My Games

What can you do as a free member?

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and unlock all our premium features and tools to enhance your gaming experience.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save articles to your watchlist and get notified when they're updated with new information.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save your favorite games for quick access later, synced across all your devices.

Member benefits illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you'll receive instant notifications when someone replies to your posts.

Comment rating feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can make use of convenient features in the comments section, such as rating and sorting comments.

Premium archive feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can access Premium articles that are exclusively available to members.

Map tool feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, the items you checked on the map tool will be saved.

Site Interface

Guest
Free Member
Article Watchlist
Game Bookmarks
Cross-device Sync
Light/Dark Theme Toggle
User Profiles
Direct Feedback
Comment Rating
Comment Notification
Premium Articles

Game Tools

Guest
Free Member
Interactive Map Access
Interactive Map Pins
Interactive Map Comments
Interactive Map Pins Cross-Device
Check List
Event Choice Checker
Deck Builder Cross-Device
Message Board Notification
Message Board Cross-Device
Build Planner
Stat Calculator
Diagnostic Tool
Weapon/Armor Wishlist
Team Builder
Character Scoring
Tier List Maker

Want more information?Learn more

Find your next guide

Choose a game to explore its walkthrough and guides.

New and Upcoming Releases

Popular Guides

Monster Hunter Stories 3 (MHS3)

Best Armor

Add to Watchlist (2)

NEW 9/29: Monster Hunter Outlanders 10/29 release!
Read Game8's exclusive interview with Capcom and TiMi producers!

✧ Game8 Best Games Survey
Vote for your favorite games and share your voice!

Best Armor Top Banner

The best early game armor is the Rath Heart Armor in Monster Hunter Stories 3 (MHS3). Read on to learn about the best early game armor and how to get it here!

Armor Pages
All Armor Best Armor

List of Contents

Best Armor

  1. Early Game Armor
  2. Mid Game Armor
  3. Late Game Armor

Best Early Game Armor

Armor Evaluation
Rath Heart Armor
★★★★★		 High defense and fire resistance. Ability to heal at the end of turn and from critical hits.
Nerscylla Armor
★★★★☆		 Higher status ailment accuracy, sleep resistance and chance to survive fatal hits.
Ranger Armor
★★★★☆		 High fire resistance and no weakness. Ability to increase retreat chance.
Lumu Armor
★★★☆☆		 Higher stamina recovery and water resistance. Weak against fire attacks.

Rath Heart Armor

Rath Heart Armor
Due to the high amount of fire monsters in the early parts of the game, Rath Heart Armor will help you mitigate those fire attacks due to its innate high resistance to fire while providing high defense even at level 1. It also has skills that heals you at turn end or when you deal a critical hit.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Pink Rathian in Sunpetal Plains of Azuria.

How to Get Pink Rathian and Weaknesses

Nerscylla Armor

Nerscylla Armor Image
If you ever want to focus on inflicting status ailments, Nerscylla Armor increases the chances of inflicting status effects while giving you resistance against sleep and a skill that has a low chance of surviving a fatal hit which is frequent especially in the early game.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Nerscylla in either Sunpetal Plains or Blightstone Woods of Azuria.

How to Get Nerscylla and Weaknesses

Ranger Armor

Ranger Armor

You can also use the default armor you get from the start of the game, the Ranger Armor, which offers a lesser fire resistance than the first two armor but has no weakness. It also has a skill that increases the chance of a monster to retreat.

You can upgrade this armor to level 2 in the early game using Ludroth materials so that it has a much higher defense stat it can offer to you. They can be found in Azuria near shallow waters in every sublocation.

How to Get Ludroth and Weaknesses

Lumu Armor

Lumu Armor Image.png
The Lumu Armor has a skill that increases the stamina you restore every turn which can make skills that costs 15 or less be able to be used every turn without the risk of running out of stamina. It also has a skill that gives you a low chance to reduce damage by half but this armor makes you weak to fire.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Paolumu in Blightstone Woods of Azuria.

