Hunters,

Thank you for playing Monster Hunter Now!
We truly appreciate the feedback, requests, and thoughts you share with us through inquiries, the community forum, and social media.

With this round of skill and balance adjustments, our main goal was to fine-tune weapon balance and address issues that each weapon type faced. We have also incorporated some of the feedback regarding controls and usability that we received through social media and in the community forum.
Note: Skill adjustments were implemented ahead of the Season 5 release.

You’ll find details on the major adjustments below.

As we’ve mentioned before, our goal as a development team is to ensure that every hunter can fully enjoy the unique strengths of their chosen weapon, while also feeling inspired to try out different weapon types from time to time. If you haven’t used certain weapons before, we hope this update gives you a reason to give them a try!

Thank you for your continued support of Monster Hunter Now and happy hunting!

— The Development Team

Weapon Type Balance Adjustments

Sword & Shield

What’s Changing:
The sword & shield is best known for delivering continuous attacks using both the sword and shield. However, the sword’s attack power has been relatively low, making it difficult to break parts that require severing. To address this, we have made several adjustments to enhance its effectiveness.

• Increased attack performance
  Boosted the damage output of several sword types.
• Refined movement of sword attacks
  Added forward movement on certain sword attacks, making it easier to close in on monsters.
• Refined movement of Roundslash after Perfect Evade
  Added forward movement after a Perfect Evade, making it easier to close in on monsters.
• Refined movement of Scaling Slash for better Falling Bash combos
  Added forward movement when performing a Scaling Slash, making it easier to land a Falling Bash.
• Refined movement of Backstep
  Now, by holding and flicking down during an attack or evasion, hunters can perform a backstep without transitioning into a guard stance.
• Increased stun effectiveness
  Enhanced the stun power of shield attacks.
• Improved Perfect Rush Combo (SP)
  Expanded attack range and added forward movement.
  Tapping at the right timing now boosts the power of the next attack.
  Backsteps can now be canceled, allowing you to transition into a Perfect Rush Combo (SP).

Dual Blades

What’s Changing:
Switching with Demon Mode has been difficult, making stamina management tricky. To address this, we’ve added a new way to deactivate Demon Mode apart from the SP button. Additionally, it’s now possible to perform the high-damage Blade Dance immediately after activating Demon Mode, and we made switching between modes result in higher damage dealt.

• New way to exit Demon Mode
  Hold and flick down to deactivate Demon Mode.
• Increased attack performance
  Increased the damage of non-Demon Mode attacks as well as Blade Dance and Demon Flight Combo while in Demon Mode.
• Easier to activate Blade Dance
  Previously, Blade Dance could only be triggered from Sixfold Demon Slash, but now it activates immediately after entering Demon Mode with a tap.
• More combo options for Blade Dance
  While in Demon Mode, you can now transition into Blade Dance from a Perfect Evade or Demon Flight Combo.

Great Sword

What’s Changing:
The great sword’s damage efficiency was too low, especially for basic combos and charged attacks, making it hard to deal significant damage without performing a Perfect Evade. We’ve greatly improved attack performance and increased damage output.

• Improved attack performance
  Increased damage for basic combos (Overhead Slash, Wide Slash, Rising Slash).
  Increased damage for Charged Slash, Strong Charged Slash, and True Charged Slash at max Charge Level.
• Improved attack performance for Side Blow
  Increased both damage and stun power of Side Blow.
• Improved status ailment attacks
  Weapons with status ailments now inflict those ailments more easily on the attacked monster.
• Refined movement of True Charged Slash
  Made it easier to evade quickly after performing a True Charged Slash.

Long Sword

What’s Changing:
To enhance combat fluidity, we’ve made adjustments to Special Sheath, and we’ve also improved Spirit Gauge retention.

• Spirit Gauge recovery when Spirit Thrust lands
  Landing Spirit Thrust from Iai Spirit Slash or during Spirit Helm Breaker (SP) will now restore the Spirit Gauge.
• New actions after Spirit Thrust
  After using Spirit Thrust, you can now flick down to perform a Fade Slash or hold to transition into Special Sheath.
• New Special Sheath animation
  When the skill Quick Work is at Lv 3, a unique Special Sheath animation will now be performed.

Hammer

What’s Changing:
The hammer is a high-damage weapon capable of stunning monsters, despite its large attack windows. However, it has been tricky to successfully stun monsters, limiting its full potential. To address this, we’ve improved attack accuracy and increased stun effectiveness.

• Improved attack performance
  Increased the damage of various attacks such as Upswing, Charged Big Bang, and Big Bang Finisher.
• Improved stun performance
  Increased stun power across various charged attacks.
• Better hit detection for more accurate attacking
  Expanded the hit range for Upswing and Spinning Bludgeon (SP).
• Adjusted distance traveled with Special Skill
  Added forward movement during Spinning Bludgeon (SP).
• Improved status ailment attacks
  Weapons with status ailments now inflict those ailments more easily on the attacked monster.

Lance

What’s Changing:
The lance has received an overall damage boost, along with improvements to make attacks like Guard Dash and Dash Attack easier to use.

• Improved lance mechanics
  Guard Dash can now be performed by holding and flicking left or right.
• Improved attack performance
  Increased damage for basic combos, standard Dash Attack, and Leaping Thrust.
• Better hit detection for more accurate attacking
  Expanded the hit range for Counter-Thrust.
• Better Leaping Thrust combos
  Leaping Thrust can now be canceled into Dash Attack (SP).
  Easier transitions from Leaping Thrust into evades or guarding.
• Improved Dash Attack performance
  When performing a Perfect Evade or after a certain amount of time during a Dash Attack, both attack power and speed will increase.

Gunlance

What’s Changing:
We’ve improved the controls of Wyrmstake Cannon and made some small refinements.

