When should I start Sunbreak DLC?
Eager hunters everywhere are itching to dive into Sunbreak, the meaty new expansion for Monster Hunter Rise launching on June 30th 2022. With an entire new story campaign, imposing roster of monsters and amped up "Master Rank" quests – there‘s a ton of alluring new content beckoning. But at what point in your Rise journey can you actually begin Sunbreak? When is the ideal time to upgrade and gain access to these enticing dragon and beast slaying challenges? Let‘s dig into the key details and recommendations.
Prerequisites To Access Sunbreak
The clear prerequisite Capcom has set for Sunbreak access is reaching Hunter Rank 7 and completing the 7★ Hub quest "Serpent Goddess of Thunder". This pivotal quest has you face off against the mythical Thunder Serpent Narwa, a spectacular fight that provides a fitting climax to Rise‘s main storyline.
I strongly advise all players meet this Hunter Rank 7 / Narwa victory threshold first before stepping into Sunbreak. Attempting the expansion too early risks getting overwhelmed by Sunbreak‘s more punishing Master Rank enemies and quests. Paired with unfamiliar locales and different mechanics – it could prove extremely frustrating.
Gear Up To Smoothly Handle Master Rank
Simply meeting the HR7 access requirements doesn‘t mean you‘re fully prepared however. Before Sunbreak, I recommend specifically gearing up your best Switch Skill loadouts and crafting/upgrading armor that complements your chosen weapon and playstyle.
Some helpful tips:
- Craft armor with key skills like Attack Boost, Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit
- Slot in useful Decorations to round out your build
- Farm monsters like Rathalos, Zinogre, Goss Harag for solid High Rank gear
- Perfect your use of Silkbind attacks for your main weapon(s)
Having fully upgraded armor provides more defense and skills that enhances your damage capabilities, survival odds and hunt times against the stronger Master Rank monsters.
Here‘s a sample Long Sword build to work towards before starting Sunbreak:
| Gear | Armor Skills |
|---|---|
| Rhenoplos Helm | Attack Boost 2, Critical Eye 1 |
| Remobra Suit | Weakness Exploit 1, Critical Eye 2 |
| Rathalos Braces | Attack Boost 2 |
| Anjanath Coil | Attack Boost 1, Fire Attack 1 |
| Hunter‘s Greaves | Critical Eye 2 |
This provides Attack Boost 4, Weakness Exploit 1, Critical Eye 5 and Fire Attack 1 – fantastic skills for Long Sword‘s precise, aggressive style. With the right Decorations slotted in, you can expand on this further.
While by no means required, this level of preparation pays dividends once you begin Sunbreak and start facing harder foes in the Frost Islands and Jungle locales.
What To Expect In The Sunbreak Expansion
So what does the Sunbreak expansion actually include? You‘ll get access to a entirely separate story campaign focused around the mysterious "Three Lords" monsters revealed so far – Garangolm, Lunagaron and Blood Orange Bishaten. There are also icy new hunting grounds in the Citadel map along with the jungle-themed Shrine Ruins.
Early estimates suggest Sunbreak will add 30-40 hours worth of content – a healthy amount comparable to Iceborne‘s volume. The newly revealed monsters also look extremely fun to hunt like the insectoid flying wyvern – Seregios. In total there are 17 new monsters counting subspecies and Rare Species variants. Considering you can expect to spend 3-5 hours hunting each monster family as you progress – that‘s a lot of fresh gameplay.
Given the meaty content additions, substantial quality of life tweaks and revamped gameplay elements like the new Follower quests and Switch Skill Swap – Sunbreak seems well worth its $39.99 USD pricing for those who enjoy Rise. The expansion essentially doubles the monster roster and gameplay longevity.
Overcoming Sunbreak‘s Master Rank Hunts
Sunbreak‘s Master Rank kicks off after clearing an Urgent Quest following the initial story setup. You‘ll quickly notice how much more dangerous the enhanced Master Rank enemies that await you are compared to Rise‘s High Rank. Monsters gain increased attack power along with more aggressive behavior. Expect combos and stunts you haven‘t seen before as you gradually level up to MR 100. Master Rank is categorised as follows with each tier progressively harder:
- Low Master Rank: MR 1-2
- Mid Master Rank: MR 3+
- High Master Rank: MR 4+
To cope, you must craft new Master Rank gear sets as soon as possible. This MR gear sports higher defense values and more plentiful skill slots for Decorations. Without upgrading, you risk being one or two-shot by devastating attacks from the likes of flagship monster Malzeno. It‘s very rewarding overcoming these faster, harder-hitting Hunts and crafting sweet new armor sets with bonus skills. I enjoy how Sunbreak incentivizes you to deeply understand upgraded monster movesets and form new strategies.
Master Rank fits nicely into the existing Rise endgame as an extension – so if you loved making builds and optimizing Hunts times for the toughest High Rank quests, then Sunbreak should appeal strongly.
Ready To Dive Into Sunbreak?
Hopefully this guide gives you a clear idea on when you should start playing Sunbreak after Monster Hunter Rise! To quickly summarize:
- Clear Key Quests up to Hunter Rank 7
- Defeat Thunder Serpent Narwa after reaching HR7
- Craft and upgrade High Rank armor before starting
- Expect 30-40 hours of new Master Rank content
- Sunbreak then unlocks after booting up Rise!
Once properly geared, Sunbreak promises a meaty and immensely enjoyable expansion of Monster Hunter Rise‘s best qualities. And for that tantalizing prospect – June can‘t come soon enough! I for one can‘t wait to craft some sweet, ultra-rare new armor sets.
Let me know down below if you have any other Sunbreak questions! Happy Hunting!
