Hunter Styles, Arts & Prowler Mechanics Guide for MHGen Players

In the dynamic world of Monster Hunter Generations, mastering your Hunter Styles, Arts, and even the often-underestimated Prowler Mechanics isn't just about dealing damage – it's about defining your entire approach to the hunt. This installment took the beloved Monster Hunter formula and injected a jolt of exhilarating customization, allowing players to tailor their combat style like never before. Forget rigid classes; here, your weapon's potential expands with every choice you make, turning familiar monsters into fresh challenges and opening up entirely new strategies for veteran and rookie hunters alike.

At a Glance: Your Quick Guide to MHGen's Core Combat Systems

Hunter Styles radically alter your weapon's moveset, evade options, and how many Hunter Arts you can equip. Choose from Guild (balanced), Striker (HA focused), Adept (evade/counter), or Aerial (mounting/airborne attacks).
Hunter Arts (HAs) are powerful, charge-based special moves unique to each weapon and style. They range from devastating attacks to crucial buffs and defensive maneuvers.
Prowlers offer a unique playstyle where you control a Felyne, complete with its own Support Moves (akin to HAs) and passive Palico Skills, providing an entirely different hunting experience.
Synergy is Key: Your chosen Hunter Style, Arts, and even your Prowler's setup should complement each other and the monster you're hunting.
Experimentation Pays Off: Don't be afraid to try different combinations. What works for one monster or weapon might not for another.

The Hunter's Foundation: Understanding Hunter Styles

Hunter Styles are the backbone of your combat identity in Monster Hunter Generations. They aren't just minor tweaks; they fundamentally reshape how you engage monsters, offering distinct advantages and demanding different play philosophies. Each style alters your base moveset, how many Hunter Arts you can equip, and often introduces unique evasion mechanics.

Guild Style: The Classic, Balanced Blade

Think of Guild Style as your reliable old friend. It's the most traditional style, mirroring the core mechanics from previous Monster Hunter titles. This familiarity makes it an excellent starting point for newcomers and a comfortable fallback for veterans.
With Guild, you'll generally have access to your weapon's full, standard moveset, providing a balanced blend of offense and utility. It allows you to equip two Hunter Arts, giving you a moderate amount of flexibility for special moves. Its evasion window (i-frames) is standard, requiring precise timing for rolls. For Bow users, Guild Style offers both the Arc Shot (holding a charged shot and pressing 'A') and the Power Shot (pressing 'A' after firing a charged shot), along with a double backhop by tapping 'B' twice. If you appreciate versatility and want a solid foundation without extreme specialization, Guild Style is a strong choice.

Striker Style: The Art-Spamming Specialist

For hunters who love to unleash powerful special attacks, Striker Style is your go-to. This style is built around optimizing Hunter Art usage. In Striker, you gain the ability to equip three Hunter Arts, and importantly, these Arts charge a little faster than in other styles.
The trade-off? Striker Style often simplifies your weapon's base moveset, removing some less-used attacks or combos to streamline your approach. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; it encourages a more aggressive, Art-centric playstyle where you're constantly building gauge to deploy your next powerful move. Like Guild, Striker maintains normal evasion i-frames. Bow users in Striker Style retain the Arc Shot but might find other aspects of their base moveset altered. If you enjoy a constant barrage of special moves and strategizing around HA uptime, Striker will feel incredibly rewarding.

Adept Style: The Master of Evasion and Counter-Attacks

Adept Style transforms defensive maneuvers into offensive opportunities. Its core mechanic revolves around the "Adept Evade" or "Perfect Evade." By rolling into a monster's attack at the last possible moment, you trigger a special, extended evade animation. This dodge often leads into a powerful counter-attack or quick follow-up, turning near-misses into high-damage openings.
This powerful defensive tool comes with a significant limitation: Adept Style allows you to equip only one Hunter Art. This forces you to make a critical decision about which single HA best complements your weapon and the monster's attack patterns. For Bow users, the Power Shot can be executed by pressing 'A' while holding or immediately after firing a charged shot. Adept Bow players specifically benefit from the Adept Evade, which can quickly reset their position and lead into powerful attacks. If you thrive on precision dodging and converting defensive plays into aggressive ones, Adept Style offers a high-skill, high-reward experience.

