Monster Hunter Now Season 2: Release date, Kushala Daora, Gunlance & new monsters

Master the Gunlance, conquer Kushala Daora, and optimize your Season 2 strategy with comprehensive battle tactics

Season 2 Overview and Key Dates

Monster Hunter Now’s highly anticipated Season 2 update, titled ‘Dancing in the Tempest,’ revolutionizes the mobile hunting experience with groundbreaking additions that will test even veteran players. The expansion introduces the first Elder Dragon encounter alongside a powerful new weapon class and multiple formidable monsters.

Niantic’s comprehensive reveal of the Dancing in the Tempest season provides hunters with advanced preparation time for the Gunlance introduction, Kushala Daora’s debut event, and additional monster variants including the electrifying Khezu.

This content-rich update fundamentally changes Monster Hunter Now’s endgame dynamics. Beyond acquiring the devastating Gunlance, players will experience the franchise’s iconic Elder Dragon system for the first time, elevating the strategic complexity of hunts.

Kushala Daora’s grand entrance through the innovative Elder Dragon Interceptions mechanic represents just one highlight. The season also welcomes Khezu, Basarios, and a premium season pass packed with exclusive layered armor customization options.

Our definitive guide delivers strategic insights and practical preparation advice to maximize your Season 2 hunting efficiency and reward acquisition.

Monster Hunter Now Season 2 commences June 13, 2024, at 12:00 am (local time) continuing through June 23, 2024, at 2:59 pm (local time), introducing multiple monster variants, limited-time event quests, and one additional weapon class to master.

Kushala Daora: Elder Dragon Interception Tactics

Kushala Daora makes its monumental debut in Monster Hunter Now via the groundbreaking Elder Dragon Interceptions system. While Niantic maintains secrecy regarding specific interception mechanics, hunters must prepare for devastating area-of-effect wind attacks that can quickly overwhelm unprepared parties.

Understanding Kushala Daora’s elemental vulnerabilities proves crucial for successful interceptions. The elder dragon demonstrates significant weakness to Dragon and Thunder elemental damage, making Zinogre or Tobi-Kadachi weapon investments essential preparation. Hunters who have farmed Deviljho equipment will find these weapons particularly effective against this majestic but deadly foe.

Pro Tactics: Position yourself upwind from Kushala Daora to minimize wind pressure effects. Time your dodges to avoid the tornado summons that can trap hunters in damaging vortexes. Focus on breaking the head and wings to reduce wind barrier intensity.

Common Mistakes: Never engage Kushala Daora with raw damage weapons when elemental options exist. Avoid clustering with other hunters during wind attacks. Don’t waste special attacks when the wind barrier is active, as damage reduction is significant.

New Monster Roster: Khezu and Basarios Analysis

Alongside Kushala Daora’s arrival, Khezu and Basarios join Monster Hunter Now’s roster at Season 2’s launch. Both creatures become available on the hunting field after players complete corresponding Season 2 story quests that introduce their behaviors and habitats.

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Khezu specializes in devastating Thunder attacks that can stun hunters upon contact. This bizarre Flying Wyvern extends its neck unexpectedly to strike distant targets, while its piercing roar forces hunters to cover their ears, creating vulnerable openings.

Basarios represents the third new monster stomping into MHN. Unlike Khezu, this volcanic creature projects searing fire beams from its mouth while emitting sleep-inducing and poisonous gases from its abdominal region.

Hunters should deploy fire and water elemental weapons to defeat both creatures efficiently, particularly when pursuing critical part breaks and achieving A-rank completion times. Fire weapons excel against Khezu, while water proves devastating against Basarios.

Advanced Strategy: Against Khezu, anticipate its ceiling attacks in indoor-style environments. For Basarios, target its back when it overheats for bonus damage. Both monsters have extended recovery animations after certain attacks – learn these windows for maximum damage output.

Gunlance Weapon Mastery Guide

Season 2 introduces the Gunlance, a hybrid weapon class merging Lance’s defensive capabilities with explosive offensive power. Hunters can unleash devastating Wyvern’s Fire attacks and Burstfire maneuvers that discharge multiple shell barrages against targets.

The Gunlance’s integration into Monster Hunter Now’s weapon meta remains uncertain, but dedicated Gunlance enthusiasts can celebrate their preferred weapon receiving substantial development attention. The weapon’s unique mechanics provide new strategic options for dealing with heavily armored monsters like Basarios.

Mastery Tips: Learn the quick reload timing after bursts to maintain dps. Use the shield advance to position during monster attacks. Shell damage ignores hitzone values, making it ideal for hardened monsters. Wyvern’s Fire has significant cooldown – use strategically during knockdowns.

Optimization: Pair Gunlance with Artillery armor skills for maximum shell damage. Consider loadout diversity for different monster types. The weapon excels in part-breaking focused hunts where traditional weapons struggle with specific hitzones.

