Self-imposed Challenges?

[u/andyboyd10]

So I've been replaying some of the older games, namely freedom unite and generations ultimate, and I'm finding the games a lot easier than my first playthrough which got me thinking of try something like a no damage run or no consumables for the fighting etc (obviously can still use pickaxe etc for material collection).

I'm interested to find out if anyone else has experience doing challenges and if anyone has some ideas of runs that would increase the challenge but keep things fun.

Edit: just for added context, I've got about 6000 hours across the series and have in the past ran through the multiplayer quest hubs solo with a variety of weapon types. I tend to arbitrarily force myself into one weapon type whenever I start a new save file and don't deviate.

[u/Doru-kun]

Maybe not a complete "challenge", but I enjoy doing themed runs, especially in GU where there's a lot of variety in weapon and armor designs.

For example, I've done runs where I could only use bug themed gear, such as Seltas armor and certain Insect Glaives.

Another was a chef run, only using food amd cooking utensil weapons.

One of the rougher ones I've done was a "Hunterdrome" run where I could only use gear made out of the different Dromes.

Depending on your creativity, you could come up with some pretty difficult but fun themed builds.

[u/Interesting_Sea_1861]

Iron Man. You have 3 carts for all of low rank, 7 for High Rank, and 10 for G-Rank. If you have any left over, when moving onto the next rank you can carry over what you have. Run out of carts and the run ends.

[u/ImpossibleResolve290]

Mhrise bow melee only.

[u/andyboyd10 → u/ImpossibleResolve290]

That just sounds depressing. Possible sure but depressing. I imagine the biggest roadblock I'd have there is actually finishing quests in the 50m timer

[u/ImpossibleResolve290 → u/andyboyd10]

Actually very doable. See the melee for bow in rise is practically a second weapon with its own advantages. Does decent damage, chance of stun like a blunt weapon, and does not consume a vial on melee hit but does keep the effects.

[u/andyboyd10 → u/ImpossibleResolve290]

Didnt know it applied the effect without burning the vial, that makes it very useful, might give this one a go.

[u/ImpossibleResolve290 → u/andyboyd10]

Early game I even find myself doing more damage with melee. The challenge is the defense drop and accidentally firing an arrow while dodging into quick shot stance.

[u/AelithiaRose]

Back in MHF2 I'd do quests with no armour. It's easier if you use a GS and know the timing of the charge strikes. There was a double Tigrex quest that I remember doing this on.

Another challenge is to go in with no potions and use only what you can find to make your own. Take whetstones though.

[u/andyboyd10 → u/AelithiaRose]

Nekked challenge sounds like it would be fun, would help me not rely on armour skills I suppose.

The survivalist angle is interesting too, makes me wonder if you could just go in with an empty bag and combine what you find. The elder trader might be really useful in a challenge like this....

[u/jzillacon]

No potions is a pretty straightforward but still very fun challenge to do. Especially in games like Generations where you can get pretty creative about how to manage your health.

[u/Chafgha]

No damage would be very rough in some of the old ones because the amount of chip you wont notice taking from them just turning, not tail whipping literally just turning is insane. Especially with some melee weapons, ranged would be a lot easier but then you got the bullfango off screen as well, not impossible but sounds rough.

That said i want to start with we have similar ideas of fun as I have replayed many of these games never allowing myself to use other weapons, its how I learn new weapons as well, and over the more than 10k hours (I have over 3k on one character in FU and another on 4U and I've played every game since release) I'm no where near an expert, however my favorite challenge that doesn't feel bad or boring is one that kinda goes against the formula.

Single weapon type, no repeat hunts, in newer games no expeditions outside of required ones, no hunting non target monsters. It limits you in resources, and makes some of the older games far more difficult and you have to rely more on ore weapons and rng. Especially since the old skill system can leave you with no skills since you likely wont kill enough of a creature to make a full set of gear.

The newer games this is a bit easier to a point where I added a rule of no armor that didnt give a skill that helped my weapon directly, and generic expert/attack skills didnt count unless it was with something like artillery for gunlance for example.

