User blog:BannedLagiacrus/Discussion of the Week: Monster Hunter XX

Hello and welcome to back the Discussion of the Week! That's right, the DotWs are back for awhile!

This week we look at the newest addition to the Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter XX/Monster Hunter Double Cross!

Announcement
Now I remember when everyone was starving for a few months after playing Monster Hunter Generations and waiting for just the tiniest bit of news for the next entry to the series. Then, suddenly, it was announced that there would be Nintendo Direct for Monster Hunter! We were all so hyped the moment, we saw this!

Trailers
Those trailers! Each of them, excluding the last one, were pretty badass! I personally like the first trailer the most due its music and reveal of this game's flagship monsters.

Unrivaled Two
Monster Hunter Generations brought in four flagship monsters instead of the traditional one (But to be fair, Glavenus is the Main Main/Flagship Flagship Monster of the game lol): Astalos, Gammoth, Mizutsune, and Glavenus. All four of these monsters have become some of the most popular monsters in the series, even defeating original raining champs of popularity, Zinogre and Nargacuga, but now two more flagship monsters come to this expansion of Monster Hunter Generations. The first is the Leader of all Deviants, Massacre Demon Diablos! The other is known as the Barufaruku, the Sky Comet Dragon!

Deviant Fated Four
In Monster Hunter Generations, Deviants were introduced in the series, but the only of the Fated Four that got one in the game was Glavenus... However, this changes in Monster Hunter XX! Now Astalos, Gammoth, and Mizutsune have Deviants to fight in-game. The Fated Four maybe gone in Monster Hunter XX, but the Deviant Fated Four (Japanese 二つ名持ち四天王) are here to stay!

New Deviants
See! Glavenus got a new Deviant in Monster Hunter XX lmao! But on more a serious note, Malfestio and Shogun Ceanataur got a Deviant in Monster Hunter XX!

Returning Monsters
Eight monsters are confirmed to be returning in Monster Hunter XX: Barroth, Barioth, Diablos, Congalala, Nerscylla, Gravios, Basarios, and Lao-Shan Lung. That's right! After eight years of not returning, Lao-Shan Lung has finally returned! I wonder what other monsters return in this game?



Equal Dragon Weapon?
One dark part of the Ancient Civilization's history is a forbidden act they were able to do that went against nature. By using both technology and biology, this society was able create their own life forms by using equipment and materials to build them from scratch. However, this experiment was very evil due to one reason: In order to make a new life form, another creature would have to lose its life.

The first new life form they ever made was the Equal Dragon Weapon (Japanese イコール・ドラゴン・ウェポン), or Wyvern Machine Solider (Japanese 竜機兵), a bio weapon. This life form required about thirty horses worth of dragons, meaning hundreds of dragons were needed to make only one Equal Dragon Weapon. Also, the more blood this titan shed, the longer it would live. Not much else is known about this bio weapon, however, the Hunter's Guild has discovered one dead in a lost warehouse. As of now, they've been studying it.



http://i.imgur.com/jbJF6ok.jpg

Two New Styles
Monster Hunter XX introduces two new Hunting Styles, Brave Style and Alchemy Style!

Brave Style Videos

 * Brave Style only has one Hunter Art.
 * Brave Style gives the hunter a gauge, similar to the Long Sword and Dual Blades, that can be filled by attacking the monster or evading attacks.
 * By holding a certain button, hunters go into the Brave Stance. While in this stance, hunters can either evade the attack or prepare to counter the attack though lose either stamina or health as they wait for the strike. However, they counter that is how much the gauge is filled.
 * If you counter with an attack, it fills the gauge up more than actually evading.
 * When the gauge is filled, hunters go into a sort of Demon Mode. This allows them to perform various special attacks, along with new deadly combos.

Alchemy Style Video

 * The Alchemy Style is an unconventional hunting style that excels in support.
 * By wielding a special barrel called the Great Alchemy Barrel, you can create Alchemy Items. You can add an item up to five times to Alchemy.
 * You can use Great Alchemy Barrel by using your item bar. It’s not in your item pouch.
 * As the Alchemy gauge fills you’ll be able to use the Great Alchemy Barrel while in Alchemy Style. You can fill the gauge stock up to five.

Items You Can Only Make in Alchemy Style
 * Alchemy Ration: Stamina will rise to its greatest value. You will use this more often than other food items.
 * Alchemy Style Whetstone: Restores sharpness and makes it easy to fill hunting style gauge for a fixed period of time.
 * Alchemy Style Shot: Shot specially made for Bowguns. When you hit enemies your hunting style gauge greatly increases.
 * Alchemy Style Coating: Special coating made for Bows. As you hit enemies your hunting style gauge will increase.
 * Alchemy Immunizer: Stamina is gradually restored over a fixed period of time. You will use this more often than other food items.
 * Alchemy Sonic Bomb: Fires a high-frequency wave that small monsters and some large ones hate.
 * Alchemy Earplugs: Consumable that protects from a large monster roar once.
 * Alchemy Speed Medicine: Medicine that makes you throw Great Alchemy Barrels fast and increases speed in Alchemy Style.
 * Alchemy Slick: By mixing a particular item, that item's quantity will increase.
 * Alchemy Bazooka: Explosive item shot from the Great Alchemy Barrel.
 * Alchemy Cheer Ball: Makes nearby teammates’ hunting technique gauge increase a fixed amount.
 * Alchemy Healing Barrel: Removes nearby teammates’ debuffs and restores their stamina.

