The Smithy — Monster Hunter: World Walkthrough
The Smithy is the cornerstone of your progression in Monster Hunter: World, serving as your primary hub for crafting and upgrading weapons and armor. Located in both Astera and Seliana, this vital facility allows you to forge new equipment using materials gathered from monsters and the environment, ensuring you're always prepared for the challenges ahead.
Accessing the Smithy is simple; just speak to the blacksmith. The Smithy menu is divided into two main sections: Create Weapon and Upgrade Weapon, and similarly for armor. As you defeat new monsters and gather their parts, new crafting options will become available. The 'Tree' system for weapons shows you the progression path for each weapon type, allowing you to see what materials are needed for future upgrades.
Crafting Weapons:
To craft a new weapon, you'll need to meet specific material requirements and have the necessary funds (Zenny). Each weapon type has its own unique tree, branching out into various elemental and status-inflicting options. For example, a Long Sword might have paths leading to a Fire element sword, a Water element sword, or a Poison element sword. The materials required are often specific to the monster the weapon is based on, so hunting particular beasts is essential for acquiring desired gear.
Upgrading Weapons:
Once a weapon is crafted, it can be upgraded to increase its raw attack power, sharpness, affinity, and elemental damage. Upgrades typically require more common materials and Zenny, but higher-tier upgrades will demand rarer monster parts. Pay attention to the Sharpness Gauge; higher sharpness levels allow for more damage and prevent your weapon from bouncing off monster hides. Decorations can also be slotted into weapons to provide additional skills.
Crafting and Upgrading Armor:
Armor works similarly to weapons. You can craft individual armor pieces (Helm, Mail, Vambraces, Coil, Greaves) or complete armor sets. Armor provides defensive stats, elemental resistances, and most importantly, Skills. Skills are passive abilities that significantly impact your combat effectiveness, such as increasing your attack power, improving your defense, or granting special perks like Earplugs or Divine Blessing.
Armor sets often provide unique Set Bonuses when multiple pieces of the same set are worn, offering even more powerful effects. Like weapons, armor can be upgraded using Armor Spheres, which increase its defense value. Decorations can also be slotted into armor to further customize your skill set.
Key Considerations:
- Material Gathering: Prioritize hunting monsters whose parts are needed for the gear you want. Break monster parts during hunts to increase your chances of obtaining specific materials.
- Zenny Management: Selling unwanted items and completing quests are primary sources of Zenny.
- Decoration Slots: Always consider the number of decoration slots a weapon or armor piece has when making your choice.
- Skill Synergy: Aim to combine armor pieces and decorations to create synergistic skill sets that complement your weapon and playstyle.
- Master Rank Gear: In Iceborne, the Smithy becomes even more crucial as you transition to Master Rank, with entirely new weapon and armor trees to explore.
The Smithy is where your raw materials are transformed into the tools of your trade. Investing time in understanding its systems and diligently gathering the necessary components will directly translate to your success in the field.