The Unspoken Laws of Monster Hunter!

Capcom's creature slaying action game  Monster Hunter is not everyone's game. But a lot of people play and love it simply because of its social aspects and skill intensive learning curve. But there are things that Capcom does not reveal about Monsther Hunter and based on hours upon hours of hunting I bring you:

The Unspoken Laws of Monster Hunter!


1. The Law of Need or "I need that monster material for my armor/weapon but I'm NOT getting it ANYWHERE!" - MH rewards its players with materials from slain/trapped monster for them to forge into weapons and armor. Low level items usually take a run or to with the same monster to build a particular item but as the game progresses, the rarity of materials go up and eventually will end up in " I want this X scale/plate/jewel/ruby but the game won't let me have it" rant.

The trick here is to be patient and hunt, hunt,hunt! After all, hunting IS the point of the game amirite?

Team work is also key!

2. The Law of Evasion or "the dodge or die law" - Many players are often complacent of high defense armor ratings and think that armor can soak up anything. Guess what. Your armor is just there to prevent damage not soak it up. Unlike MMORPGs, MH armor will still let in some monster damage into your health no matter how tough it is. Getting hit will leave you vulnerable for another attack. Dodging on the other hand not only let you take 0 damage, it places you into position for a counter-attack.

So which is better then? Take the damage and fall on your back or time your dodge and counter-attack? Choose!

3. The Law of Character Control or "Why is my character is so clunky'- it's because of one reason: it is intentional. Capcom had the control scheme mapped out and planned from the start and 'clunky' controls are meant to add thrill and excitement into the game. It also forces players to learn the controls and turn it into instinct. Just look at Resident Evil. You'll know what I mean.

4. The Law of Money and Materials or " a mound of money means nothing if you don't have the materials" typically in any common video game, money talks. Get more money from slaying enemies and you'll get an uber powerful item that will break the game.Or at least the boss. In MH, materials from monsters are as essential as money and the only way to get materials is to hunt. Which brings us back to the basic premise of the game: hunt, hunt, hunt!

5. The Law of Effort or "can't I slay that monster with a single blow?" - The answer is no. In a way MH is a simulation of a hunt. Looking at ancient and modern (real-life) hunters alike, their prey are not slain with a single blow. More often than not hunters rely on traps and weapons to catch their prey. Same with MH. Effort teaches patience and patience results to better hunts!

6. The Law of Strategy or "Why can't I hit/damage that monster?"- MH is an action game but it doesn't mean that all you have to do is to memorize how your weapons work. No it is more than that. Each monster has their own patterns, attacks and weaknesses similar to how a real creature might do at a certain situation. The more you know about your enemy, the easier it is to subdue. Is the monster fast? Match its speed by moving around and anticipate its movements. Is the monster big and clumsy? Look for a blind spot and capitalize on it. Is the monster vulnerable to an element type? Set up your weapon and armor to exploit that fact.

O Hai thar! I are harmlezz!

So now that you've finished reading go out there and hunt hunt HUUUUUUNT!