Monster Hunter Rise – How to Prepare for the Rampage

A guide on how to prepare for the rampage (the best tips and tricks) in Monster Hunter Rise.

How to Prepare for the Rampage

Rampages are a special type of quest where you are tasked with defending Kamura Village from attacking waves of monsters. You are able to defend with the aid of turrets, villagers, siege weapons, and power-ups not unlike a Tower Defense game.

Every Rampage occurs on the Stronghold map made specifically for this quest type.
There are four major sections of the map. One is the Stronghold Base where you start the quest, and has all the amenities of a base camp including a tent and supply box. The other three are a series of sequential areas to defend. If a horde of monsters break through the first area, you will defend the second area, and so on.
Smaller rampages may only use the first or second areas, but a larger rampage will make use of all three.
In these quests, the failure condition isn’t carting three times, it’s having the final gate being broken. NPCs will warn you if it is under attack.
Since there is no limit, don’t feel bad if you cart. The only penalty for losing all HP is the run back.
The quest immediately ends in success if the “Major Threat” monster of the final wave is defeated.

Part 1

The first horde of monsters attack at the 2-minute mark after the quest begins. Use that time wisely.
A rainbow spiribird will be at camp when you enter the quest. Grab it and your petalace stats will be maxxed out.
Make any last-minute changes at camp if needed, such as changing weapons or eating dango.
When ready, head out to the first area’s line of defense, the tunnel to your left.
You will find square outlines spread throughout the area. These are Installation Platforms, where you can use resources to build defenses.

Mountable Installations

The first category on the top left, highlighted in yellow, are Mountable installations. These require a hunter’s input in order to function.

Ballistae – Fires quick shots that move in a straight line. Ballista Shots are the standard ammo that deal a normal amount of damage. Crag Shots stick to a monster and explode. They deal stun damage if it hits a monster’s head. Retreat Shots can cause monsters to flinch and possibly fall back a short distance.
Cannons – Fires explosives in an arc. All cannonfire deals AoE (area of effect) damage on impact. Cannon Shot is the standard ammo. Charged Piercing Shot can penetrate through multiple monsters. Holding the button to charge deals more damage. Charged Thunder Shot inflicts Thunderblight on targets, and can also be charged to increase damage.
Machine Cannons – A Gatling gun that fires quickly. Quick Rapid Shots reload faster as long as you successfully hit monsters. Quick Cluster shots are short range, but deal great damage. Silkbind shots pull the target closer towards the machine cannon.

Auto Installations

The second category, highlighted in red, are Auto installations that are operated by NPCs and don’t require your input after installed.

Defender Ballistae – Similar to the Mountable Ballistae, except they only fire the standard ammo and will un-deploy if out of ammo or destroyed. If your Stronghold Level is high enough (more details below in Rampage – Part 2), they upgrade to Wyvernblast Ammo, which sicks to monsters and explode for extra damage if hit by any other attacks.
Defender Cannons – Also similar to the Mountable version. They only fire regular cannonballs, unless your Stronghold Level is high enough that they upgrade to Thunder Ammo, which inflicts Thunderblight on their targets.
Wyvernfire Artillery – Unlike other Auto Installations, this one can be mounted in order to “configure” its aim and ammo type. Think of it like a tripwire that you set and it will activate when monsters cross its path. Incendiary Rounds will fire an explosive shot. Column of Flame will shoot out jets of fire that pierce through monsters. Once aim and ammo are configured, it will operate automatically.
Bamboo Bombs – A bomb that detonates automatically when a monster gets nearby. These can only be placed on the ground level.

Limited Installations

The third category, highlighted in purple, are unique or special installations that have limited uses during each rampage.

Dragonbait – Attracts monsters to the space around it, which is effective when paired with Area of Effect installations or dragonators.
Dragonbait Warriors – Similar to Dragonbait, except more powerful. Put them next to dragonators or AoE installations.
Warriors of Kamura – Summons an NPC such as Fugen the Elder or Hinoa & Minoto to the fight. Each villager has a unique effect, varying from attacking monsters or increasing the effectiveness of nearby installations. You only get to use them once per rampage, so proper timing and placement is key.

