Find out your own distinct setup
Your quest of finding the very best builds from the huge amount of armor pieces and items Monster Hunter Rise throws at you, can be a tough one considering how many possibilities there are. Not only that, but finding that one specific ‘best build’ for each weapon can be really subjective, since there is a great number of possible gear combos, talisman picks, and of course, individual playstyles. Therefore, a definite and optimal build is hard to judge, based on all of the above. That said, we are here to present some of the most used setups from high-end hunters, so feel free to take a look.
Best builds in Monster Hunter Rise
As mentioned, the following will be setups that are mainly used in the current meta, for fast clear times and efficient hunting, rather than targeting each playstyle individually. There are many ways you can use weapons and skills accordingly, but since the main focus is killing monsters the fastest and easiest possible, our best builds list will mostly include offensive setups.
Hopefully, you can use these as cores for any other example sets you may want to try out, expanding your way of thought process while deciding on a specific build in Monster Hunter Rise. Additionally, these sets will be listed without weapons, as a weapon can drastically change the route of a specific gear’s choice. For more info about which weapons to use, please take a look at our ‘Best Weapons’ guide right here. Lastly, we will include only one best build for each weapon, in order to make this guide as compact as possible, and don’t stress new players out with too many options. More sets will be analyzed over to future guides, so stay tuned for those.
Best Great Sword Build
- Head: Zinogre Helm S
- Torso: Anjanath Mail S
- Arms: Rathalos Braces S
- Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
- Legs: Ingot Greaves S
- Talisman: Attack Boost LV2
- Slots: At least one with LV2 socket
- Decorations: Slot in Attack Boost and the rest either Elemental Jewels, fitting your weapon’s choice or Grinder Jewels.
Skills from gear without Decorations
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Focus LV3/ Attack Boost LV7/ Critical Eye LV2
Best Long Sword Build
Head: Zinogre Helm S
Torso: Barioth Mail S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Quick Sheath – Any LV
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket
Decorations: x2 Attack Jewels and as many Sheath Jewels to max
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Critical Boost LV2/ Attack Boost LV2/ Quick Sheath LV1/ Latent Power Lv2/ Maximum Might LV1
Tips
- Equip Anjanath waist instead, if you have a Weakness Exploit LV2 Talisman
- Equip Remobra chest instead, if you have a Quick Sheath Lv3 Talisman
Best Sword and Shield Build
Head: Utsushi Mask (H) S/ Channeler’s Hair-tie S
Torso: Vaik Mail S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: None needed
Decorations: x4 Attack Jewels, x3 Grinder Jewels (optional)
Slots: None needed
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Critical Boost LV2/ Attack Boost LV2/ Quick Sheath LV1/ Razor Sharp Lv2/ Latent Power LV1/ Wirebug Whisperer LV1
Best Dual Blades Build
Head: Utsushi Mask (H) S/ Channeler’s Hair-tie S
Torso: Zinogre Mail S
Arms: Lagombi Vambraces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Critical Element LV2 (optional) or any that fills up your skills
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket
Decorations: x1 Crit Element Jewel, x5 Elemental Jewels that fit your weapon’s element
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Critical Boost LV2/ Critical Element LV2/ Ice Attack LV1/ Razor Sharp Lv2/ Latent Power LV2/ Critical Eye LV2/ Wirebug Whisperer LV1
Mostly used for weapons that reach up to blue sharpness
Best Hammer Build
Head: Zinogre Helm S
Torso: Remobra Suit S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Anjanath Coil S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV2
Slots: Not needed
Decorations: x2 Attack Jewels, x1 Wirebug Jewel, x3 Grinder Jewels, x3 Brace Jewels
Slots: Not needed
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Critical Boost LV3/ Attack Boost LV4/ Latent Power LV2
Best Hunting Horn Build
Head: Zinogre Helm S
Torso: Zinogre Mail S
Arms: Sinister Gauntlets S
Waist: Anjanath Coil S
Legs: Hunter’s Greaves S
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: Not needed
Decorations: x3 Attack Jewels, x3 Grinder Jewels, x1 Sonorous Jewel
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Handicraft LV2/ Attack Boost LV4/ Latent Power LV2/ Hellfire Cloak LV1/ Stun Resistance LV1
Use Rampage Horn IV with Attack Melody II, Non-Elemental Boost and Sharpness Type I
Best Lance Build
Head: Barroth Helm S
Torso: Aelucanth Thorax S
Arms: Lagombi Vambraces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Ingot Greaves S
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: At least one with LV1 socket
Decorations: x1 Attack Jewels, x5 Elemental Jewels matching your weapon’s element, x1 Crit Element Jewel (optional)
Slots: At least one with LV1 socket
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Critical Eye LV6/ Attack Boost LV4/ Dragon Attack LV1/ Critical Element LV1/ Ice Attack LV1/ Offensive Guard LV1
Best Gunlance Build
Head: Utsushi Mask (H) S/ Channeler’s Hair-tie S
Torso: Basarios Mail S
Arms: Rhenoplos Braces S
Waist: Narwa’s Fauld
Legs: Diablos Greaves S
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV2 or LV1
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket
Decorations: x1 Magazine Jewel, x3 Grinder Jewels, x1 Shield Jewel
Weakness Exploit LV2-LV1/ Razor Sharp LV2/ Spare Shot LV2/ Guard LV3/ Artillery LV3/ Load Shells LV1/ Offensive Guard LV1/ Wirebug Whisperer LV1/ Thunder Alignment LV1
Best Switch Axe Build
Head: Almudron Helm S
Torso: Almudron Mail S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Almudron Greaves S
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket
Decorations: x5 Attack Jewels
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Razor Sharp LV3/ Attack Boost LV2/ Rapid Morph LV2/ Power Prolonger LV1
If you use both a weapon and talisman with LV2 slots (or a talisman with two LV2 slots), you can also socket in a Quickswitch Jewel to max out both Rapid Morph and Attack Boost
Best Charge Blade Build
Head: Almudron Helm S
Torso: Barroth Mail S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket or have a weapon with LV2 slot
Decorations: x4 Attack Jewels, x1 Quickswitch Jewel, fill with Grinder Jewels the rest
Slots: At least one with LV2 socket or have a weapon with LV2 slot
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Defense Boost LV3/ Attack Boost LV3/ Rapid Morph LV2/ Critical Boost LV2/ Latent Power LV1
Best Insect Glaive Build
Head: Utsushi Mask (H) S/ Channeler’s Hair-tie S
Torso: Remobra Suit S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: At least one with LV2
Decorations: x2 Attack Jewels, x3 Grinder Jewels
Slots: At least one with LV2
Weakness Exploit LV3/ Attack Boost LV2/ Critical Boost LV3/ Razor Sharp LV2/ Spare Shot LV2/ Latent Power LV1/ Wirebug Whisperer LV1
Best used with the Nargacuga Insect Glaive (Evening Calm)
Best Light Bowgun Build
Head: Rhenoplos Helm S
Torso: Shell-Studded Vest S
Arms: Wroggi Vambraces S
Waist: Pukei-Pukei Coil S
Legs: Ingot Greaves S
Talisman: Spare Shot LV2
Slots: Not needed
Decorations: x2 Attack Jewels, x1 Capacity Jewel
Pierce Up LV3/ Attack Boost LV2/ Critical Eye LV2/ Poison Attack LV2/ Spare Shot LV3/ Stun Resistance LV1/ Normal/ Rapid Up LV1
Night Owl weapon is recommended
You can switch Ingot Greaves for Golden Hakama and Pukei-Pukei Coil S for Skalda/ Spio Elytra S if you prefer going the Critical focused route, instead of Attack
Best Heavy Bowgun Build
Head: Utsushi Mask (H) S/ Channeler’s Hair-tie S
Torso: Vaik Mail S
Arms: Rhenoplos Braces S
Waist: Pukei-Pukei Coil S
Legs: Vaik Greaves S
Talisman: Flexible, depends on what you want to increase further
Slots: n/a
Decorations: x3 Absorber Jewel, x1 Artillery Jewel, x1 Attack Jewel, x2 Capacity Jewel, x3 Quickload Jewel
Slots: n/a
Poison Attack LV2/ Spare Shot LV3/ Ammo Up LV1/ Razor Sharp LV2/ Artillery LV2/ Wirebug Whisperer LV1
Set is recommended for explosive builds, utilizing Cluster Bomb, Wyvern Ammo and Sticky Ammo.
All around set, by no means an optimal damage one
Best Bow Build
Head: Mighty Bow Feather
Torso: Remobra Suit S
Arms: Rathalos Braces S
Waist: Skalda/ Spio Elytra S
Legs: Golden Hakama
Talisman: Weakness Exploit LV1
Slots: At least one with LV2
Decorations: x2 Attack Jewel, x2 Quickload Jewel
Critical Boost LV3/ Weakness Exploit LV2/ Attack Boost LV2/ Latent Power LV1/ Bow Charge Plus LV1
If you are using the Night Flight weapon, which is highly suggested due to its high affinity and pierce attacks, you can slot in an additional Attack Jewel
With this, we finally come to the end of this not so brief guide. As mentioned in the beginning, these sets are highly customizable based on player’s preference, but can be used as they are to tackle high-end content. Don’t feel that you need to use them as they are exactly, since Monster Hunter Rise is famous for having tons of options for hunter to choose from, when it comes to slaying monsters. Pick the one you fancy the most, and happy hunting!
Monster Hunter Rise is available on the Nintendo Switch. For more guides about the game, make sure to check our extensive list right here.
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