Unlocking the secret to survival in Monster Hunter Wilds hinges on mastering armor upgrades. As you journey through the vibrant ecosystems and face fearsome beasts, enhancing your armor with precious Armor Spheres transforms your gear from mere protection into a fortress of defense. This guide reveals how to unlock, gather, and strategically upgrade your armor on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, ensuring you stand strong against every hunt’s challenge.
When is the upgrade armor unlocked in Monster Hunter Wilds?
The ability to upgrade armor in Monster Hunter Wilds is unlocked after you complete the main story quest “Toward Fervent Fields” in Chapter 2-1. This quest tasks you with hunting your first Rompopolo shortly after arriving in Azuz. Once you finish this mission, return to Base Camp and speak with Gemma, the blacksmith, who will introduce you to Armor Spheres and explain how to use them for upgrading your gear. From this point onward, you can access the armor upgrade system at any time by visiting Gemma at the Smithy.
You’ll get your first armor spheres – the items you need to upgrade armor – when you go looking for Maki during Chapter 2-1 “Toward Fervent Fields.” That’s the main story mission where you hunt down your first Rompopolo shortly after arriving in Azuz.
When you return from the hunt, Gemma will call you over to the smithy and start to tell you about upgrading your armor using armor spheres.
How to upgrade armor in Monster Hunter Wilds
To upgrade armor in Monster Hunter Wilds, you first need to complete the Chapter 2-1 main quest, “Toward Fervent Fields,” after which Gemma the Blacksmith will introduce you to Armor Spheres, the special items required for upgrading. Visit the Smithy and choose the “Forge/Upgrade Armor” option, then select any armor piece you own. You will see an option to upgrade it by spending Armor Spheres, which come in different varieties worth varying points. Adding these spheres increases the armor’s defense level, improving your survivability against tougher monsters. Keep in mind that each armor piece has a maximum upgrade level, and upgrading only boosts defense without changing skills or resistances.
Once you have your first armor spheres in the story, you can start upgrading your armor. At the smithy, select forge/upgrade armor. You’ll see the same menu you’re been using all along. Now, though, when you click on something you have already made – the red chest icon in the lower right means you’ve made it and it’s stored, and the yellow check means you’re wearing it now – you’ll get a new popup. Select upgrade.
You’ll get a new menu to work with next. On the left, you’ll see the armor spheres you’ve got, how many points they’re worth, and the quantity you have. In the middle, you’ll see the piece you’re upgrading, how many levels it is currently upgraded and its max upgrade level, and how many points you need to upgrade to the next level. And, on the right, you’ll see the stats of the armor as it upgrades.
Basically, this menu lets you convert armor spheres to points so a piece of armor hits its upgrade thresholds and levels up. Regular armor spheres are worth 10 points, armor spheres are worth 50 points, and advanced armor spheres are worth 200. As you upgrade a piece into its higher levels, the points required per level will increase.
Upgrading armor doesn’t change its skills or its resistances. All you’re upgrading is the overall defense.
Should you spend or save your armor spheres?
When deciding whether to spend or save your armor spheres in Monster Hunter Wilds, consider your current progression and the challenges you’re facing. Armor spheres are meant to be used-they directly increase your armor’s defense, which can make a significant difference if you’re struggling with tough monsters or new regions. However, since you unlock new armor sets frequently as you advance, it’s wise not to fully upgrade every piece right away. Instead, invest spheres into your current set if you’re having trouble surviving, but save higher-tier spheres and large quantities for endgame or high-rank gear, where upgrades become much more resource-intensive. This balanced approach ensures you stay resilient without wasting valuable upgrade materials early on.
Like Gemma says when she introduces you to armor spheres, “If you’re fainting left and right, [upgrade] your armor.” The short answer is: Armor spheres are there to be spent and upgrading your armor will only help you.
That said, for most of the game, you’re unlocking a new set of armor with just about every hunt you go on. If you’re really struggling, drop a few armor spheres to get your defense up enough to survive the next hunt. But, if you can, holding off until you’ve reached High Rank, where you’re investing in armor long term, is wise – especially as there’s the layered armor bonus that comes with it.
Want to discover the secret to making your armor truly unstoppable in Monster Hunter Wilds
Want to discover the secret to making your armor truly unstoppable in Monster Hunter Wilds? The key lies in targeting the right early-game monster-Aoron-for farming, then upgrading your gear from Level 1 to Level 6 using Armor Spheres and Armor Sphere Plus. By efficiently gathering materials and maximizing upgrades, you can boost your defense as well as your fire and thunder resistance, making you nearly untouchable against early threats. Just a handful of upgrades can transform your armor set, so start farming and watch your survivability soar.
How does farming Aoron early make my armor unstoppable in Monster Hunter Wilds
Farming Aoron early in Monster Hunter Wilds gives you a significant advantage because it allows you to quickly gather the materials needed to craft and upgrade a powerful early-game armor set. This Aoron armor offers high defense as well as strong fire and thunder resistance, making you much tougher against the game’s first major threats.
By repeatedly hunting Aoron, you can efficiently collect the necessary monster parts and Armor Spheres to upgrade your armor from Level 1 to Level 6. Each upgrade boosts your defense and resistances even further, and the process is both fast and resource-light if you focus on this farm early. With just a few Aoron hunts and efficient use of Armor Spheres and Armor Sphere Plus, you can max out your armor’s potential, making you nearly unstoppable against early monsters and letting you progress through the game with confidence.