Heavy/Special Installations

These installations are in preset locations throughout the Stronghold map. They have powerful effects, but have a long cooldown before they can be used again.

Dragonator – The famous dragonator is a massive lance that shoots out, dealing incredible damage to any monster unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. Hit the use key/button once to mount the switch, then hit it again to activate. Be sure to time it right in order to hit your target! If you mount the switch and the opportunity doesn’t present itself, you can dodge out of the switch.
Splitting Wyvernshots – Effectively, heavy artillery that fires massive shells that explode on impact. Just like the Dragonator, hit the use key/button to mount, aim, then hit it again to fire. Dodge to leave the installation without firing.
Counter Gong – When hit, they initiate a Counter Signal that substantially increases all hunter attack damage with their regular weapons. The higher the Stronghold Level, the higher the attack bonus. Jump in there and wreak havoc!
Power Kiln – A furnace that a hunter can add fuel to. Each bit of fuel added to a Power Kiln reduces the cooldown of all Heavy Installations, allowing you to use Dragonators, Splitting Wyvernshots, and Counter Gongs sooner. It’s a great option during the downtime between waves. You are able to leave the Power Kiln at any time.

Part 2

Monsters will attack in waves, called hordes. Each horde has a few lesser monsters led by a Major Threat monster. The number of hordes varies from 1 to 3, depending on the quest. Between each horde attack, you’ll get a short break to reposition, build more defenses, change your gear, etc. You are able to start each wave early if you are ready.

Monster Types

Each monster is given a specific role during a rampage, which determines their behavior.

The blue icon, indicating the Gate Crasher monster type, focus mostly on destroying the gates. They will usually ignore hunters, but can still fight back if threatened. These should be high priority, especially when they’re already at a gate, since gate health is directly tied to success or failure of the quest.
The red icon of the Stalker type indicate monsters that focus on attacking hunters directly. These will get in your face and make things troublesome, and will also damage any installation you are manning.
The green Targeter monster type also focuses on attacking hunters, though instead of fighting face-to-face, they prefer to use ranged attacks. They can rack up a lot of damage if you’re not paying attention. Most flying wyverns will be given Targeter roles.

Special Monster Types

In addition to the above, some monsters will have an extra modifier that increase their strength, and make them a priority target.

Ruffians are larger and have more health than a regular monster of their type, but will give more Stronghold experience accordingly when defeated.
Apex Monsters are strong enough to not only destroy installations, but terrain they’re situated on, eliminating the installation permanently for the rest of the rampage. They cannot be trapped or wyvern ridden.

Stronghold LevelLocated above the minimap is the Stronghold Level. As you defeat monsters in the rampage, you will gain “experience” that will eventually level up your Stronghold. Higher levels unlock more hunting installations or make existing ones more powerful.

In addition to repelling monsters, on the left side of the screen will be a list of sub-assignments that will also boost Stronghold Level if completed. These are randomized between rampages. Some examples include inflicting status ailments, repelling monsters using specific installations, or remaining under a cart limit.

The higher a Stronghold Level you have at the end of a rampage quest, the more rewards you receive, so it’s a good idea to complete as many sub-assignments as you reasonably can. Rampages are the main way to receive Defender Tickets, which are important for crafting weapons, armor, slotting in Ramp-Up skills, and are a high-value item if used for melding talismans.

Stronghold Level does not carry over between quests; it resets to zero between rampages.

Rampage-Specific Tips

Stay aware of your surroundings. There is a lot going on during a rampage. If you focus too much on one thing, you may not notice other monsters about to attack you, or they’re about to destroy the gate behind you.
The Warriors of Kamura are often most effective during the final wave. Master Utsushi is particularly effective when the boss monster is surrounded by other monsters.
If a monster is attacking a gate, use installation crowd control abilities to push them away.
All Dragonators have a installation platform in front of them. Place dragonbaits in front of them to lure in multiple monsters before destroying them with the Dragonator.
The Splitting Wyvernshot does heavy damage over a large area, so it’s most efficiently used to wipe out multiple monsters at a time, ideally including an Apex or Boss monster.

By ̧҉ ҉Minorou ꧁💀꧂