Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is getting armor transmog and Guiding Lands improvements

With that bizarre Resident Evil 2 crossover still in our rear-view mirror, today Capcom announced the next wave of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne content, including a three-monster update coming this Thursday, October 10. Future updates also include new decorating options, improvements to the Guiding Lands end-game area, and perhaps most importantly, more layered armor options which would provide a pseudo-transmog cosmetic system. 

The October 10 update will introduce Rajang, a fierce electrical ape with arms like freight trains. Rajang will be joined by Tempered versions of Silver Rathalos and Gold Rathian, two flying wyverns whose armor and weapons have proven extremely popular among Iceborne speedrunners. The special hunt tied to Rajang will also unlock a new volcanic region in the Guiding Lands featuring different monsters. Naturally, parts from these monsters will further expand the list of weapon augment options. 

Speaking of the Guiding Lands: it's not great. It's not bad, but the general consensus is that it needs work. For the unfamiliar: the Guiding Lands is an end-game map filled with special versions of monsters that drop unique parts. You can increase the level of your Guiding Lands by hunting monsters in it, and different monsters appear at different levels. However, this process is inconsistent, exceedingly grindy, and often frustrating, so many players have requested changes to the leveling system. Fortunately, Capcom says it's working on exactly that. 

"Thank you to all players who have given thoughtful feedback about the Guiding Lands," the studio said in a video statement. "We are currently exploring ways to improve the experience in this part of the game. We apologize for any inconvenience players may have experienced, but we are working hard to make the game better, so we would like to ask for your patience." 

It's unclear when Guiding Lands improvements will arrive, but it's encouraging to hear that Capcom is aware of the feedback surrounding it and is working on changes. 

That's not the only fan-requested feature in the latest developer diary, mind you. It also showed off a transmog-esque armor system which will allow players to craft layered versions of monster armor sets that they can apply to their actual armor. These layered armor sets use monster parts gathered in the Guiding Lands. This would allow players to get the skills they want without sacrificing fashion, and it's something many players - myself included - have been hoping for since the release of base World. It's unclear how many armor sets will receive layered versions, but judging from the interface shown in the developer diary, there are at least a few dozen, including some Master Rank sets. Transmog was one of the best features in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, and it's exciting to see it coming to Iceborne. This system will be released on October 10. 

Capcom also showed off some new ways to customize your characters' home in addition to their armor. New paid decoration themes and objects will be released on October 10 alongside a free Great Jagras figure for all players to place in their home. More monster figures will be released in the future as a way to show off their models, which is pretty cool. 

Looking further ahead, Iceborne's November update will introduce the aforementioned Resident Evil 2 nonsense, as well as some player-designed weapon and armor sets. PS4 players will also get access to the Iceborne x Horizon: Zero Dawn - The Frozen Wilds crossover quest in November. 

Finally, in December, Iceborne will host yet another seasonal event, and this year's festivities will include an all-new monster (whose identity is anyone's guess). You can see the full fall content breakdown in this roadmap: