Beginner's Guide and Essential Tips: How to Get Started | Monster Hunter Rise | MHR (MH Rise)

This is a complete beginner's guide to Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise) on the Nintendo Switch. Check here for the best beginner weapons, armor, beginner tips and tricks to start hunting strong!

Best Starter Weapons

The first step in any Monster Hunter game is choosing your first weapon. Monster Hunter Rise boasts a total of 14 different weapons to choose from, each with its own unique play style and moves. Since all hunters will begin with one of each weapon type in their inventory it can be a bit daunting to commit to a choice.

For a breakdown on the best beginner weapons in Monster Hunter Rise, check out our Starter Weapon Guide.

Best Start Weapons | MH Rise

Individual Weapon Guides

Finally chose a weapon? Then take a look at our individual weapon guides to learn how to effectively use each weapon's unique mechanics, from combos, switch skills and more.

All Weapon Guides
Great Sword	Long Sword	Sword and Shield	Dual Blades
Hammer	Hunting Horn	Lance	Gunlance
Switch Axe	Charge Blade	Insect Glaive	Bow
Light Bowgun		Heavy Bowgun

If you're just looking for the best weapon over all head over to our Weapon Tier list page to see how we've ranked each weapon type in Monster Hunter Rise.

Weapon Tier List | MH Rise

Monster Hunter Gameplay Loop

Accept Quests, Hunt Monsters

Kamura Village, and the Kamura Village Gathering Hub both provide quests for hunters of all levels to take on to test their skills. While the majority of quests require you to hunt a single target monster, there are also gathering and delivery quests as well as multi-target hunts as well.

Here is a list of all the huntable monsters in Monster Hunter Rise.

List of All Monsters | MH Rise

Craft Stronger Gear from Monster Materials

After hunting or successfully defeating a monster, the materials you gather can be used to make stronger equipment to take on even more challenging monsters!

List of Armor Sets | MH Rise

Raise Your Hunter Rank (HR) to Fight More Challenging Monsters

After every hunt, your Hunter Rank (HR) will increase passively allowing you to take on more challenging monsters. The higher your HR, the more challenging the monster you can hunt become!

Once enough hunts in Kamura Vilage or the Gathering Hub have been completed you can gain access to High Rank hunts. Check out our guide on how to unlock High Rank for details.

How to Unlock High Rank | MH Rise

Beginner Tips

Jump to a section!
Remember the Fundamentals with Training Quest
Try to Master One Weapon
Adjust Your Settings
Explore And Take Endemic Life
Always Take Supply Items
Use the Wirebug
Always Ride Monsters!
Always Ride the Palamute
Scout Higher Grounds

Remember the Fundamentals with Training Quest

Beginners and Long-time fans alike often take a while before being settled with the fundamentals of a newer Monster Hunter game. No doubt, MH Rise will throw you a curveball with the inclusion of Wirebugs. Rememer to go through the Back to Basics Training Quest, as Master Utsushi teaches you what you need to know to hunt Monsters efficiently.

Try to Master One Weapon

For a beginner, we recommend mastering one weapon at a time just to have a go-to weapon whenever you are in a pinch. You can always master other weapons when you are comfortable enough with one!

Adjust Your Settings

Some settings can be tweaked in the game and could be a game-changer for some people. For example, Monster Hunter World veterans are more comfortable with Focus Camera while older Monster Hunter vets welcomed the return of the Lock-on Camera. Try to experiment with the right balance of settings for a better experience!

List of Settings and Recommendations

Explore And Take Endemic Life

The Endemic Life in Monster Hunter Rise is valuable and is not just a mere decoration on the map. Unlike Monster Hunter World, they now offer certain benefits like increased defense, increased attack, more Wirebug usage, and even making a monster mountable!
List of Endemic Life

Always Take Supply Items

Supply Items are consumables that are provided by the guild to aid hunters in their quest. These usually consist of Rations and First Aid-Meds to restore your Hunter's Stamina and HP. In the previous games, Traps are also provided in missions where you have to capture a monster and the same goes for Rise!

