At first glance, Synchro Rush in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection looks like one of the coolest attacks you can pull off. Your Riders and Monsties team up to unleash a flashy combo and gain a big chunk of Kinship Gauge in the process. It feels satisfying, and honestly, pretty tempting to use every time it becomes available — thanks to the slow-motion and massive button prompt.
But while Synchro Rush is undeniably strong, it’s not always the most efficient move. In fact, using it at the wrong time can actually waste some of the biggest advantages you get during battle.
The biggest issue with Synchro Rush comes with its prerequisite: a topple. After all, a toppled monster is basically free real estate for damage. It’s a whole turn where the enemy can’t fight back, and all of your hits become Critical Hits!
If you use Synchro Rush during this window, you’ll instantly consume that precious turn. That means fewer opportunities to act and missing out on devastating crits. Which can be crucial when you’re dealing with bosses like Battle-Bound Monsters or Elder Dragons.
Some weapon mechanics also rely on ‘wasting’ a turn for setup. A Hunting Horn might need to build Melodies, while a Gunlance could use that time to reload Shells, for example.
You can take advantage of the opening to breathe and restore HP or Hearts safely as well. In Monster Hunter Stories 3, a fallen party member also automatically revives after two turns. Losing a turn to Synchro Rush can interrupt all of that. Not to mention fallen partners won’t join in on a Rush anyway.
One last overlooked detail involves the Wyvernsoul Gauge. When you attack a toppled monster normally, you can keep damaging the gauge and trigger a stagger. Synchro Rush, however, resets the gauge instead of damaging it, which means you might lose momentum toward another stagger opportunity.
None of this means Synchro Rush is bad. Far from it. The move builds Kinship Gauge incredibly fast — filling up 30 points per use — and doesn’t cost stamina. It’s perfect for when you know the attack will break a monster part, max out your Kinship Gauge, or finish the fight outright.