Aerial Style: Taking the Fight to the Skies

Aerial Style literally elevates your game, allowing you to use monsters and even fellow hunters as launchpads for airborne attacks. Its signature mechanic is the "Aerial Evade," which triggers a vault off an enemy (or ally) when you dash into them. This vault sends you soaring into the air, where you can perform unique aerial attacks and easily mount monsters. Mounting is crucial for creating openings and dealing sustained damage.
Similar to Adept, Aerial Style restricts you to one Hunter Art. While your ground evades (pressing 'B') have normal i-frames, the Aerial Evade is your primary defensive and offensive tool for repositioning and initiating attacks. For Bow users, Aerial Style unfortunately lacks both the Arc Shot and Power Shot, and its aerial attacks are generally limited to Charge Level 2, making it a functionally weaker option for Bow specifically. While it excels at mounting, Aerial Bow is often considered less effective than other styles for raw damage output. However, for most other weapons, Aerial Style offers a dynamic, vertical combat experience that can completely change how you approach certain monsters, especially those prone to mounts. To dive deeper into the unique aspects of the game, you might want to Explore Monster Hunter Generations and discover its many nuances.

Choosing Your Style: A Matter of Preference and Synergy

There's no single "best" Hunter Style. Your ideal choice depends on your weapon, the monster you're hunting, and your personal playstyle. Do you prefer a steady, adaptable approach (Guild)? Do you want to unleash constant super moves (Striker)? Are you a master of dodging and counter-attacking (Adept)? Or do you crave a more acrobatic, mounting-focused hunt (Aerial)? Experimentation across weapons and monsters is key to finding your perfect fit.

Unleashing Potential: Hunter Arts Explained

Beyond Styles, Hunter Arts (HAs) are the true game-changers in Monster Hunter Generations. These are powerful, weapon-specific special moves that charge up during a hunt. Once charged, they can be unleashed to provide immense damage, critical buffs, or crucial defensive maneuvers. Think of them as your ultimate abilities, strategically deployed to turn the tide of battle.

The HA Gauge: Building and Deploying Your Power

Each Hunter Art has its own "HA Gauge," which fills as you land attacks, take damage, and perform specific actions. The length of this gauge varies per Art, with more powerful or impactful Arts requiring more points to charge. Guild and Adept styles typically charge HAs at a standard rate, while Striker Style offers a slight boost to charge speed, encouraging more frequent Art usage. Managing your HA gauge, knowing when to hold an Art for a critical moment, and when to unleash it for quick burst damage or a timely buff, is a core aspect of MHGen's combat.

Categorizing Hunter Arts: Offense, Defense, and Utility

While each weapon has unique HAs, they generally fall into three broad categories:

Offensive Arts: Designed to deal significant damage, often with unique attack patterns or elemental properties.
Defensive Arts: Provide invulnerability, quick repositioning, or damage mitigation, helping you survive powerful monster attacks.
Buff/Utility Arts: Enhance your hunter's abilities (e.g., speed, attack power, charge times) or offer practical benefits (e.g., combination success rates).

Deep Dive: Bow Hunter Arts

The Bow, a ranged weapon known for its precision and elemental versatility, has a selection of Hunter Arts that complement its playstyle in unique ways. The effectiveness and unlock conditions for these Arts are critical for any aspiring Bow user.

Triple Volley: Unleashing a Barrage

Triple Volley is a straightforward offensive Hunter Art that fires a rapid succession of arrows. It's best used on downed or stunned monsters due to its somewhat long animation.

