Summary
One of the many joys of playingMonster Hunteris creating an unstoppable mixset to blitz through the endgame, andMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakis no different. This addition to the latest game in theMonster Hunterfranchise comes with a bevy of new skills to hunt every monster in the catalog.
Great builds in this game range from the excellent Archfiend armor and its powerful Dereliction skill to more niche builds and complex mixsets like Narwa and Ibushi. If players want to find a powerful build to propel them through the endgame or are thinking of trying out a new weapon, read on for some of the best options.
Updated July 26, 2025, by Blaise Santi:The next chapter in theMonster Hunterfranchise is only a few months away, asMonster Hunter Wilds is set to release on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5 in February 2025. As a result,Monster Hunterfanatics may be wrapping up their time in the previous installment,Monster Hunter Rise, whether they’re playing it on the go on Nintendo Switch or with otherfutureMonster Hunter Wildsteammates on PC. For players who are looking for one last challenge before putting downMonster Hunter Rise, try putting together these two extra overpowered builds for weapons that are a little more niche: Insect Glaive and Hunting Horn.
This build makes good use of the entire Crimson Valstrax set, which requires more than a few fights against one of the most brutal Elder Dragons in the game. However, the end result is an armor set that, when paired with Decorations boosting Attack, Critical Eye, and Sharpness, can be pretty useful for the very particular weapon, the Insect Glaive.
The recommended weapon for this set is in the build’s name. The fully-upgradedRampage Glaivetrades in stellar Sharpness for a powerful attack stat, which will be even more impressive once those Attack Up decorations begin to stack.
Hunting Horn builds are typically crafted for players to provide support for their fellow teammates by extending the time of buffs with skills like Horn Maestro. However, this set is for solo Hunting Horn users who want to take advantage of an underrated aspect of their weapons: elemental damage. This mixed armor pairs well with any elemental horn.
With skills like Partbreaker, Attack Up, and Stamina Surge, Hunting Horn users will find their attacks dealing massive amounts of damage against monsters. Latent Power is also helpful in unlocking the elements behind typically-elementless Hunting Horns. Dragon Conversion is also an overpowered skill that will help supplement elemental attacks.
There are lots of pros and cons to using the Long Sword, particularly in online multiplayer inMonster Hunter Rise. On one hand, it’s an incredibly powerful weapon when paired with an Armor set like this, which will increase the power of critical hits with Critical Boost. It can even target breakable monster parts, especially tails, with skills like Partbreaker and Weakness Exploit.
Long Sword users need to stay clear of tripping up their allies in the heat of battle. Fortunately, this Armor set also comes with the Blood Awakening skill, allowing Long Sword users to gain Attack boosts after recovering health from damaging a monster. It’s smart to use a powerful and sharp weapon like the Silver Severer for the most benefits.
The biggest downside of using Heavy Bowgun is its limited options for movement, as attacks often require hunters to stay in one place and fire. This build takes advantage of that aspect of the Heavy Bowgun, with maxed out Attack Boost, Weakness Exploit, and Pierce Up when paired with the right Armor Decorations.
One important skill in this build that make the Heavy Bowgun particularly over-powered is Dragonheart, which will boost elemental resistances when below 80% health, with the downside of inflicting hunters with Dragonblight. However, this won’t be an issue with an element-less weapon like the Ursprung/Mort, forged from Shagaru Magala materials.
With this Light Bowgun build, even solo hunters will find themselves breezing through difficult quests. Made out of Armor pieces from all Elder Dragons (Teostra, Kushala Daora, Shagaru Magala, Primordial Malzeno, and Amatsu), this set with Decorations boasts universally powerful Skills like Attack Boost, Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Boost.
Additional skills like Reload Speed, Recoil Down, and Rapid Fire Up are all attainable thanks to its large number of slots (including three level 4 slots on the Silver Shooter weapon). With these skills, Light Bowgun users will find themselves faster, stronger, and more capable of avoiding incoming monster attacks at a moment’s notice. Heavy Bowgun users cannot say the same.
The benefit of this Bow set inMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakis that it only requires Armor pieces from the Crimson Glow Valstrax, a late-game Elder Dragon added via update. The Valstrax’s Epoch Armor comes with the skill Dragon Conversion, which affects the player’s blue and red Swap Scrolls, decreasing elemental resistance or boosting elemental attack.
When paired with a strong elemental bow like theQueen’s RhapsodyorCrimson Plume, Bow users will excel with increased elemental damage, as well as additional skills like Attack Boost, Latent Power, and Stamina Surge. Plus, it can be boosted with the handy Bow skill Bow Charge Plus, which is a must-have for the weapon’s users.
The Lucent Nargacuga was added toMonster Hunter Risevia an update in 2022, allowing fans to battle this superpowered version of the fan-favorite Nargacuga. This monster’s materials also allow Charge Blade users to craft the Nunki’s Asterism, one of the best poison-coated Charge Blades in the game, which can be improved with the right Armor.
This Armor set requires mixing of pieces from Astalos, Rathalos, Malzeno, and Gold Rathian. Among its acquired Armor Skills include Critical Boost, Burst, Windproof, and Weakness Exploit. With the help of Decorations and Charms, Charge Blade users can add must-have skills like Artillery, Rapid Morph, and Load Shells.
This Sword and Shield armor set will be a challenge to craft, as it requires armor pieces from Risen Elder Dragons as well as the formidable Amatsu. Altogether, it will result in some pretty useful skill bonuses, including fully upgraded Attack Boost, Critical Eye, and Critical Boost, as well as rare skills like Chameleos Blessing.
This build really comes to life with the rare skills Heaven-Sent and Embolden, which both help during confrontations with large monsters. Additionally, players will do well by equipping a fully-upgraded Phecda’s Asterism, which boasts lots of purple Sharpness even without the Handicraft skill, though this can be remedied with its open slots.
Hammer users inMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakcan get a lot out of the armor and weapons available to them via DLC. However, the Magnamalo hammer, Devil’s Die, makes for an incredibly strong tool boasting a large attack and a heavy dose of Blast element. Like the previous Sword and Shield set, its best-paired armor set requires some challenge.
With the fully assembled set, including Risen Kushala Daora and Risen Chameleos materials, Hammer users will inherit skills such as Attack Boost, Buildup Boost, Recovery Up, and Partbreaker. It also bestows the Blood Awakening skill, which boosts attack after regaining a certain amount of health through attacking monsters.
The Gunlance is one of the hardest weapons to master, especially in a title likeMonster Hunter Rise, which emphasizes movement and verticality in fights. However, there are many armor sets and skills in theSunbreakexpansion which will give Gunlance users the opportunity to deal a lot of damage all at once, which is the case with this build.
Featuring armor pieces from the Amatsu and Risen Shagaru Magala sets, this build pairs skills like Weakness Exploit, Latent Power, and Bloodlust with the Amatsu Gunlance, which boasts 350 attack and strong sharpness. The armor pieces also include a vast amount of slots, which can be used to buff its Attack Boost skills for extra damage.
