Upgrading your armor is critical in Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. Even though Master Rank gear is much stronger than anything you earned in the base game, the monsters have received significant upgrades as well.
Without properly leveled armor, you’re liable to get one or two-shot by anything past MR3. Some of the earlier monsters might also give you trouble with low-level equipment, though MR3 and above is where the difficulty spikes.
Heavy Armor Spheres will be your go-to for most of the campaign, as High Rank materials barely provide any upgrade progress. This guide will cover the two best ways to get Heavy Armor spheres.
Where to Find Heavy Armor Spheres in Sunbreak
You likely already have a few Heavy Armor Spheres from your time completing the base Rise campaign to reach Sunbreak, and if you played a lot of the vanilla experience, you might have several dozen or more. Either way, you’ll be spending them like candy and will quickly run out if you don’t start collecting more.
There are two primary sources of Heavy Armor Spheres once you start the Sunbreak campaign. Neither is much more efficient than the other, but combine them, and you’ll have plenty of upgrade materials until endgame.
Secondary Quests
One of the easiest ways to get Heavy Armor Spheres is to take on Optional Subquests from the Quest Maiden in Elgado or the Gathering Hub/Village in Kamura. Objectives include gathering plants, mushrooms, insects, and other crafting materials to slaying monsters, riding them, or completing quests in specific locations, among other tasks.
You can hold up to five Optional Subquests at a time, and each rewards one to three Heavy Armor Spheres. You’ll also get extra Kamura points and additional materials for doing so, so always remember to take on more Optional Subquests as you complete them.
Complete Master Rank Quests
There are no other secrets to getting more Heavy Armor Spheres. If you don’t faint while doing most Master Rank quests, up to and including endgame, you’re all but guaranteed two or three per Master Rank large monster hunt. Later-game monsters provide additional Spheres and have a small chance of awarding the higher-rarity King Armor Sphere, but any Master Rank quest will do.
If you’re running low on Heavy Armor Spheres and just want to farm some, pick your favorite one or two-star MR quest and complete it over and over. Great Baggi, Great Izuchi, and similar are quick and easy. You won’t be getting other high-rarity materials, but you’ll be swimming in Melding fuel and Heavy Armor Spheres in no time.
That’s all there is to getting the Heavy Armor Spheres you’ll need to upgrade your armor in Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak. Thankfully, getting a lot of them isn’t hard like farming MR3 monsters and above, and you’ll get plenty playing naturally. Whether you’re farming Khezu for Pale Extract, taking on higher-difficulty monsters for Monster Slogbone, or grinding for Awegite, there are plenty of ways to optimize how many materials you get. Check out our Monster Hunter Rise guides hub for plenty more on Sunbreak.
