A lot of Monster Hunter Stories 2 players finish the main story and feel like they played it well. Then they find out they skipped a dozen side quests — and with them, some of the most useful Rider Skills in the game. These skills come from Skill Scrolls, and if you never talked to the right NPC or checked the quest board after a story beat, you likely missed a few.
This guide covers what Rider Skill Scrolls are, how the system works, every known scroll and the quest tied to it, and which ones to go after first depending on your weapon.
What Rider Skill Scrolls Are (and What They Are Not)
Rider Skills are combat abilities tied to your player character — not your Monstie. They change how you fight, not how your monster companion behaves. That distinction matters because it is easy to mix up the two systems.
A Skill Scroll is a one-time-use item. You use it, and your Rider permanently learns that skill. There is no crafting it again or earning duplicates. Once it is gone, the skill is learned and stays with you.
These scrolls are not tied to DLC, microtransactions, or any gene inheritance mechanic. They come entirely from in-game quests. Most are weapon-specific, so a Great Sword scroll will not help a Bow user. A handful are general, but the majority are tied to a specific weapon type.
To be clear: Monstie genes affect your monster. Rider Skill Scrolls affect you. They are two separate systems and do not interact.
How Skill Scrolls Are Obtained in MHS2
Almost all Skill Scrolls come from subquests — either from NPCs scattered around villages or from the quest board. None of them are handed to you through story cutscenes or main quests.
The tricky part is that many of these quests only appear after you hit a specific story milestone. For example, the Gunlance Protect quest does not show up until you reach Felyne Hideout in the story. Several other weapon skill quests open up once you get access to nine-star quests on the quest board.
The practical advice here is simple: every time you clear a major story beat, go back to every village you have access to. Check the quest board and talk to NPCs you may have walked past before. New quests appear quietly with no fanfare.
The good news is that none of these quests are permanently missable. As long as you have met the story or region requirement, you can still pick them up later. They just do not announce themselves, which is why so many players miss them.
If you want a full organized list in one place, the community-made tool GameCat: MHST2 has a skill scrolls section that shows each scroll and the quest that grants it, sorted by weapon type. It is not an official Capcom product, but it is well-maintained and useful for completionists.
Every Known Rider Skill Scroll and the Quest That Grants It
Here is what is currently documented across community guides and player research. Each entry lists the weapon type, the skill, and the quest name or source.
Hunting Horn — Awakening
Quest name: Shelter. This is a nine-star subquest available from the quest board once you have nine-star access. Awakening makes the Hunting Horn more effective for support play, helping you build kinship faster and maintain buffs for longer. In co-op, this skill makes a noticeable difference.
Bow — Arc Shot
Quest name: Hopo Protector. The quest is given by an NPC described in guides as “the little prankstar.” Arc Shot gives Bow users a multi-target shot option, which is especially useful in dens with groups of smaller monsters. If you play Bow, this is one of the first scrolls to go after.
Great Sword — Guard
Quest name: Ryder vs Azeroth, along with a related Guard quest tied to an NPC in the Alcala region. Guard lets Great Sword users block and reduce incoming damage, which is a significant change in how the weapon feels at high rank. Without it, you are mostly just tanking hits and hoping your Monstie has enough health to cover you.
Hammer — Surge
Quest name: Shadows of Red. This quest is given by an older male NPC. Surge is a momentum-based offensive skill that defines how Hammer play functions at higher levels. If you use Hammer seriously, this is not optional.
Sword and Shield — Counter
Quest name: The Good Old Bag of Bones. Given by a friendly male NPC. The Counter move is widely considered one of the strongest reactive skills in the game. You wait for an enemy attack, trigger the counter, and punish them directly. Guides describe it as a fantastic move, and that reputation is well-earned. SnS players should grab this as soon as it unlocks.
Gunlance — Protect
This Guard-type skill becomes available as a quest once you reach the Felyne Hideout during normal story progression. If you are a Gunlance user and you have hit that story point, go back and check the quest board. The quest should be waiting.
For any remaining weapon scrolls not listed here, cross-referencing with the GameCat skill scrolls section or a current MHST2 wiki will fill in the gaps. The sources used for this guide cover the most commonly highlighted scrolls, but the full list may be slightly longer depending on weapon variety.
Which Scrolls to Get First Based on Your Weapon
You do not need every scroll on day one. Focus on the weapon you are actually using and pick up its scroll as soon as the quest becomes available.
- Sword and Shield: Go after The Good Old Bag of Bones first. The Counter skill changes how the entire weapon plays. It turns a defensive moment into an offensive one, and in high-rank content, that matters a lot.
- Bow: Pick up Hopo Protector early. Arc Shot adds tactical flexibility you will miss once you know it exists. Bow can feel limited without it in multi-monster encounters.
- Great Sword: Get the Guard skill from the Alcala region quest as soon as it unlocks. Great Sword hits hard but leaves you exposed. Guard reduces that risk significantly.
- Hammer: Surge from Shadows of Red is the defining Hammer skill. Do not put it off.
- Hunting Horn: If you play support — especially in co-op — grab Shelter once you have nine-star access. Awakening makes the support role much more consistent.
- Gunlance: Reach Felyne Hideout in the story and check the quest board. Protect gives you a defensive option that makes late-game content more manageable.
If you are trying to build a specific playstyle, the scroll for your weapon should be your first priority over grinding gear or gene inheritance. These skills shape how your combat loop actually works.
Practical Tips for Tracking What You Still Need
If you are mid-game or post-game and not sure what you have missed, here is a straightforward approach:
- Open your Rider Skills menu and check which weapon skills you currently have.
- Compare against the list above for your weapon type.
- If a skill is missing, find the quest name and check which village or board it comes from.
- Make sure you have reached the required story point, then go pick it up.
For a full picture, the Bizblinks approach applies here too — using the right reference tool saves you hours of guessing. GameCat: MHST2 is the most organized community resource for this specific task. It is free and covers the entire scroll list with quest details attached.
One more thing: do not wait until post-game to start checking. Some of these quests become available mid-story. The earlier you pick them up, the more of the game you get to play with a complete skill set.
Final Thoughts
Rider Skill Scrolls are easy to miss but straightforward to get once you know they exist. They are not locked behind anything complex — just specific quests from NPCs and quest boards that most players walk past.
The key habits are: check quest boards after every major story milestone, talk to NPCs in each village even if you have been there before, and know which scroll belongs to your weapon. None of these quests are gone forever, so if you missed them, you can go back.
The scrolls themselves are not game-breaking, but they do round out your playstyle in a meaningful way. Counter on Sword and Shield, Surge on Hammer, Guard on Great Sword — these feel like finishing touches that make each weapon feel complete rather than half-built.
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