How to Upgrade Armor guide for Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds). Guide includes how to upgrade armor, what to do when armor can't be upgraded, and unlock conditions.
Table of Contents
How to Upgrade Armor - Points & Cost
Upgrade Armor at the Smithy
At the Smithy, navigate to 'Forge/Upgrade Armor', move the cursor to the desired armor piece, press the ✕ button, and select Upgrade. Upgrading consumes reinforcement materials, Zenny, and grants reinforcement points to increase the armor's level.
Smithy GuideArmor Sphere Needed for Reinforcement
Armor Sphere is used as a material to upgrade armor. Armor Sphere can be obtained from the rewards for clearing quests, from the 'Smelting Fountry' in the Azuz Village, or through Limited Bounties. If you have any leftover materials, we recommend crafting them with Smelting.
How to Farm Armor Spheres?Armor Sphere Points Earned
| Type | Earned Points/Available Rank |
|---|---|
| Armor Sphere | 10pts ★2 Quest or more |
| Armor Sphere+ | 50pts ★3 Quest or more |
| Advance Armor Sphere | 200pts ★4 Quest or more |
| Hard Armor Sphere | 1000pts ★6 Quest or more |
| Heavy Armor Sphere | 5000pts ★7 Quest or more |
Max Level, Points, and Cost for Upgrade
| Max Level | Points | Money | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare 1 | Lv11 | 130 pts | 880z |
| Rare 2 | Lv11 | 130 pts | 1320z |
| Rare 3 | Lv9 | 160 pts | 1600z |
| Rare 4 | Lv8 | 550 pts | 1500z |
| Rare 5 | Lv18 | 23800 pts | 79200z |
| Rare 6 | Lv14 | 42200 pts | 103200z |
| Rare 7 | Lv9 | 51000 pts | 92800z |
| Rare 8 | Lv8 | 55000 pts | 116000z |
The upgrade limit for armor varies depending on its rarity. Basically, the higher the rarity, the more points and money (Zenny) you need. Especially if you want to upgrade all parts of Rarity 8 armor to the maximum, you will need a lot of them.
Money and Zenny Farming GuideArmor Upgrade and Unlock Conditions
Level Cap Unlocks with Story Progress
The upper limit for armor reinforcement will be unlocked depending on the progress of the story. As you progress through the story, don't forget to review and strengthen your equipment. You must clear up to Chapter 6-1 to maximize the level limit.
Full Story Walkthrough and GuideArmor Level Cap per Chapter Before Update*Armor Level Cap is listed before the update.
| Chapter | Armor Level Cap Unlocked |
|---|---|
| 3-1 | Rarity 1：Lv4→Lv8 Rarity 2：Lv4→Lv8 Rarity 3：Lv4→Lv6 Rarity 4：Lv4→Lv6 |
| 3-5 | Rarity 1：Lv8→Lv11 Rarity 2：Lv8→Lv11 Rarity 3：Lv6→Lv9 Rarity 4：Lv6→Lv8 |
| 5-1 | Rarity 5：Lv4→Lv7 |
| 5-2 | Rarity 5：Lv7→Lv9 Rarity 6：Lv4→Lv7 |
| 5-3 | Rarity 5：Lv9→Lv11 Rarity 6：Lv7→Lv8 Rarity 7：Lv4→Lv6 |
| 6-1 | Rarity 5：Lv11→13 Rarity 6：Lv8→10 Rarity 7：Lv6→Lv7 |
Update Also Unlocked Level Cap
| Rarity | Before Update | After Update |
|---|---|---|
| Rarity 5 | Lv13 | Lv18 |
| Rarity 6 | Lv10 | Lv14 |
| Rarity 7 | Lv7 | Lv9 |
| Rarity 8 | Lv7 | Lv8 |
*The Above Was Released in the First Free Title Update.
The level cap for armor may be released through updates. The level that can be strengthened varies depending on the rarity of the armor.
Latest Update InformationCan't Upgrade? Here's What You Can Do
Unlocks Upon Arrival at Azuz (Chapter 2)
Upgrading Armor will be unlocked after arriving at the Everforge, Azuz, in Chapter 2-1. After arriving, talk to the Smithy to start the tutorial and upgrade your armor.
Full Story Walkthrough GuideArmor Cannot Be Upgraded During Chapter 1
When Smithy is released in Chapters 1-2, you can forge armor, but you are not able to upgrade it. If you want to upgrade your armor, first progress through the story.
Check Armor Spheres and Zenny
If you lack Armor Spheres or Zenny, which are required materials for armor reinforcement, you won't be able to upgrade your armor. Even if your story progress is sufficient, check your reinforcement materials if you can't upgrade.
Check if the Game is at Latest Version
There was an issue where some menus could not be selected in the Smithy, but this has been fixed as of March 4th. There is a possibility that the patch hasn't been applied, so close the game and go online to check if the patch has been installed properly.
Lastest Update InformationHow to Update on PS5
Select Monster Hunter Wilds on the PS5 home screen. You can check for updates by pressing the 'Option Button' and clicking 'Check for Updates'.
How to Update on Steam Version
Select Monster Hunter Wilds from your Steam library. You can update by right-clicking > Properties and selecting Update.
Monster Hunter Wilds Related Articles
Equipment Guides
| Beginner Armor | High Rank Builds | Artian Armor | Best Builds |
| Skill List | Set Bonus | Group Skill | Layered Armor List |
| Mantles List |
Recommended Equipment by Weapon
| Great Sword | Long Sword | Sword & Shield | Dual Blades |
| Hammer | Hunting Horn | Lance | Gunlance |
| Switch Axe | Charge Blade | Insect Glaive | Bow |
| Light Bowgun | Heavy Bowgun | ||
Equipment Guide by Monster
Mantles Guide
| Ghillie Mantle | Rocksteady Mantle | Mending Mantle |
| Evasion Mantle | Corrupted Mantle | - |
Equipment Related Guides
| Equipment Related Guides | |
|---|---|
| ▶ How to Hide Headgear? | ▶ Alpha & Beta Armor Guide |
| ▶ Guardian Armor List | ▶ How to Upgrade Armor |
| ▶ Melding Pot | ▶ Decoration Farming |
| ▶ Palico Equipment List | ▶ Best Palico Equipment |
| ▶ Immortal Equipment | - |
Great Sword
Long Sword
Sword and Shield
Dual Blades
Hammer
Hunting Horn
Lance
Gunlance
Switch Axe
Charge Blade
Insect Glaive
Bow
Light Bowgun
Heavy Bowgun