Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak — 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Monster Hunter Rise receiving a bulky DLC in the form of Sunbreak was a great move for Capcom, and definitely a good way to butter up future players for its upcoming Android and iOS entry, Monster Hunter Now. Sure it’s getting on a little bit, but the fact still remains: people still want to explore the world of Kamura Village and its countless biomes, if not for the sake of mopping up any last-minute quests, then for the ultra rare loot and gear that it holds an abundance of. Not that we blame them, mind you, what with Monster Hunter Rise being the near-perfect action gem that it is.

Anyway, on the off chance that you’ve yet to experience the Sunbreak expansion, we’ve gone ahead and listed the five essential tips that any fledgling slayer and their neighbor will need to know before embarking on the next thread of hunts. Care to know more? Here’s everything we can tell you about starting out in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.

5. Anticipate the Difficulty Spike

To put it out there — Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak isn’t something you can simply slip into right off the bat. In fact, to be able to soak up all the content that the expansion has to offer, you must first complete the 7-star Hub Quest “Serpent Goddess of Thunder”—a hunt that’ll take you on a 50-minute adventure en route to slay the dreaded Thunder Goddess Narwa. If you can beat this Hub Quest, then you’ll be able to delve into the next section of Rise, which is, of course, the Sunbreak add-on.

Once you’ve successfully managed to step into the latest portion of the game, you’ll want to start fleshing out your inventory slots in anticipation of what’s to come. As the expansion is designed for those who have already romped through a huge chunk of the base game, it’s fair to say that things are only going to get a lot tougher from here on out. Due to this, you’ll want to refrain from skimping out on upgrades and item refills before each Quest or Hunt. Fact is, Sunbreak isn’t a walk in the park — so be sure to go in fully prepared and armed to the teeth.

4. Master the Switch Skill Swap

One of the very first things you’ll need to wrap your head around in Sunbreak is the Switch Skill Swap—a combat mechanic that allows users to switch between fighting styles mid-battle. For the sake of keeping up with the times, you’ll need to both harness and master this new power as early on as possible. If done correctly, you should, in theory, be able to whittle down health bars a lot quicker. What’s more, you’ll also onboard less damage from incoming attacks — which is essential for some of the tougher battles.

On top of the Switch Skill Swap ability, you’ll also want to learn Swap Evade, a dodge ability that grants you the power to evade oncoming attacks after using the Switch Skill Swap move. Do yourself a favor and master both of these new moves before signing up to any top-shelf Hub Quests.

3. Scrape the New Biomes

In addition to the new Switch Skill Swap ability, Sunbreak also brings out a couple of new hunting locales to quest in. If you can help it, aim to scrub each of these new regions squeaky clean before setting out to tackle the lion’s share of the hunts. The reason for doing this is to unlock all of the available Fast Travel points, which will of course come in handy much later down the line. It’ll also give you a sense of direction, too — so you’ll be able to track foes down much quicker, and in turn cut down on sniffing breadcrumb trails.

There are three new locales to check out in the Sunbreak expansion: Citadel, Jungle, and Forlorn Arena. In addition to the three new maps, there’s also a new Hub Area, which is called Elgado. If possible, aim to unlock the Fast Travel points in all of these locations as soon as possible, as they’ll make Hub Quests and general switchovers a lot smoother in the long run.

2. Familiarize Yourself With the Followers

Followers are NPCs who you’ll find dotted around in the new Hub Town of Elgado. Their purpose, really, is to join you on hunts and, with a little luck, bag you some sweet, sweet loot. It’s because of this that, as a newcomer or even a returning veteran, you’ll want to spend as much time with the Followers as possible.

As you’ll be spending a great deal of time slugging through a number of advanced hunts with ludicrously high leveled opponents, you’re going to need some quality gear to give yourself an advantage during battles. Your best bet here, weirdly enough, is to accept side quests around Elgado, and set out with a Follower, who will essentially chase your coattails and loot all the best equipment for the sake of boosting your loadout.

1. Always Plan Ahead

Monster Hunter Rise certainly isn’t one of those games you can cheese with the odd two-second combo. On the contrary, each battle it features actually requires a great deal of prep work before stepping into. Failure to devise a solid strategy can, and pretty much will secure your fate. So, for the sake of keeping your head above water, always come up with a plan of attack before stepping out to make that first strike.

More often than not, you’ll find that trapping a target is actually easier than fighting it out in the open. In most cases, you’ll want to learn their patterns, and then devise a way to either corner them, or lure them into a pit. If you can do this, then you’ll automatically have the advantage — which you will definitely need in order to survive nine out of ten encounters. In other words, don’t wing it, because honestly, you will die.

So, what’s your take? Do you have any useful tips for Monster Hunter Rise newcomers? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.