Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Sunbreak | How to Avoid Attacks | I-Frames and Dodge Guide

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How to Avoid Attacks Banner

This is an article about avoiding attacks in Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise). If you want to know how to dodge, take advantage of i-frames, and use Emergency Evades, then read on!

How Dodging Works

To Evade and Reposition

Recommended Evasion Skills
Skills Explanation
Evade Extender Extends your evasion distance for dodges. Useful for covering more ground.
Evade Window Increases the invulnerability window of your dodges. Useful for normal dodges such as rolling.
Bubbly Dance Increases evasiveness when under the effects of Bubbleblight.
Redirection Reduces/nullifies damage during a Switch Skill Swap, and automates a backward Swap Evade at a higher level.
Bladescale Hone Recovers sharpness, bowgun ammunition, and boosts close-range coating to bows when performing a perfectly-timed dodge roll.
Status Trigger Triggers abnormal status buildup on timing a perfect evasion of a monster attack.

Dodging is an essential game mechanic wherein you perform moves intended to evade a monster attack and avoid damage. Knowing when to evade an attack is essential to surviving hunts.

It would be best to explain how dodging works by explaining how monster attacks work first.

List of All Armor Sills

How You Get Hit by Attacks

Knowing what a monster attack looks like is intuitive; it is often telegraphed, and any attack that connects with the hunter applies damage and knock back (or in other cases, abnormal status.)

Physical Attacks are often telegraphed by solid monster parts (claws strikes, tail swipes, bites, body slams) hitting the hunter. Ranged or Elemental Attacks are cued by the presence of projectiles and explosive attacks.

Every Attack Has a Hitbox

MH Rise Sunbreak - Hitbox Demonstration

In the technical sense, every attack has a hitbox. A hitbox can be imagined as an invisible shape programmed for detecting a collision in and around of an attack.

Any time a hunter is caught within one by either touching the edge of the 'box' or being inside it (like within the range of an explosion), the hunter either takes damage, is knocked back, or receives a status effect.

Monster Attacks Have Frames

For demonstration purposes, the attack here is marked with a yellow/red box and the hunter with a green one. The yellow box signifies the inactive frames of a hitbox and the red signifying the active frames.

The period of time in a monster's attack animation is typically referred to as a frame (like in a timeframe). We can imagine an attack to be composed of two kinds: active and inactive frames.

Active frames are frames when the hitbox is set to register a hit. These are typically the frames already in the middle of an attack (like in the middle of a swipe).

Inactive frames refer to the monster doing an attack animation without the hitbox being active yet. These are usually the attack startups and the attack recovery animations of a monster; the rearing a Rathalos's head before a fire breath or a Rajang catching its breath after a laser attack.

Positioning and Invulnerability

Match Evasion with Hitboxes

It is important to know when a monster will have an active hitbox during an attack if you want to dodge through it without taking damage.

Either you can dodge away from an active hitbox or dodge into one with invulnerability frames (or I-frame). Of the two, the latter is the trickiest to master and becomes much easier when you have dodge skills.

Dodging via Positioning

This is typically done when dodging away from an attack. We can consider this as the more defensive-oriented way of evasion. You do not have to worry about timing your hunter's invulnerability frames.

You only have to worry about dodging away from the area where an attack is going to hit. This means staying away from a monster's active hitbox.

This is recommended if dealing with chain attacks or monster attack combos which you cannot completely i-frame.

Dodging via Invulnerability

Dodging in this way will make you appear as 'phasing' through a monster's attack unscathed.

This is the kind of dodge that you will want to use as an offensive option. Dodging towards a monster (i-framing) requires perfectly timing a dodge's invulnerability frames with an attack's active hitbox.

When done successfully, your hunter will ignore any damage and damage reactions for the duration of the dodge.

You will need to make sure that you can make it until an attack reaches its inactive frames. Otherwise, even if you are able to i-frame an attack, if the hitbox is still active, you will get hit. For example, dodging rolling through an ongoing laser attack.

Ways to Use I-Frames

What is an I-Frame?

iMonster Hunter Rise - iFrame Evade

An i-frame, also known as an invulnerability frame, is a frame where the hunter is rendered invincible to any damage or knock back during an evasive action.

For example, this is triggered at the start of a basic dodge roll. Without extra skills, the window for i-framing attacks are very strict.

Skills like Evade Window increase the number of i-frames for your evasions. This makes it easier for you to dodge through an attack comfortably (and can even help you through attacks that have large hitboxes).

Time Dodges with Monster Attacks

Button
Switch
Any direction + NSW - B
Xbox
Any direction + XBOX - A Button.png
PlayStation
Any direction + PS4 - X Button.png
PC
Any direction + MH Rise - Space Button

Take advantage of i-frames to effectively evade monster attacks. You can start practicing with the normal dodge roll.

The only way to perfect this is to memorize the timing of monster attack patterns. This takes practice. Do not be discouraged if you cannot execute this move from the start!

I-Framing Works When Some Weapons are Sheathed

Weapon Types with Dash Evade
Dual Blades Lance Gunlance
Switch Axe Bow ---

Since some weapons have a different behavior in dodging (eg. dash evade rather than roll evade), it is recommended to use i-frames for some weapons when they are sheathed.

Unless you have the Evade Window skill, you are going to have a hard time evading some monster attacks.

Use Silkbinds and Switch Skill I-Frames

Study the Silkbinds of your weapon since some of them incorporate Wirebug dodges. Wirebug dodges by default are observed to have more i-frames than your regular dodge roll.

