Monster Hunter Rise has taken the Nintendo Switch by storm. It's the first original Monster Hunter game on a Nintendo home console since Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Wii U, and the latest entry on a Nintendo handheld console since Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate on the Nintendo 3DS. For many, this is their first game, and while the gameplay is entertaining, all of the sub-menus and weapons you can use can be a bit intimidating. If you're looking to upgrade your hard-earned armor, you're in the right place.
What are Armor Skills?
In Monster Hunter Rise, Armor Skills are buffs attached to Hunter Armor and Petalaces. These buffs can range from increased power for elemental attacks to boosts to your gathering abilities. Many of the monsters in the game can use elemental attacks, so ensuring you have a good defense before heading into a hunt is always important.
While Armor Skills themselves cannot be upgraded individually, stacking pieces of armor that have a particular buff associated with them will increase the level and thus the potency of that buff when you head out on a hunt.
Where can I upgrade my Armor Skills?
- Head to the Smithy. There are two locations in the game: one run by Hamon the Blacksmith in the village square opposite the Market, and the other run by Nakago the Blacksmith on the Hub's second floor.
- Select "Manage Equipment". In the sub-menu, select "Change Equipment".
- Choose the Armor Skills you'd like to attain. Every piece of armor has at least one skill attached to it. A pre-determined number of slots can be filled for any one skill, up to five slots. For example, if you want increased Water-element Attacks, you can only boost this five times, as there are five armor slots. Press ZR once on your controller while browsing through the Hunting Armor you have in order to see what skills are attached to each piece.
You can see the Armor Skills on each weapon and how they increase at each Armor level by pressing into the right analog stick. Armor is crucial in boosting the elemental attacks for any of the weapons you may have and can determine a hunt's outcome. To see which Armor Skills you currently have equipped, press R.
Source: iMore
Monster Hunter Rise is one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch, but the franchise's infamous barrage of menus can confuse newcomers to the series. If you're ever feeling lost, make sure to keep checking iMore for all our Hunter tips and tricks!
Monster Hunter's gameplay loop is equal parts challenging and addictive. Take on quests to hunt a wide variety of amazingly designed monsters on your own or with friends as you protect the peaceful Kamura village from the impending doom that is the Rampage.
