o2. MONSTER HUNTERS

[ValMorgan]

This thread will be your guide to the world of Monster Hunter as presented on Monster Hunter Infinite. It includes a comprehensive list of weapons, armors, and items, as well as in-depth descriptions of the hunting grounds and Northguard.

THREAD CONTENTS:

a: monster hunter culture
b: quests & hunter rank
c: weapons
d: armor & armor skills
e: felynes
f: hunting grounds
g: northguard

[ValMorgan]

a: monster hunter culture

It is almost needless to say that the life of a monster hunting civilization revolves around monsters and monster hunters. Together, monsters and humans form a sort of twisted symbiosis; monsters supply society with materials to create buildings, weapons, and armor, as well as food. In return, the hunters keep the monster populations stable and prevent the ecosystem's collapse that would inevitably come from an overpopulation of massive predators.

For the most part, it is the standard for hunters to maintain an attitude of reverence and respect for the massive beasts they slay, and with good reason. Without the armor and weapons the hunters take from the monsters, they would be killed in an instant.

All hunting operations are run by a massive organization called the Hunter's Guild. They process civilian quests and offer payment and rewards for hunters who complete them. The guild maintains a mysterious face; nobody knows who runs it, and nobody ever sees any guild employees, save for the few assistants who give out quests.

It should be noted that hunting is often a very social activity. It's no wonder that a common phrase to hear is, "He who hunts alone dies alone." Hunting in a group provides both safety for all members of the hunting party, but it also helps to ensure a successful hunt and strengthens ties between hunters.

[ValMorgan]

b: quests & hunter rank

The Hunter's Guild, as to the nature of the vast majority of guilds, has a consistently large number of quests posted at any point in time. Quests are, in essence, missions on which hunters are sent to attempt to complete. There are a variety of types of quests, however, to keep the flow even. Due to the airships, hunters can be deployed to quests quite literally anywhere. While in a quest, the Guild does possess a few particulars. A maximum of four hunters may depart on the same quest together, however less than four is perfectly fine. The Guild will not permit three total incapacitations, and this is unaffected by how many hunters are in a group. Each time a Hunter falls, the reward received at the end of the quest is cut by a third of the initial amount stated.

Upon setting out on a quest, hunters should find themselves in a base camp area set up by the Guild, complete with bed, used to completely replenish the health of hunters via rest, and two storage chests. One chest, the blue, contains supply items such as Maps, First-Aid Kits, and Rations to assist the Hunter in their endeavors. The other, red in color, is used for the delivery of items, whether they be used to complete a quest or simply to gain a bit of extra zenny. No monsters will ever be found in the base camp area, making it something of a safe haven. This is also the area that hunters who have fallen in combat are returned to, regardless of where they might have entered the quest from or the area they had fallen in.

As for the varying types of quests, they are as follows: There are Gathering Quests, in which the goal is to deliver a specific amount of particular items to the red delivery box; Hunting Quests, in which a hunter must take down a 'large monster' of one form or another; Slaying Quests, in which the participants must hunt down certain monsters, almost always several minions; Capturing Quests, which are somewhat more difficult given that you must use traps and knowledge to pacify the quarry, instead of killing it; Arena Quests, which are simple battles against monsters within an arena; Event Quests, in which special monsters or a certain set of monsters are hunted, and rewards for special items are given; and finally Epic Hunting Quests, seen only in the High Rank level, where hunters fight two or sometimes three different monsters, and are given healing items instead of the normal items gained from carving.

Hunter Rank, upon which Quests tend to rely heavily upon, is the status of any one Hunter is considered at by the Guild's standards. There are two ranks, Low and High. High Rank monsters, even if they might look identical to their Low Rank counterparts, are significantly stronger, have much more health, and have been known to gain extra attacks, or sometimes a Subspecies. Hunters are considered for the elevation to High Rank after doing a great service to the Guild, seeming to depend on the time of year.

During High Rank quests, however, complications tend to arise. Unexpected foes may appear after your initial quarry has been vanquished. You may find yourself a bit further from your base camp than you might have initially expected, or hoped. Furthermore, you may also find yourself to be without supplies for quite some time, if at all, depending on how quickly you complete the quest. All of this is due to the aggressive nature of these more powerful monsters. However, with the added risk comes added benefits, such as the much sought after Secret Areas. Each Hunting Ground possesses one, each holding some very rare materials. Furthermore, from all High Rank monsters come materials for more powerful equipment, which is near-necessary due to the power of these beasts.

