Monster Hunter Rise is the latest game in a series that's known for its die-hard fans who love overcoming challenges. However, this can mean that Monster Hunter tends to have a steep learning curve for new players who come in without much familiarity with what the game entails. It can be fun to unravel the complexities of such a game with a group of like-minded friends that undertake quests together. For other players, it might just come down to a single question - Can you change the difficulty in Monster Hunter Rise?
The simple answer is that there is not a difficulty selection in Monster Hunter Rise that will immediately change the level of challenge in the game. There is no "easy" or "hard" mode. The good news for struggling players is that there are some simple methods of preparing for hunts and increasing the odds of success in a big way. This guide will go into detail on some of these tips and tricks.
Upgrade Gear
Improving weapons and armor is a core element of Monster Hunter. By becoming better equipped, hunters can then take on bigger and mightier monsters. Crafting brand new equipment isn't the only option, though. Weapons can be further improved by collecting more materials, and armor can be enhanced to provide more defense too. A player who is having a hard time with a particular quest will find that being able to take a couple more hits before having to heal can make a huge difference.
Eat Before a Quest
Kamura Village and the Gathering Hub both contain a Tea Shop that all hunters should visit before any quest. Meals provide powerful boosts for the next quest, and the value of these benefits cannot be understated. Expanding the Tea Shop over the course of the game will provide the player with a greater amount of combinations to choose from when ordering Dango, not to mention greater varieties of powerful skills that can trigger upon eating. And players shouldn't worry too much if they forget to eat before a quest - orders can be placed from within the tent at a campsite.
Get Boosts from Endemic Life
Endemic Life are the insects, birds, and other small creatures that be found in every nook and cranny of hunting grounds. They can provide useful temporary buffs to hunters who can find them, such as increased attack power or defense. It can be a great boon to interact with lots of Endemic Life before confronting a dangerous monster on a quest. In Monster Hunter, it really pays to know the lay of the land and become familiar with the environment.
Low Rank and High Rank
For players who wish they could change the difficulty in Monster Hunter Rise because they find it to be too easy, there's a solution for that as well! Monster Hunter is known for providing a noticeable difficulty spike in the late-game in the form of new quests under the High-Rank category. This can also entail brutal Arena quests designed to push a hunter's skills to the limit. But ultimately, High Rank is nothing to fear for players who have mastered some advanced hunting techniques and are accompanied by capable friends.
It's also worth noting that playing with friends will scale the difficulty depending on how many players there are. For example, if two people team up to fight a Rathian, that monster will be easier to take down, than say when played with four people.
Monster Hunter Rise is now available for the Nintendo Switch and a PC port is expected for early 2022.