Monster Hunter Rise adds in a lot of new mechanics and features that have never been seen before throughout Capcom's long-running series. There's the new Wirebug mechanic that lets hunters quickly zip around the map and easily reach high places; there are also new Silkbind attacks that are specific to each weapon; and, one of the most important changes, players also get to use a dog partner called a Palamute that can support hunters and they're rideable.
If Monster Hunter Rise players choose to play the game in solo mode, they will be able to bring along their Palamute and Palico partners, and they both provide different types of support. The dog, or the Palamute, will not only attack monsters with you, but they can be used to get across the maps in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, hunters can't ride on the cat partners, and if players are in a multiplayer hunt, they can only bring one partner along with them.
Choosing the Palamute is a wise choice if players want to move around at a faster pace, and if players are wondering how to actually ride on top of the Palamute, all they need to do is hold down the A button while the dog is nearby. What's especially great about riding on top of the Palamute is that no stamina is wasted at all, and hunters can use some items while they're riding on it, like a potion or a Whetstone in order to prepare for an encounter. There are several different moves that the Palamute can perform as well. By holding the R button, players can sprint; and by tapping the ZL button while holding R, the Palamute will do a little turbo boost.
The Palamute can also do a little melee attack by pressing the X button and players can get in position for an aerial attack by jumping off the Palamute by pressing B while sprinting and then attacking. Another useful thing that Palamutes can help with is climbing up vines around the maps. They are way faster than hunters and, again, players won't spend any stamina to reach a high point and items can still be used while climbing.
For players that can't seem to find their Palamute, sometimes they will need to take a little rest if they take major damage from a monster. Palicos and Palamutes have a health bar of their own, right underneath the stamina bar, so players should keep an eye on it to see how their friends are doing out in the field.
For players looking for more Monster Hunter tips, they can look into this guide that's all about one of the game's most powerful weapons: the Hunting Horn.
Monster Hunter Rise is now available for the Nintendo Switch. A PC port is expected to release in early 2022.