The giant beasts in Monster Hunter World are out to kill you, and you’ll have to learn how to block if you want to keep alive. Knowing when to keep your guard up to prevent damage is one of the most vital aspects of fighting in Monster Hunter World. If you want to take down the fiercest foes in the game, you’ll need to learn how to mix a good defense and a good offense, or you’re toast.
How to Block in Monster Hunter World
Combat in Monster Hunter World has a measured and steady pace. For the most part, each action you execute takes at least a small amount of time to complete. This means you can’t just button mash then jab on the guard button when a monster attacks. Instead, you have to learn when it’s best to attack and how to block at the right time.
To block in Monster Hunter World, you just have to press R2 on PS4 or RT on Xbox One. However, the mechanics of blocking are significantly more complicated than just pressing the guard button. Most of the weapons you can equip your hunter with don’t allow for blocking and attacking at the same time (the exceptions being the sword and shield and lance). Very soon after starting the game you’ll learn that attacking can be a slow affair, and you’ll have to wait until your character goes through the animation and recovers before you can block.
Each weapon type favors a different strategy in Monster Hunter World, and how often you need to block depends on which one you have equipped. The slower your attack is, the more you’ll have to block and wait for an opening. However, this is offset by the fact that usually the longer it takes to pull off an attack the more damage you’ll do.
The best advice to a hunter starting Monster Hunter World is that it rarely hurts to block too much, but it can definitely cost you if you block too little.
For more guides, check out our Monster Hunter World Game Hub or one of the articles below.
