Apex Weapons: Craft & Upgrade

This guide covers Apex Weapons in Monster Hunter Outlanders: what they are, how they differ from normal crafted weapons, the best elements, how to craft, upgrade and awaken them, and where to get the materials (as of October 31, 2026). Some details are from the closed beta and may differ in the released game.

What Are Apex Weapons?

Powerful Weapons for High-Difficulty Content

Apex Weapons are weapons built to excel in high-difficulty content. Unlike normal crafted weapons, you craft and upgrade them through the Apex Challenge.

Special Effects by Weapon Type (Masteries)

Each weapon type's Apex Weapon has its own special effect (Mastery). The table lists the weapon types whose effects have been confirmed so far.

They Only Work in Some Content

Apex Weapons can't trigger their special effects everywhere. They only show their true strength in the Apex Challenge, the Monster Challenge, and limited-time field challenge events.

Why Craft Apex Weapons

They Help You Clear High-Difficulty Content

The biggest benefit of Apex Weapons is that they help with high-difficulty content. The Monster Challenge (Master) in particular hands out a lot of Rutacoin, so it's a great place to use them.

A Strong Weapon Early On

An Apex Weapon is already rarity 10 when you craft it. Its base stats such as attack and element are the same as crafted weapons, so getting one early gives you a strong weapon.

Dismantle and Recraft to Reuse Them

When you dismantle an Apex Weapon, you get back every material you used to craft and upgrade it. You can reuse them across many weapon types and elements, which makes progress smoother.

The materials used to craft and upgrade come back

TipOnly the materials you spent on awakening are not returned.

Best Elements for Apex Weapons

Early On, Match Your Main Adventurer's Specialty

Early on, craft your Apex Weapon in the element your main adventurer specializes in. That element gets a big damage bonus, so you deal steady damage whatever the monster's weakness. Each adventurer's specialty is on their page in the Adventurer List.

Ice Is Recommended for the Fated Adventurer

If you control the Fated Adventurer, make your Apex Weapon Ice. Ice adventurers are rare, so this gives you more chances to hit weaknesses.

For High Difficulty, Match the Weakness

When you're aiming to clear high-difficulty Apex Challenge or Monster Challenge runs, recraft an Apex Weapon that matches the monster's weak element each time. It goes more smoothly than trial and error with other elements. Weaknesses are on each monster's page in the Monster List.

How to Craft and Upgrade Apex Weapons

Open Apex Weapons from Equipment Crafting

To craft or upgrade Apex Weapons, open Equipment Crafting from the main menu and tap the Apex Weapon option. It's not where you craft normal weapons, so don't miss it. Normal crafting is covered in Weapon Crafting.

Choose the Weapon Type and Element

Tap to choose the elementTap to choose the weapon type

Apex Weapons have no fixed weapon type or element: you pick both when you craft one. The materials stay the same whichever you choose, so pick to suit your goal.

Raise the Rarity to Boost Stats

You upgrade Apex Weapons by switching the tab at the top of the Apex Weapon screen to Upgrade. Raising the rarity increases the stats and adds awakening slots.

Upgrading Unlocks Apex Challenge Difficulties

As you upgrade Apex Weapons, more Apex Challenge difficulties unlock. There are three: Normal, Veteran, and Apex.

Awakening Adds Up to 5 Random Effects

Awakening adds extra effects that make an upgraded Apex Weapon even stronger, and the effects are random, so it's a grind for the right rolls. Awakening materials aren't returned when you dismantle, so take your time.

Awakening Effects Also Work Only in Some Content

Many awakening effects boost the weapon's performance a lot, but like the special effects, they only apply in some high-difficulty content.

Refining Rerolls Awakening Effects

Locked effects stay, but cost more materialsTap Refine to reroll every unlocked effect

Refining is the last upgrade step and unlocks once a weapon has 5 awakening effects. It lets you reroll those effects. It costs a lot of materials and Zenny, so finish your other upgrades first.

Best Awakening Effects

Prioritize Higher-Rarity Effects

Awakening effects have rarities. The top-rarity effects go beyond simple stat boosts and include ones that improve how you play, so take them first whenever you see them.

For General Use, Boost Affinity

If you want one strong weapon to use everywhere, boost affinity, which helps whatever the monster's element. Combining it with skills such as Critical Element also raises your elemental damage.

If You'll Own Several, Boost Element

If you plan to awaken several Apex Weapons, it's also worth making ones specialized for each element. Raising the element value gives a steady damage increase.

Apex Weapon Materials and Where to Get Them

Apex Weapons use three materials, one each for crafting, upgrading, and awakening (refining).

Crafting Materials from First-Clear Rewards

You mostly get the crafting material the first time you clear each Apex Challenge difficulty. Each Apex Weapon needs one, but you can also get it back by dismantling an Apex Weapon.

Upgrade Materials from Clear Rewards

Apex Challenge first-clear rewards and standard clear rewards give the upgrade material. The higher the difficulty, the more you get.

Awakening Materials from Clears and Bounties

Standard clear rewards and bounty rewards give the awakening material. Awakening is the grind for making an upgraded Apex Weapon even stronger, so work on it when you have room to spare.