The release of Monster Hunter: Rise brought a huge amount of new fans to the series. Previous games in the franchise weren't known for their accessibility, but Rise's quality-of-life changes make it a great starting point.
This is still a Monster Hunter game at its core. The sheer volume of tutorial pop-ups and things to manage can cause headaches for many a newcomer. Sometimes it can feel like the game is over-explaining some things, while not explaining other things enough. The best way to learn the game is to play the game, keeping these tips in mind in order to make the experience easier.
10 Don't Start With A Ranged Weapon
There are a lot of weapons in Monster Hunter: Rise, and all of them are available right from the start. Most recommend the Sword and Shield for new hunters. It's possible to learn the game with any weapon; however, ranged weapons may be a bit too much.
Hunters wielding a Bow, Light Bowgun, or Heavy Bowgun all have to manage switching between dozens of available ammo types mid-hunt. It's not the most difficult thing in the world, but it'll overwhelm beginners. Players that still want to fight from a distance can try the Lance, Gunlance, or Insect Glaive.
9 Armor Is For Skills, Not Stats
Armor items give various perks called Skills, which are the most important part of any build. Don't worry about min-maxing as a new player, but remember that skills are crucial. There are dozens of skills in the game, from typical attack boosts to more eclectic ones like "crit rate goes up after sliding" and "can eat mushrooms in the field".
The raw defense stat and elemental resistances matter, but they're not priority number one. Eating dango can cover for elemental weaknesses somewhat, while armor can always be upgraded to increase Defense. Players can't cover for less-than-useful skills until much later in the game.
8 Always Eat Before A Hunt
Food has been an important Monster Hunter mechanic since the beginning, and Rise is no different. Eating Bunny Dango before setting out can give a wide variety of perks. Different flavors include faster sharpening, elemental resistances, and extra Buddy experience. There's no reason to skip out on them.
The various dango skills don't always proc after eating, but a meal always gives +50 to Health and Stamina. Pay for the meal with Kamura Points – save zenny for armor and weapon upgrades.
7 Eat During A Hunt, Too
Ever wondered why the hunter's stamina bar is shrinking? They're getting hungry. The stamina bar's maximum depletes over time, which makes it harder to dodge and sprint. Hunters have to eat periodically to restore their stamina.
The supply chest provides a few free rations at the beginning of each hunt, and players can also make their own rations from spare monster bits via the Motley Mix. Use the BBQ Spit and some Raw Meat to cook during a hunt, but be careful to not burn the meat. Wait for the hunter to turn the spit four full times before stopping to get that perfect steak.
6 Use Dung Bombs To Get Out Of Trouble
Yuck, monster dung! This commonly found material might seem like trash, but it crafts into a very useful item. When a monster is hit by a dung bomb, they'll run away. Most monsters will chase the player throughout an area, so it's good to have something to stave them off in an emergency.
Sometimes it's useful to keep an unwanted monster around. When two monsters meet in the same area, they'll fight, and at least one will take significant damage. It's very rare for two monsters to gang up on a hunter – unless the two are Rathalos and Rathian. The members of this gruesome twosome will always rush to assist the other if they're being attacked.
5 Attack Weak Points
Sometimes a hunter's attacks can bounce off their target, even with a weapon at full sharpness. It's not the whetstone – the hunter is just attacking the monster in their most armored area. Some body parts are heavily armored while others are weak. For example, Khezu easily deflects attacks from the rear, but it's easier to deal damage at the head and neck.
When running blunt-force weapons like the Hammer or Hunting Horn, aim for the monster's head. Enough bludgeoning damage will stun the monster or knock it over. Slicing weapons should stay to the rear end because they can chop off a monster's tail. Tail cutting is very important in late-game hunts; however, players need a certain amount of Sharpness to do it.
4 Use Endemic Life
Endemic Life are small creatures found throughout maps that give boons to hunters who find them. Spiribirds are the most important Endemic Life, increasing stats the more the player collects. Other forms of Endemic Life aren't as flashy, but they're very useful. Vigorwasps are a way to restore health without consuming an item, and other insects give temporary stat boosts.
Antidobra are an especially useful creature. Putting one down creates a cloud that cures blights and poison. Additionally, various Beetles can inflict elemental damage and are extra useful if the monster is weak to that element.
3 Don't Forget Optional Subquests
These are available from the same place players take Village Quests. These short missions give rewards for things like slaying large monsters or gathering items. The prizes are small, but they add up, and most of them are things that the player would be doing anyway. No effort needed.
Optional subquests are the easiest way to earn Armor Spheres, which are needed to upgrade armor. The higher-level ones also give forging materials like Bones and Ore. Hunters can take up to five of these at a time. They have no time limit, and dropping them comes with no penalty.
2 Each Monster Has An Elemental Weakness
It's pretty obvious that monsters can inflict various types of elemental damage and blight. However, the player can inflict elemental damage too. It might not always be obvious, but each large monster is weak to at least one element. Using the correct weapon will make hunts noticeably easier.
To find weaknesses, go into the game's Monster Notes and check the monster's Physiology tab. See which column has the most large numbers. In Aknosom's case, it's the Thunder column, meaning this monster is weak to Thunder weapons.
1 Capturing And Slaying Give Different Materials
This is probably the most important thing to remember when farming materials. A lot of drops overlap between carves and captures, but some are exclusive to either pool. As a rule, capturing gives more items overall. It also ends hunts faster, as the monster can be taken down before their HP hits zero. The catch is that it consumes items that take somewhat uncommon crafting materials.
Capturing can be tricky. When taking on a monster for the first time, don't bother with trapping unless the objective is specifically "Capture a (Monster)". For example, there's a Training Quest available early on where Master Utsushi shows how to capture an Arzuros.