Combat System Guide: How to Win Battles
You can select your attack type, use Skills, and team up with your Monsties during combat in Monster Hunter Stories 3. Find out how to attack, the different attack types, and how to use your Monsties in battle here!
List of Contents
Monster Hunter Stories 3 Combat Mechanics
| MHS3 Combat Guide |
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Understand the Attack Type System
| Attack Type | Strong Against | Weak Against |
|---|---|---|
Power |
 Technical |
 Speed |
|
Technical |
Speed |
Power |
|
Speed |
Power |
Technical |
When attacking an opposing Monster, you can choose between three different attack types above. The opposing Monster's attacks also revolve around these three types as well. Each of these three attack types are strong or weak against one of the other types, similar to Rock-Paper-Scissors.
To figure out a Monster's next attack type, you can look at the pattern of their attacks during combat or check the Monsterpedia for previously encountered Monsters.
Deal Damage With the Correct Damage Types
Each weapon deals a specific damage type: Slash, Pierce, or Blunt damage. Some Monsters or Monsters' body parts can only be hit using specific types of damage, such as the body part in the image above only being vulnerable to Pierce. Therefore, make sure to bring effective weapon combinations that cover all three damage types.
For example, you can bring a Longsword and a Hammer to break to get a Critical Eye buff from the former and deal heavy body part damage using the latter. Additionally, you can also bring an ally that covers the missing damage type so that you can focus on using the two weapons.
Follow the Battle Lines to Trigger Head-to-Head Battles
| Line Type | Effect |
|---|---|
 |
・An opposing Monster will attack you. ・You can attack the Monster on the same line to trigger a Head-to-Head. |
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・Your Monstie, Battle Ally, or Ally's Monstie will trigger a Head-to-Head. ・If your Monstie will trigger a Head-to-Head, you can attack the same opponent to trigger a Double Attack. |
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・An opposing Monster will use a Skill without an Attack Type toward you or one of your allies. |
A Head-to-Head occurs when you or one of your allies and one of the opposing Monsters attack each other, indicated by yellow or blue Battle Lines. The winner is decided by the winning attack type, and winning a Head-to-Head allows you to deal significant damage while filling up the Kinship Gauge. Figure out the opposing Monstie's attack pattern to always ensure a victory!
Use Double Attack in Sync With Your Monstie
A Double Attack occurs when you or your Monstie wins a Head-to-Head while targeting the same opponent. This deals more damage than a regular attack and fills up the Kinship Gauge.
You can easily trigger a Double Attack by attacking a Monster on the other end of your Monstie's blue Battle Line or by using your Monstie's skill on an opponent that is directly attacking you.
Utilize Unique Weapon Mechanics Using Weapon Skills
Aside from regular attacks, you can also use Skills attached to your equipped weapons, and using these Skills consumes your Stamina. Each weapon has a unique mechanic that can only be used by using your Weapon Skills, such as filling unique gauges, so you can fully maximize your weapons through skill usage.
However, some skills do not have an attack type and cancels Head-to-Head attacks, so you should avoid using these skills when a Monster is directly attacking you for a turn.
Attack With Your Most Effective Monstie
You can make your Monstie use a Skill and switch out your Monstie once per turn. Bring out a Monstie that's strong against the opposing Monstie's attack type to deal more damage! However, you cannot directly choose your Monstie's target per turn.
Break A Monster's Body Parts to Trigger Various Effects
Bigger Monsters cannot be attacked directly. Instead, you must attack their different body parts to break them. Breaking different parts lead to different effects, such as reducing a Monster's Wyvernsoul Gauge or weakening a Monster's skills.
Once a Monster's body part is broken, it no longer provides additional bonuses when attacked, so avoid the broken body part and move on to the other parts instead.
Reduce Your Opponent's Wyvernsoul Gauge to Zero
Under an opponent Monster's health, you can find red diamonds which represent their Wyvernsoul Gauge. Attacking and reducing the gauge to zero will stagger the opponent. You can reduce a Monster's' Wyvernsoul Gauge by using an effective attack type or breaking certain body parts.
Reducing Wyvernsoul Stock Topples An Opposing Monster
Staggered Monsters have their Wyvernsoul Gauge replaced by Wyvernsoul Stock, and reducing their Stock to zero will Topple them. The Wyvernsoul Stock can be reduced in the same way as the Wyvernsoul Gauge.
Activate Synchro Rush After Toppling a Monster
Once a Monster is Toppled, they are unable to take any actions. Additionally, you can activate a Synchro Rush, which deals a lot of damage and greatly fills the Kinship Gauge.
Use Topple State Wisely
When you Topple a Monster, you do not have to automatically use Synchro Rush. If your party needs to heal up or if you prefer to buff yourself and your allies up, then you can use the Monster's Topple state for that instead.
Fill Up Your Kinship Gauge
Your Kinship Gauge is represented by the tear-shaped gauge to the left of your health bar. Once it's filled, you can ride your Monstie, which fully heals your Monstie's HP while adding your HP to theirs, increases your attack power, and allows you to reduce a Monster's Wyvernsoul Gauge with any normal attack.
Use Powerful Kinship Skills When Mounted
You can also use powerful Kinship Skills while riding your Monstie. Additionally, if your ally is riding their Monstie at the same time as yours, you can also use Double Kinship skills in conjunction with them.
Do Not Lose Your Hearts
You can find Hearts below your Kinship Gauge, and each time your HP is reduced to zero, you lose a heart. Once you lose three hearts, the battle is lost and you return to base. For your other allies, losing all hearts means being unable to take any action for a couple of turns. These hearts are refilled each battle.
Use Status Ailments
Using Status Ailments during battles can increase your chances of winning against the enemy. Ailments such as Poison are effective on higher-level Monsters. Meanwhile, another ailment called Sleep can also be used to skip an opponent’s turn.
Monster Hunter Stories 3 Combat Tips
Break Parts that Reduce Wyvernsoul Gauge
While breaking different parts have different effects, prioritize the parts that reduce a Monster's Wyvernsoul Gauge to stagger the Monster as fast as possible and eventually Topple them.
Bring Equipment and Monsties to Cover Different Elements and Attack Types
You will encounter all sorts of Monsters throughout your journey, and you must be ready to encounter different sets of resistances and weaknesses. Therefore, ensure that your Monsties cover different Elements and you and your Battle Ally can cover all three damage types as well.
Choose the Right Battle Ally
Each Battle Ally has their own strengths in combat, and you should partner up with the right Battle Ally based on your strategy. For instance, Simon brings great support through constant healing, so bring him along if you're looking for extra survivability.
Monster Hunter Stories 3 (MHS3) Related Guides
Beginner's Guide: Tips and Tricks
Game Mechanics
Combat Guides
Farming Guides
| EXP Guide: How to Level Up Fast | Trade Point Farming Guide: How to Get Trade Points |
| How to Get Rare Eggs | How to Defeat Barrel Felynes |
Miscellaneous Guides
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