Use the Wirebug

The Wirebug is one of the recent additions in Monster Hunter Rise. It allows you to throw out Wirebugs and pull yourself towards that direction to navigate the map. It can be used to climb high terrains, dodge enemy attacks, and even as a weapon! To use the Wirebug, Hold the ZL button to show the cursor then tap the ZR button to fire it. If used as a weapon, unsheathe your weapon, hold the ZL button, then tap A or X to unleash your weapon's Silkbind Attack.
How to Use Wirebugs

Always Ride Monsters!

To ride monsters, you need to put them in a mountable state. One of the ways you can do this is through the new Wirebug skills. The new Wirebug skills can be executed by holding the ZL button then tapping the X or A button.
Wyvern Riding | How to Mount and Ride Monsters

Always Ride the Palamute

The Palamutes are your trusty new canine companions in Rise. Aside from aiding you in battle, the Palamutes can also be mounted. These will allow you to quickly navigate the map easier.
What Are Palamutes?

Riding Also Allows For Easy Sharpening

For melee weapon users, sharpening has always been a big issue because the monsters can attack you while you're defenseless. But now you can sharpen and move around while on the Palamute!

How to Use the Whetstone

Scout Higher Grounds

While the game may be following the old formula of Monster Hunter games, it is now advisable to scout the higher areas of the game. It allows you to jump to other areas that would otherwise, be inaccessible by foot and you can also get items that cannot be obtained without exploring the area thoroughly.

Scouting Areas Also Allows You To Get More Endemic Life

Scouting Higher areas can also allow you to find other Endemic Life and Permabuffers that can aid you in the current quest. Explore not just for loot but for battle preparation too!

Intermediate Tips

Jump to a section!
Don't Force the Mounted Punisher
Not Finishing the Potion Animation Is Now Efficient
Conserve Your Wirebug Usage In Battle
Activate Jewel Lillies
Ram Target Monsters to Optional Monsters
Sleep Bombing
Edit Icon Display

Finally, getting a hang of Monster Hunter? Here are some intermediate guides to help get you started on your mastery of the game! These are guides that you should take note of when hunting! Want to improve at the game? Read on!

Don't Force the Mounted Punisher

Putting monsters into a Mountable state isn't always readily available. Sometimes, it's better to just immediately slam the monster into a wall for easy and quick damage. But if you can mount a different monster other than your target monster, using the Punisher is a good choice.

Wyvern Riding: How to Mount and Ride Monsters

Not Finishing the Potion Animation Is Now Efficient

Potion

Mega Potion

Potions restore at least 70% of their total healing then the rest of the 30% is done by letting the drink animation finish, it's now efficient to just tap a potion then cancel it by rolling (Press B) for a quick heal.

Conserve Your Wirebug Usage In Battle

The hunter only has 2 stocks of wirebugs in their inventory. Another one can be gained temporarily by picking it up during quests, this makes these moves incredibly valuable. They can be used to deal damage, put a monster in a mountable state, dodge attacks, and even quickly recover from a monster's attacks! Make that Wirebug usage count!

Ways to Use the Wirebugs

Wirebug Uses
Silkbind Attacks	The Silkbind Attacks vary from weapons but their primary goal is to deal damage, grant mobility, grant a defensive ability, and put a monster into a mountable state.
Moving in the Map	The Wirebug can be used to reach areas that can otherwise, be unreachable by foot. There are several secret areas, gatherable items, and locations that can be found by using the Wirebug.
Recover From a Fall (Wirefall)	The Wirebug can be used when you get knocked back by a monster's attacks, Hold the ZL and tap the B button to immediately use the wirebug to recover your footing.

Wirebug Moves and Controls

Activate Jewel Lillies

Jewel Lillies are interactable objects that allow you to use Greater Wirebugs. These Wirebugs cannot be brought with you but they offer a great mobility tool that allows you to jump to a different area in a matter of seconds. It will be permanently activated for your future return to the area so prioritize setting these up as soon as possible! Jewel Lillies are denoted by a small circular icons with a pointer on the map!

