Quick Links
Monster Hunter Rise is the latest entry in Capcom's long-running action-RPG series, and even though the game launched over a year ago, there's an expansion on the horizon that can be compared to the Iceborne expansion for Monster Hunter: World. For those that skipped out on World/Iceborne, then just know that Iceborne is massive, adding dozens of hours to the monster-hunting experience.
Sunbreak is the name of the new expansion for Monster Hunter Rise, launching this week for Switch and PC. It adds several entire new biomes, new/returning monsters, a new home base, a new rank of quests, and lots more for fans to look forward to. However, for those that are new to the series and might want to jump into Monster Hunter Rise for the first time, it can be intimidating.
Monster Hunter is a series that's been known for not having the best boarding system for newbies, but, with some useful tips and tricks, beginners can find themselves enjoying the series and get a good idea of how all the systems and mechanics come together. With that said, new players can use this handy beginner's guide to get started in Monster Hunter Rise.
How Monster Hunter Rise Quests Work
There are two locations where players can take on new quests in Monster Hunter Rise. There are Village Quests, which can be started by speaking to Hinoa in Kamura Village. She's hanging out by the Merchant cart with a bull-like monster. Village Quests are single-player only but can help new hunters familiarize themselves with the game without having to connect online.
By going over to the Gathering Hub, players can speak to Minoto to take on Hub Quests, which players will want to complete in order to eventually get to High Rank and see the story play out. These can be done alone, but players can also join up with up to three others hunters.
Most quests will involve hunting a specific monster in a certain biome. There will be a time limit for all quests, so keep that in mind when playing. Hunting a monster means that players will need to either kill or capture the monster in question. Capturing monsters is a bit advanced, but can help hunters get more rewards or different monster materials.
Once hunters start the quest, the large monsters in the area will all appear on the map. If a player has yet to encounter the monster, there will be a question mark on the map instead of the monster's picture.
Carve the Monster
Once a monster has been killed and the quest is complete, don't forget to actually carve the monster for materials by going up to it and pressing A. The whole point of Monster Hunter is to defeat a monster, get its materials, and then craft new weapons/gear with those materials, and then rinse and repeat.
Hunter's Notes are Your Best Friend
If playing Monster Hunter Rise on Switch, press the + button, and then the R button twice to get to the Hunter's Notes section. Here, players can check out the monsters they've encountered so far. The more times the monster is killed, the more info will get added to the pages.
The Hunter's Notes are a great way to find out which materials are dropped by which monsters and, if players want an advantage in battle, there's info on their resistances/weaknesses as well.
Eat Before Quests
Players can head to the Canteen (there's one in the Gathering Hub and another outside the hub entrance in the village) to eat some Bunny Dango before going on a quest or expedition. Eating Dango will increase certain stats and can provide unique bonuses that are helpful on a hunt. Choose the three types of Dango and then players can pay using cash or Kamura points.
The effects from the food will only last for a single quest, so make sure to eat before every single meal.
Figure Out Your First Weapon
With 14 different weapons available for players in Monster Hunter Rise, there are a lot of ways to go about fighting monsters. Newbies might want to start out with an easy-to-use weapon like the Sword and Shield and Dual Blades, but if someone wants to pack a heavier punch at the cost of movement, the Great Sword and Hammer are great picks, too. And then there are more behind-the-scenes support types like the Hunting Horn and Bowguns. There's no wrong answer for which weapon to use for a beginner.
Players can train with all the weapons at the Training Area in Monster Hunter Rise. To access it, press the + button, hit L to tab over to the next screen, and then hit the Move Around Village option. The training area can be fast-traveled to. Otherwise, players can access it by going to the Buddy Plaza and interacting with a boat in the back section.
The Training Area will have a fake monster for players to beat. And while attacking it, the game will show players their combos on-screen, as well as all the possible moves. Combos will not appear on-screen like that for regular hunts, so use this area to get a good handle on your potential favorite Monster Hunter Rise weapons.
Collect Everything During Quests
Even though the main goal of most quests will task players with killing a monster, that doesn't mean there's not enough time to slow down and smell the roses. There's an abundance of crafting materials around each biome in Monster Hunter Rise, and even if players don't need anything, it's best to just take what you can get. Stuff can also be sold for decent Zenny at the shop, so it's always worth having a full bag.
It's also worth noting that players will spot glowing little bugs in each stage that can be collected by getting close to them. These are Permabuffers, and they'll increase a hunter's stats for the rest of the quest. Based on the color of the wisp, players can increase their health, stamina, attack, and defense. So make sure to collect some of these before jumping into a big monster fight.
Upgrade, Upgrade, Upgrade
By speaking with the Smithy, players will be able to do lots of things related to their weapons and armor. Here, they can forge new weapons using materials, forge new armor sets, and upgrade weapons and armor pieces. If players ever feel like they're barely dishing out damage on a tough boss monster, it'll be good to make sure that the equipped armor is in good shape, and the weapons being used are upgraded as much as they can be.
Monster Hunter Rise is available for PC and Switch.
