High Rank
High Rank
Experience the consequences of shutting down the Dragontorch with powerful high rank builds!
Echoes of Change - 4⭐
After completing Low Rank, you'll witness the far-reaching consequences of the Dragontorch incident as ecosystems across the Easternlands undergo dramatic transformations. Crystalline corruption spreads through monster populations, and your previous victories have set in motion changes that reach far beyond what you could have imagined.
The good news? Your Low Rank Burst Boost setup remains surprisingly effective since it's still one of the strongest damage sources available in early High Rank. However, we can make a small upgrade by switching to the Chatacabra chest piece, which grants Weakness Exploit level 1 for both a damage boost and improved defense.
You are able to find monsters you encountered previsously as well as new ones roaming around the locales. You can always start a quest to hunt them to get their materials.
Balahara: Its materials enable upgrading your lance to level 3, providing a substantial damage increase that will carry you through the early High Rank challenges.
Rathian: Don't pass up opportunities to hunt this classic wyvern. Rathian materials are essential for crafting the Exploiter Charm (Weakness Exploit 1), a cornerstone accessory that will appear in many future builds throughout your High Rank journey.
early hr set
Building upon our proven Low Rank foundation, this set maintains the powerful Burst Boost synergy while incorporating strategic upgrades.
The Balahara Lance III provides a significant damage boost over its Low Rank predecessor, while the new chest piece adds valuable Weakness Exploit.
EFFECTIVE RAW
water ELEMENT
AVG AFFINITY
Towards the end of Chapter 4 (HR 21+)
As Chapter 4 unfolds, you'll face familiar Guardian monsters in their enhanced, more dangerous forms. These corrupted versions demand respect, but they also provide access to superior materials for crafting our next major upgrade.
We'll construct a 4-piece Guardian Rathalos set that maximizes Weakness Exploit while incorporating the Guardian Ebony Odogaron Helmet to keep having at least one level of burst.
For the weapon, we will also go with the Guardian Rathalos lance. While we don't yet have the affinity to fully capitalize on its Master's Touch property, its superior base stats make it the clear best option at this rank.
Infernal Scorcher
This setup leverages the 4-piece Guardian Rathalos set to max out weakness exploit.
The Scorcher set bonus adds random procs of bonus fire to your attacks.
The Guardian Rathalos lance brings solid raw damage and is a good upgrade over the previous lance even when we lose Offensive Guard.
Prioritize Offensive Guard, Critical Boost, or Handicraft decorations if available.
Slot in Maximum Might, Agitator, or additional Burst levels based on your decoration collection.
EFFECTIVE RAW
fire ELEMENT
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Frozen Tempest- 5⭐ [HR 31+]
Chapter 5 brings catastrophic weather patterns as unnatural blizzards engulf entire regions. You'll finally confront Jin Dahaad's true power in its frozen domain while uncovering the dark origins of the Frenzy virus that has been corrupting monsters throughout your journey.
The source of this spreading plague? None other than the returning Gore Magala, and once again, its signature armor skills prove devastatingly effective. The 2-piece set bonus inflicts you with the Frenzy virus—but this apparent curse becomes a blessing when you deal enough damage to cure yourself, granting substantial free affinity.
The Antivirus skill creates perfect synergy with this mechanic, providing additional affinity while cured for a total of 25% affinity bonus. Even better, the 4-piece Gore Magala set grants +10 raw attack while infected and an additional +5 while cured (15 total), making this one of the strongest armor combinations available until true endgame.
For our weapon upgrade, we'll enhance the Guardian Rathalos lance to its final form. This requires Hunter Symbol II, obtainable from 6-star tempered investigations. The resulting weapon ranks among the best craftable lances and will serve you well for quite some time.
Chaos Incarnate
Harnessing the power of the Frenzy virus, this set transforms a dangerous affliction into a devastating advantage.
The 4-piece Gore Magala combination provides massive flat raw bonuses while the virus mechanic grants substantial affinity.
We maintain our Burst damage focus through the Ebony Odogaron helmet.
The fully upgraded Guardian Rathalos lance serves as our weapon of choice, offering excellent damage and slots.
Focus on Offensive Guard, Critical Boost, or Handicraft decorations to maximize effectiveness.
Enhance the build with Maximum Might, Agitator, or additional Burst levels as decorations allow.
EFFECTIVE RAW
fire ELEMENT
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The Eternal Hunt - 6⭐ [HR 50+]
In the final chapter of high rank, you'll confront the harsh reality of what it truly means to maintain balance as a Hunter. You'll discover that preserving the natural order is an ongoing responsibility rather than a problem that can be solved once and for all.
This chapter reintroduces both Arkveld and Zoh Shia, unlocking access to superior armor and weapons. Zoh Shia deserves special attention for its incredibly efficient chest piece, which allows us to upgrade our Gore setup while maintaining the powerful 4-piece bonus.
The Zoh Shia lance might just be the finest craftable lance available, featuring excellent raw damage and sharpness. Its true strength lies in the Whiteflame Torrent weapon skill—similar to Sunbreak's Powder Mantle—which triggers random bonus damage procs on your attacks. These extra hits may seem modest individually, but they accumulate into substantial damage increases over the course of a hunt.
Now is also the perfect time to focus on investigations. Farm decorations aggressively while collecting materials and Artian Weapon parts needed for crafting the endgame Artian Lances that await in your future.
Draconic Sovereign
The evolution of our Gore Magala set, now enhanced with Zoh Shia's superior chest piece for more skill efficiency.
The Zoh Shia lance brings a unique weapon skill: Whiteflame Torrent skill that adds significant bonus damage to your attacks.
EFFECTIVE RAW
dragon ELEMENT
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What's Next After the Story?
Completing High Rank's story campaign unlocks the true endgame experience. You'll gain full access to high-level tempered investigations, which serve as your primary source for farming Artian Weapon parts and the rarest decorations.
The ultimate challenge awaits in the form of Arch Tempered Apex monsters, whose materials craft some of the most powerful armor pieces in the game. These encounters will test everything you've learned about lance combat and monster behavior.
👑 Next: Endgame