Monster Hunter Rise: A Complete Rampage Quest Guide

Image: Capcom via HGG

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Reviewed by Benjamin Barr

What’s the only thing cooler than holding your own against the terrifying monster threatening your home? Fighting off a whole horde of them and saving your village from the raging stampede!

The Rampage quests are a new addition to Monster Hunter Rise. This mode combines the monster-fighting gameplay you know and love with tower defense strategies designed to hold back waves of monsters with their hungry sights set on Kamura Village. It’s a departure from regular Monster Hunter quests, and many players have found it difficult to take on the Rampage and claim the rewards of a job well done.

To help you out with this, we’ve put together a Monster Hunter Rise Rampage Guide that covers everything you need to know about the Rampage. We’ll walk you through prepping for the quest, using and upgrading your hunting installations, repelling the Horde, and completing the sub-assignments needed to earn the almighty S+ Rank.

Let’s get to it!

4 Preparation Tips for Rampage Quests

Just like with any quest, there are a few things you can do to prepare for the Rampage before it actually begins. Thankfully, these preparations aren’t all that different from what you’d do going into a regular quest. Any good hunter knows the small advantages really add up, so here are our best tips on how to prepare for the Rampage:

*Dropping in on my favorite Quest Maiden (don’t tell Hinoa).* | Image: Capcom

1. Use weapons with status damage. One of the common sub-assignments during the Rampage asks you to inflict status ailments on a certain number of monsters. Though you do have a few ways of doing this during the quest, the most effective method by far is dealing status damage with your weapon while the Counter Signal is active. Bring along your favorite status weapon — they’ll all get the job done, though Blast is the easiest to inflict if you want to get that sub-assignment knocked out quickly.

2. Equip whatever skills you normally use. Unfortunately, there isn’t really an end-all-be-all tier list of the best Rampage skills in Monster Hunter Rise. None of the skills are especially designed or suited for Rampage quests, so you’ll be just fine equipping whatever weapon and armor skills you usually include with your build. You can always eat Bunny Dango if you want to boost your damage or survivability, but it’s better to go with whatever works best for you!

I would advise against filling your slots (or your meals) with skills related to gathering or carving, though — the Rampage doesn’t boast much beyond Wirebugs and Vigorwasps, and you don’t get to carve any monsters except the final Major Threat/Apex. Try to stick with your favorite damage and defense skills instead.

3. Bring plenty of healing items. There’s no limit to the number of times you can faint on a Rampage quest, but it’s still not fun to get taken out of the mix and leave your fellow hunters hanging. Support items are a must during Rampage quests, as the Horde will bring a lot of monsters that deal elemental blights and status ailments on top of regular damage. Items like Potions, Mega Potions, Nullberries, and Cleansers will help keep you and your allies in fighting shape. Plus, every faint you avoid puts you one step closer to completing the low-faint sub-assignment!

4. Bring your Palico along. This tip goes hand in hand with our advice about support items. None of your Buddies will really deal enough damage to be a help against the Horde, but Palicoes offer some helpful support through healing, buffs, and debuffs. Check out our Palico Guide for a list of the best Moves, skills, and builds to help you along!

Rampage Quests: Using Hunting Installations

Once the Rampage begins, it’s time to prepare the area to face the oncoming Hordes. Hunting Installations are the most powerful part of your arsenal in this regard — you’ll rely on them as your major damage-dealers until the Counter Signal is active.

This part of our Monster Hunter Rise Rampage Guide will cover each of the Hunting Installations in depth, including tips on how to use them to best effect. Since some of the sub-assignments require you to repel monsters with a specific type of installation, knowing how to use them strategically is a must.

Mountable Types

Mountable Installations are the ones that you and your fellow hunters will use when the Horde shows up. They’re useful for quickly repelling large groups of monsters and clearing specific sub-assignments.

Rampage mode hunting installations — *A few of your options.* | Image: Capcom

1. Ballistae: Installations that shoot high-speed projectiles from long range. They’re great for nailing fast, accurate shots against speedy monsters or Targeter types that attack from a distance. Put them anywhere in the area — their range makes them great defense at any point in the Horde.

Shot Type	Usage
Ballista Shot	Standard ammo. When your Stronghold Level is high enough, you can shoot multiple projectiles at once.
Crag Shot	Sticky, explosive ammo. Aim these shots at monsters’ heads to stun them or knock them out of the sky.
Retreat Shot	Knockback ammo. Use this to put some distance between you and the monsters attacking your position.

