Monster Hunter Outlanders Combat Guide: Controls, Evades and Co-Op

How do the controls work?

Outlanders was built for phones. Each weapon’s classic moves are assigned to fixed skill buttons, and follow-up attacks trigger with a single tap, so you keep the feel of Monster Hunter without long button combos. The developers also added clearer battle prompts: monster attacks, special mechanics and precision moves now come with distinct visual cues.

Every Adventurer belongs to one of three classes — Assault, Disruptor or Support — and has an Adventurer Ultimate. Your Buddy adds a Buddy Ultimate, and the whole squad shares the Co-Op Skill.

How does a weapon combo look in practice?

The official adventure guide walks through the Long Sword on the Fated Adventurer (Assault class):

1. Build the Spirit Gauge with Chain Slash from Basic Attacks.
2. Skill 1, Spirit Blade Chain Slash, raises the gauge’s level.
3. Tap or hold Skill 2 for Foresight Slash or Iai Spirit Slash to counter a monster attack.
4. At a high gauge level, Skill 3 unleashes Spirit Thrust for massive damage.

Chain Slash

Basic Attacks

Spirit Blade Chain Slash

Skill 1

Foresight Slash

Skill 2

Spirit Thrust

Skill 3

Other weapons follow the same pattern with their own gauges — see the weapons guide.

What is a Perfect Evade?

Every Adventurer can Perfect Evade by dodging at the exact moment a monster’s attack is about to connect, which triggers special follow-up moves. If you do get knocked off balance, tap Evade to recover quickly and get back on your feet.

How does the Co-Op Skill work?

The squad shares a pool of energy. When one Adventurer activates the Co-Op Skill, everyone else has to time their strikes to hit the same monster part within a short window. Pull it off and it triggers powerful effects such as massive damage. In four-player hunts, call your target part before you start it.

How do you target monster parts?

Part lock-on uses a radial menu: swipe on it to focus your attacks on a weak point. The developers made it more accurate and easier to control after testing.

How does gear work?

As in every Monster Hunter, you hunt and gather for materials, then forge and upgrade equipment. Familiar series gear is here, and the Radiant species give entirely new sets.

• Sharpness never depletes. Melee weapons still have a Sharpness level that decides how easily attacks bounce, but it doesn’t drop as you fight, so there are no whetstones. Weigh Sharpness alongside attack and element when you forge.
• Decorations slot into equipment to build skills. You get them from map expeditions and activities.
• Appearance can be changed without affecting stats, so you can hunt in the look you like.

Sharpness

Decorations

Forging

These details come from the official closed beta guide and Tokyo Game Show presentation; anything that changes at launch will be updated here. Next, read exploration and crafting.

Images: official Monster Hunter Outlanders artwork and screenshots. © CAPCOM / © Proxima Beta Pte. Ltd.