Hunter Shadow Core
Made from normal Monster Hunter materials. Each option below gives one core.
The adventurer’s field guide
Forge your shadow.
Hunt for materials. Discover artisans across the kingdom. Build the shadow gear that complements your adventure.
01
Hunt & collect
Normal Monster Hunter drops fuel Grade 1. Boss challenge rewards unlock Grade 2.
02
Meet your crafter
Find specialist artisans in towns and job guilds. Choose your gear in their barter window.
03
Refine at the forge
Exchange spare materials for Shadow Cores and visit the Zenith Shadow Forge in Alberta.
Choose your next upgrade
Shadow gear catalogue
Explore Grade 1 and Grade 2 recipes. Open a piece to see its materials and where to find its crafter.
No gear matches your search.
Try another name, location, or equipment slot.
Crafted pieces start at +0. Check the item’s in-game description for its full bonuses, set effects, and equipment requirements.
Make every hunt count
Materials & Shadow Cores
Spend raw materials on crafting, or exchange them for refinement cores. Each grade uses its own core.
Apex Shadow Core
Made from the exclusive rewards of the two MH boss challenges. Either option gives one core.
Challenge rewards
Clear Apex Bloodfang or Apex Glowing Wyrm with your party. Eligible original party members present at the clear earn two of that boss’s material. Claim your rewards at the Alberta forge.
Each Grade 2 piece needs 6 Bloodfang Apex Fangs and 6 Wyrm Apex Glands. Regular-hunt Apex spawns do not award these challenge materials.
Find the forge: Zenith Shadow Forge · Alberta (180, 220). Choose “Exchange materials for cores” to open the barter window. The forge also has a crafter directory.
Shadow Cores and the two Apex materials cannot be traded. Personal storage is allowed. Cores cannot be exchanged between grades.
A stronger shadow, one step at a time
Refine. Protect. Repair.
Use the refinement window at the Alberta forge. Every attempt costs one matching core. Maximum refinement: +10.
Your gear is never destroyed
An attempt can upgrade your gear, retain its current refinement, downgrade it by one, or leave it damaged. A damage result keeps the current refine level and effects active.
Damaged gear must be repaired before another refinement attempt. Equipment that cannot normally be refined remains non-refineable.
Protect with Blacksmith Blessings
Select BSB in the window to prevent a −1 downgrade. A protected downgrade result retains your current refinement instead.
BSB does not increase success or prevent damage. When selected, the listed amount is consumed on every attempt, including a success.
| Target refine | Upgrade +1 | Retain | Downgrade −1 | Damage | Optional BSB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +1 to +4 | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% | — |
| +5 | 70% | 25% | 0% | 5% | — |
| +6 | 60% | 25% | 10% | 5% | 1 |
| +7 | 50% | 30% | 15% | 5% | 1 |
| +8 | 40% | 35% | 20% | 5% | 2 |
| +9 | 30% | 40% | 25% | 5% | 3 |
| +10 | 25% | 40% | 30% | 5% | 4 |
Repair: one matching core + 50,000 zeny.
At the same forge, select “Open repair window.” In this mode, the window’s Refine button performs a guaranteed repair. Your refinement level stays unchanged. Reopen the forge in refinement mode to continue upgrading.
How do I know which gear needs repair?
Choose “Check damaged gear” at the forge. Damaged pieces still work and remain equippable, but the forge will refuse further refinement until repaired.
Where is Grade 3?
Grade 3 is reserved for future progression. This crafting and refinement system supports Grades 1 and 2.
Do I need to sacrifice a Grade 1 piece to craft Grade 2?
No. Grade 2 gear is crafted directly from the two boss challenge materials. Your existing Grade 1 equipment is not consumed.
What if my inventory is full when I claim boss materials?
Your pending rewards remain available. Make space and speak to the Zenith Shadow Forge again.