2. Cannons: Mid-range installations with a slower rate of fire. They’re not as good for targeting individual monsters, but their explosive arcs work well against groups. Place them near the entrance to target monsters as they swarm the area, or near the gate to hit a cluster of Gate Crashers.

Shot Type	Usage
Cannon Shot	Standard ammo. When your Stronghold Level is high enough, you can shoot multiple cannonballs at once.
Charged Piercing Shot	Penetrating ammo. These shots can be charged even while you’re firing off regular Cannon Shots.
Charged Thunder Shot	Thunder ammo. Hit monsters with this to inflict thunderblight, checking off the elemental blight sub-assignment and making them easier to stun. These can also be charged while you’re firing regular shots.

3. Machine Cannons: Rapid-fire weapons that are best at close range. They’re not available at the start of the Rampage, so you’ll need to level up your Stronghold to unlock them. Place these near your gate for the close-range damage boost.

Shot Type	Usage
Quick Rapid Shot	Standard ammo. Landing hits decreases your reload time, so aim carefully. Your fire rate goes up over time, so it’s a good idea to hold the fire button instead of continuously tapping.
Quick Cluster Shot	Spread ammo. These shots are closer-range than your standard shots, but fire multiple projectiles at once — save them for enemies that are well within your range to deal the most damage.
Silkbind Shot	Luring ammo. Landing hits pulls monsters closer to you, so use these to tug in foes to avoid damage falloff while firing. Also great for pulling monsters away from your final gate.

Auto Types

Auto Installations are either weapons manned by NPCs or traps that trigger automatically when a monster wanders into range. You’re more limited on the number of Auto Types you can have in the area, so it’s best to place these in strategic positions and fill the rest of the slots with Mountable Types so you have plenty of choices when the Hordes come.

Rampage mode MHR setting up defenses — *Workin’ hard or hardly workin’, am I right?* | Image: Capcom

1. Defender Ballistae: Fire projectiles at a fixed range. When your Stronghold Level is high enough, they shoot Defender Wyvernblasts that stick to monsters and explode when struck. Just like with mountable Ballistae, place these throughout the area. They’ll be automatically removed when they run out of ammo.

2. Defender Cannons: Fire cannonballs at a fixed range. When your Stronghold Level is high enough, they shoot Defender Thunder Ammo that deals thunderblight. Just like with mountable Cannons, place these in zones where monsters naturally group up. They’ll be automatically removed when they run out of ammo.

3. Wyvernfire Artillery: Proximity-based installations that incinerate anything in front of them. Unlock them by increasing your Stronghold Level. Once you’ve set them up, you can choose between Incendiary Rounds that launch fireballs at their target, or a Column of Flame that pierces through the monster. Stick them on the ground in high-traffic areas — using Column of Flame in hallways is great for imposing fireblight!

4. Bamboo Bombs: Essentially landmines. Unlock them by increasing your Stronghold Level. Place them on the ground in high-traffic areas, and they’ll explode automatically when a monster is nearby.

Limited Type

Limited Installations are exactly what they sound like — you’re severely limited on the number of Limited Types you can install at a time. Some of them are even restricted to specific waves, so watch for them to become available or risk losing them entirely!

1. Dragonbait/Dragonbait Warriors: Dummies that distract nearby monsters. Monsters will target them for a short time, meaning they’re great to set up alongside installations like the Dragonator, which takes a little longer to trigger and requires the monster to stay still for a second. Dragonbait Warriors are stronger than regular Dragonbait and can withstand assault from an Apex.

2. Warriors of Kamura: Villagers from Kamura that step up to help with defenses. Each of them has a specific use case, but all of them should be set up in front of the gate when there are plenty of monsters present.

Warrior	Usage
Elder Fugen	Unleashes powerful attacks to all nearby monsters. He deals a lot of damage, so it’s best to save him for the Apex when there are a lot of other monsters around.
Master Utsushi	Damages all the monsters within his range and uses Wirebugs to tie them down for Wyvern Riding. Use him when the Apex summons a Horde so you can play rodeo and pull it away from your gate.
Hinoa and Minoto	Wide-range attackers that deal immense amounts of damage. They can only be used in the same wave they’re unlocked in, so call them up when there are plenty of targets for them to take out.
Buddy Handler Iori	Imposes blights on all monsters in range. He can only be used in the specific wave where he becomes available, so try to place him soon after you’ve unlocked him. His attack also counts toward the elemental blights sub-assignment!
Chef Yomogi	A surprise powerhouse, essentially acting as an automatic machine cannon. She also boosts the power of your Hunting Installations, so use her against the Apex for an all-out assault against the boss and its Horde.

