Monster Hunter World: Best Full Armor Sets Guide

Hey there, fellow hunters! Choosing the right armor sets in Monster Hunter World can feel like a daunting task, especially with the sheer number of options available. But don't worry, I'm here to break down some of the best full armor sets that can give you a serious edge in your hunts. Whether you're just starting out or are a seasoned veteran looking to optimize your build, this guide will help you find the perfect armor to suit your playstyle.

Understanding Armor Sets in Monster Hunter World

Before we dive into specific armor sets, let's cover some basics. In Monster Hunter World, armor sets are comprised of five pieces: head, chest, arms, waist, and legs. Each piece not only offers defense against monster attacks but also comes with various skills. These skills can significantly impact your hunter's abilities, such as increasing attack power, improving evasion, or enhancing your weapon's sharpness. When you equip multiple pieces from the same armor set, you often unlock set bonuses, which provide additional powerful skills. Understanding how these skills synergize with your weapon and playstyle is key to creating an effective build.

Skills and Set Bonuses: Skills are the bread and butter of armor sets. They can range from simple stat boosts to more complex effects that alter gameplay mechanics. Set bonuses, on the other hand, are special skills that activate when you wear a certain number of pieces from the same set. These bonuses are often incredibly powerful and can define your entire build. For example, the Rathalos set bonus, Critical Element, enhances the elemental damage of your critical hits, making it a must-have for elemental weapon builds. Similarly, the Zorah Magdaros set bonus, Bombardier, boosts the effectiveness of your explosive weaponry, perfect for gunners and blast weapon users. Always read the descriptions of the skills and set bonuses carefully to understand their effects and how they can benefit your hunting style.

Defense and Resistances: While skills are important, don't overlook the defensive stats of your armor. Each piece of armor provides a certain amount of defense, which reduces the damage you take from monster attacks. Additionally, armor offers resistances to various elemental blights, such as fire, water, thunder, ice, and dragon. These resistances can be crucial when facing monsters that heavily rely on elemental attacks. For instance, wearing armor with high fire resistance can make a significant difference when fighting Rathalos or Teostra. Pay attention to both the overall defense and elemental resistances of your armor when choosing a set for a particular hunt. Upgrading your armor at the Smithy will further increase its defense, making you more resilient against tougher monsters. Remember, a dead hunter deals no damage, so prioritizing defense is often a wise strategy, especially in the early and mid-game.

Mix and Match vs. Full Sets: While full armor sets offer the advantage of set bonuses, don't be afraid to mix and match pieces from different sets to create a customized build. Mixing and matching allows you to cherry-pick the best skills from various sets, tailoring your armor to your specific needs. For example, you might combine pieces from the Rathalos set for its attack skills with pieces from the Odogaron set for its sharpness skills. This approach requires a good understanding of the available skills and how they synergize, but it can result in incredibly powerful and versatile builds. However, keep in mind that mixing and matching means you'll miss out on the set bonuses, so weigh the pros and cons carefully. In some cases, the set bonus might be too good to pass up, making a full set the better choice. Experiment with different combinations and find what works best for you and your preferred weapon.

Top Full Armor Sets in Monster Hunter World

Alright, let's get into the good stuff. Here are some of the best full armor sets in Monster Hunter World, broken down by their strengths and ideal uses.

1. Odogaron Set: The Agile Warrior

For hunters who love to be quick on their feet, the Odogaron set is a fantastic choice. This set focuses on skills that boost your evasion and critical hit rate, making it perfect for weapons that rely on fast, precise attacks. The Odogaron set is especially effective for dual blades, sword and shield, and insect glaive users. The set bonus, Punishing Draw, adds extra damage and stun to your draw attacks, which can be incredibly useful for Greatsword users who like to hit and run, or Hammer users who want to get KOs.

Skills: The Odogaron set comes with several key skills, including Critical Eye (increases critical hit rate), Speed Sharpening (reduces the time it takes to sharpen your weapon), and Evade Window (extends the invulnerability window during dodges). These skills synergize well to keep you mobile, deal consistent damage, and maintain your weapon's sharpness. Critical Eye, in particular, is a valuable skill for any weapon that benefits from critical hits, as it significantly increases your damage output. Speed Sharpening ensures that you spend less time sharpening your weapon and more time attacking, which is crucial in fast-paced hunts. Evade Window allows you to dodge through enemy attacks with greater ease, improving your survivability and allowing you to stay aggressive.

Set Bonus: The Punishing Draw set bonus adds a stun effect to your draw attacks, making it easier to knock monsters over. This is particularly useful for weapons like the Greatsword and Hammer, which rely on charged attacks. The ability to stun monsters can create openings for your team to deal massive damage, making you a valuable asset in multiplayer hunts. Additionally, the added damage from Punishing Draw can significantly increase your overall DPS, especially if you consistently use draw attacks in your combos. Mastering the timing of your draw attacks to maximize the stun and damage potential of this set bonus can greatly enhance your effectiveness in combat.

