'Monster Hunter Rise' Guide: How To Quickly Unlock High Rank

The majority of the content in “Monster Hunter Rise” is gated behind High Rank missions, a mechanic that serves as a barrier between novices and seasoned hunters. Monsters in High Rank missions are typically tougher than the ones in Low Rank, but the spike in difficulty is a natural part of the game’s progression.

Players who want to fight bigger and badder monsters like the Tigrex or Magnamalo will have to earn the right to do so, but those who want to get to a High Rank as soon as possible may have noticed the return of Gathering Hub Quests and Village Quests that were absent from “Monster Hunter World.”

Normally, players will have to complete all of the Low Rank Village and Gathering Hub Quests before they can do the High Rank ones. This may be a pain to some, but Capcom has implemented a new mechanic in “Monster Hunter Rise” that allows players to skip this grind.

A new type of mission called “Special License Tests” has been implemented in “Monster Hunter Rise.” These tests will have players hunt 2-3 monsters in the span of a normal hunt. Each star tier will have one corresponding Special License Test that, when accomplished, will increase a player’s Gathering Hub Quest level by 1.

Unlocking Special License Tests

Players will have to complete all of the Key Quests in each Village Quest tier before they can take on a Special License Test. The Optional Quests can be skipped, but getting a decent set of armor and a good weapon from these quests are encouraged.

Special License Tests can be difficult, especially for inexperienced hunters. Much like in “Monster Hunter World,” hunters won’t usually have to fight both target monsters at once. Having both monsters in the same area can actually work in the player’s favor, as the Turf War mechanic from the previous game is also present in “Rise.”

The real enemy in these types of quests is the timer. Hunters are advised to bring their best equipment and devise the best tactics in order to take down all of the target monsters before the mission timer runs out.