Special Type

Finally, there are a handful of other installations you can use to take down monsters and clear some of your sub-assignments. These installations are usually built-in options that are available by default.

1. Counter Gongs: Initiate the Counter Signal, a period of enhanced attack power that allows hunters to leave their installations and jump into the fray. Counter Gongs are installed in each area and can only be used once. Try to save them for the end of each Horde once the Major Threat arrives, or when you’re in a bit of a bind and need the extra power to help defend your gate.

2. Dragonators: Massive, wall-mounted lances that drill into monsters at a close range. They deal intense damage, but must be activated manually and have a lengthy cooldown period between uses.

3. Splitting Wyvernshots: Cannons that shoot mortar-like artillery that explodes violently on impact. They’re best saved until you’re facing the Apex, as they deal crazy high damage and can make or break a fight. (You’ll love the fire effects on this thing.)

4. Power Kilns: Installations that boost the effectiveness of other installations. Loading them increases the repair rate of your mountable installations and reduces the cooldown period for the Dragonator and Splitting Wyvernshot. If you finish your preparations early and have some time to spare, fire up your Power Kiln for an added advantage later on!

Repelling the Horde in Rampage Mode

Once the Horde appears, it’s time to stop your preparations and fight. This part of the Rampage is pretty straightforward — just do your best to protect the gates and hold off the oncoming monsters! These next few Monster Hunter Rise Rampage tips will cover how to protect your gates and defeat the monsters that threaten it, including the terrifying Apex leading the Horde.

Defend the Gates

Protecting the gates is your only real goal during the Rampage. There are no restrictions on time or number of faints during a Rampage quest — the only fail condition is the final gate getting destroyed. Sounds easy enough, right?

Rampage quests mode — *Not so much.* | Image: Capcom

1. Play multiplayer if you can. The monsters are laser-focused on your gates, and you can’t be everywhere at once. Defending your gates should be your top priority if you’re playing solo, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for completing sub-assignments. Teaming up with other hunters makes it easier to protect your gates and claim a few additional rewards.

2. Don’t lose your first gate. This one seems self-explanatory, but hear me out. No matter what, the Apex will always charge straight through your defenses to the final gate. If the gate is already in bad shape when they get there, you’ll have a harder time defending it from their attacks. Try to keep the rest of the Horde in the first area as long as you can before the Apex arrives so they won’t have time to wear down your final gate.

Durability Icon - Rampage gate status — *The durability icon shows you the status of your gate(s) during the Rampage.* | Image: Capcom

Repel Monsters

This is what you’ll spend the bulk of the Rampage doing. Repelling monsters serves to protect your gates and checks a few of the sub-assignment boxes, so it’s a great way to fill out your task list without having to do anything special. It’s also the best way of racking up points throughout the quest, so if you’re wondering how to increase your Stronghold Level, you’ve come to the right place.

Monsters are repelled when their health is depleted. You can deal damage using your Hunting Installations, your weapons, and even with other monsters. Thankfully, large monsters are easier to defeat when they’re part of the Horde, so you don’t have to worry about each Tetranadon taking the usual 5–10 minutes to repel.

You can’t carve the defeated monsters, though they will occasionally drop materials you can gather once you’ve repelled the Horde. The only monster you can carve is the final Major Threat or the Apex (depending on the scope of the quest), so keep an eye on your Rampage quest list if you’re looking for specific parts.

Each Horde is made up of a few different types of monsters:

1. Stalkers: Hunter-focused monsters that attack at melee range. They pose the biggest threat to your Hunting Installations, as they’ll get up close and personal to target you and your defenses. Keep your Guard up when they get close, then use the Ballista’s Retreat Shot to knock them back. Follow up with a Crag Shot to stun them, then regular Ballista Shots to repel them for good.

2. Targeters: Hunter-focused monsters that attack from a distance. They typically make ranged shots from the air, so they’re not as easy to nail down. Guard against their incoming projectiles, then use the Ballista’s Crag Shot to stun them and knock them out of the air.

3. Gate Crashers: Monsters that ignore defenses in favor of attacking the gates. They tend to have thicker hides, so attacking them at a distance isn’t very effective. Use Cannon Shots and Charged Piercing Shots to hit them when they’re grouped together at the gate, or set up Machine Cannons near the end of the area to take advantage of the high close-range damage.

(Note: When playing multiplayer, have some players focus Stalkers and Targeters while the others repel Gate Crashers. It’s a great way to keep your gates intact without leaving you and your installations vulnerable to other monsters.)

