Unless you have the Guard Up skill, some attacks in Monster Hunter: World will hit you even if you’re blocking. The more experienced you are, the less Guard Up matters, but veteran hunters can still get value from this ability. Whether you want to optimize your turtling or just minimize the risk posed by monsters like Vaal Hazak, this skill makes protecting yourself from Capcom‘s hero-chomping baddies much easier. That said, improper use of this skill means a quick trip back to camp on the fainting cart. It pays to know your limits. Here’s how to get (and use) Guard Up in MHW.
MHW Guard Up Guide
Like other skills in MHW, you can unlock Guard Up in a couple of ways. The first is by wearing multiple pieces of a specific armor set. In this case, that’s the Uragaan series. Uragaan Alpha Armor and Uragaan Beta Armor both grant Guard Up. That means all you need to do to get Guard Up is equip multiple pieces of Uragaan armor. Getting that armor isn’t so simple, however. You’ll need to farm the titular monster for its Carapace, Scales, Jaw, and other parts if you want to put this set together, so get hunting.
If you want to get Guard Up without wearing Uragaan armor, there’s another solution. The Bulwark Charm also grants this skill. In fact, the Bulwark Charm is probably the best way to get Guard Up since you’re then free to combine it with whatever armor and strategy you prefer. To craft this charm you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Research Commission Ticket x1
- Majestic Horn x2
- Black Spiral Horn+ x2
- Dragoncore Ore x2
Skill Usage and Weaknesses
The good news is that once you have the Guard Up skill in MHW, using it is simple. Its effect is automatically triggered when you press Guard/Unique Action (CTRL/R2/RT) to block. Keep in mind that only certain weapons can block and therefore make use of Guard Up. When using this skill, attacks like Vaal Hazak’s Effluvial Cloud and Teostra’s Supernova which are normally unblockable will now strike your guard. Keep in mind that there’s a small number of attacks in MHW, including Alatreon‘s Escaton Judgement, that you cannot block even with Guard Up.
If you want to simplify your tanking, there’s no substitute for Guard Up. That said, this skill isn’t perfect. There are some monsters without any unblockable attacks, so Guard Up offers you no advantages against them, compared to other guarding skills. Blocking an attack with Guard Up causes you to stagger and take chip damage just like you would if you blocked a normal attack, so it’s possible to block an attack using Guard Up and still die. Guard Up also requires the correct facing, as you can only block front-facing attacks by default. Don’t be afraid to experiment. The fainting will make you a better tank in the end.
Monster Hunter: World is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