[ValMorgan]

c: weapons

Without a weapon to slay the beasts he or she hunts, a monster hunter is nothing. This post contains detailed descriptions of the weapon types available to all of the hunters, but not a detailed list of the individual weapons you can purchase for your hunter. For that, you'll need to head over to the Dragonhearth Forges.

Some terms you'll find in this guide include:

Raw Power: the level at which a weapon delivers basic damage.
Attack Rate: the rate at which this weapon strikes.

SWORD & SHIELD

The Sword and Shield combination is known for being a very balanced weapon class. Due to its lightning-fast attack speed, it is excellent at dealing elemental damage along with standard damage, and also offers extreme maneuverability. Its small shield allows users to block some monster attacks, giving this weapon a defensive side, too.

Damage Type: Cutting [sword] and Impact [shield]
Raw Power: Low
Attack Rate: Fast

GREAT SWORD

The Great Sword boasts incredible power for a cutting weapon and is well-known for its incredible charged attacks. This weapon is, however, hard to maneuver with due to its incredible size. Great Swords also have the ability to block a variety of attacks with their wide blades. Great Sword users will have to learn perfect timing of their attacks to be as effective as possible.

Damage Type: Cutting
Raw Power: High
Attack Rate: Very Slow

LONG SWORD

If you want to slice up monsters from far away, but you don't want to work with the slow Great Sword, the Long Sword is a great alternative. Its fast attack rate combined with a considerable reach makes this a perfect weapon for slicing off monster tails.

Damage Type: Cutting
Raw Power: Medium
Attack Rate: Medium

DUAL SWORDS

The Dual Swords are the fastest weapons out there, allowing their user to deliver a never-ending fury of attacks on enemy monsters. They can also imbue their user with demonic power, allowing them to strike with powered-up attacks at the cost of stamina. So what's the drawback? In order to use the Dual Swords, the hunter must be right up close with the monster.

Damage Type: Cutting
Raw Power: Low
Attack Rate: Very Fast

SWITCH AXE

The Switch Axe is a unique weapon in that it can "switch" between two modes: Axe and Sword. The Axe mode allows for the user to strike a foe very quickly and build up a power gauge. The Sword mode is a bit slower, but packs more of a punch and does potent elemental damage from the Phial included with the weapon.

Damage Type: Cutting
Raw Power: High
Attack Rate: Medium [Axe], Slow [Sword]

LANCE

The lance is one of the most defensive of weapons. Packed with a massive shield and a long reach, any lancer is guaranteed to be able to poke away at a monster from afar, and block any attacks that come their way. Lance users are also able to move and attack while blocking, though at an even slower pace, and can use their shield to bash in this method. Because moving around with a lance unsheathed is incredibly slow, users will have to become proficient at moving around in short hops, and even using its special Charge ability to close distance. Lances are also special in the regard that, depending on whether an area of a monster is weaker to Impact or Cutting damage, they become that type of damage.

Damage Type: Cutting/Impact
Raw Power: Medium
Attack Rate: Medium

GUNLANCE

The Gunlance is nearly identical to its Lance cousin, with one giant exception: the Gunlance can fire off rounds of shots that crash into a monster and explode. After a period of charging, it can even unleash its Wyvern Fire attack, which blasts the enemy with fire. This makes for an excellent way to deal massive damage, but also dulls the weapon very quickly. The Gunlance's defensive capabilities are also identical to that of the Lance, with one exception: one cannot use the shield to bash. However, a Gunlance can be thrust completely vertically into the air.

Damage Type: Cutting
Raw Power: Medium
Attack Rate: Medium

HAMMER

The hammer is famous for dealing the most raw damage of any weapon, at the cost of relatively slow attack speed. Because it deals Impact damage only, the hammer is used primarily to bash at the heads of monsters and inflict the Stun effect. Like the Great Sword, the hammer boasts a charged attack. Unlike the Great Sword, the hunter can run while charging this attack.

Damage Type: Impact
Raw Power: High
Attack Rate: Slow

HUNTING HORN

The Hunting Horn is on the surface very similar to the hammer. It is also an impact weapon and can stun monsters, but sacrifices some attack power. To replace the lack of power, a Hunting Horn user can play different notes on the weapon. Different note combinations have different effects, including defense, stamina, and attack boosts.

Damage Type: Impact
Raw Power: High
Attack Rate: Slow

BOW

The bow keeps hunting classic with its age-old ranged hunting style. Bow users will need to charge every shot they fire by pulling back on the string and aiming at the monster before letting loose a powerful shot. Arrows can be dipped in different elemental and status Coatings for different effects. A Bow hunter can also use an arrow that is not yet notched into a melee combo, though it has less power behind it. However, if one has a Coating equipped, using a melee attack will not drain the Coating's uses as it would if fired.

Damage Type: Ranged [firing an arrow] and Cutting [melee combo]
Raw Power: Medium
Attack Rate: Medium [varies depending upon charging]

LIGHT BOWGUN

The light bowgun is a rather ingenious weapon, as is its cousin, the heavy bowgun. Some thin line between crossbow and rifle, they fire off small rounds from great distances. The rounds the light bowguns tend to specialize in elemental damage, inflicting the specialized damage focused at draining stamina. While there are numerous shots available - far more options than those coatings the Bow has access to - all of the rounds must be purchased, unlike the unlimited arrows the Bow has. These weapons allow for a good deal more movement speed, and quick usage. Attachments for light bowguns include the Silencer, the Long Barrel, and the Zoom Scope. Both Silencer and Long Barrel cannot be attached to any one bowgun at the same time. The light bowgun can also be swung for a quick close-range hit, with quite low damage.

Damage Type: Ranged
Raw Power: Low
Reload Speed: High

HEAVY BOWGUN

The heavy bowgun is almost identical in purpose to the light bowgun: to deal damage from a distance. However, it is more specialized in dealing a large amount of damage at one point, with more access to Crag and Cluster shots. However, there are trade-offs for this boost to power. For one, the heavy bowgun is folded in half when not in use, and must take time to fold out when drawn. Furthermore, when in use, the heavy bowgun considerably slows down movement speeds. Attachments for these weapons are a bit different than that of the light bowgun, as well. They include the Shield, Power Barrel, and Zoom Scope. Both Shield and Power Barrel cannot be equipped at the same time. As with the light, the heavy bowgun can be swung at close range for a low-damage smash.

Damage Type: Ranged
Raw Power: High
Reload Speed: Slow

To allow for the maximum amount of content, and because no one wanted to stitch together branches from weapon trees (myself included), we use a system of "tags" for the weaponry here. This is mainly due to the fact that there are weapons from different games with the same names, yet different values.

All weapons from Freedom Unite and Tri are included, for maximum coverage. However, they can only be evolved as far as High Rank allows, though this is subject to change if G-Rank is in high demand.

Lists of the actual weapons themselves can be located here:

MHFU Great Swords/Long Swords -- MHFU Swords and Shields/Dual Swords -- MHFU Hammers/Hunting Horns -- MHFU Lances/Gunlances -- MHFU Light Bowguns -- MHFU Heavy Bowguns -- MHFU Bows

Tri Great Swords -- Tri Long Swords -- Tri Hammers -- Tri Lances -- Tri Swords and Shields -- Tri Light Bowguns* -- Tri Heavy Bowguns* -- Tri Switch Axes


*May contain some "Medium" Bowguns, as classified by Tri. Bowgun customization has been eliminated to keep things simpler. Each Bowgun that is normally "missing" a piece or two has been modified with parts that compliment it, so to say. Tri's Bowguns are compatible with the MHFU modification components.

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[ValMorgan]

d: armor & armor skills

So you go out on a quest, find your target, and suddenly realize, "Hey, these things hit back!" Monsters have their own natural weapons, be it teeth, claws, or balls of fire, just as you wield your own variety of means of attacks. It certainly makes sense, then, that you should have something to protect your hide as the beasts you fight possess as well, no? This, hunters, is where armor comes in. Armor comes in a wide variety of appearances and purposes, and some are more useful than others. There's not many options when it comes to obtaining armor. Some is made from metal, some from bone, but in almost every case you will need to hunt the great beasts of land, sky, and sea.

Armor is divided first and foremost into two categories: Blademaster and Gunner. Blademaster armor is compatible with all forms of melee weaponry, be it a Great Sword or a Gunlance. Since this requires the hunter to be at a closer range to the monsters, they are more susceptible to a creature's attacks with claw and tooth. Taken this into consideration, Blademaster armors are made stiffer and stronger, giving them high defense. Gunner armors, as the name might suggest, are used with Bowguns and Bows. Since hunters using these ranged weapons are more vulnerable to fireballs and the like, the material of the armor is imbued with much more significant elemental resistance, generally five or sometimes ten points higher than their Blademaster counterparts. However, this also requires lighter materials, which roughly halves the viable defense compared to Blademaster armors. They're divided again by Hunter Rank, as well. S-series and U-series armors are exclusive to High Rank, and quite often have different skills than their Low Rank counterparts. Blademaster armor pieces and Gunner armor pieces are not compatible together, though some armor pieces are able to be used by either Blademaster or Gunner.

Now, while armor is useful in itself purely as a means of defense, that is not the only great quality of it. Armor skills - special abilities forged into the armor itself and transferred to the hunter by wearing it - are also something to take into consideration. Generally, the skills depend on what the armor is made from; for instance, Barioth armor having the Evade +2 skill, making dodging attacks easier than usual. Often times armor skills belong to multiple armors, so it isn't very hard to get a set of skills you enjoy. Skills can hurt, you, though. With enough negative points, you gain skills that slow your consumption of items, those that can cause more damage to occur, or even decrease your health. Decorations can be helpful in this regard, as they give small amounts of points towards different skills. Decorations are made by forging together Jewels and other materials together. Get enough Decorations together, and you might be able to put new skills in armor. However, you need Slots in either armor or weapons to put Decorations to any use, and you can only use as many decorations as you have Slots.

As with weapons, armor also uses a system of "tags" to prevent confusion and allow more content. This time, it's due mainly to skill differences. Once again, armor is separated in terms of Freedom Unite's armor and Tri's armor. G-Rank armor is also temporarily left out, but this is also subject to change. Tri's Gunner armor will be, to the best of the staff's abilities, modified to have resistances more similar to the style of Freedom Unite's at some point. Hunters can, also, use armor pieces from the two sections together: for instance, using Tri's High Rank Rathian Blademaster chestpiece with Freedom Unite's Low Rank Plesioth Blademaster gloves.

MHFU Blademaster Low Rank -- MHFU Blademaster High Rank -- MHFU Gunner Low Rank -- MHFU Gunner High Rank

Tri Blademaster Low Rank -- Tri Blademaster High Rank -- Tri Gunner Low Rank -- Tri Gunner High Rank

[ValMorgan]

e: felynes

Felynes are aptly named, highly intelligent cats that have been recognized as Hunter companions for generations. These friendly beings have formed a sort of pact with the Guild community with mutual benefits. Hunters get a lifelong partner, and the Felynes get the same, plus all the benefits of having a permanent home with the Hunter.

Felynes vary in many different ways, just like people do. There are some who cook, and others who fight. Cooking Felynes are home-bodies who prefer to support the Hunter through their stomach rather than on the front line. Their primal animal senses give them access to supreme culinary art skills, and they show it through their delicious meals. Often these venerable feasts can have you feeling better than ever before, and some believe that they actually enhance your natural abilities, so it's a wise idea to bring any food material to your Chef to prepare for you instead of cooking for yourself. Food is always better when prepared by someone else, anyways.

Fighting Felynes, known as Comrades, are the second half of the spectrum. Using their potent hunting instincts, these cats aid you in your eternal battle against the monsters of the world. They have many abilities in their reservoir, including the power to track beings, the ability to use special bombs, and they can even lay down shock traps with which to catch Monsters. Felynes also tend to specialize in certain ways of attacking, some preferring to use bombs, or one of two weapon styles; striking, or slashing. Their small stature may seem off putting when it comes to combat, but many a cat-comrade have struck the decisive blow for their Hunters, earning eternal avail in the Guild society.

[ValMorgan]

f: hunting grounds

The Hunting Grounds, as it were, are in reality a great number of locations, scattered across the face of the world. The Guild has designated these particular areas as such to not over-hunt the beasts that can be seen here, but also to make certain they are not able to overpopulate and send any number of species - humankind included - into extinction. Traditionally, these areas are small portions of the whole biome to which they belong - for instance, one volcano out of the entire Volcanic Belt - and are usually popular nesting sites for all the species that can be found within them. Hunters are restricted to these zones when hunting; going outside of their limits would be both dangerous and against regulations, and the Guild will brand Hunters who do so as mavericks.

Each hunting ground is divided into several areas, numbered and kept track of. Maps are provided in supply chests so that Hunters can learn the areas by more means than trying to keep track of what their surroundings are, simplifying matters and expediting hunts. It is of note that there all small paths leading between the areas - normally they are incredibly brief, but some have a bit of length to them. Let the record show that these areas are much too small for any legitimate hope of battle - longer ones tend to be on the sides of cliffs, so any living creature would do well to simply focus on getting to the other end. Some of these transitional paths are actually jumps from cliffs of higher areas that overlook lower areas. Allow us at the Guild to assure you that jumping off of these is perfectly safe, usually, and incredibly few injuries from doing so have been reported. Furthermore, be certain to take advanced caution when in areas with environmental effects, such as poison mists, extreme cold, or magma - ignoring them is very likely to cause injury.

The Guild also formally apologizes for any blockades Hunters may encounter on quests blocking their way into certain areas or forcing them to take longer routes - these are typically caused by freak landslides and will be removed as soon as possible, but we cannot intervene on the hunt to do so.

[ValMorgan]

g: northguard

Due west from the Volcanic Belt, the city of Northguard is truly a sight to behold, especially to those unfamiliar with it. In the center of the city, a massive cliff towers over the lower land, tearing its way through the landscape. While the face of the cliff is not completely vertical, it is close enough – with an approximately 80 degree slope - to make trying to scale it a fruitless effort. To compromise with the rock, the founders of the city had two great stone staircases carved into the wall, winding their way to the top. At the western edge of the city is a river, cascading down the cliff face as a waterfall. It has been proposed that the waters may have generated fertile land for farming, but the idea has been dismissed. Northguard currently imports most of its goods by means of the river, ships coming in and out in plenty to the city's harbor. The temperature often proves difficult to stand during hotter times of the year, but not even that could stop the quick expanse of the city. While the city serves as an immense base for hunters, its true value lies in the arena, where great crowds flock from as far off as Minegarde to watch hunters do battle against all manner of beasts for their entertainment and the hunters' experience.

The population of the city grew rapidly, so much so that the walls needed to be destroyed once, then pushed out to their current boundaries. The people were enthralled with the local customs based around the arena battles, so why not simply live here rather than travel great distances to watch? The new walls have incredible strength to them, the stones on the surface reinforced with strange metal that only the designer could tell you the name of. Local rumors were generated that the inner metals are actually Kushala Daora materials, but rumors always do tend to blow things out of proportion. Giant monsters have been known to attack the walls, including the mighty Lao-Shan Lung on rare occasions. Blacksmiths from the village near the Volcanic Belt also come here often, usually to use Northguard's ports to set out in search of a place that needs their skills, though some have been known to settle down here, working in the city's forge. It wasn't long before the city's two main halves gained names, the Upper Tier and the Lower Tier. The two are always in activity with each other, of course, as there are certain things other than the arena that command public interest.

The Lower Tier is rather basic in essence. The majority of it is comprised of the Residential District, a mass of houses belonging to all works of people. Hunters coming to Northguard are given a house upon arriving, knowing that they will repay the city with both what they bring back and their time in the arena. The other main features of the Lower Tier include the Harbor, where ships are constantly moving, bringing in and taking out goods and people, and of course, the Grand Arena, both located on the west side of the Tier.

The Upper Tier is quite different from the Lower, and is often nicknamed the Hunter's Tier. In the eastern part are both the Dragonhearth Forges, which are said to be fueled by the very fire that the Rathalos and Rathian wyverns produce, and the Market District, an area almost invaluable to any hunter, given all its riches. The two are so close together that they're practically intertwined. More towards the center of the Upper Tier are the Hunter's Guild Embassy – where hunters new and old embark upon legendary quests and spectacular arena battles – and the legendary Green Dragon Inn – a tavern with more stories than a Lagiacrus has electricity stored. Located on the west, however, next to the river is the Menagerie, a public display of the monsters that are captured and brought back for arena combat, truly a spectacle to behold from both the eye of the public and the eye of the hunter. There are also a number of other buildings in this Tier, but they are mostly the housings for guild officials, arena announcers, blacksmiths, and some of the truly upper-ranked hunters.