Ideal Uses: The Odogaron set shines in hunts where mobility and evasion are key. It's perfect for taking on fast, aggressive monsters like Odogaron itself, as well as Kirin and Nargacuga. The high critical hit rate and evasion skills allow you to stay close to the monster, deal consistent damage, and avoid taking hits. This set is also a great choice for beginners who are still learning the game's mechanics, as it provides a forgiving margin of error when dodging attacks. Overall, the Odogaron set is a versatile and effective choice for hunters who prioritize agility and damage output.

2. Rathalos Set: The Offensive Powerhouse

If you're all about dealing maximum damage, the Rathalos set is the way to go. This set is focused on boosting your attack power and elemental damage, making it a favorite among damage dealers. The Rathalos set is particularly effective for weapons with high elemental damage, such as dual blades, bow, and insect glaive.

Skills: The Rathalos set boasts skills like Attack Boost (increases attack power) and Weakness Exploit (increases affinity when attacking weak points). These skills directly translate to higher damage output, allowing you to take down monsters faster. Attack Boost is a straightforward skill that provides a flat increase to your attack power, making it a must-have for any damage-focused build. Weakness Exploit, on the other hand, rewards you for targeting the monster's weak points, such as the head or chest. By consistently hitting these weak points, you can significantly increase your critical hit rate, leading to even more damage. Mastering the art of targeting weak points is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of the Rathalos set.

Set Bonus: The Critical Element set bonus enhances the elemental damage of your critical hits. This bonus is a game-changer for elemental weapon builds, as it can drastically increase your damage output. If you're using a weapon with high elemental damage, such as dual blades or bow, the Rathalos set bonus is a must-have. The increased elemental damage can make a significant difference in your hunt times, especially against monsters that are weak to specific elements. To fully utilize this set bonus, focus on building your critical hit rate as high as possible through skills and equipment. Combining Critical Element with skills like Critical Eye and Weakness Exploit can create a devastating combination that melts through monster health bars.

Ideal Uses: The Rathalos set is ideal for hunts where you need to deal a lot of damage quickly. It's perfect for taking on monsters with large health pools, such as Diablos and Bazelgeuse, as well as monsters that are weak to specific elements. The high attack power and elemental damage allow you to break parts easily and stagger monsters frequently, giving you and your team more opportunities to deal damage. This set is also a great choice for speedrunning hunts, as it allows you to optimize your damage output and minimize the time it takes to defeat the monster. Overall, the Rathalos set is a powerhouse that excels in dealing massive damage and taking down monsters efficiently.

3. Zorah Magdaros Set: The Explosive Specialist

For those who love explosive weaponry, the Zorah Magdaros set is a blast! This set enhances the effectiveness of your explosive attacks, making it perfect for gunners and blast weapon users. The Zorah Magdaros set is particularly effective for gunlance, charge blade, and sticky ammo builds.

Skills: The Zorah Magdaros set comes with skills like Blast Attack (increases blast damage) and Artillery (reduces reload time and increases attack power for shelling weapons). These skills synergize well to maximize the damage and frequency of your explosive attacks. Blast Attack is a straightforward skill that increases the damage of your blast procs, making it easier to trigger explosions and deal damage over time. Artillery, on the other hand, is specifically designed for shelling weapons like the gunlance and charge blade. It reduces the reload time of your shells and increases their attack power, allowing you to deal more consistent damage with your explosive attacks. Mastering the timing and positioning of your explosive attacks is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of the Zorah Magdaros set.

Set Bonus: The Bombardier set bonus further enhances the effectiveness of your explosive weaponry by increasing the damage of your bombs and explosive ammo. This bonus is a game-changer for gunners and blast weapon users, as it can drastically increase your damage output. If you're using a weapon that relies on explosive attacks, the Zorah Magdaros set bonus is a must-have. The increased explosive damage can make a significant difference in your hunt times, especially against monsters that are weak to blast. To fully utilize this set bonus, focus on building your blast attack and artillery skills as high as possible through skills and equipment. Combining Bombardier with skills like Blast Attack and Artillery can create a devastating combination that obliterates monsters with explosive force.

Ideal Uses: The Zorah Magdaros set is ideal for hunts where you want to deal a lot of explosive damage. It's perfect for taking on monsters with tough armor, such as Uragaan and Radobaan, as well as monsters that are weak to blast. The high explosive damage allows you to break parts easily and stagger monsters frequently, giving you and your team more opportunities to deal damage. This set is also a great choice for crowd control, as the explosions can knock down multiple monsters at once. Overall, the Zorah Magdaros set is a powerful choice for hunters who enjoy the thrill of explosive combat.

Conclusion

Choosing the right armor set in Monster Hunter World is crucial for success. Whether you prefer the agility of the Odogaron set, the offensive power of the Rathalos set, or the explosive capabilities of the Zorah Magdaros set, there's an armor set out there for every playstyle. Experiment with different sets, mix and match pieces, and find what works best for you. Happy hunting, and may your hunts be filled with rare drops and epic victories! Remember, the best armor set is the one that complements your skills and playstyle the most. Don't be afraid to try new things and adapt to different situations. With the right armor, you'll be well-equipped to take on any challenge that Monster Hunter World throws your way.