They will, however, cost Wirebugs. You may want to consider having Wirebug Whisperer, Wind Mantle, and Frenzied Bloodlust skills when taking advantage of them.

Switch Skills that give you i-frames like Water Strike from the Hammer are also valuable evasion alternatives. Consider looking into the Long Sword if you prefer a style of counters and parries with i-frames.

How to Unlock Switch Skills

Lying on the Ground Has I-Frames

Staying knocked down after a monster attack hits you has i-frames which you can use to your advantage. This is useful if you are dealing with monster attack combos where you can get punished when using Wirefall Recovery.

However, look out for the pinned animation when you are knocked down (these you cannot recover from right away.) Being pinned happens as a result of monster grabs, throws, or from being hit by really strong monster attacks.

Follow-up monster attacks when you are pinned down will hit you even if you are lying down!

Standard Dodge Roll I-Frame Tips

Check IconI-frames exist at the start of rolls.

Check IconRoll towards the monster attack!

Check IconKnow and learn the monster's move patterns.

I-Frames at the Start of Rolls

Monster Hunter Rise - Slowed iFrame Evade

I-frames exist from pressing the dodge button until the hunter's head touches the ground. This is an effective way to time your Frame Dodge against a monster attack.

Roll Towards the Monster Attack

It is suggested that you roll towards a monster to better time your i-frames properly. Not only will you be able to evade the attack when it is successful, but you can also have enough space to make precise attacks.

This is a very risky move as i-frames are very short. Decide properly if you can i-frame a monster or just evade away since some attacks (area of effect ones) may cover a space large enough to still catch you at the end of your dodge.

Study a Monster's Move Patterns

Along with the two tips above, you have to know and learn monster move patterns. This effectively gives you the knowledge to know if the attack can be i-framed or not!

All Monsters List

How to Emergency Evade

What is Emergency Evade?

Monster Hunter Rise - Emergency Evade

Button
Switch
Dash NSW - R + NSW - B
Xbox
Dash XBOX - Right Bumper.png + XBOX - A Button.png
PlayStation
Dash PS4 - R1 Button.png + PS4 - X Button.png
PC
Dash MH Rise - Shift Button + MH Rise - Space Button

The Emergency Evade, also known as the Superman Dive, is a special type of evasion that has a plenty of invulnerability frames. This allows you to evade some devastating moves like Magnamalo, Mizutsune's Water Breath attack, or area-wide special moves like Crimson Glow Valstrax's ambush.

Plan this type of evasion carefully as it has a long recovery time before you can do anything else. Use it best for attacks that are difficult to dodge.

To execute an emergency evade, make sure that you are dashing away from the monster. While dashing away, press the corresponding dodge button and your roll will be converted into a dive.

Use Leap of Faith for Diving in Any Direction

If you have the Leap of Faith skill, you will be able to execute an emergency evade when dashing towards the monster.

This is useful if you want to make an aggressive use of the move's invulnerability frames. Otherwise, a regular dodge roll is better suited for moving around a monster quickly.

Leap of Faith Skill Effect

Lengthy Invulnerability Time

The invulnerability time for the emergency evade is from the time you press the dodge button until your hunter stands up! This makes it extremely effective against unavoidable and deadly monster attacks.

Monster Hunter Rise Related Links

MH Rise - Game Mechanics Partial Banner
All Game Mechanics Guides

Sunbreak Guides
New Silkbind Attacks and Switch Skills How to Switch Skill Swap
How to Get from MR 6 to MR 100 Fast Anomaly Research Level: How to Get Max Level Fast
How to Bring Followers - List of Followers Special Investigations: How to Unlock
Village Facility Guides
Room Guide: Things To Do Inside Your Room Training Area Guide
Canteen and Food Skills Gathering Hub Guide
Getting Started
Character Creation Guide List of Controls
Palico Guide Palamute Guide
Cohoot Guide List of Settings
Can I Change My Name? Can I Change Gender?
Hunter and Monster Stats
Explanation of Hunter Stats Monster Stats Explained
Attack and Elemental Attack Defense and Elemental Defense
Affinity and Negative Affinity Monster Size and Effects
Abnormal Status and Elemental Blight Guide Buff Duration: How Long Do Buffs Last?
Weapon and Armor-Related Guides
How to Rollback Weapons How to Forge Weapons and Armor
Damage Types: Difference Between Sever, Blunt, Projectile Damage How to Use Weapon and Armor Designs
How to Change Armor Pigment How to Hide Armor Pieces
How to Upgrade Kinsects How Does Sharpness Work?
Qurious Crafting:
Armor Augments
Chaotic Gore Magala Weapons Explained
Gameplay Features
Wirebug Moves and Controls Silkbind Attacks
How to Lock-On and Target Settings Switch Skills Guide
Wyvern Riding Guide Turf Wars
What is the Rampage? Hunter Rank (HR) Guide
Unchangeable Appearance Features How to Fast Travel
Fishing Guide Quest Completion Rewards
How to Carry Eggs Respawn Timers
Melding Pot Guide Solo and Multiplayer Guide
Crafting List How to Use Photo Mode
List of Lottery Prizes How to Save the Game
Character Edit Vouchers
Online Play
Multiplayer and Co-op Guide Hunter Connect and Like Function
How to use the Chat Feature How to Use Gestures
Join Requests Guide How Does Difficulty Scaling Work?

Comment

2 Sunbreak Walkthrough Team@Game8over 2 years

Thanks for pointing this out, Anon! We've already made the correction on the page.

1 Anonymousover 2 years

Evade extender does not extend iframes, evade window does.

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