The upcoming expansion for critic and player acclaimedMonster Hunter World,MHW Iceborneis officially releasing to consoles on September 6th, with a PC version following this winter. In thisMHW Iceborne: Everything We Knowarticle we’ll catch you up with all the new details revealed about the expansion, from pricing to new locales and armor.
MHW Iceborne: Everything We Know, New Monsters, New Locale, New Elements!
Release Date:
MHW Iceborne Features
Monster Hunter World: Iceborneis a paid expansion comparative in size to previous “G Rank” and “Ultimate” categories. This time around, players can expect a new location calledHoarfrost Reachthat features freezing temperatures and contrasts with the jungle-like setting of theAncient Forest.
Hoarfrost Reach
The new location looks absolutely gorgeous and highly detailed, with monster and hunter tracks trailing paths on the snow. It also brings the possibility of Hazards such as freeze being introduced as a mechanic, which we would love to see be combated by the new, warmer-looking armor.
A new item “Hot Pepper” will be used to make hot drinks to combat the frost, much like theChillshroomwas used forCold Drink. Players can also opt to get into “Hot Springs” - as long as they are willing to share the bath with some monkeys!
A new locale also means newEndemic Life, so prepare your capture net as you’ll be hunting for Stonebills and Rime Beetles. Small monsters confirms a new type of wingdrake calledCortos.
Iceborne Progression and Itemization
Monster Hunter World’s endgame became about Tempered and Arch-Tempered Monsters dropping materials for powerful Gamma versions of existing armor sets, so we are extremely excited to see the newMaster Rankand its effects on existing monsters.
Players can expect to see newmaterials, which in turn means a whole new sets of armors and weapons, likely tailored to counter Hoarfrost’s cold and to power Hunters to unexpected levels. Augmentation and Decorations could also be enhanced with this expansion, so existing gear could still remain powerful and help new players catch up to the new content and enter endgame Master Rank.
Based upon previous free DLC, if we expect a conservative Alpha and Beta set for each new monster, we are looking at (in the very least)10 completely new armor sets. Assuming each monster will provide just one new weapon of each type, this would also add70 new weapons. This is before considering the impact onPalico Armor,Charms,Decorationsand potential ItemCrafting.
For new players, a bundled version of the game is being sold for USD 59.99 which means we expect to see a combination ofEvent Queststhat cater to both newbies and veterans alike. This will breathe new life into the multiplayer component and the leveling up of old monsters could enhance the appeal of returning to older hunts and now-obsolete monsters.
Iceborne Mechanics
The “Hot Drink” and “Hot Springs” hint at an environmental hazard of freeze, but that’s not where mechanic changes end. Capcom is leveling up theirSlingergame to bring something fans had been daydreaming about:Clutch Claw. This special grapple will allow you to grapple to a monster and get up close and personal and seems to count as an on-demand mount. We do not know the specifics of how this will work: Will it be for any monster? Will it be only to specific parts of the monster? Whatever they do with this, it is a brilliant idea that we cannot wait to see in action.
That said, the most salient point to me was by far the mention of a new Element and upcoming new moves for ALL weapon types. This is an exciting development and some of the confirmed new moves are Bowgun Evade Reloads, Power Shots on Great Swords, and grapple-chaining for Dual Blade users. This will significantly impact the way weapons are perceived by the player-base as it has a chance to bring all weapon types into the “in range” fold, and might even convert some weapon users to a new type.
The official press release also promises “Iceborne continues the skill-based progression and robust crafting system found in World”. This means we can expect to see newSkills. This will inevitably change the way we approach Builds and likely have an effect on base game, so we are very excited to see more.
Meet the new Iceborne Monsters
Let’s start where everyone wants to get to, theElder DragonVelkhana. This icy new monster seems to be somewhere between a Rathalos and a Legiana, and will be the main antagonist of the expansion, in the way thatNergigantewas to the original launch. As such we can expect the monster to appear after some story progression only, and its gear to be some of the best in the game.
Banbarois a Brute Wyvern monster coming with the expansion that was featured prominently in the trailer and looks kick-ass. Featuring large antlers and a furry coat to withstand the cold, this monster will hurl boulders and even trees at approaching hunters, rampaging through the landscape.
Beotodusis a snow-shark of sorts that can swim freely through the ground and emerge for agile and devastating takedowns. It inhabits areas where snow is deep, which slows hunter movement. Most likely a Piscine Wyvern, hunters can use Sonic Bombs to force it to surface.
Nargacugais a returning Flying Wyvern characterized by stalking and stealth attacks. Since this is a prominent monster, we expect to see it after some initial introductions to the area, and likely as a predator hunting other monsters.
Small monsters confirmed include the wingdrake-likeCortosand the herbivorePopo.
Preparing for Iceborne
We expect we’ll be seeing more information about Iceborne around E3 and Gamescom, but players can start the hype train by jumping on anArch-Tempered Nergigantehunt for a limited time from May 11th UTC. Defeating this ultimate challenge will yield the powerful Nergigante γ (gamma) armor. In addition, a dynamic theme showcasing the lethal monster complete with custom ravaged system icons and the main game’s theme “Stars at Our Backs” as background music is now available for sale digitally on PS4™ for MSRP $2.99 / €2.99.
For more Monster Hunter World content read nextMonster Hunter World: Spring Blossom Festival Roadmap 2019andMonster Hunter World: All Guild Card Titles. Don’t miss out on all the details inMonster Hunter World: Spring Blossom Festival 2019 Contents, the event ends May 16th!
For all yourMonster Hunterneeds stop by ourMonster Hunter Wiki. For in-depth guides click the links below:
If you are looking for moreMonster Hunter Worldinfo, you can go in-depth with our featured guides:All Armor Limits,Everything about Kulve Taroth,Long Sword Elemental Limits,Dual Blades’ Max Element & Status Limits,Attack Values & You,Crown Sizes & You,Monster Hunter World: The Canteen Explained With Ingredient GuideorMonster Hunter World: End Game Guide.
If you are interested inMonster Hunter Worldbuilds, you can peer into them at:Dragon Longsword Build,Raw DPS Build, andElemental Crit Build For Sealed Weapons.