How to Get Paolumu and Weaknesses

Best Mid Game Armor

Armor Evaluation
Lagiacrus Armor
★★★★★		 Greatly reduces damage regardless of damage type and high chance to negate sleep.
Gravios Armor
★★★★☆		 Greatly reduces damage regardless of damage type and high chance to negate sleep.
Khezu Armor
★★★★☆		 Simple Materials for Level 3. Ability to heal at the end of turn and further reduces damage taken from thunder attacks.
Gravios U Armor
★★★★☆		 Greatly reduces damage taken under 50% and increases Wyvernfell power.
Golm Armor
★★★☆☆		 Reduces damage taken regardless of attack type and increases damage dealt at the cost of higher Stamina costs.

Lagiacrus Armor

Lagiacrus Armor Stats

Thunder resistance is important specifically for a strong boss in the midgame, Rey Dau. Its main advantage is its significant boosts to your Kinship Gauge. It has skills that increases your Kinship Skill damage and makes your gauge fill faster.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Lagiacrus in Mirror Lake of Azuria.

How to Get Lagiacrus and Weaknesses

Gravios Armor

Gravios Armor Stats

Gravios Armor is naturally resistant to fire, which is still useful for some monsters in the midgame, such as the Feral Ajarakan. Aside from its high defense, it also has the advantage of greatly reducing damage taken from all attacks. As a bonus, it also has a high chance of negating Sleep and also increases the chances of being focused by enemy attacks, making it ideal for tankier setups.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Gravios in Rococo Rocks of Tarkuan.

How to Get Gravios and Weaknesses

Khezu Armor

Khezu Armor Stats

Thunder resistance is important specifically for a strong boss in the midgame, Rey Dau. Aside from being able to negate Paralysis, you also heal a small amount after getting hit by critical hits and at the end of your turn.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Red Khezu in the Frozen Grotto of Canatla Timberland.

How to Get Red Khezu and Weaknesses

Gravios U Armor

Gravios U Stats
Non-Elemental resistance can still be helpful against bosses such as Yama Tsukami. It has a simple innate kit, reducing damage taken when your HP is under 50%, while also increasing your Wyvernfell power. As a bonus, it is also able to negate Burn.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Black Gravios in Bountiful Dunes of Tarkuan.

How to Get Black Gravios and Weaknesses

Golm Armor

Golm Armor Stats
Golm Armor is a solid alternative to get a boost in damage at the cost of higher stamina costs, while still reducing damage from all attacks. Though simple, it can still help against water-based monsters as you look for upgrades.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Garangolm in Mt. Canalta of Canalta Timberland or Colossal Dragon's Remains of Tarkuan.

How to Get Garangolm and Weaknesses

Best Late Game Armor

Armor Evaluation
Artian Armor
★★★★★		 Kinship Gauge fills up much faster.
Death Garon Armor
★★★★★		 Greatly increases damage against enemies with abnormal statuses, boosts attack and defense when you are down to 1 heart, and greatly increases your dragon damage.
Malzeno Armor
★★★★☆		 Recovers moderate HP after your turn and after getting hit with critical hits, and increases your own Crit Rate.
Vangis Armor
★★★★☆		 Greatly reduces damage taken under 50% HP and increases Wyvernfell power.
Rimeguard Armor
★★★★☆		 Significantly increases Kinship Skill damage.

Artian Armor

Death Garon Armor Stats
There are plenty of endgame bosses that deal dragon damage, such as Malzeno, Arkveld, and Aenshin. Similar to the Lagiacrus Armor, it also lets your Kinship Gauge fill faster.

This armor requires the blueprint to craft, which can be found in a chest within Death’s Maw, Tarkuan.

Death Garon Armor

Death Garon Armor Stats
There are plenty of endgame bosses that deal dragon damage, such as Malzeno, Arkveld, and Aenshin. Aside from its high defense stats, it also increases your damage against enemies with debuffs, which you will often do anyway. It also boosts your attack and defense when you are down to 1 heart, giving you a better chance of prolonging the fight long enough for you to win.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Ebony Odogaron in Sacrosanctum/Lazlion in Serathis.

