MeinMMO editor Karsten Scholz is currently playing Monster Hunter Wilds with great enthusiasm. In this article, he introduces you to his rogue … um … hunter.
If you have read my article about my personal “Rook” from Dragon Age: The Veilguard, you’ll know: The rogue is strong within me. My main character in WoW has relied on leather and short blades for 20 years. In Elder Scrolls Online, I play a Khajiit Nightblade, with two one-handed weapons and a bow. In Guild Wars 2, I’m a Thief, in Final Fantasy 14 a Monk. I could go on forever.
There is just something fantastic about diving into melee combat relatively mobile and pummeling the opponent’s health points down to zero with numerous quick attacks while deftly dodging enemy attacks that would quickly send you to the ground due to your rather low defense.
New to Monster Hunter Wilds? Here are tips for beginners:
Dual Blades? Exactly My Thing!
Of course, this rogue preference has always influenced many non-MMO games. In Monster Hunter World, I got stuck with the dual blades after a short training session, and they are still my first choice in Wilds.
The official description from the game is truly applicable: Continuous, wild attacking with two blades is just much more my style than taking a massive swing with a giant sword and possibly missing that one very powerful strike because the monster just won’t stand still. That drives me crazy.
Additionally, it feels great to unleash long combos with the activated demon mode, landing countless hits in just a few seconds. Or to target a wound with a focus attack and then acrobatically swirl over the creature’s back with a click, unleashing high burst damage.
By the way, I play Monster Hunter Wilds on PC, with mouse and keyboard … and it almost feels like cheating to precisely open and target wounds. However, I get annoyed every time I have to press Y to let my Saikrii stop … you can’t have everything.
A Matter of Play Style
My hunter is currently going on hunts without human companions, but with his loyal Palico. I really enjoy that the little rascal sets traps, throws barrels, heals, cleanses, and distracts monsters. Especially because I often tend to be too lazy to use the whole range of tools.
Usually, I focus on letting my dual blades do the talking, triggering wounds, and then attacking them carefully. Only with certain monsters do I use capsules from my mount to deal extra damage from a distance.
And of course, the Saikrii comes into play when I need to heal or sharpen my weapons, or when it’s time to hop onto the monster’s back. So far, I’m managing quite well through the game. But the toughest challenges still lie ahead of me.
The Choice of Equipment
I have only been in high rank for a few hours and am constantly unlocking new weapons and armor. The first high-rank set I crafted is the Quematrice Alpha set, which shines with 3x power release, 3x unimpressed, 3x fire resistance, and 1x dodge distance.
However, as soon as possible, I want to farm the high-rank version of the Nu-Udra set, which I liked the most visually at low rank. But see for yourself:
When it comes to weapons, I currently use Quematrice Silexes III and Uth Ngarpatu I the most, though I switch to other dual blades if it’s clear that the next monster has a different weakness than water or fire.
However, I also want to try the Guild Knight Sabers, the improved version of the Chthon-Kurasigama, Bone Blades IV, and Whirling Fulgur I – but I still need individual materials for all those weapons. I just unlocked the ability to craft Artian weapons.
As for my Palico, he currently wears the Guardian Arkveld Helm, the Guardian Arkveld Armor, and the Guardian Arkveld Sword. Why? Because it looks really cool! I haven’t thought much more about the outfit of my feline companion so far.
How do you approach your hunter’s adventure and the choice of their equipment or play style? Is the appearance of the gear more important than the quality (keyword: Fashion-Hunter)? Share it in the comments!
Not only Karsten Scholz is currently playing the new Monster Hunter with great joy, but also the colleagues. The editor-in-chief Leya Jankowski has probably spent the most time with Monster Hunter: Wilds so far. You can find out how she thinks about the game here: Monster Hunter Wilds in review: Nearly perfect – but not flawless
