Strengthening a character in Monster Hunter Outlanders requires more than just leveling up. Players must utilize various progression mechanics to enhance damage, defense, elemental skills, and overall hunt effectiveness. This includes upgrading gear and expanding the capabilities of Buddies, all of which contribute significantly to a character’s power.
Fortunately, Monster Hunter Outlanders offers ample chances to gather materials. Players can continuously hunt monsters for resources to craft and enhance weapons and armor without the concern of limited opportunities. To help you strengthen your characters and elevate your combat proficiency, here are nine actionable strategies.
1. Increase Your Character Level and Ecology Rank
Here are some important reminders:
- Raise your Adventure Rank through game progression.
- Complete challenges to gain higher Ecology Ranks.
- Verify your Ecology Rank before pursuing further character upgrades.
- Gather upgrade materials during hunts.
Think of Ecology Rank as a global progression system. The higher it is, the greater your options for character progress.
If you’re aiming to reach character level 60, keep in mind that you’ll need to hit Ecology Rank 5 first. Boosting your Ecology Rank doesn’t come easily; it involves meeting specific Adventure Rank requirements and knocking out various challenges along the way. Thankfully, you can easily keep track of your current Ecology Rank by either checking the menu or glancing at the handy indicator that’s chilling in the bottom-right corner of your screen.
Here are a few key reminders to keep in your back pocket as you embark on your gaming journey:
- To level up your Adventure Rank, make sure to dive deep into the game and enjoy the experiences.
- You’ll need to complete specific challenges to unlock those coveted higher Ecology Ranks, so stay proactive.
- Before you decide to upgrade your character, double-check your current Ecology Rank to avoid any surprises.
- While you’re out completing hunts, don’t forget to gather character upgrade materials—they really come in handy.
2. Use Engraving to Unlock Additional Character Effects
Engraving serves as another method to boost your characters within Monster Hunter Outlanders. This system offers extra effects beneficial for enhancing performance during hunts. Activating these effects requires Zenny, so choose wisely when deciding which characters to focus on.
For beginners, concentrating on your main character first is advisable rather than spreading Zenny thin across your roster. If using Midori, consider upgrading her first due to her valuable Engraving effects.
2. Use Engraving to Unlock Additional Character Effects
Engraving provides another fantastic way to boost your characters in Monster Hunter Outlanders. This neat feature allows you to gain additional effects, enhancing your character’s performance in the heat of the hunt. Just a heads-up though: activating these bonuses will cost you some Zenny, so be strategic about which characters you choose to invest in.
For those just stepping into the game, it’s generally wise to focus your resources on your main character instead of spreading your Zenny too thin across all your roster. If you happen to have Midori in your lineup, consider giving her some priority as her Engraving effects can give you some very handy bonuses.
Here are a few handy tips for navigating the Engraving system:
- Make sure to focus your efforts on leveling up your main DPS character first and foremost.
- If you find yourself using Midori often, she’s definitely worth the investment for upgrades.
- Before you dive into spending your hard-earned Zenny, take a moment to browse the available effects.
- Hold onto your Zenny if there are still other vital upgrades you need in your arsenal.
Engraving can really put a dent in your Zenny. This is especially true when you’re activating multiple effects all at once. There’s no need to stress about unlocking everything straight away; take your time and wait until you’ve gathered enough resources before making a heavy investment in this mechanic.
3. Craft and Upgrade Weapons and Armor
Equipment plays a crucial role in how your character grows in Monster Hunter Outlanders. The right weapons and armor not only grant various stats and abilities but also can unlock unique set effects when you equip certain combinations. So, don’t just throw on gear based on how rare it is or its defense values; think strategically!
When it comes to weapons, always keep in mind the elemental weakness of the monster you’re hunting. For instance, if your quarry has a weakness to Thunder, gearing up with a Thunder-type weapon is a smart move to maximize your damage output. You’ll be able to craft diverse types of weapons at the Forge Weapon menu, where options like Hammers and Long Swords await your creation!
Armor also comes with its own set bonuses depending on the monster it originates from. For example, if you mix and match three pieces of Anjanath armor, you can boost your Fire damage, while linking two pieces of Rathian armor can trigger other beneficial effects. A notable perk is Flawless, which enhances damage by 3% while your health remains at full. So, plan your armor combinations wisely!
Be sure to keep an eye out for these useful features in your equipment:
- Elemental Weapons: Get yourself ready with Fire, Water, Thunder, and a range of other elemental weapons, so you can be prepared to take on various monsters with ease.
- Armor Set Effects: Don’t forget to mix and match your armor pieces to trigger special bonuses when you have two or three pieces from the same set. It’s a smart way to boost your defenses!
- Equipment Upgrades: As you gather the necessary materials, take the time to upgrade your equipment rarity. You don’t want to miss out on making your gear even more formidable.
- Dismantling: When you come across equipment that you no longer need, break it down! Dismantling unwanted gear gives you essential materials that can be utilized for upgrading other equipment.
Here’s a neat little tip: even your early-game gear can be upgraded to achieve higher rarities! So, there’s no rush to replace your entire armor set the moment you level up. Instead, think ahead, gather the necessary materials, and enhance the equipment you already have when the opportunity arises. It’ll save you time and keep you well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
4. Create Elemental Loadouts for Different Monsters
As you amass a variety of weapons and armor pieces, managing your loadout manually can turn into quite the hassle. Thankfully, Monster Hunter Outlanders comes with a handy Loadout feature that lets you save different mixes of equipment, making your life so much easier!
With the Loadout feature, you can create specific setups tailored for different elemental attacks. For example, set up separate loadouts for Water, Thunder, and Fire. These elemental builds will give you an edge when tackling many of those early-game monsters. When you’re ready to go to battle against a foe with a particular weakness, just select the loadout that matches their element—it’s super convenient!
The Loadout feature is even more versatile as it can automatically switch up both your equipment and your Visage cards, allowing you to adapt quickly for various enemies. Plus, you can create distinct loadouts not just for your main character, but also for your support characters. It really streamlines your strategy!
Keep in mind that the element assigned to characters isn’t always set in stone based on their names. For instance, just because you have a character named Pyro doesn’t mean they strictly have to wield Fire equipment. You have the flexibility to tweak their elemental type and gear setup to effectively match the monster you’re about to fight. Adaptation is key!
To really amp up your performance in game, it’s a great idea to sync the element of your weapon with the bonuses from your armor. Think of it this way: if you’re wielding a Fire weapon, opting for armor that enhances Fire damage is a super straightforward strategy to boost your overall damage output. It’ll make your attacks hit harder and look cooler, too!
5. Train and Upgrade Your Buddies
Your Buddies play a crucial role in your journey and character development. These faithful companions come packed with additional abilities that can truly lend a hand during your hunts, from healing you up to offering sweet elemental damage bonuses. It’s vital to select a Buddy not just based on how rare they are, but also by considering their specific role and abilities to ensure they truly complement your play style.
Take Ikarus as an example. If your build is all about dishing out elemental damage, Ikarus can be a fantastic addition to your team thanks to its bonus to elemental damage. Remember, not all Buddies have the same perks, so delve into their abilities to choose the best fit for your gameplay strategy.
You can give your Buddies a boost by heading over to the Training section and spending some Buddy Token materials. Leveling them up not only enhances their abilities but also makes their support effects way more impactful when you find yourself in intense battles.
Here are a few tips to help you effectively manage your Buddies:
- Align your Buddy’s role with what your character truly needs.
- Always check their abilities before making your selection.
- Focus on Buddies that can provide handy healing or damage boosts.
- Invest in upgrading their levels using Buddy Token materials.
- Don’t forget to collect more Buddies through the recruitment system!
If you’re on the hunt for those shinier and more powerful Buddies, the Exchange Shop is your go-to place! Here, you’ll have the chance to snag both SR and SSR Buddies. Just a heads-up, SSR Buddies do require a bit more in terms of exchange resources, so plan accordingly! You can gather these much-needed resources by diving into recruitment activities, so keep a keen eye on your stash of vouchers and exchange currency while you go about your adventures.
6. Collect and Upgrade Visage Cards
Another exciting way to enhance your characters is through the Visage cards, which are a fantastic addition to your equipment options. You’ll unlock these beauties as you progress through the engaging main story and hit those necessary Adventure Ranks. Just like armor, these cards come with their own unique stats and set effects that can really boost your character’s overall performance and synergy within your team.
Take the Pukei-Pukei Visage set, for example. It’s designed to offer a variety of bonuses depending on how many pieces you have equipped. Activating the two-piece effect will ramp up your Ultimate Charge Rate by 5%, which can be a game changer for Disruptor characters that rely on charging their abilities a bit longer before letting loose their powerful attacks!
But wait, there’s more! The four-piece effect adds an additional 6.5% squad buff for a whole 60 seconds whenever the Adventurer happens to receive a buff. This makes the Pukei-Pukei set a glorious choice if you’re building your team around support roles, helping your whole squad shine on the battlefield.
When you’re on the mission to select the perfect Visage cards, here are some things to keep in mind:
- DPS Characters: Look for cards that crank up your damage or elemental damage output.
- Support Characters: Focus on cards that enhance healing capabilities and provide squad-wide buffs.
- Disruptors: Seek out those Ultimate Charge Rate bonuses so you can unleash your abilities even more frequently.
- Elemental Builds: Choose cards that synergize with the element tied to your weapon.
If you’re on the hunt for Visage cards, you’ll want to dive into the Daily Hunts found in the Field Hunts area. This is a fantastic opportunity, as these activities not only give you the chance to grab some awesome cards, but they also provide the essential materials you’ll need to boost your character’s progression along the way.
When it comes to card rarity, your own progression level plays a key role. From what the guide reveals, you can expect Blue cards to have a solid 100% drop chance right up until you reach level 9. Once you hit level 10, that’s when the Purple cards come into play, starting at a drop rate of 30%. From there, your odds will increase by 10% with each level, maxing out at a fantastic 100% once you reach level 17. So keep your eyes peeled for those rare treasures as you level up!
As you progress to level 18, you’ll unlock the ability to snag Yellow cards, which come with a drop rate of 30%. This means the journey doesn’t stop here! Keep pushing through higher-level content if you’re eager to expand your collection with even better Visage cards, giving your character that extra edge.
7. Upgrade and Resketch Your Visage Cards
But don’t forget, collecting those Visage cards is just the beginning of your adventure. You also have the option to upgrade and resketch them, allowing you to enhance their stats significantly. This unique system gives you the freedom to mold your cards to fit the specific build you’re aiming for, making each card a powerful asset in your arsenal.
Now, for those card upgrades, you’ll need to gather certain materials. So remember to keep an eye out for them during your hunts and other activities you engage in. Once you’ve amassed enough resources, simply head to the Visage menu, choose the card you’d like to enhance, and get started on boosting its power!
The Resketch feature is a real game changer! It gives you the chance to add different stats to your cards which can totally shift the balance of your character’s performance. For instance, you might end up with a bonus like Elemental Critical Damage or other nifty boosts that take your gameplay to the next level. It’s just another way to fine-tune your strategy and make your characters shine!
It’s important to remember that not all of the stats you’ll encounter will be beneficial for your specific build. Some bonuses might not synergize with your weapon or gear, so keep an eye on the effects you’re actually receiving.
When you’re ready to upgrade your Visage cards, there are a few key things to keep in mind:
- Focus on upgrading cards that align well with your character’s role.
- Seek out elemental damage bonuses that complement your weapon of choice.
- Don’t forget about Resketch – it can help you gain extra stats.
- Be cautious about spending too many materials on cards you don’t plan on using often.
- Evaluate whether the card’s extra effects sync up well with your current gear.
For instance, if you’re wielding a Water weapon, your best bet is to focus on upgrading Visage effects that enhance Water damage rather than wasting resources on bonuses for a different element.
8. Use Insight and Proof of Mastery
Insight is a neat progression feature that can give your character some extra bonuses. You can jump into it by tapping the book icon located in the bottom-right corner of the character menu. This system operates in a similar manner to character duplicates, whereby collecting more copies grants you Insight points.
With these points, you can unlock various effects that cater to your specific weapon type. For example, if you’re a Bow user, you’ll be able to select enhancements that boost your Ultimate Charge Rate or ramp up your damage potential.
When diving into the effects system, keep in mind that each one has a cost tied to it, which is measured in points. Some of those juicy, stronger bonuses can really rack up the points they demand, reaching up to 30 points! So, if you’re feeling a bit short on points, don’t worry too much—just prioritize activating the effects that you can use for now.
Don’t forget that the Insight mechanic can be tailored to fit various characters in your roster. It’s a great strategy to modify your bonuses depending on the weapon and the specific role your character plays. You might find that working with SR characters is a little smoother, since obtaining their duplicates tends to be less of a hassle compared to others.
A key aspect of your journey is the Proof of Mastery, which you can easily access through the Explorer section in the main menu. This neat little system is all about providing extra bonuses to your characters, as well as to your Adventure Squad. It’s an excellent way to enhance what you already have and push your team further!
For instance, one of the rewards you can snag during an Explorer Season gives you:
- 65 Physical Attack
- 32 Elemental Attack
That said, leveling up your Proof of Mastery rank isn’t just a walk in the park. You’ll need to meet some specific conditions, and certain upgrades might demand a set amount of Adventure Power—like a hefty 5,220 Adventure Power to be precise!
If your characters haven’t hit that power threshold just yet, don’t sweat it! Instead, focus on leveling up their gear, whether it’s weapons or armor, and make sure to enhance those Visage cards as well. There are plenty of progression systems in place to help you gear up, so keep grinding and upgrading before diving back into the action.
9. Use Food Buffs and Target Monster Weaknesses
One effective way to give yourself an edge before you embark on a hunt is by preparing some hearty food! In Monster Hunter Outlanders, there’s an amazing cooking system that lets you whip up various dishes, each with unique effects. These culinary creations can boost your damage output, enhance your part-breaking prowess, shrink incoming damage, or offer any number of other hearty bonuses to help you on your adventure.
You’ll find that some dishes can grant you a sweet 5% damage bonus, while others, particularly those rarer recipes, can dish out even more impressive effects. Just think about those food buffs that can slash your damage taken by 9% or crank up your damage by a whopping 15%! Sounds good, right?
However, there’s a bit of a catch: you’ll need to unlock these recipes before you can enjoy their delicious benefits. Most of them are tied to quests, so it’s a good idea to take a peek at your available missions and go complete those objectives to add some tasty options to your cookbook.
Oh, and speaking of recipes, some of them require specific ingredients to whip up! For instance, one recipe aimed at boosting your damage needs a total of 75 Heaven Berries. To gather these ingredients, you can easily check out the Local Specialty section for a handy guide on where to find what you need.
Apart from whipping up tasty food buffs, it’s super important to get a grasp on monster weaknesses as well. Before you set off on a hunt, take a moment to assess the monster information. This will help you discover which elemental weapon and weapon type are your best bets for that particular encounter. Knowing this can make all the difference in your battles!
Take this for instance: the Radiant Barroth has a particular vulnerability to Fire attacks, meaning if you arm yourself with a Fire-based weapon, you’ll ramp up your damage output significantly. What’s really neat is how the game also points you in the right direction when it comes to weapon choices for breaking off those tough monster parts. It’s all about strategy and using the right tools to get the job done!
When it comes to specific monster parts, it’s crucial to have the right weapon in hand. Here’s a helpful guide to make your hunts smoother:
- Bow and Heavy Bowgun: These are fantastic choices if you want to break those pesky monster wings.
- Hammer: If you’re looking to smash through their head and body, this weapon shines.
- Long Sword: Perfect for slicing into their forelegs, hind legs, and tail.
- Great Sword: This big weapon is great for smashing multiple crucial sections of a monster.
- Dual Blades: These are particularly effective against the legs and tail, allowing for fast strikes.
- Lance: A sturdy option for targeting the monster’s legs and other vulnerable spots.
- Charge Blade: A versatile choice for those aiming to break specific monster parts.
Don’t forget to keep a close eye on how Radiant monsters behave. When you see that Radiant effect light up on a certain body part, that’s your cue to lock on and unleash your attacks focused on that area, using whatever elemental weakness the monster has.
As an illustration, if you notice the Radiant effect showing up on the monster’s head, make that your primary target for your assaults. And if it shifts to its hands, you’ll want to adapt and follow suit by targeting those next. It’s all about adapting your strategy as the encounter unfolds!
In Monster Hunter Outlanders, leveling up your character isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. When you’re gearing up for encounters against tougher monsters, just improving one aspect won’t cut it. You’ll need to level up your character, invest wisely in Engraving, craft superior gear, and leverage Visage cards, Buddies, and Insight. Diversifying your upgrades is key to success!
When you’re gearing up for a hunting expedition, the key is to tailor your equipment to the specific monster you’re about to face. Think about it—having an arsenal that includes various elemental weapons and armor sets can really tip the scales in your favor. This approach becomes particularly handy when you’re up against foes that have unique weaknesses. So, keep diving into those hunts, gather up materials, and invest your time in upgrading your gear. Every little enhancement crafts a stronger team, ready to take on the wildest challenges!