How to unlock secret armor sets in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
These outfits offer special skills and unique looks.
![Monster Hunter World: Sunbreak - a character faces away, pointing two thumbs at the secret armor set Barbania: a black jacket with red cuffs and gold details.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zvG5BVKC4pyX2a7BXEdtmK-320-80.jpg)
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The Sunbreak secret armour sets are some of the fanciest in the expansion, especially if you want to get into the Elgado spirit by throwing off your old Kamura outfit in favour of something more fitting. Perhaps you want to steal Rondine the Trader's outfit? Dress up like a pirate captain? Or even wear the Handler's outfit from Monster Hunter World?
There are also master rank variants of the secret armor sets from the original game to unlock, and while they look the same as the high rank versions, you can still upgrade to these if you liked the original. Here I'll walk you through how to unlock the main secret armor sets in Sunbreak and the master rank versions of those that were available in Monster Hunter Rise.
As a side note, master rank layered armor unlocks after you defeat the Afflicted Arzuros at MR 10, after the main story is complete, so it takes a little while before you can style things exactly how you want.
Sunbreak armor: How to unlock the secret sets
There are three secret armor sets in Sunbreak that become craftable when you get their specific materials. Two come from the Meowcenaries, while the third is acquired through the new Backroom Deals mechanic for The Argosy. Here's how to unlock each of the sets:
- Barbania Set: Use the Letter of Introduction to activate Backroom Deals when sending a buddy off to acquire materials through The Argosy. The material you want is the Locked Treasure Chest. A list of the special items you have a chance to acquire through Backroom Deals appears on the right when setting up a trade request. If Locked Treasure Chest doesn't appear for you, it's either because you haven't acquired one yet, or haven't progressed your rank enough. It first appeared for me on the list in MR 4, but that might be because I'd just acquired one randomly through The Argosy.
- Five Element Set: Send a Meowcenaries expedition to the Jungle. Any sparkling node has a chance to reward you with Nohsic Snuffcap, which will reveal the armor set at the blacksmith.
- Snowshear Set: Send a Meowcenaries expedition to the Citadel. Any sparkling node has a chance to reward you with Grooved Bones, which will reveal the armor set at the blacksmith.
- Dignified Set: While not really secret, you will need to acquire a Royal Certificate II in order to craft Rondine the Trader's outfit. I came across some by completing the main story and just generally helping people around Elgado Outpost.
If the Jungle and the Citadel haven't unlocked for the Meowcenaries yet, you'll have to progress your master rank and the story further until they are.
Monster Hunter Rise secret armor: How to get master rank versions
Using The Argosy and the Meowcenaries, you can also unlock master rank versions of the secret armor sets from the base game. These sets look the same as the high rank variants, but have some extra skills. To unlock each you'll need a new material you can get the same way as the old one:
Here are the Meowcenaries locations, materials, and the master rank sets they correspond to:
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When setting up a trade request with The Argosy, these potential materials will be listed on the right hand side. Here's the master rank set that each of them corresponds to:
- Large Toxic Kumori - Spio X
- Large Armored Bream - Vaik X
- Split-Jaw Buttlefly - Rhopessa X
- Valiabiscus - Melahoa X
- Deep Shell - Shell-Studded X
- Sun Springnight Karp - Makulva X
There are also lots of armor sets you can get just by completing requests around Elgado, so it's definitely worth looking around and grabbing what requests you can.
Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.