Forging and upgrading armor is vital for becoming stronger in Monster Hunter Stories 2. This guide will show players how they can do it in this entry. Building up the playable character with better gear has been a staple in the Monster Hunter series for generations. When exploring the world and defeating monsters, players will be able to gather materials that can be reinvested in better gear for the future. Since Monster Hunter Stories 2 functions as a turn-based RPG, the way to go about forging better items is a bit different when compared to the mainline series. This is especially important for players who have never played a Monster Hunter Stories title and have only had their Monster Hunter experience through Rise, which was also released earlier this year. This guide will show players how they can forge and upgrade their armor in Monster Hunter Stories 2.
Several mainline titles in the series require players to spend several hours grinding against the same monsters for the chance for it to drop valuable material. It can be time-consuming but Monster Hunter Stories 2 functions a bit differently. While players will still need to defeat monsters still, this process occurs much more quickly when compared to mainline titles. There are also several locations for players to go to forge and upgrade their armor and this guide will show players how they can do it.
How To Forge (& Upgrade) Armor in Monster Hunter Stories 2
![How To Forge (& Upgrade) Armor in Monster Hunter Stories 2](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Monster-Hunter-Stories-22.jpg)
When traveling in the game, players will come across several villages with their own smithy. Players can head over to this smithy and see a full list of possible items that can be forged or upgraded. In order to do it, players will need to pay a fee and deliver the required materials. Players can earn materials by defeating monsters out in the world. The drops are random but are much more forgiving than the mainline series. Players will also be able to choose which materials they wish to forge.
Upgrading works a bit differently since players will need both the proper materials from the overworld and the monsters. The better the gear, the more expensive the upgrade will be. It’s important to head back into one of these villages after every big expedition to maintain upgrades and gear. Some of the best materials will appear later in the game. Regardless, take down as many monsters as possible and build up that collection of materials to use for the future.
Monster Hunter Stories 2 is available now on Nintendo Switch.