Triple Volley Lv1: Fires 3 volleys (3x7, 3x7, 5x15 MVs, sum 127). HA Gauge: 580 points. Available by default.
Triple Volley Lv2: Fires 3 volleys (3x10, 3x10, 5x20 MVs, sum 160). HA Gauge: 670 points. Unlock: Complete V4 "The Village Enchanter" OR HR3 "A Shocking Scandal."
Triple Volley Lv3: Fires 3 volleys (3x14, 3x14, 5x23 MVs, sum 199). HA Gauge: 750 points. Unlock: Complete HR7 "The Birds of Prey" (requires HR8+ and 2 HR6 Hyper Monster quests).
Pro Tip: This Art is affected by Critical Distance but generally not by coatings. Maximize its damage by aiming for weak points while within critical range.

Blade Wire: A Cutting Edge

Blade Wire coats your arrows with a cutting effect, allowing Bow users to potentially sever tails. However, it overrides your equipped coating and generally provides less cutting power than a dedicated Blademaster weapon.

Blade Wire Lv1: Coats arrows with cutting damage (C1: 3x4, C2: 3x5, C3: 3x6, C4: 3x7 MVs). Duration: 30s. HA Gauge: 420 points. Unlock: Complete V2 "The Vaulting Outlaw" OR HR2 "The New Tenant."
Blade Wire Lv2: Same MVs as Lv1. Duration: 60s. HA Gauge: 500 points. Unlock: Complete V6 "Surrounded by Blue and Green" OR HR5 "A Plesioth in the Misty Peaks."
Blade Wire Lv3: Same MVs as Lv1. Duration: 90s. HA Gauge: 670 points. Unlock: Complete V6 "Wild Gunman."
Pro Tip: While it can cut tails, it's generally advised to let Blademasters handle tail cuts. Blade Wire's damage output is low, and it can inadvertently trip teammates.

Haste Rain: Speed and Precision

Haste Rain is often considered a core Bow Hunter Art, significantly reducing your charge time and increasing your movement speed. This buff directly translates to higher sustained damage and better mobility.

Haste Rain Lv1: Reduces charge time, increases movement speed. Duration: 30s. HA Gauge: 830 points. Unlock: Complete V3 "Tusked Tantrum" OR HR3 "A Shocking Scandal."
Haste Rain Lv2: Reduces charge time, increases movement speed. Duration: 60s. HA Gauge: 1000 points. Unlock: Complete Arena Challenge: Kecha Wacha.
Haste Rain Lv3: Reduces charge time, increases movement speed. Duration: 90s. HA Gauge: 1080 points. Unlock: Complete (a) HR5 "Insomnia? Meet Hypnotism" x 2 and (b) be HR8+.
Pro Tip: This is the go-to HA for most Bow styles, especially Adept, to maximize damage uptime and mobility. Keep it active as much as possible.

Absolute Evade: A Universal Escape

Absolute Evade offers a moment of invulnerability, acting as a "panic button" or a reliable way to reposition. It sheathes your weapon after the evade, making it useful for creating distance or quickly using an item.

Absolute Evade: Performs an evade with extended invulnerability, sheathing your weapon. HA Gauge: 250 points.
Pro Tip: For non-Adept styles, this HA provides a vital defensive option akin to an Adept Evade. Its low HA gauge cost makes it highly spammable.

Retaliative Evade: The Agile Reload

Similar to Absolute Evade, Retaliative Evade offers extended invulnerability. The key difference is that it keeps your weapon unsheathed and reloads your selected coating after the evade, allowing for immediate follow-up.

Retaliative Evade: Performs an evade with extended invulnerability, weapon unsheathed, loads selected coating. HA Gauge: 420 points.
Pro Tip: More worthwhile for Striker Bow than Guild, as Striker benefits from keeping the pressure on and quickly cycling through actions.

Mass Combiner: Crafting on the Fly

Mass Combiner is a utility Art that boosts your combination success rate to 100% for a short period and ensures you receive the maximum possible amount for all item combinations.

Mass Combiner: Increases combination success rate and max yield for a short time. HA Gauge: 830 points.
Pro Tip: Most useful in the early game when combo books might be scarce or for niche situations where you absolutely cannot fail a combination. Generally not a prime choice for combat efficiency.

Fever Frenzy: Affinity Boost

Fever Frenzy inflicts you with the Frenzy status. Upon clearing the status, you gain a temporary 15% affinity boost, increasing your critical hit chance.

Fever Frenzy: Inflicts Frenzy status, grants 15% affinity upon clearing. HA Gauge: 830 points.
Pro Tip: While a 15% affinity boost is tempting, the uptime can be small, and intentionally taking on the Frenzy status carries inherent risks. Consider this for specific builds or against monsters that already inflict Frenzy.

Unlocking Your Arsenal: Hunter Art Requirements

Many Hunter Arts are not available from the start. You'll need to complete specific quests, often tied to certain Hunter Ranks (HR) or Village Quests (V), to unlock them. Prioritizing these quests can significantly enhance your hunting capabilities.

Embracing Felyne Finesse: The Prowler's Path

Monster Hunter Generations introduced a truly unique way to hunt: playing as a Prowler! These aren't just your trusty Palico companions; they're fully playable Felynes with their own distinct mechanics, combat style, and charm. For those seeking a break from the traditional Hunter experience, or simply looking for a fun, different way to tackle monsters, Prowler Mode offers an unexpected depth.

More Than Just a Palico: How Prowlers Differ

When you choose to play as a Prowler, you step into the paws of a Felyne, and the game changes significantly:

No Stamina Bar: Prowlers don't have a stamina gauge, meaning you can dash, block, and perform certain actions indefinitely without tiring.
Unlimited Items: Forget potion rationing! Prowlers have unlimited healing acorns, boomerangs, and certain support tools. This streamlines resource management considerably.
Unique Evasion: Prowlers have a distinct dodge roll that often includes i-frames and can be chained into attacks.
Lives System: Instead of fainting and returning to camp like a Hunter, a Prowler has a "lives" system. Fainting consumes one of your three lives (you start with two, but can earn a third with certain buffs). Losing all lives ends the hunt.

Support Moves: The Prowler's "Arts"

Prowlers don't use Hunter Arts in the same way Hunters do. Instead, they have "Support Moves" which function similarly. These are special abilities that consume a "Support Gauge" rather than an HA Gauge.

The Support Gauge: This gauge charges as you land attacks, take damage, and perform specific Prowler actions. It's displayed on your HUD and divided into segments, with each Support Move costing a certain number of segments.
Key Examples of Support Moves:
Felyne Heal: Heals a significant portion of your HP. Essential for self-sufficiency.
Shock Trap/Pitfall Trap: Lays down a trap to immobilize monsters. Incredibly useful for creating openings.
Boomerang Barrage: Unleashes a rapid-fire volley of boomerangs, excellent for ranged damage.
Purr-fect Dodge: A rapid, long-distance evasion with i-frames, perfect for escaping danger.
Claw Dance: A powerful melee combo.
Pro Bumerang: Empowers your regular boomerang attacks for a period.
Customization: You can equip a variety of Support Moves to tailor your Prowler to specific roles, much like choosing Hunter Arts. Certain Prowler "Fortes" come with default moves and others can be learned.

Palico Skills: Passive Power-ups

Complementing Support Moves are Palico Skills. These are passive abilities that enhance your Prowler's stats or provide constant benefits.

Examples: Attack Up, Defense Up, Critical Up, Negate Paralysis, Earplugs.
Synergy: Choosing skills that synergize with your Prowler's Forte and Support Moves is crucial for maximizing effectiveness. A Fighter Prowler might stack Attack Up skills, while a Healer Prowler might prioritize skills that reduce Support Move costs.

Prowler Forte Types: Finding Your Felyne Fit

Prowlers come in different "Forte" types, each with a predisposition towards certain Support Moves and a unique personality. Choosing the right Forte is the first step to building an effective Prowler.

Fighter: Focuses on aggressive melee attacks and high damage output.
Healer: Prioritizes healing and support for the team. Comes with default healing moves.
Trapper: Excels at setting traps and inflicting status effects.
Gatherer: Designed for efficient gathering, often with moves that grant extra items.
Charisma: Boosts team performance and often comes with moves that improve gauge generation.
Assist: A versatile support type, often with moves that help with monster control or recovery.
Protection: Focuses on drawing monster attention and tanking hits.
Bomb: Specializes in explosive attacks.
Beast: Transforms into a powerful beast mode, boosting stats and enabling unique attacks.
Pro Tip: For solo play, a well-built Fighter, Assist, or Boomerang-focused Prowler can clear quests surprisingly fast. For multiplayer, Healer, Trapper, or Charisma Prowlers can provide invaluable support.

Recruiting & Training: Building Your Purr-fect Companion

You recruit Prowlers (and Palicoes) from the Palico Ranch. Each comes with a random Forte, initial Support Moves, and Palico Skills. You can train them, level them up, and even teach them new Support Moves and Skills from other Felynes, allowing for deep customization. Investing time in developing a strong Prowler can open up completely new hunting strategies and make certain challenges far more manageable.

Synergy in the Hunt: Styles, Arts & Prowlers Together

The beauty of Monster Hunter Generations lies in how these diverse systems interlock. Your Hunter Style defines your rhythm, your Hunter Arts are your power plays, and your Prowler (whether you're playing as one or bringing one along) acts as an independent force on the field.
Consider how an Adept Hunter might pair with a Healer Prowler to cover their limited HA slots with consistent healing. Or how a Striker Hunter, constantly spamming offensive Arts, could benefit from a Trapper Prowler creating openings. When you play as a Prowler, your choice of Forte and Support Moves directly dictates your role, whether you're dealing damage, providing buffs, or locking down the monster.
In multiplayer, these choices become even more critical. A well-rounded team might feature diverse Styles, ensuring all bases (damage, support, mounting, evasion) are covered. Coordinating Hunter Art usage or Prowler Support Moves can lead to devastating combos, such as timing a monster's paralysis from a Prowler with a powerful Hunter Art from a Guild Style hunter.

Refining Your Approach: Tips for Mastery

The depth of Hunter Styles, Arts, and Prowler Mechanics can seem daunting at first, but approaching it with an open mind and a willingness to experiment will quickly turn you into a versatile and formidable hunter.

Embrace Experimentation: Don't stick to one style or Art because it feels "safe." Try every style with your favorite weapons. Explore different Hunter Arts and see how they change your approach to different monsters. You might surprise yourself with a new favorite.
Practice Special Evades: Adept and Aerial styles have unique evasion mechanics that require precise timing. Dedicate some time to learning these in low-threat environments to build muscle memory. Mastering them unlocks their true potential.
Tailor Your Setup to the Monster: Before a challenging hunt, think about the monster's weaknesses and attack patterns. Is it fast and aggressive? Adept might be good. Is it prone to mounts? Aerial could shine. Does it have many openings for a big Art? Striker is your friend.
Don't Overlook Prowlers: Prowler Mode isn't just a gimmick. A highly-trained Prowler can solo many quests and offer unique advantages, especially for resource-heavy gathering or specific status applications. They can also be invaluable companions when you're playing as a Hunter, providing crucial support or distraction.
Watch and Learn: Observe how other players utilize their Styles and Arts. There's a vibrant community, and many strategies are shared. Adapt what you see to your own playstyle.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

Monster Hunter Generations offers an unparalleled level of customization and strategic depth through its Hunter Styles, Arts, and Prowler system. By understanding the nuances of each, you're not just playing Monster Hunter; you're crafting a truly personalized hunting experience. So, grab your weapon, choose your style, equip your arts, and perhaps even send your trusty Felyne into the fray—the vast and exciting world of MHGen awaits your unique touch!