If you’re new to Rise with Sunbreak, you’ll need to progress the vanilla story until you reach the Gathering Hub 7-Star quest Serpent Goddess of Thunder, where you face off against Thunder Serpent Narwa. That questline alone could take about 20 hours with Defender weapons, though if you have experienced friends to help, it could be a bit shorter.
Defender weapons of any type are the best for the base game. They are also the best non-Sunbreak weapons that don’t require any grinding to craft; when you make it to Sunbreak content, the game changes.
Best Early Sunbreak Progression Weapon: Kamura Warrior
You need to complete a single quest before you arrive in Elgado and start Sunbreak’s campaign in earnest. It’s called Uninvited Guest, and you’ll face a Daimyo Hermitaur. You won’t have access to any Master Rank gear, so use whatever you’re most comfortable with from the base game.
You won’t have access to too many Master Rank weapons early on. Still, there is one type you should absolutely create, as it’s inexpensive and doesn’t require any significant grinding to make: the Kamura Warrior weaponry.
The first one you make, regardless of weapon type, will cost 18,000 Zenny and takes 8 Eltalite Ore, 5 Tough Claws, and a single unit of Awegite (which we have a guide for right here).
Kamura Warrior weapons come with average damage and Sharpness for their level but lack any Affinity boost. They more than make up for these deficiencies by having a Level 4 and a Level 1 Decoration slot and a Level 2 Rampage decoration slot. The Kamura Warrior+ weapons offer the same with better damage.
These weapons will easily carry you to at least Master Rank 3 Star quests when the next contender enters the ring.
Best Midgame Sunbreak Progression Weapon: Nargacuga Weapons
By the time you reach MR3 quests, you’ll have access to Narcaguca hunts and thus its craftable weapons. Like the Kamura Warrior gear, Nargacuga weapons have no element and aren’t specialized to fight any particular monster. Their damage is also slightly less for a weapon of their rarity.
What makes Nargacuga weaponry so good for leveling and even endgame is the 40% Affinity bonus they provide. Higher Affinity means more damage when you hit a weak spot, and with a few Critical Eye Decorations, your damage will likely outstrip weapons with lower Affinity but higher damage.
Nargacuga weapons also have better natural Sharpness, meaning you’ll be dealing more damage more often, provided you keep the Sharpness topped off.
Best Late Game Sunbreak Progression Weapon: Whatever is Specific to the Monster You’re Fighting — or Upgraded Nargacuga
The upgraded Nargacuga weapons are still some of the best in the game before you hit the true endgame. Still, you want to be matching your target’s elemental weakness whenever possible. Late game weaponry will take multiple hunts to craft, and you’ll be able to check your target’s weakness after the first hunt.
We don’t yet know the meta for Sunbreak, but the following elemental weapons are probably the best you’re going to have until the true endgame:
Ice: Lunagaron weapons. Fire: Espinos weapons. Thunder: Astalos weapons. Water: Mizutsune weapons. Dragon: Gore Magala weapons.
All the monsters on the above list are high enough that you’ll either want friends or take the time to study their weaknesses and build accordingly.
Once you’ve completed the main campaign of Sunbreak, the endgame begins, and you’ll be collecting Elder Dragon materials and making some of the most powerful gear in the game. You’ll need it, but with these weapons, you can boost master rank more quickly. We’ll be covering all sorts of content for Sunbreak for some time after launch, so check our Monster Hunter Rise guides hub for all of it.
