Monster Hunter Rise is a popular action-RPG that tasks players on trapping and slaying all manners of beasts in an open-world setting. This newest installment of the popular franchise implements new features like a companion system and a fresh way to aerially traverse the map. Since Monster Hunter Rise is the sixth installment of the series, it features the same core gameplay mechanics of the series along with new additions. This game has a robust combat system that comes with varying layers. Therefore, in order to become an efficient hunter, players will need to know how properly read the stats and decipher what they mean.
When players look at the stats of their own hunter, they will see something called "Affinity." This is something that players might shrug off at first glance, but don't ignore it. It's actually a valuable stat in the combat system of Monster Hunter Rise that can really help players out in a pinch. Affinity basically means what the chances are of hitting a "Critical Hit" with a weapon. Therefore, strong weapons do a 25% chance of a critical hit while weaker weapons do a - 25% chance. The standard formula goes as follows:
- Damage per hit = ( Physical RAW Damage) x (1 + (.25 x Affinity)
So, the Affinity stat in Monster Hunter Rise can either add or subtract the Critical damage output, which will affect the overall power of the weapon. Of course, when it comes to stats, it's all a balancing act. Sometimes, gear with negative Affinity can actually do more damage than gear with positive Affinity. Experimentation with gear is encouraged in this game. Affinity was implemented into the combat system to prevent certain weapons from becoming overpowered.
There is some gear in Monster Hunter Rise that comes with little perks that help out with Affinity. Be sure to be thorough when reading the stats that come with all the gear. Sometimes there will be something that will grant temporary Affinity boosts after sliding or after slaying a specific monster etc. On top of that, there are other ways to bump up the Affinity stat. Focusing on certain "Skills" will bump it up, such as the "Expert Skill," for example.
Another thing to keep an eye on is the "Sharpness Level" with melee weapons. If the sharpness level falls down into the red, then the affinity stat will naturally drop with it. So, be sure to keep all swords and other melee weapons in prime condition. Plus, other stats with equipment and skills that will also help out with boosting Affinity are; Critical Eye, Attack Boost, Agitator, Maximum Might, and Latent Power. The type of weapon used and the skills that are associated with it will greatly affect the Affinity stat, in general.
Monster Hunter Rise is available on Nintendo Switch