Ram your Target Monsters to Others when Wyvern Riding

When riding a monster, you can ram a monster to other monsters. This will immediately end the wyvern ride but it will deal massive riding damage to the other monster which can often lead to an immediate wyvern ride. If you're riding your target monster, ram it twice to a wall then to another monster to maximize the damage dealt, knock it down, then damage it with another monster's attacks and finishers!

Sleep Bomb Hierarchy

Oftentimes, you'll be able to make enemies fall asleep. All large monsters fall asleep when in critical HP but Elder Dragons cannot be captured via trap and tranq bombs. During these scenarios, hunters use Bombs and plant them in the Dragon's sleeping area. Once done, a strong attacker should detonate the bomb. The list below should be the ones to trigger the explosion:

1. Great Sword - True Charged Slash
2. Gunlance - Wyvern Fire

If none of the weapon users above are present, a small Barrel Bomb will suffice to avoid having everyone knocked off or a kunai use to detonate it from afar.

Edit the Icon Display on the Map!

This is perhaps, one of the most overlooked things by several players. You can modify the icons that will appear on the map by opening the detailed map category then using the L or R buttons to change the icons that appear on the map. Change to endemic life if fighting large monsters and change to items if you plan to gather!

What If I Cannot Defeat A Monster?

Learn Monster Attack Patterns and Devise a Counterattack

Learning the Monster's attack patterns and devising proper movements against it is a testament to a good hunter. Most great hunters know monster attack patterns by heart that a single movement can give them an idea of the next move!

Monster List and Hunt Guides

Practice, Practice, and More Practice!

Whenever you hit a wall, always try and never give up. Being good in Monster Hunter is like playing an instrument - it requires patience and rigorous practice. Remember, veteran players started as beginners - they only got good because of perseverance!

If you want to practice weapon combos, there is a newly introduced Training Area in the game! It is not in the demo though so look forward to it in the full game!

Training Area Guide

Go on Multiplayer Hunts with Your Friends

If you are really at the end of your wits, try asking for help! Monster Hunter is a cooperative game so it is built to be played with other people. If your friends are Monster Hunter veterans, they can teach you things that will only be understood by example!

You may also look for people to hunt within Multiplayer Boards and groups. The Monster Hunter Community is a pretty helpful bunch so do not hesitate to ask for help! And of course, after the session do not forget to thank them for a good hunt!

How to Play Online and Local Multiplayer

Monster Hunter Rise Related Links

All Tips & Tricks

All Tips and Tricks

Tips & Tricks
Beginner's Guide	Best Beginner Weapons
How to Climb Walls	Best Dango Combinations
How to Raise Max Stamina	How to Cook Well-Done Steaks
All Sub-Camp Locations	All Relic Record Locations
Rampage Weapons Guide	How to Unlock Weapon Trees
Rampage Guide: How to Get S-Rank	How to Aim with the Bow: Manual Aim Vs. Gyroscrope
Farming Guides
How to Farm Money	How to Farm Kamura Points
Which Items to Sell	Talisman Farming
Best Mining Spots: Where to Find Ore	How to Farm Dango Tickets
How to Farm Kamura Tickets	How to Farm Buddy Tickets
Combat Guides
How to Capture Monsters	How to Avoid Attacks: Frame Dodge Guide
How to Beat Flying Monsters	How to Beat Fish Monsters
How to Make Monsters Sleep	Best Buddies to Bring
Best Item Loadouts
Awards
List of Awards and How to Unlock
Adept Hunter Certificate Award	Copper, Silver, and Gold Ecologist Awards
Deft-hand Rod Award	Fan of True Ascendancy Award
From Palicos With Love Award	Golden Spiribug Plate Awarde
Luxury Armor Stand Award	Runner's Sandals Award