Your character for the majority of the game will be clad in armor of some sort. Your looks will constantly be changing as you must equip different gear and items to combat whatever beast you are going to hunt. Your character will gain certain moves based on what weapon they are using and based on what hunting style you have equipped. For example, if you have dual swords your attacks will be fast and numerous with an emphasis on speed and mobility rather than hitting power. While if you use a Lance your attacks will be very precise and using a shield you can block most attacks that come your way. The downs side for this is that Lance is very immobile and slow. Things can also vary from hunting style to hunting style, such as from aerial style to adept style. Arial style focuses on jumping of teammates or the monster to use strong aerial attacks, while bushido is all about dodging through an attack and immediately countering out of it.