Monster Hunter Rise allows players to hunt and capture otherwise unbeatable monsters. To do this, hunters must be equipped with the best weapons and armor possible. But this alone is not enough in the face of the more powerful behemoths. This is where Armor Skills come in.
Armor Skills give hunters passive abilities that enable them to withstand the harshest circumstances. These skills can be anything from Fire Immunity to Increased Stamina Regeneration. Wearing the right combination of Armor, Decorations and Talismans is key to acquiring these skills and maximizing their effects. In this article, we will be talking about how Armor Skills work and how to upgrade them. We will even give you a bonus tip at the end, so keep reading.
Armor Skills
Many Armor Skills in Monster Hunter Rise vary depending on the armors, Talismans, and decorations. These skills can drastically change your survivability and success rate in your hunts. Armor Skills can increase defense, damage, immunity to certain elements, critical rate, critical damage, increase stamina and reduce consumption, and many more. To see the available skills in decorations, go to the Smithy in Kamura Village. This can be either Hamon or Nakago the Blacksmith; they both make decorations. Select Decorations, then Create Decorations.
Upgrading Armor Skills
Wearing armors, talismans, and decorations that have the same Armor Skill will increase the overall skill level and increase the effects of the said skills. Reaching the max level of a specific skill gives you the best skills, such as invulnerability to certain elements. Always check the skills level cap available in a particular skill, so you do not waste your Armor Skills by equipping already maxed skills.
Skills vary in the levels they have for upgrading. Some skills can reach Level 7 before being maxed, while others can be maxed at Level 1. Most armor sets can give you max stats towards a specific Armor Skill while giving you base levels of other skills. You might want to mix and match your armor sets to get your desired skills’ max level.
This is where it gets tricky. Since there is no wrong combination of skills, the number of combinations of armor sets, Talisman, and decorations is endless. But we can narrow them down by focusing on a specific set of Armor Skills you want to max. To achieve your desired Armor Skills faster, it is best to start with matching your armor sets, followed by talismans, and then by decorations. Let us explain why.
Armor Pieces
Armors in a set generally have one or two maxed skills. The sets, however, leave a lot of room for other Armor Skills to be leveled up. So, start by deciding on what Armor Skills you want. For example, you want a set that focuses on damage and critical chance. For the sake of a more straightforward explanation, we will focus on the Attack Boost skill as our primary goal in this article. You must first look for armor pieces that have the Attack Boost skill and mix and match them. It is possible to have Max Attack Boost in this process. This gives you enough wiggle room to adjust the secondary skills you want accordingly.
Some skills like Attack Boost are found in both Low and High-Rank armors. If your base defense is not the priority of your build, feel free to use the Low-Rank armors to achieve your desired Armor Skill. However, the number of decoration slots in armor also varies, so choose carefully. This is critical, especially when your goal is dependent on the Decorations you will be infusing with the armor pieces later.
Talismans
After you have equipped your initial armor set, it is time to equip your Talisman. Talismans can be crafted by the Merchants found in Kamura Village. You can locate the two merchants in the game in the center of the Village and Gathering Hub. Kagero the Merchant is found in the middle of the village beside Hinoa the Village Maiden. Maido the Merchant can be found beside Minoto the Hub Maiden in the Gathering Hub.
The Talismans you get from the Merchants are random. So it is best you craft as many talismans as you can. Each Talisman you request from the Merchant is completed after every hunt. So do not forget to check in on the Merchant every time you return from a quest. Since the rarity, the number of Decoration Slots, and Armor Skills you get from Talismans are random, crafting as many as you can will give you a higher chance of getting Rarity 7 decorations.
The number of Decoration Slots per Talisman varies and does not always grow with rarity. Some rarity 4 Talismans can have as many as three Decoration Slots, while some Rarity 7 Decorations can have no Decoration slots. You need to decide which to prioritize — Skills or Decoration Slots. However, it is highly recommended that you continue to craft Talismans as much as possible. You will eventually get one that matches the Armor Skills you’re looking for with Level 3 Decoration Slots. This is very rare, but it gives you a reason to grind until you get your dream Talisman.
One of the most desired Talismans in the game has the Weakness Exploit Skill (commonly called WEX by players) with at least one Level 3 or two Level 2 Decoration Slots. Meanwhile, Switchaxe and Chargeblade users covet the Rapid Morph Skill. The Armor Skills you should have must complement your weapon. For example, you would not need the Quick Draw Skill as a Bow user since it only affects melee weapons.
Once you have your hands on your best Talisman, equip it and check your Armor Skills. Again, pick the Talisman that best matches your planned Skill Set. If your Talisman is purely for Decoration purposes, then the skill it comes with would not matter.
Decorations
Hopefully, the armor pieces you have chosen have Decoration Slots. If not, you can skip this part (but we do not recommend it). Decorations can be crafted through the Blacksmiths in Monster Hunter Rise. At this point, you probably have one maxed skill, or at least a few skills almost max. To complete your Armor Skillset, we need to complete the skills with Decorations. If you have not maxed out your Attack Boost yet, you should craft the Attack Jewel 2 to raise your Attack Boost to Level 7. Craft your next decorations to fill in the remaining skills in your set. Depending on your combination, it is possible to max all the skills in your set. The usual skills that go well with the Attack Boost Skill are Critical Boost and Weakness Exploit.
Decorations come in three levels, Level 1, 2, and 3. The Level of the Decoration Slot will determine what Decorations you can equip in your armor and weapon. The rare Level 3 Decorations usually provide useful skills, and some can even be maxed at Level 1. Some Level 1 Decorations like the Steadfast Jewel require three levels to reach max. It would help to thoroughly consider your skills, equipment, and weapon to build a set that best fits you.
Testing the Set
Once you have completed your desired Armor Skillset, do not think you are good to go. You need to test this out on the field. The best way to check if your build is effective is when you realize you are now hunting at a higher survivability and increased proficiency. Through testing, you can see the effects of your passive Armor Skills and can learn to adapt accordingly.
Bonus Tip!
We will list down here the top 15 armor pieces that are best used to mix and match Armor Skills in Monster Hunter Rise. If you are overwhelmed by the pure number of choices and combinations of your armor pieces, use this guide to get you started.
- Golden Hakama
- Ingot Greaves
- Goss Harag Greaves
- Anjanath Coil
- Spio Elytra
- Izuchi Coil
- Rathalos Braces
- Nargacuga Mail
- Rhopessa Vertex
- Channeler’s Hair Tie
- Sinister Gauntlets
- Tigrex Braces
- Vaik Helm
- Mosgharl Roots
- Mosgharl Ribplate
Once you have built the ultimate Armor Skillset you want, pick up your weapons and walk into the unknown. It is time not just to survive but overpower and dominate the monsters that plague Kamura Village!
