Similar to the Defender Alpha Armor and armaments introduced during Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's release, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is providing newcomers with free special equipment called Black Belt Armor, Black Belt Armor S, and Defender weapons. The purpose of these gear sets is to enable novice Hunters to power their way through the ranks required to reach Sunbreak's new content and beyond. In other words, the equipment serves as a "manual level boost," granting beginners in Monster Hunter Rise or those starting a new profile a means of accelerated progression to the end game.
Of course, not every fan will agree with the idea of effortlessly sailing through past content with powerful gear. Still, the existence of Black Belt Armor and Defender armaments is an excellent feature for optional support for those who only are interested in the late-game content or players new to the series struggling with battling the monstrous beasts of Monster Hunter Rise.
To unlock the Black Belt Armor Set, Black Belt Armor S Set, and Defender weaponry in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, Hunters must enter Kamura Village and speak with a Palico named Senri the Mailman. Also referred to as the Courier, Senri sits atop a small box on the left side of the staircase near the village's center. Players can recognize this NPC in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak by their square-shaped bindle.
Unlocking Black Belt Armor & Defender Weapons in MHR: Sunbreak
To claim the free items, talk to Senri to open a list of dialogue options. Scroll down to "Add-on Content" and open the tab. Among the massive list of claimable and event-related goods, search for the three highlighted items:
- "Black Belt" Hunter armor set
- "Defender" weapons (14 types)
- Sunbreak Launch Celebration: "Black Belt S" Hunter armor set
Both Black Belt armor sets come with complete collections or gear, and all fourteen weapon types are included in the Defender Weapon Set. The Defender weapons also have their own forge and upgrade tree, viewable in the Smithy's shop. Technically speaking, the Black Belt Armor Set is for quickly progressing through Low-Rank missions, while Black Belt S is meant for getting through the more challenging High-Rank content in Monster Hunter Rise. However, since there are no prerequisites for using either of the armor sets, players can equip the superior Black Belt S Set from the start of the game without issue.
Additionally, the forging and upgrade costs for the Defender weapons are notably lower and easier to obtain compared to the rest of the older weaponry.
Monster Hunter Rise is available on PC and Nintendo Switch.