New Armor Skills and Build Optimization

With Kushala Daora, Basarios, and Khezu’s introduction, Niantic implements new armor skills enhancing combat versatility. These additions include:

  • Artillery: Amplifies explosive attacks including Gunlance shelling, Wyvern’s Fire discharges, Charge Blade phial strikes, and Bowgun Sticky ammunition.
  • Special Insurance: Provides damage mitigation or revival benefits during special circumstances (exact mechanics pending official clarification).
  • We will promptly update this section once Niantic reveals comprehensive details regarding the new armor skill mechanics and their strategic applications.

    Build Theory: Artillery skill likely scales with Gunlance shell levels, making it mandatory for explosive builds. Special Insurance may function similarly to Divine Protection or provide one-time cart prevention. Plan your armor sets around these new skills once their exact values are confirmed.

    Skill Synergy: Combine Artillery with existing attack boost skills for maximum damage output. If Special Insurance provides survival benefits, pair it with defensive skills for nearly unkillable builds against elder dragons.

    Item Box Expansion and Resource Management

    Celebrating Monster Hunter Now Season 2’s launch, Niantic grants all players 250 additional storage slots through a complimentary Item Box Expansion. This quality-of-life improvement becomes available as a Supply Item within the in-game shop interface.

    Supplemental Item Box Storage Expansions join the Shop inventory, obtainable through Gem purchases for hunters requiring additional material capacity beyond the free allocation.

    Inventory Strategy: Claim your free expansion immediately to accommodate new monster materials. Prioritize storing rare drops from elder dragons and new monsters. Consider gem-purchased expansions if you regularly hit storage limits during intensive farming sessions.

    Resource Management: Sell lower-tier materials from common monsters to free space. Keep at least 50-100 of each material type for crafting emergencies. The expanded storage is particularly valuable for hoarding materials for future weapon upgrades.

    Story Quests and Monster Rotation Updates

    Consistent with previous updates, Monster Hunter Now Season 2 modifies field monster rotations. From Season 2’s commencement through June 23, 2024, at 2:59 pm (local time), the following appearance changes occur:

  • Khezu appearance rates surge in swamp biomes while Basarios frequencies increase in desert regions.
  • Overall monster density throughout hunting fields receives significant amplification.
  • Coral Pukei-Pukei, Basarios, and Khezu emerge at Hunt-a-thon locations. Coral Pukei-Pukei remains available at Hunt-a-thons post-event conclusion.
  • Kushala Daora appears exclusively through Elder Dragon Interceptions mechanics.
  • Critical reminder: monsters departing the field at Season 2’s start become accessible again by completing urgent quests within the Season 2 story questline.

    Farming Efficiency: Focus swamp areas for Khezu materials and deserts for Basarios parts. The increased density means more rewards per walking session. Prioritize Hunt-a-thons for guaranteed monster encounters rather than relying on random spawns.

    Quest Planning: Complete story quests early to unlock all available monsters. Save urgent quests for when you need specific materials from rotated-out monsters. The story progression also typically provides valuable one-time rewards.

    Monster Hunter Stories Celebration Events

    From June 24, 2024, at 9:00 am (local time) until July 14, 2024, at 11:59 pm (local time), Niantic deploys special Monster Hunter Stories celebration quests. Completing these limited-time event quests rewards players with exclusive hunter medals and unique layered outfit cosmetics.

    Event Strategy: These crossover events typically feature unique mechanics and rare rewards. Prioritize completing all event quests before the deadline as the layered outfits may not return. The hunter medals often provide bragging rights and collection completeness.

    Reward Planning: Limited-edition layered outfits are purely cosmetic but highly sought after. Hunter medals may provide minor stat bonuses or simply serve as collectibles. Schedule time during the event period to ensure you acquire all available rewards.

    Season Pass Rewards and Progression Strategy

    A new Monster Hunter Now Season Pass becomes available at Season 2’s launch, containing game items, cosmetic layered equipment, Zenny currency, and monster materials. The premium pass variant offers additional rewards and cosmetics, which we’ll detail comprehensively upon access acquisition.

    Hunters must complete the Season 1 Season Pass before June 12, since Season 2’s beginning prevents further Season 1 reward unlocking. However, players retain the ability to claim any uncollected rewards for approximately one month following Season 2’s start.

    Pass Optimization: Complete Season 1 pass immediately if you haven’t yet. Evaluate Season 2 premium pass value once full rewards are revealed. The free pass typically provides substantial value, while premium passes offer cosmetics and accelerated progression.

    Progression Tips: Season passes usually reward consistent play rather than intensive bursts. Focus on completing daily and weekly objectives for maximum progression. The layered equipment in premium passes is often exclusive to that season.

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