Seeing as there are only a few months left before Monster Hunter Rise gets officially released, Capcom has been steadily sharing and revealing more details about the upcoming game. In a recent announcement, the developer showcased three new NPCs that fans will encounter in the game, namely Kagero, Hamon, and Kisaki.
As shopkeepers, they will be able to offer new items, gear, or resources to the players. Of course, these won’t be given for free though — players have to purchase these items first. Hamon was showcased by Capcom in the past via concept art, but now the developer shared footage that shows what he would look like in-game for the first time.
That being said, here’s a little breakdown of the different shopkeeper NPCs and what they can offer you. First and foremost is Kagero, who players will meet in Monster Hunter Rise’s Kamura Village. Although Capcom didn’t really specify what kind of items Kagero will be selling, many speculate that the stock he has on offer won’t be too different from the shopkeepers found in the previous titles.
https://twitter.com/monsterhunter/status/1343829105498857473?s=20
If this is the case, then Kagero will most likely sell consumable items such as barrel bombs and potions. In addition to that, players should expect to find coatings and ammo as well that are tailor-fit for ranged weapons. If players have enough zenny, then they can easily purchase these items from the shopkeeper without having to put in a lot of effort just to craft them themselves.
Hamon, on the other hand, functions as a blacksmith. After successfully completing a hunt, players would typically find themselves looting a variety of materials and resources from the felled monster. If the player has a certain gear in mind, then they can take these materials to Hamon so that he can create new weapons and armor out of them or perhaps upgrade the ones that the player already has in their inventory.
With regards to the weapons and armor, Capcom has actually been sharing short clips on the official Monster Hunter Rise Twitter and YouTube account that showcase the different weapons available in the game as well as the various armor and weapon designs that players can look forward to.
Swift, elegant and precise.
The Bow combines high mobility and rapid attacks to rain down a constant stream of arrows onto monsters. #MHRise pic.twitter.com/mc8Zgv4F3r
— Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) December 14, 2020
Unflinching, explosive artillery.
The Gunlance brings together an impenetrable defense with high-power ballistics. Stagger your prey with a bevy of bombardments and dish out massive damage with its signature Wyvern's Fire attack. #MHRise pic.twitter.com/03HEVugb4z
— Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) December 18, 2020
That being said, Hamon’s job as a blacksmith only caters to the hunters. As such, he’s not responsible for crafting items for the different animal companions. This is where the third NPC, Kisaki, comes in.
One thing that sets Kisaki apart from its fellow NPC shopkeepers is the fact that it’s a felyne. In Monster Hunter World, players could go to the blacksmith to get a myriad of items crafted and forged, whether it’s meant for the player or for the animal companion. This is no longer the case with Monster Hunter Rise, however.
This wouldn’t be the first time that a Monster Hunter title had separate shopkeepers for companion armor, though. The entries before World used this kind of approach and it appears that Rise is revisiting it.
The only difference this time around is that Kisaki will not only craft equipment for the hunter’s palico companion but for the palamute as well. It may be a hassle to have to go to different NPCs, but it’s a positive change in the long run as it declutters the menu when choosing something to forge.
