Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is the moment that will define how Capcom’s latest entry in the long-running RPG series is ultimately remembered. Monster Hunter games are never truly complete until the launch of their ‘Master Rank’ expansion (previously known as ‘G Rank’ in the likes of MH3 Ultimate and MH4 Ultimate). For the new Wilds DLC, we’re getting a special tool called the Boost Bracer that is set to evolve the way combat works, and I’m hopeful its explosive additions to the moveset will deliver, without falling into the pitfalls of the past.
Seeing Capcom place such singular focus on the Boost Bracer will certainly give some players pause. As beloved as Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is, its Clutch Claw has long been one of the most divisive tools in MonHun history, with entire mods dedicated to its removal and the rebalancing of combat around it. On first glance, at least, the Boost Bracer coming to Monster Hunter Wilds in Ascendance looks great. It lets you use powerful attacks called Boost Drivers that put you into a ‘boosted’ state, causing “certain actions” to be enhanced for a short while.
The result of this include more flashy, flamboyant versions of signature moves such as the Demon Flurry for the Dual Blades, or charging attacks with a Lance. It can also bolster your defensive options, allowing the simple block on a Sword and Shield to withstand the likes of powerful fireballs while standing your ground. You’re also able to activate the boost effect during certain specific actions, as demonstrated in the video below.
The result feels a little like the Weapon Arts of Monster Hunter Generations, or perhaps the Silkbind Attacks and Switch Skills in Monster Hunter Rise, and that promise of more flexibility is certainly welcome. I already adore the core combat of Wilds, and the hope is that Ascendance’s journey through Master Rank will give us plenty of challenging new monsters to really push our abilities to their limits.
The concern comes with whether the Boost Bracer will end up feeling like an ‘interruption’ versus an enhancement. The greatest strength of Monster Hunter’s combat has always been the freedom to find your own rhythm, using the various tools in your arsenal to counteract the moveset of the creature you’re facing. Iceborne’s Clutch Claw was a great concept, but in practice it became this awkward routine of having to constantly ‘soften up’ your foe during a fight – resulting in less variety, rather than more.
The Boost Bracer, in similar fashion, runs the risk of creating a situation where boosted attacks are so essential that the rest of your moveset ends up taking a back seat, as you rely almost exclusively on the new options. I’m a positive-minded sort, however, and am choosing to believe that Capcom is aware of those past successes and failures. Taking charge as Game Director on Ascendance is Takuro Hiraoka, who has been part of the team since Monster Hunter 3 and was a Lead Game Designer on both Iceborne and Generations Ultimate. He certainly knows his stuff, and I’m eager to see how his influence drives the new DLC.
For a closer look at how the Boost Bracer impacts each weapon, Capcom is rolling out daily breakdown videos, and there was only one choice to start with. The Great Sword is the original MH weapon and, as the slowest and most deliberate of them all, is still at the core of the team’s overall balancing process. Our go-to Boost Driver appears to be a dashing horizontal slash that chains into an overhead slam, with seemingly further combo potential from there if you land it.
Once boosted, you can expect a more reliable guard, while the Offset Rising Slash can be transformed into a double uppercut, followed by a massive leaping finisher if you successfully counter the enemy with it. It looks as though we’re also getting a bonus airborne finale after the True Charged Slash combo as well, and I’d expect nothing less. It is a further commitment to the ‘high mobility’ of Wilds that Focus Mode enabled, however, and I’m sure some veterans will miss the old feeling of committing to big attacks.
Ultimately, the only way to judge will be when we finally get our hands on Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance in 2027. In the meantime, however, you’ll be able to see a new weapon’s Boost Bracer buffs in action every day from now until Tuesday September 15, so keep your eyes on the official YouTube channel for more.