set of moves and gameplay mechanics that are very different from each other, which must necessarily be mastered. For example, the Long Sword is based on counterattacks to be performed with very precise timing, the Sword Ax is an ax that transforms into a broadsword completely changing its moveset, while the Hunting Horn creates melodies that grant passive bonuses to the hunter and the companions. In Rise there are also the Trading Skills (here's how to unlock them all) through which it is possible to partially modify the moveset of a weapon, which adds further irons to the fire... or complicates things, depending on your point of view.
Not only that, for each category of weapon you will necessarily have to obtain the materials necessary to forge various models and pieces of equipment with specific abilities, such as "Quick Sheath" for the Long Sword. In short, progressing through the game using multiple different types of weaponry at the same time could make farming materials, zenny and armor spheres excessively tedious. This is not necessarily a wrong approach, let's be clear, but we do not recommend it for new players.
Set of equipment and items
One of the simplest ways to improve your efficiency and at the same time reduce downtime between hunts (to the delight of your hunting companions) is to register customized equipment and item sets in the Item Box .
Considering the differences between the various monsters and the peculiarities of some types of weapons, always having multiple loadouts ready is decidedly more practical than having to readjust the one in use every time or, worse, going into battle with a generic but inefficient one. For example, Double Blades and Bow are at their best by exploiting the elemental weaknesses of monsters, so in their case at least one set for each element is practically mandatory.
It is equally important to have at least one set of objects registered just in case. Once created, simply select it via the Checkout for automatically fill the bag of your hunter with all the elements recorded (provided you have enough), thus saving a lot of time.
What to include in an object set? For everyday hunts, our Bag never lacks Megapotions for small and medium-sized cures, the indispensable Health Pills and materials to "craft them on the fly" (Catalysts and Mandrakes), as well as Nullberries and Antidotes to cure altered statuses . And since there's plenty of space, there's also demonic serums/powder/seeds to boost the attack, the Shaken Trap, the Covered Trap and the Sleeping Spheres to capture monsters, Life Powder to heal other players in multiplayer and useful tools like Lightning Pods.
We recommend that you also include the Strength Talisman, the Demonic Spur, the Defense Talisman and Claw in your inventory as soon as possible, i.e. objects that increase the hunter's attack and defense by a few points simply by keeping them in the bag. The talismans can be purchased from the vendors in Kamura/Elgado, while the other two can be crafted using a material obtained from the Ibushi, an advanced monster.
Take advantage of the Shortcut
If creating sets of items allows you to save a lot of time between hunts, use the Quick Choice instead it could save their lives in battle. This is an extremely useful function but one that we too often see snubbed by newcomers to Monster Hunter Rise (and World before it).
What is it for? Pressing L1 or LT will open a radial menu with eight shortcuts to be selected using the right analog stick of the pad, which allow you to quickly start various actions, such as using healing objects and the whetstone, crafting a combination on the fly or giving orders to your canyne and felyne companions. Definitely more practical and immediate than having to manually scroll through the item bar, especially when a Potion can make the difference between life and the "cart" (community jargon for fainting, ed.).
One of the reasons why the Shortcut is quickly forgotten is because it basically uses a less than intuitive control system, with shortcuts that must first be selected by tilting the right analog stick, and then releasing it. What many don't know is that through the options ("Commands" section) it is possible to change its operation from Type 1 to 2, which we recommend you try. In this way the selection of the command from the radial menu takes place by pressing R3 o RS (i.e. "clicking" on the analog stick) rather than releasing the stick, in our opinion a much more intuitive system. In any case, the Quick Choice requires some time to be mastered properly and for this reason we advise you to do so from the initial stages of the game. But trust me: once you get the hang of it you will never go back.
Like equipment and items, you can also customize this feature by creating custom radial menus. To do this, simply access the "Shortcut Operation" option from the Item Box or from the game menu. From here you can customize and save various menus with the shortcuts of your interest. By pressing L2 or LT, you can create radial menu sets to use in battle.
Furthermore, keep in mind that if you want, you can associate a Menu Set with a Set of Items in your inventory by registering the latter at the Cashier.
Know your enemy
As per the tradition of the series, Monster Hunter Rise also features a rich cast of monsters, each characterized by strengths and peculiarities unique, which is reflected not only in the most effective strategies with which to face them but also in the choice of weapons and equipment.
This is where the Hunting Notes, an often reliable source of information and which lists weaknesses, resistances to altered statuses and some practical advice on how to deal with monsters. To access them, simply open the menu and select the Hunting Notes item in the "Info" section and then "Large Monsters".
For example, in the tab above we can see the Tigrex's weaknesses. The numbers basically indicate how much damage the various types of attacks cause, the higher the value the better. As for the beast above, its weak point is clearly its head, with blunt blows doing more damage than cutting ones and projectiles/arrows, while the most useful element is thunder.
The Hunting Notes are a great starting point, but unfortunately they don't say everything you will have to learn what you need to know about monsters and many of their peculiarities yourself through experience or with suggestions from players more experienced than you. Let's take the Tigrex as an example again: the head is indeed its weakest point but it is often advisable to concentrate attacks on the front legs. In fact, these parts are easier to hit and can be broken, causing the monster to fall to the ground and leaving it helpless for a few seconds. A detail not indicated in the Hunting Notes, but which can be learned directly in the field.
Is it better to capture or kill monsters?
Everything related to the creation of weapons, armor and jewelry requires specific materials, some rarer than others. In short, you have to roll up your sleeves and hunt dozens and dozens of monsters to get everything you need. In this sense, you should know that the rewards of a hunt change depending on the parts destroyed and whether you have captured or killed your target. Which of the two options is better? It depends from case to case.
What many do not know or quickly forget due to the numerous information present in the tutorials, is that the materials have obtaining percentages based on the way in which you conclude the hunt, with a capture or killing the target, if you have broken certain parts or even cutting off a monster's tail.
For example, it is clear that a Rathalos Ruby is a rare material, which you can basically obtain with a 1% chance. However, the chances increase by breaking the Head (4%) and cutting off the tail (3%). The Naragacuga Marrow (one of the most sought after materials in Moster Hunter Rise) on the other hand has a much higher percentage of obtaining in case of killing the monster rather than capturing it alive.
The advice therefore, especially if you have to farm particularly rare and in quantity materials, is to check the Hunting Notes in this case too to save precious time. In the Materials section you will not only find a list of obtainable materials but also a practical table, with all the drop rates relating to killing, capturing or breaking monster parts, such as those we have listed above.