SP State

 * The SP State is a new state being added in MHXX.
 * It is a new buff that effects every hunter in an area, acting as a support for the team. The buff only affects Hunting Styles and its effects very depending on the style.
 * Guild Style: Use some items quicker.
 * Striker Style: Hunter Arts fill up slowly without attacking monsters.
 * Aerial Style: Less Stamina is lost while jumping and jumping off monsters.
 * Adept Style: The window for Perfect Evasions and Perfect Guards are increased.
 * Brave Style: The Brave Gauge increases at a faster rate.
 * Alchemy Style: Faster build up on gauge.
 * Prowler: Less is lost from gauge while performing special skills.
 * Palicoes: More likely chance a support skill will be used.
 * Hunters and allies can be put into this state by equipping an SP Hunter Art (Japanese ＳＰ狩技).
 * These SP Hunter Arts can be equipped on any Hunter Art, but only one can be chosen to be an SP for most Hunting Styles, excluding Alchemy Style. Alchemy Style can have up to three SP Hunter Arts altogether.
 * Hunters can equip an SP Hunter Art by going to the Hunter's Manor's equipment box.

Alchemy Style Can Use a Stronger version of the SP State.
 * When shaking the Alchemy Barrel to create an item, the SP State can be gradually strengthened from II, III, and IV. After an SP Hunter Art is used, the effects of the stronger SP State will be activated.
 * II: Stamina lowers at a slower rate.
 * III: Stamina lowers at a slower rate and health recovers faster.
 * IV: Stamina lowers at a slower rate, health recovers faster, and a hunter's attack power is increased.

Destroying Traps
Hunters can now destroy a trap they have set on the ground at anytime.



Hunting Horn Notes
Hunting Horn buffs are now shown at the bottom of the screen.



Armor Fusing


1. Choose the piece of armor that reflects the characteristics you want. 2. Choose the piece of armor that reflects the appearance you want.
 * Armor Fusing is a new system in Monster Hunter XX. It allows hunters to combine armor pieces together to reflect the appearance and characteristics of whatever piece the hunter wants.
 * Early in the game, hunters can only change the helmet/cap, but with further progression hunters can do the same with other armor pieces.
 * Armor Fusing is exclusive to G-rank Hunters. Hunters are able to do Armor Fusing by going to the Wycademy Ship Recon Assistant Cat.
 * The same can also combine the armor of Prowlers and Palicoes.
 * Horn Coins can also be used for them.

3. Use the necessary materials and money needed for the combination.

4. Your Armor Fusing is complete!


 * Keep in mind that not all equipment can be fused, including all weapons.
 * Now that both pieces of armor have been fused, they are only one piece of armor, which can be taken apart with the right money and materials. By taking the armor pieces apart, they will be two different pieces again with their original stats.

Interesting Trivia

 * The goal for MHXX was to further put the Cross in Cross!
 * Capcom didn't call MHXX, MHXG, because they felt MHX/MHGen was a game too special for that name in their opinion.
 * MHXX had a few other possible names before finally getting its name.
 * The box art for this game is meant to tell players that there are other more powerful monsters beyond the Fated Four. These monsters are meant surpass the Fated Four in almost every way.
 * Barufaruku’s name comes from the English word, Valor, (Meaning Heroism or Bold) and Falcon/Farukon (Japanese ファルコン).
 * In particular, the Peregrine Falcon is how it got “Falcon” in its name.
 * Barufaruku came from an abandoned concept that was left behind in a previous MH game.
 * It is unknown which game.
 * According to this interview, Massacre Demon Diablos is suppose to be the leader of the Deviants and strongest one in the game.
 * They brought back old monsters, such as Barroth and Barioth, so hunters can get a chance to fight them differently with the six styles.
 * While coming up with new styles, many ideas were declined or looked over. In the end, they ended up going with Brave Style and Alchemy Style.
 * They're hoping players enjoy these two new ones.

Questions



 * Which new monster/Deviant do you like the most?
 * What kind of new armor skills do you think will be in XX?
 * Which monsters do you hope returns in Monster Hunter XX?
 * Are you glad that Monster Hunter Generations got an expansion?
 * Do you want Monster Hunter XX or another MH game on the Nintendo Switch?
 * Do you think we will see any signs of the fifth generation of Monster Hunter in the near future?
 * Are you praying this game gets localized?
 * Do you plan on importing the game?
 * Which style interests you the most? Brave Style or Alchemy Style?
 * What do you want to see in the next MH game?
 * Do you plan on getting Monster Hunter XX in any form of media, such as a plush, shirt, figure, etc.?

Other then that, go crazy about Monster Hunter XX finally being released!