Taking on dangerous monsters while exploring your neighborhood is your primary goal in Monster Hunter Now. The more you explore, the more monsters and resources you can find to aid you on your journey, crafting helpful equipment to take on more dangerous foes. A proper technique you need to master when fighting the most brutal monsters is how to block.
Blocking is a fundamental tool any player in Monster Hunter Now can use. You’ll want to do this rather than attempting to dodge an attack, avoiding taking the full hit from a strike. Here’s what you need to know about how to block while playing Monster Hunter Now.
How Blocking Works in Monster Hunter Now
Blocking is a handy skill to master. However, in Monster Hunter Now, it’s utilized by a particular weapon set, and it’s the one every player unlocks at the beginning of the game: the Sword & Shield. The Sword & Shield combo can be instrumental, and it’s a diverse set that allows you to be offensively aggressive against creatures, but you can always fall back on the shield if you need to bring it up to protect yourself against an incoming attack.
You need to make sure your character has the Sword & Shield equipped before they begin a hunt against a creature in Monster Hunter Now. Tap and hold the screen down when you see an oncoming attack about to unleash against your character. This has your character bring up their shield to protect themselves from the attack. They will still take some damage from the attack, but they won’t take as much as they would if they had never blocked it in the first place. However, the best way to avoid any damage is for your character to dodge out of the way or perform a perfect dodge.
Again, the hold and tap ability for the Sword & Shield is the unique technique it can use in Monster Hunter Now. When you tap and hold the screen, every weapon set has a unique ability. For example, when you use the Hammer, your character brings the weapon behind them, charges it, and unleashes a devastating attack against the creature, rather than holding it up to block an incoming attack.
It’s important to try out and test these unique weapon abilities before attempting to hunt a particular creature in Monster Hunter Now. Some weapons are better than others against a specific foe, and it all comes down to your overall playstyle. For those who want to focus on blocking and being defensive, the Sword & Shield set is the way to go.
