New weapons don't help, upgraded armor doesn't help, bombs are entirely unusable, flash bombs aren't worth the disc space they take up, and traps hold him for five seconds at most

I defy the fact that anyone's ever beaten this guy. I need proof that it's possible offline.

I'm on PAL as well, although I haven't played online in ages..

Okay, I have a basic noobish question. Is there always a best armour weapon combination for each monster, and if so, can you determine it from just paying attention during the game, do you need to keep trying combinations until one works, or do you have to search online to get the info? I find that the game itself (offline) does not seem to give much information about this stuff. I just read in a MH3 online guide that "hammers prove worthwhile because they make it easier to break certain parts of the enemy anatomy for item drops." That is something that I don't remember being mentioned in the game. I hate reading guides as I feel that I am somehow cheating, but I do not want to miss out on good stuff I can't really learn any other way. Opinions?

Weapon types i've found are best to determined by trial and error (but i also find certain weapon types unusable), but armor types are easy to research on the internet. Bosses generally stick to an elemental theme, so you can build matching elemental types from lower bosses. For example: Qurupecco is fire, so his armor will be good against later fire bosses, like Agnaktor, Rathian and (obscenity deleted) Rathalos.

Also, the bosses have certain abilities that armor sets will work well against. Flying bosses generally batter you with the air pushed by their wings, but you can get an ability to resist that from certain sets.

Thanks for the advice Mr. Khan. I will try to mix up the weapon types, as right now I use the switch axe exclusively. I think I need to use the hammer and the lance more often. I also have to buy more armour types, as right now I only have Jaggi. It works well enough, but I see what you are saying about matching armour to monster. This is such a great game.

there is just one word I can say of this game: overrated

It is so boring imo, it is slow, the controls are really irresponsive and I totally wasted 50 dollars.

As a guy in a review said: if you arent a fan substract 4 points from the score (7)

I use Rathian armor and gem it for fire resist, earplugs, and 50 health. I use Sieglinde on him, he seems pretty susceptible to poison (plus it helps as he's flying all over the place). I break his face, then wings, then tail. He usually drops in about 20-22 minutes, after I reacquaint myself with his patterns.

I'm only HR 22, so I don't even have any high rank anything yet. 

Edit*  As for Diablos, once I got the Tusk Lance from Barioth, it went from me running out of time, to only 17 minutes the very first time afterwards. I love that lance for Diablos.

I got all the awards in MH3.

I'll be on all day today, if anyone needs help. 

Name: KLASH

Region: USA

There. Took a week and a half and more meltdowns and thrown controllers than i care to count, and i had to break my own rule about not dying at all in a quest, but i did it. Turns out the new weapon was pointless, it was the trap that was the key, and a better understanding of how to charge him.

Rathalos can still rot in his own fiery hell though. Now back to actually playing this game, and getting me some Ingot Armor.

Can you expand on your opinions with examples and details. I just find unfinished posts annoying.  Besides maybe somebody can help if it is the learning curve that you have a problem with. As for the controls, I've never experienced irresponsiveness, but I would like to see how that is the case for somebody else from a different perspective.