Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak’s Insta-Block becomes a source of amusement for players

Written by. Marco Farinaccia based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2022-07-13 17:19 JST)

Since the release of Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, each day has seen countless hunters sharing their experiences on social media, with one particular technique that was posted by a player gathering a fair share of notice. The player has a bit of fun with the Insta-Block technique that can be used in place of the regular guard when wielding a lance.

The video shows three hunters, one acting as the cameraman and the other two equipped with a heavy bowgun and lance respectively. Once the camera is set, the hunter with the bowgun begins firing at the lance hunter with Wyvernheart special ammo. The hunter gets hit by a few shots but begins to adjust their timing and then perfectly guards the shots in succession using Insta-Block, soon becoming a mass of fiercely flashing light.

Insta-Block is a skill that allows the player to completely eliminate any damage or knockback from an attack that is guarded with the correct timing. As seen in the video, the shield flashes when the technique is successfully used. The timing window for an Insta-Block was quite strict in Rise, but an update in Sunbreak has increased the duration of the window. It may be due to these relaxed timing windows that players are now able to create spectacles as seen in the above video.

This method of fun actually first became possible in Monster Hunter Generations for the Nintendo 3DS. The game had four different “Hunting Styles” that could change the basic actions associated with each weapon type. If you paired the Adept Style with either a lance, gunlance, or charge blade, then you could use Insta-Block. There is evidence of players having fun with the technique even in Generations, as can be seen in the below video that was posted over six years ago.

The technique looks no different to what is being done today: successive well-timed Insta-Blocks of bowgun shots. However, since the Wyvernheart ammo did not exist in Generations, a light bowgun with a comparative rapid-fire effect was used. The weapon types may differ in Sunbreak, but the flashy effects are still around in full force.

The long admired rapid Insta-Block is not just a technique for messing around, as it also has some practical use. The value of the technique began to be noticed after new enemies such as Elder Dragons and Apex Monsters were introduced in Rise. More specifically, it was a method that could be used to deal with the powerful combo attacks of Kushala Daora and Apex Zinogre. Successive Insta-Blocks can allow the player to come out completely unscathed. Of course, learning the timing is very difficult and likely takes a lot of practice.

The Insta-Block was brought back in Rise, and even though time has passed, it seems like players are carrying on the tradition of having some fun with it. The next time you head out on a hunt with a lance, why not reminisce on the series’ history as you literally shine on the battlefield.