Master Rank Preparation Checklist — What to Do Before Ascendance Drops
Quick Answers
What do I need to do before Master Rank?
Clear the ★7 story quest "Awakening", reach HR 100+ for all optional quests, max out at least one armor set with upgrades, stock money (500k+), and complete the deco farming loop.
Will my High Rank gear carry into Master Rank?
Yes, HR gear works for the first few Master Rank quests, but you will replace it within the first 10-20 hunts — MR armor has roughly 1.5x the defense.
Should I farm decos before Ascendance?
Yes — Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Attack Boost decos stay relevant. Grinding HR deco quests now saves you hours later.
Story & Rank Requirements
The hard gate for Ascendance is simple: own the base game and clear the ★7 story quest "Awakening". There is no HR gate announced, but planning for HR 100+ covers every optional quest, all armor unlocks, and the true endgame loop.
Checklist Before Launch
- Story: complete all ★7 quests and the HR 50/100 unlock quests
- Armor: one fully upgraded HR set (prefer one with Weakness Exploit / Critical Boost)
- Weapons: top-tier HR weapon for 2-3 weapon types you plan to play
- Decorations: 20+ of the meta decos (Critical Eye, WEX, Attack, Elemental)
- Money: 500k–1M zenny for MR upgrades and crafting
- Materials: stock 50+ of each common ore/bone, 20+ of each elder dragon gem
- Consumables: 200x Mega Potions, 50x Max Potions, 30x Ancient Potions, traps, bombs, and all bait
- Mantles: unlock all Temporal/Evasion/Impact-style mantles — they return in MR
Meta-Farming Priorities
If you only have limited time before the 2027 release, do these in order:
- HR unlock quests — they are one-time gates to everything else
- Endgame deco quest — the single best time investment in base Wilds
- Weapon tree completion — MR upgrade paths build from HR weapons
- Zenny stockpile — MR crafting eats money fast
What NOT to Bother With
Skip grinding HR materials that MR versions will replace (e.g., HR ore for armor defense). Also skip perfect HR talismans — MR brings strictly better slots. The most efficient path is one solid set + maxed weapon + cash + decos.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to finish every optional quest before Ascendance?
No — only the story gate is mandatory. Optionals give useful mantles and food ingredients, so clear the delivery/assist ones but skip pure farming.
What is the best HR set to enter Master Rank?
Any set with Weakness Exploit + Critical Boost and decent defense works. Meta picks: the Arkveld set or Gore Magala mixed sets.
Will Master Rank reset my Hunter Rank?
No — MR is a separate rank track (MR 1-999) added alongside HR.