How to Get Ebony Odogaron and Weaknesses

Malzeno Armor

Malzeno Armor Stats
Malzeno Armor's main advantage is its provision of self-healing. You heal at the end of your turn and when you are hit with a critical hit, which significantly improves survivability. Additionally, your crit rate is greatly increased when hitting monster parts with the right weapon types.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating the Malzeno in Sacrosanctum/Lazlion in Serathis.

Malzeno Weaknesses, Patterns, and How to Beat

Vangis Armor

Vamgis Armor Stats
While above 50% HP, Vangis Armor has a unique skill of being able to survive a killing hit. You can also have increased crit rate and head-to-head damage, which are great buffs in general.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Deviljho in Sacrosanctum/Lazlion of Serathis.

How to Get Deviljho and Weaknesses

Rimeguard Armor

Rimeguard Armor Stats
The Rimeguard Armor's biggest selling point is significantly increasing your Kinship Skill damage, which can be incredibly useful when used with skills that fills your Kinship Gauge faster.

This armor can be forged using materials obtained from defeating a Velkhana, which can be tricky to defeat.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 (MHS3) Related Guides

Monster Hunter Stories 3 Monster Hunter Stories 3 Wiki Front
Hachikun Searching for Best Games.pngLooking for Great Games! Is Monster Hunter Stories 3 one of your favorite games?
Answer our Best Games Survey and share your unique voice with Game8's readers!

Guides by Category

MonstiesMonsters Weapons Partial Banner.pngWeapons
Characters Partial Banner.pngCharacters Tips and TricksTips and Tricks
BossesBosses Maps PartialInteractive Map
ItemsItems News and Game Info Partial Banner MHS3News
Main Story Partial BannerMain Story MHS3 - Side StorySide Story
Side Quests Partial BannerSide Quests TrophiesTrophies
Armor Partial BannerArmor Small MonstersSmall Monsters
SkillsSkills -

Recommended Guides

All Poogie Locations All Egg Locations
All Monster Weaknesses and Attack Types Best Weapons
Best Armor Best Team
Best Monstie Tier List Best Battle Allies
Is There Romance? List of All Recipes
All Post Game Content List of All Baby Monsties
Best Skills Best Builds
Best Power Monsties Best Speed Monsties
Best Technical Monsties Missables and Points of No Return
All Combo Recipes All Ground Dive Locations
All Secrets Best Side Stories
Best Non-Elemental Monsties Best Fire Monsties
Best Water Monsties Best Thunder Monsties
Best Ice Monsties Best Dragon Monsties
How to Unlock Royal Monsters -

Comment

Post (0 Comments)

Author

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Walkthrough Team
This article was created by Game8's elite team of writers and gamers.
    Leave feedback(Login required)
    Tell Us More About You!

    Rankings

    • We could not find the message board you were looking for.

    Gaming News

    Popular Games

    Recommended Games

    All rights reserved

    ©CAPCOM CO., LTD, and CAPCOM CO. logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of CAPCOM. All rights reserved.

    The copyrights of videos of games used in our content and other intellectual property rights belong to the provider of the game.
    The contents we provide on this site were created personally by members of the Game8 editorial department.
    We refuse the right to reuse or repost content taken without our permission such as data or images to other sites.

    Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Walkthrough & Guides Wiki

    Quick Access
    Guide Index

    Version 1.1.0

    Recommended Guides

    Monsters

    Weapons

    Armor

    Bosses

    Main Story Bosses

    Invasive Monsters

    Feral Monsters

    Optional Bosses

    Elder Dragons

    Exotic Monsters

    Small Monsters

    Skills

    Maps

    Main Story

    Side Quests

    Side Story

    Characters

    Battle Allies

    Tips and Tricks

    Items

    Trophies

    News and Game Info

    Japanese Wiki (日本語版)