Monster Hunter Outlanders Crafting Guide: Best Armor and Materials
In Monster Hunter Outlanders, your gear decides whether a hunt ends in a victory or a long walk back to camp. Crafting and upgrading weapons and armor is how you keep up with stronger monsters, but materials and Zenny run out fast if you spend them on everything. This guide explains how crafting works, which materials matter most, where to farm them and which armor sets to build first for each weapon.
Key facts
- Crafting unlocks: after the Chapter 1 quest “Ready for Another Adventure!”
- Upgrading unlocks: after the Chapter 2 quest “Departure Preparations”
- Where: the Workshop in Kulune, or from menus once you have Quick Forge
- Key material: Hunter’s Jade (tiers I, II and III), needed for every craft and upgrade
- Golden rule: upgrade your main weapon first, then armor
How crafting works
Crafting opens up as you follow the story. Finish the Chapter 1 quest “Ready for Another Adventure!” to unlock the Workshop, and the Chapter 2 quest “Departure Preparations” to unlock upgrades. After that you can craft and upgrade in three places:
- The Workshop in Kulune: talk to the staff to see every recipe.
- The Adventurer upgrade screen: the most convenient option, because it links to your other upgrades.
- The Equipment screen in your Item Pouch: the third icon from the top.
Later you can unlock an invention called Quick Forge, which lets you craft straight from the menu without going back to the Workshop. New equipment appears the first time you defeat a monster, so always check the Workshop after a new hunt.
Materials you need
Every piece of equipment uses a mix of four ingredients:
| Material | What it is used for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter’s Jade | All crafts and upgrades; higher rarities need higher tiers | Hunter’s Jade I, II and III |
| Monster materials | Weapon and armor recipes tied to a specific monster | Anjanath Pelt and Fang, Barroth Ridge and Scalp, Great Girros Hide and Fang |
| Gathered materials | Early weapons and basic upgrades | Iron Ore, Monster Bone S |
| Zenny | The cost of crafting | Earned from quests and hunts |
Hunter’s Jade is the real bottleneck. When you unlock several upgrades at once, it disappears quickly, so collect it whenever you can. Higher rarity steps also need upgraded monster parts. For example, the Blazing Hatchets dual blades start with Anjanath Pelt I and Anjanath Fang I, but their Rarity 7 version asks for Hunter’s Jade III x2, Anjanath Pelt II x3 and Anjanath Fang II x3.
Where to farm materials
- Free Hunts: the best steady source of Hunter’s Jade, and they also raise your Adventurer Rank.
- Trial Expeditions: another reliable source of Hunter’s Jade.
- Research Points: exchange them for Hunter’s Jade when you run short.
- Co-op Hunts: the fastest way to farm the monster parts on your weapon’s upgrade path. Learn how in our co-op guide.
- Exploration: pick up Iron Ore and bones while you move around the map, since early Great Sword, Lance, Long Sword and Heavy Bowgun upgrades depend on them.
Upgrade caps by Adventurer Rank
You cannot upgrade gear beyond a certain rarity until your Adventurer Rank is high enough. Raise it with main story quests, Hunt Requests and Free Hunts.
| Adventurer Rank | Max rarity |
|---|---|
| 16 | 3 |
| 18 | 4 |
| 21 | 5 |
| 26 | 6 |
| 31 | 7 |
| 34 | 8 |
| 41 | 9 |
| 44 | 10 |
| 47 | 11 |
Best early armor for each weapon
Armor gives defense and, at certain rarities, unlocks new skills or stronger versions of existing ones. The best set is the one whose skills fit your weapon, not simply the one with the highest defense. These early combinations work well:
| Weapon | First weapon to craft | Armor to build | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Sword | Guild Crimson Crest Great Sword (Fire) I | Mostly Anjanath (Anja) pieces | Anjanath Ember set, Flash Draw, Fire Damage Up |
| Long Sword | Bone Shotel I | Kulu-Ya-Ku and Great Jagras pieces | Kulu-Ya-Ku Flash Attack set, Flash Draw, Weakspot Exploit |
| Dual Blades | Blazing Hatchets I | Mostly Anja pieces | Anjanath Ember set, Demonic Strength, Fire Damage Up |
| Lance | Iron Lance I | Barroth and Chainmail pieces | Barroth Mudguard set, Battle Spirit Lv3 |
| Hammer | Carapace Sledge I | Kulu and Chainmail pieces | Kulu-Ya-Ku Flash Attack set, Coldsteel Craft set |
| Charge Blade | Girros Strongarm I | Barroth, Anja and Girros pieces | Barroth Mudguard set, Morph Boost |
| Heavy Bowgun | Bone Shooter I | Anja, Kulu and Girros pieces | Anjanath Ember set, Weakspot Follow-Up Lv2 |
| Bow | Blazing Bow I | Pukei-Pukei and Anja pieces | Pukei-Pukei Tailwhip set, Charged Power Shot |
Two upgrades are worth doing early. The Lance and Hammer gain Paralysis when upgraded (Iron Lance at Rarity 2, Carapace Sledge at Rarity 3), and upgrading the Barroth Helm, Mail and Greaves to II adds Immovable Stance, Pierce and Guard Technique, which is perfect for Lance players. Gunners should look for Capacity Boost and Charged Power Shot, while Long Sword and Great Sword users benefit most from Flash Draw.
What to upgrade first
Do
- Upgrade your main weapon before anything else
- Upgrade armor when monsters take you down in one or two hits
- Focus on one weapon type instead of spreading materials
- Check the Workshop after every new monster
Avoid
- Crafting every new item just because you can
- Dismantling gear without thinking (it cannot be undone)
- Dismantling Crimson Crest gear, which returns no materials
- Spending Hunter’s Jade III on side weapons
Weapon damage comes first because timed quests fail when you cannot finish a monster fast enough. Once your damage is solid, move your materials into armor. To choose your long term weapon, see our best weapons tier list.
Frequently asked questions
When can I start crafting in Monster Hunter Outlanders?
After the Chapter 1 quest “Ready for Another Adventure!”. Upgrades unlock later, after the Chapter 2 quest “Departure Preparations”.
How do I get more Hunter’s Jade?
Play Free Hunts, Trial Expeditions and Co-op Hunts, and exchange Research Points for it.
Why can’t I upgrade my weapon anymore?
You probably hit the rarity cap for your Adventurer Rank. Raise your rank with story quests, Hunt Requests and Free Hunts to unlock the next level.
Should I dismantle old gear?
Only if you are sure. Dismantling returns some materials but cannot be undone, and Crimson Crest equipment returns nothing.
Do I need to spend money to get good gear?
No. Weapons and armor come from hunting and gathering, so free players can build strong gear with time. Our redeem codes page also has free Zenny and items.
Final thoughts
Crafting in Monster Hunter Outlanders is all about focus. Pick one weapon, feed it Hunter’s Jade and monster parts, build armor with skills that match it and keep raising your Adventurer Rank to break the upgrade caps. Do that and every new monster becomes a chance to get stronger instead of a wall.