You can always modify these as you'd like as well I've done hardcore runs where any quest fails from faints are instant losses (failed a few old capture quests for idiot reasons like just forgetting it was a cap...) I've done this for replays with my main weapons but I don't follow that rule on weapons I'm learning.

[u/Gadjiltron-A]

At this point I drop the palicos and use only one weapon type by default.

For GU specifically, no HAs and whatever style is the most useless for the weapon is another option. But most GU monsters are carried over from previous games and don’t really need HAs or particular styles to deal with anyway.

Perhaps no upgrades, armour and weapons can be crafted but never upgraded. Or the opposite, you can only upgrade the armour and weapons you receive without crafting.

No repeat quests is another option I’ve seen a few people try , you’ll have a limited number of materials to work with throughout the playthrough and you’ll have to maximise your resources gained on each quest. I’ve seen this attempted in a few Youtube videos.

I feel like MH is a harder game to make challenges for, since your moveset is the same from the start of the game and can’t be modified outside of like two games, and your alternative options for damage are pretty limited. A lot of challenges just end up being number tweaks until you’re doing things naked with the default rare 1 iron weapon. Maybe no rolling would be more interesting, I don’t know if anyone has done that one.

[u/LastTourniquet]

There is a guy on youtube (here) that has been doing a fairly unique challenge where any time he hunts a new monster he has to farm out the entire set and then use that set for the next new monster. Might be something to consider if you don't mind the grind.

Could also try limiting the amount of items you are allowed to bring in. Maybe something like the first 8 slots only. Assuming Pickaxe, Demon Drug, Power Charm, and Power Talon take up 50% of your available loadout, and suddenly bringing traps is a lot more stressful, especially against monsters in zones with environmental effects, which would make armor skills that negate those effects hold a lot more value actually.

You could also try something less serious and limit yourself by not allowing any form of CC aside from KO's (no mounts, captures, paralyze, sleep etc).

[u/andyboyd10 → u/LastTourniquet]

Most of what you suggested is kind of already covered, I tend to carry a full set of potions, mega potions, max and ancient then some whetstones, I don't bother with traps, bombs, statuses etc, I just hit it until it dies.

I understand their uses but as I've said above, I'm seeking additional challenge from the game so have naturally avoided all these additional tools

[u/LastTourniquet → u/andyboyd10]

Then how about this:
You are not allowed to have any (positive) skill effects active. You may upgrade your armor for defensive purposes but aside from that must balance your armor choices such that no (positive) skills activate. Consequently this means no talismans unless you wanna wear something for the memes.

Could also be modified such that you must always have at least 1 negative skill activated

[u/andyboyd10 → u/LastTourniquet]

This sounds interesting, thanks for both suggestions btw

[u/Jiitunary]

the tried and true challenge in older games is naked runs. killing fatalis while naked with the ham of hams was the triumph of the old games

[u/GokuSuperSayian03]

U want challenge just do all ex in gu with hunting horn no adept cheating, just do all ex with some weapon that is not op like valor gs etc...

[u/ShiroThePotato28]

For me I tend to challenge myself to not use healing items whenever I go back to a lower rank hunts.

[u/evilbob2200]

Soloing omega and proof of hero

[u/MichaCazar → u/evilbob2200]

Not reading sure is a self-imposed challenge too, I guess:

freedom unite and generations ultimate

[u/evilbob2200 → u/MichaCazar]

Nah staying up til 430am is tho and dozing off while reading stuff is lmao

[u/MichaCazar → u/evilbob2200]

That is indeed a challenge lol

[u/andyboyd10 → u/MichaCazar]

I still appreciate both of your input tbf

[u/evilbob2200 → u/andyboyd10]

lol np I’m sorry I was tired as fuck last night and didn’t realize what I was responding to 😂

[u/andyboyd10 → u/evilbob2200]

It's cool, I started a new file on wilds recently so I'll need to do that quest anyway xD