• Seamless transition from Burst Fire to Wyrmstake Cannon
  After performing Burst Fire, you can now tap to transition directly into Wyrmstake Cannon.
• Improved hold actions
  Hold and flick up: Adjusted for easier activation of Rising Slash.
  Hold and flick down: Adjusted for easier activation of Quick Reload from attack actions.

Switch Axe

What’s Changing:
A new morph attack has been added, along with some small refinements.

• Improved Axe Mode attack performance
  Holding to perform a Side Blow will now increase its power the longer it continues.
• New Sword Mode action
  While attacking, hold and flick down to perform a Downward Fade Slash.
• Added visual effects
  Spark effects have been added to make switching between modes more visually distinct.
• Improved accuracy for Side Slash in Axe Mode
  Adjusted hit detection to increase accuracy.
• Improved controls
  The hold and flick up action has been refined to make Morph Slash easier to activate.
  The break after Element Discharge can now be canceled quickly by holding and flicking up into a Morph Slash.
• Extended Quick Work skill duration
  The effects of the Quick Work skill now stay active longer for specific morph attacks.
• Zero Sum Discharge (SP) improvements
  Improved hit detection to make it easier to land on target parts.
  Reduced the chances of the attack being interrupted by certain monster roars.

Charge Blade

What’s Changing:
Outside of Amped Element Discharge, most of the charge blade’s attacks lacked damage and effectiveness, making it difficult to fully utilize its potential. To address this, we’ve made adjustments to increase its effectiveness.

• Improved attack performance in Axe Mode
  Increased damage for Element Discharge II, Super Amped Element Discharge, Super Amped Element Discharge (SP), and Big Bang.
• Improved attack performance for Power Element Phials
  Improved the damage output of Power Element Phial attacks, excluding Special Skills.
• Improved phial follow-up attacks
  Element Discharge I and II now generate stronger phial follow-up attacks, bringing them in line with the damage of Amped Element Discharge phial follow-up attacks.
• Quick Work skill applies to more attacks
  The Quick Work skill now also applies to specific morph attacks.
• Improved status ailment attacks
  Weapons with status ailments now inflict those ailments more easily on the attacked monster.

Light Bowgun

What’s Changing:
The power of the light bowgun’s Special Skill has been adjusted.

• Improved Special Skill performance
  Increased the damage output of Wyvernblast Counter (SP).

Heavy Bowgun

What’s Changing:
Compared to Wyvernsnipe Ammo (SP), Wyvernheart Ammo (SP) was underperforming in both damage and effectiveness. We made adjustments to address this.

• Improved Special Skill performance
  Increased the damage output of Wyvernheart Ammo (SP).

Bow

What’s Changing:
The Bow lacked impact even when charged to Charge Level 4, making it difficult to fully utilize so we’ve adjusted it to deliver higher damage when fully charged. Additionally, Rapid arrows tended to be weaker compared to other arrow types. To balance this, we’ve increased the number of arrows fired per level and boosted their overall power.

• Made Charge Level 4 more attractive
  Adjusted to ensure Charge Level 4 deals damage worthy of the risk and charge time required.
• Increased Rapid arrow damage
  Adjusted damage of arrows and increased arrow count by +1 at every level.

Skill Balance Adjustments

*Skill adjustments have been implemented ahead of Season 5 on February 27th.

• Guard performance
  Effect: Reduces damage and knockback when guarding against monster attacks.
  Adjustment: Further reduced damage taken when guarding.
• Attack
  Effect: Increases attack power by a fixed amount per skill level.
  Adjustment: Increased the attack boost per skill level.
• Peak Performance
  Effect: Increases attack power by a fixed amount per skill level when your health is full.
  Adjustment: Increased the attack boost per skill level.
• Slugger
  Effect: Increases stun power by a fixed percentage per skill level.
  Adjustment: Increased the stun power boost per skill level.
• Fortify
  Effect: Increases attack power by a fixed percentage for 20 seconds each time you revive after fainting during a hunt.
  Adjustment: Extended the duration and increased the attack boost per skill level.
• Quick Work
  Effect(pre-adjustment): Become faster at sheathing or transforming your weapon.
  Effect(post-adjustment): Increases the speed of actions which involve sheathing or transforming your weapon.
  Adjustment: The skill not only affects weapon transformation speed, but also attacks that involve transforming your weapon, so this was made clearer in the description.
  *This text update will take place during March.
• Special Boost
  Effect: Increases the damage of Special Skills by a fixed percentage per skill level.
  Adjustment: Increased the damage boost per skill level.
• Power Prolonger
  Effect: Extends the duration of the powered-up state granted by dual blades, long swords, switch axe, and charge blades.
  Adjustment: Extended the power-up duration per skill level.
• Resentment
  Effect: When taking damage, attack power is increased by a fixed percentage per skill level for a certain amount of time.
  Adjustment: Increased the damage boost per skill level.
• Elemental Resistances (Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice)
  Effect: Decreases damage from monsters of that element by a fixed percentage per skill level.
  Adjustment: Max skill level changed to Lv 3.
• Status Resistances (Poison, Paralysis, Sleep, Bleeding, Blast)
  Effect: A fixed percentage chance per skill level of preventing that status when damaged by a status ailment inflicting attack.
  Adjustment: Max skill level changed to Lv 3.
• Special Insurance
  Effect: Special Gauge reduction greatly decreased or increased by a fixed percentage per skill level when fainting during a hunt.
  Adjustment: At Lv 1, Special Gauge no longer decreases upon fainting. Increased the gauge boost at Lv 2 and beyond.
• Rising Tide
  Effect: Increases attack power and defense as the hunt timer runs out.
  Adjustment: Increased attack power and defense boost per skill level.

Additional Information

*Update details are subject to change without notice.

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