Monster Hunter World: Iceborne tips – how to get the most from the new expansion

With the first big expansion now on both PC and consoles, you might be looking for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne tips to help you make the most of all this new content. While the main stars of the show are the monsters themselves, a lot of new techniques were added to every hunter’s arsenal in Iceborne, and it’s important to master them to come out successful in your hunts. That’s why we’ve put together some Monster Hunter World: Iceborne tips for you to keep in mind as you tackle this cold new world.

1. Learn how to use the clutch claw

This is the most important addition to your hunter’s arsenal in Iceborne, hands down. Sure, using it as optional, and if you’ve gone through most of your monster-slaying career without it then even remembering that it’s there is going to be a bit of a nightmare initially That being said, it’s highly effective and versatile if you do figure out how to make it work in your favour. In short, it acts like a sort of grappling hook: aim it at a particularly meaty portion of the beast you’re fighting and if it connects, you’ll be able to essentially catapult yourself over to it.

Depending on the primary weapon that you have equipped, you’ll have a number of options available to you once you throw that claw in the clutch. Want to rappel up the side of a monster like it’s a giant, fire-breathing cliff face? You can do that. Want to steer your agonized foe into a pesky pitfall or vine trap? You can do that. Want to deal a devastating, crippling blow to an enemy? You can do that. The key here is making sure that you capitalize on any and every opportunity to use this new accessory.

2. Pack for the journey

We can’t stress this one enough; the clue is in the expansion’s name. Your fragile hunter bodies aren’t equipped for the sub-zero temperatures that the new location of Hoarfrost Reach brings to the table. Those who are savvy enough will make sure to stock up on Hot Drinks so that they don’t run out of stamina and end up as a Barrioth’s dinner. You’ll also want to make sure that you take on some of the highest level healing potions that you can craft, along with niche items like Antidote and Herbal Medicine. You’ll be encountering a lot of monster varietals that play like previous familiar foes that have been ruthlessly experimented on. Elemental effects are essentially the name of the game, so make sure that you’ve got a little bit of everything in your pack to cure the most pesky of inflictions.

3. Get familiar with weapon changes

Everyone’s favourite weapons have gotten a bit of a facelift in the form of new combos, synergy with the clutch claw, and in some cases, new skills and finishers entirely. Make sure that you’re either giving the full array of weapons a go in Arena if you’re not quite sure what the changes do in practice, or that you read up on how your trusty longsword might have changed. Charge Axe users can now activate Power Axe form to boost damage, or to cancel an attack into a powerful finisher that keeps enemies at bay. Gunlance users get an explosive new skill called Wyrmstake Blast, while Heavy Bowgun users receive new mods. Of course, we simply can’t ignore what they’ve done with the Hunting Horn. Ever wanted to stick your instrument in the ground and just have it spin repeatedly as it pours out discordant notes, ever-ready to knock out whichever monster has picked now to charge at you? We never knew that we needed that in our lives until Iceborne. The moral of the story is to not be afraid to fiddle with the controls until you’ve gotten the hang of how to trigger every new skill that your chosen weapon has. We can almost guarantee that you’ll thank us later.

4. Armor skills, resistances, and effects

When you play the game of elemental resistances, you either win or you die. The critters in Iceborne are no joke, and will come chock full of venom, boiling hot water (don’t ask), or just bolts of electric energy designed to fry you to a crisp. When you’re not dealing with chip damage from those elemental abilities, then you may very well be staring down the barrel of a beast who could end you with one, well-placed bite. We can’t help you get any better at dodging, but we can help you combat anything and everything elemental so long as you’ve got the materials for it.

As with the base game, farming up lower ranking hunt targets and capturing them for resources is what you’re going to want to spend a decent amount of time on when you start to hit certain thresholds in the expansion where your older gear might just not be cutting it. It’s worth it to stay up to date on the latest elemental weaknesses and resistances, as always, and you’ll be able to frontload some of this grinding if you’ve already picked up gear from DLC events or taken down some Arch-Tempered foes for valuable and versatile equipment. Make sure that you’re taking fire resistant armour to a firefight, and all should be golden.

5. Decorate, decorate, decorate

This is one aspect that a lot of players can forget about; it’s not about technically looking good, it’s also about making sure that you have things like Jewels and rare stones in your gear. You’ll get more of these shiny rewards from undertaking capture quests than elimination ones at higher ranks, so keep that in mind when you’re traipsing around the forest. Decorations allow you to customise your gear, whether it’s raising your resistances or improving your damage dealt, so stacking them with the right armor skills is an integral part of making your Iceborne trip go as smoothly as possible.

6. Don’t forget about your base

Sure, you’ll be jetting off to the Hoarfrost Reach in no time flat once you’ve gotten the hang of things in Iceborne. That being said, please never forget your roots. There’s so much to do back in the village, including growing valuable plant material for consumables and also making the most of the Argosy’s rare wares. With all the potions, tonics, and medicines that you’ll be chugging through if you’re cracking into this expansion at the minimum required item level, it makes sense to be financially savvy and to ensure that your facilities in the base are upgraded enough for you to make these important items instead of spending your hard-earned zenny on them. It’s just cost-effective, and coming back to craft is a good way to ensure that you’re also working on picking up bounties and getting into the habit of doing those before you tackle the day’s major hunts.

Now that you’ve got a little bit of a primer to get you acquainted with what you need to know to get into Iceborne proper, we suggest you read up on some of the specific guides that we have about taking down the coterie of new monsters that make Hoarfrost Reach their deadly home. Happy hunting!