Monster Hunter XX: tons of details (+ pics) about the Alchemy Style, Deviant Monsters, SP mode, more

8 December 2016 Lite_Agent Capcom, Famitsu, Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross)

Update: even more screenshots can be found in this post!

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Today, Capcom updated the official website for Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross), providing us with tons of new details about the game about the Alchemy Style, Deviant Monsters, SP mode, and more. It’s pretty much the same details that are also featured in Famitsu, which is why we’re going to use Gaijin Hunter’s videos as base for our post!

But first, here’s the official upload for the second trailer, and some gameplay footage from the official website (don’t forget to check out yesterday’s new footage!):

Monster Hunter XX – Deviant monsters, returning monster

The second new Main Monster is called Ouma Diablos (lit. Massacre Demon Diablos), and it’s an incredibly powerful and dangerous monster (even more than the “vanilla” version). He doesn’t really go into rage mode (you could say he’s always into that mode), but instead, he can get really reckless, jumping all over the place (which makes it pretty heard to hit him).

Monster Hunter XX will also introduce a Deviant variant for the Fate Four for Monster Hunter X:

Hellblade Glavenus: it can use an enhanced version of its fire explosions;
Heavenly Eye Mizutsune: its eyes were severely injured following a fierce fight with rival monsters, and it became blind. As a result, all its other abilities were heightened to compensate for the lack of sight. It uses even more bubbles than the vanilla variant, with a brand new type of bubbles;
Blue Thunderlord Astalos: it possesses enhanced lightning abilities. He can make an electric sword from his horn;
Silver-Ridged Gammoth: it possess the power of deep ice. If you get hit by its snow abilities, you will not be able to move for a while.

Finally, the Congalala is back in Monster Hunter XX, and as you can imagine, it still hasn’t got its flatulence problem into control… The jungle map it’s associated with makes a comeback, too!

Monster Hunter XX – Alchemy Style, SP Mode

The Alchemy Style is one of the two new Hunting Styles introduced in Monster Hunter XX. It allows you to equip up to three Hunter Arts. Basically, this Style is all about shaking an alchemy barrel in order to get various items and bonuses. That barrel can be found in your item pouch, an is activated like a regular item, but it doesn’t take a slot.

The barrel can be shaken up to 5 times, and depending on the number of times you shake it, you get a different item. Once a barrel has been shaken, you can press the corresponding button to either keep shaking, and get one of the items you have access to.

Here’s what you have access to after shaking the barrel:

once…

Alchemy Food (Blademaster): you eat it faster than regular food, and it increases your max. amount of stamina;
Alchemy Whetstone (Blademaster): it’s used as a regular Whetstone, but it also increases the speed at which your Art Gauge charges;
Alchemy Shot (Bowgun): special shot that any Bowgun can equip. When it hits a monster, it fills up your Art Gauge faster;
Alchemy Coating (Bowgun): when it hits a monster, it fills up your Art Gauge faster.

twice…

Vitaly item: after drinking it, your health gradually increases and recover for a limited period of time;
Alchemy Sonic Bomb: it works just like a regular Sonic Bomb.

three times…

Portable earplugs;
Special ability that increases your barrel shaking speed for a limited time.

four times…

Special item to combine with another item, in order to multiply items (great for farming!);
Alchemy bazooka: it allows you to shoot explosives at enemies, for a lot of damage.

five times…

Healing medicine: you and nearby hunters are healed, and status ailments are removed;
Hunter Art Increase Bombs: the Art Gauge of you and nearby hunters get a huge boost.

Next, we have SP Mode, which stands for Style Power Up Mode. You can have one of your Hunting Arts designated as a SP Art (except with the Alchemy Style, where all three Hunting Arts serve as SP Arts), and when you activate it, you and nearby hunters go into SP mode. This allows you to get various buffs depending on your Hunting Style, which allow you to get the upper hand during your hunts. It even work in Prowler Mode!

Here’s the kind of buffs you can get depending on your Hunting Style:

Guild Style: allows you to use certain items faster;
Striker Style: your Art Gauge fills up gradually even when you’re not hitting monsters;
Aerial Style: lowers stamina loss when jumping;
Adept Style: gives you an even bigger window to do the Adept Evade and Guard;
Brave Style: speeds up the rate at which your Brave Gauge fills up;
Alchemy Style: speeds up the rate at which your Alchemy Gauge fills up;
Prowler: reduces cost of skills.

As mentioned above, all three Hunter Arts become SP Arts when using the Alchemy Style. This allows you to easily keep the entire team in SP mode, but there’s also some benefits for yourself. Indeed, when you’re into SP Mode and you shake your Alchemy barrel, your SP level goes up, and the bonuses stack up:

Level 2: increases the amount of time it takes for your max. stamina to drop;
Level 3: your health gradually recovers over time;
Level 4: your attacks make monsters flinch more often.

Monster Hunter XX – Field

As mentioned above, the Jungle field associated with the Congalala is back in Monster Hunter XX. Also, there’s several characters to meet in one of the new bases, located on some zeppelins.

Monster Hunter XX – Beast

Beast is a new Hunting Style for Prowlers, which is more focused on attacks. When you go into Beast mode, an aura envelops you, and you can attack using sharps claws. This Hunting Style is all about a combos, with a powerful finish move at the end. If you manage to pull that one off, your Beast Mode level increases.

Here’s the bonuses you can get depending on your level: