While Monster Hunter popularized the idea of taking down monsters with a wide variety of weapons, Monster Hunter Rise introduces novel ways of hunting that add spice to the franchise. Aside from mounts, Monster Hunter Rise also adds a zipline mechanic that players can integrate with combat to make dashing combos and quick escapes. And more importantly, Rise adds a capturing mechanic to the Monster Hunter formula that encourages players to stealthily trap monsters instead of killing them.
However, while it’s pretty straightforward to lure a monster into a trap, it’s the choice of trap that usually determines whether a hunter will be successful in their endeavor. Just which traps remain ever-reliable capturing implements in Monster Hunter Rise?
8 Drugged Meat
Monsters need food too, and good food puts them to sleep. However, the best food - like Drugged Meat - feeds them while putting them to sleep. This kind of meat is a great bait for traps, and when used properly, a monster can sleep and be open for capture and attacks in no time at all. Ideally, players should put Drugged Meat along the path of a moving target so it succumbs to the effects much faster.
Players can obtain Drugged Meat via crafting, through the combination of Raw Meat and a Sleep Herb. They can also buy it from the Argosy for 300 points, under Trade Goods.
7 Tinged Meat
Despite their skill in defending themselves from hunters, monsters are still monsters, and they get hungry. When fed with Tinged Meat, a monster can find itself paralyzed and unable to move. This makes Tinged Meat such a great bait when it comes to setting up traps. Ideally, players should use Tinged Meat in front of a moving monster, as this increases the odds of paralyzing them.
Players can obtain Tinged Meat via crafting, through combining Raw Meat and Parashroom. They can also get it from the Argosy for 300 points, under Trade Goods.
6 Flash Bomb
Monsters can’t attack hunters they can’t see, and the Flash Bomb is quite an effective tool to render a monster’s sight quite useless. When activated, the Flash Bomb releases a bright flash. However, activating this right in front of a monster can stun it and leave them confused for quite a while. Use this properly, and a Flash Bomb can provide an entire team the time they need to retreat or even launch a counter-offensive.
Players can actually craft their own Flash Bombs through a Flashbug. They can also buy the Flash Bomb from the Argosy for 100 points, under Rare Finds.
5 Sonic Bomb
Players may sometimes need the power of sound itself to immobilize enemies, and this is exactly what the Sonic Bomb does to a target. When activated, the Sonic Bomb releases a high-frequency blast of sound that can effectively immobilize targets. When hitting the right monsters, the Sonic Bomb can disorient them and leave them stunned, leaving them quite open for the counter-attack or the timely capture.
Players can easily craft a Sonic Bomb through a Screamer Sac. However, they can also buy the Sonic Bomb from the Argosy for 100 points, under Rare Finds.
4 Shock Trap
Hunters in need of a straightforward way to trap an enemy could benefit from the Shock Trap, which immobilizes targets upon impact. At its core, an activated Shock Trap releases tendrils of electricity that grab monsters and stick them in place. This ensnares them, allowing players to successfully capture the immobilized monster with one Tranq Bomb or one Tranq Ammo.
Players can obtain the Shock Trap through crafting, particularly with the Trap Tool and the Thunderbug. Likewise, they can obtain the Shock Trap from the Argosy for 400 points, under Rare Finds.
3 Thunder Barrel Bomb
When players use a Thunder Barrel Bomb, they need to get out of its vicinity as it unleashes an electrifying barrage that deals thunderblight to people it affects. Through the thunderblight, monsters will slowly accumulate stun values whenever they are hit - eventually leading to a successful stun after a certain number of hits. Players who are fighting a pesky rampaging enemy could use the Thunder Barrel Bomb to stop them in their tracks.
Players can obtain the Thunder Barrel Bomb through crafting, particularly with the Gold Seed. There’s no other way to obtain the Thunder Barrel Bomb unless it’s through this method.
2 Pitfall Trap
The only way to capture a monster successfully is to lure it into a trap, and the Pitfall Trap is as basic a trap as any trap could get. When utilized, players need to lure monsters into the Pitfall Trap so they could fall into it. Afterward, they need two Tranq Bombs or Tranq Ammo to capture the monsters the trap has immobilized.
Players can get the Pitfall Trap through crafting, particularly with the Trap Tool and the Net. Likewise, players can get the Pitfall Trap from the Argosy for 600 points, under Rare Finds.
1 Tranq Bomb
The Tranq Bomb is perhaps the essence of traps in Monster Hunter Rise, as it’s the best tool to use to capture monsters that are already trapped in the first place. Players can only hold up to eight of these at a time and need to use one to two to successfully capture a monster. This means they only get four to eight tries to successfully capture a monster with the Tranq Bomb. Through the use of other traps, the Tranq Bomb won’t have trouble capturing any monster it hits.
Players can get the Tranq Bomb through crafting, by combining the Sleep Herb and the Parashroom. They can also buy the Tranq Bomb from the Market for 180z.
Monster Hunter Rise is currently available on Nintendo Switch and PC.