4. Ruffians: Monsters that are larger and tougher than the rest of the Horde. They’re worth more points as a result, so take them out for a healthy boost to your Stronghold Level.

5. Major Threats: Monsters that lead the rest of the Horde. Like Ruffians, they’re stronger than regular monsters and will contribute more to your Stronghold Level when repelled. You can repel all the Major Threats except the last one, who you’ll need to slay in order to complete the quest. Take them out when the Counter Signal is active and your weapons have increased attack power.

Slay the Apex

Apex Monsters are a special kind of Major Threat that’s much more dangerous and much more difficult to kill. They’re essentially supercharged versions of existing monsters — Apex Rathian, for example, is so venomous that you can see the poison as it runs through her veins and drips from her tail spikes. I’d say not to get on her bad side, but…they all look pretty bad.

Apex Monsters come in at the end of the Rampage, and are likely the greatest challenge you’ll face in Monster Hunter Rise. Their parts are necessary for crafting the higher-end Rampage weapons, though, so here are a few tips to keep in mind when dealing with them:

1. Apex monsters can’t be trapped. Don’t bother wasting traps in the hopes of getting a healthy attack window. Just like with Elder Dragons, it simply won’t work.

2. Apex monsters summon a second Horde. You won’t be able to deal with the Apex on its own forever, as it’ll eventually call in another wave of monsters. Use your Kamura Warriors wisely so you don’t use powerful group attacks against the Apex alone.

3. Use the Splitting Wyvernshot. Just do it. Keep an eye on your cooldowns and trigger the added damage as often as you can!

S+ Ranking Rampage Quests

If you’re wondering how to S+ Rank in every MHR Rampage quest, I’m happy to say it’s actually quite easy. It all comes down to your sub-assignments — the more you complete, the higher your final ranking will be.

Sub-assignments are optional objectives you can check off during the Rampage. Completing one will increase your Stronghold Level as the Rampage continues, and each completed sub-assignment at the end of a successful quest will raise your reward rank.

S+ Ranking Rampage Quests — *Check your sub-assignments in advance by viewing the quest details.* | Image: Capcom

Sub-assignments are randomly generated for each Rampage quest, and are listed in order of weight (impact on Stronghold Level and reward rank) in the quest details. This may also clue you in to how difficult they’ll be to complete, so try jumping into multiplayer or cycling the quests if the options look a little too challenging.

Monster Hunter Rise | All Rampage Sub-Assignments

Below is a list of all the Rampage sub-assignments in Monster Hunter Rise. We haven’t put them in any particular order, as the weight and difficulty can vary from quest to quest (and player to player), but we have included some tips on how best to complete them when they make your list.

Sub-Assignment	Completion Tips
Defend the final gate	The only mandatory goal of the Rampage. Keep Hordes away from the last gate as long as you can, then distract the Major Threat/Apex when it arrives.
Faint less than three times	Appears on every Rampage quest. Use healing items when necessary.
Slay the Apex/Major Threat	Appears on every Rampage quest. Self-explanatory.
Set up Hunting Installations	Clear this one quickly by installing, uninstalling, and reinstalling installations during the prep phase.
Repel using weapons	Take advantage of the Counter Signal.
Repel using Ballista	Use Ballistae against the Horde.
Repel using Cannon	Use Cannons against the Horde.
Repel using Machine Cannon	Increase your Stronghold Level to unlock Machine Cannons, then use them close-range against Gate Crashers.
Repel using Bamboo Bomb	Install Bamboo Bombs in narrow, high-traffic areas.
Repel using Wyvernfire Artillery	Aim sights on narrow, high-traffic areas.
Use a Dragonator or S. Wyvernshot	Aim for weakened targets — you actually have to repel them with the installation for this to count!
Village Defender repels monster	Use the Warriors of Kamura when there are plenty of monsters present.
Inflict an elemental blight	Use the Cannon’s Charged Thunder Shots, ride monsters that impose blights, or install Buddy Trainer Iori when he’s available.
Inflict a status ailment	Use weapons that deal status damage (preferably Blast) or ride monsters that impose ailments.
Stun monsters	Get headshots with the Ballista’s Crag Shots or use the Cannon’s Charged Thunder Shots and hit the monster’s head with your weapon.
Gather dropped materials	Do this between Hordes — don’t stop attacking while monsters are present!

Join the High Ground

That’s it for our Monster Hunter Rise Rampage Guide — thanks for reading! If you have any other tips to share with your fellow hunters, feel free to drop them in the comments. Don’t forget to check out our newsletter and social media for more guides like this.

Happy hunting!