You’ve just hit High Rank. Everything hurts. That Pukei-Pukei that used to be a joke? It just took half your health with a single tail swipe. Welcome to the real game. Most players start panicking and try to farm a full Zorah Magdaros set immediately, but there’s a much faster, strangely niche way to get your foot in the door without spending three hours on a volcano.
Shamos mh world high rank armor is usually treated like a footnote. It’s "small monster" gear. People see the Shamos in the Coral Highlands—those weird, bug-eyed lizard dogs—and assume their hide is only good for early-game scrap.
They’re wrong.
Actually, the Shamos Goggles are arguably one of the most underrated pieces of utility gear for specific farm runs and exploration builds. If you aren't looking at these, you're making your life harder than it needs to be.
Why the Shamos Set is Actually Worth Your Time
When you transition into High Rank (6-star quests and up), your Low Rank armor becomes paper. You need defense, sure, but you also need specific skills to bridge the gap until you can take down the big hitters like Odogaron or Legiana.
The High Rank Shamos set comes in two flavors: Alpha and Beta.
In High Rank, the Shamos Alpha set gives you the Detector skill. It’s simple. It marks rare gathering points on your map. If you're hunting for that elusive Lightcrystal or trying to find sparkly bone piles for better bones, this is your best friend. Honestly, trying to find rare nodes without it is just a guessing game.
The Alpha vs. Beta Struggle
Choosing between Shamos Alpha and Beta armor depends entirely on how many decorations you have in your box.
- Alpha Version: Comes with the skills already baked in. You get Detector and usually some extra points in utility.
- Beta Version: Drops a skill point but gives you a Level 2 decoration slot.
Early on, you probably don't have any good jewels. In that case, just craft the Alpha. Don't overthink it. You want the utility now, not the "potential" for a build you can't finish yet.
Breaking Down the Crafting Materials
You won't have to hunt an Elder Dragon for this. Not even close. You just need to bully some small monsters in the Coral Highlands.
To craft the Shamos Goggles Alpha or Beta, you’re looking at:
- Shamos Hide+ (x3)
- Shamos Scale+ (x4)
- Dragonvein Crystal (x3)
The "+" is the keyword there. You cannot get these from Low Rank Shamos. You have to be in a High Rank expedition or quest. Head to the Coral Highlands, go to the lower levels (Area 2 is usually crawling with them), and start carving.
✨ Don't miss: Hollow Knight All Bindings Pantheon 5: Why Most Players Never Finish
Dragonvein Crystals are a bit different. You won't find those on the monsters. You need to hit mining outcrops in High Rank maps. Any map works, but since you're already in the Highlands for the hides, just loop through the caves.
The Secret Utility of Shamos Goggles
Let's talk about the Goggles. Even if you hate the rest of the set, the headpiece is a staple. Why? Because of the Fire Resistance.
A lot of the early "wall" monsters in High Rank love to breathe fire. Anjanath? Fire. Pink Rathian? Fire. Shamos Goggles provide a decent baseline of Fire Res that can keep you from getting one-shot while you're still learning the new attack patterns.
Also, they look cool. Kinda. They give off a steampunk diver vibe that fits the Coral Highlands' aesthetic perfectly.
Where Shamos Fits in Your Progression
You shouldn't keep this set forever. That would be a disaster. It has a very low defense ceiling compared to Elder Dragon gear.
Basically, use Shamos armor to:
- Boost your defense enough to survive a single hit from a Rathian.
- Farm materials for your "real" High Rank set (like Odogaron or Rathalos).
- Maximize your gathering efficiency when you're low on ores or bones.
Once you have enough materials for Rarity 6 or 7 gear, dump the Shamos. It’s a stepping stone, not a destination.
Actionable Next Steps for High Rank
Stop wearing your Low Rank Rathalos gear. It doesn't matter how many skills it has; the raw defense of High Rank Shamos armor is better for pure survival right now.
Head to the Coral Highlands on a High Rank Expedition. Kill 10-15 Shamos. Mine every blue and red ore node you see. Within 20 minutes, you'll have enough to craft the Goggles and the Chest piece. This will give you the breathing room you need to actually start playing the game again without seeing the "Fainted" screen every five minutes.
Upgrade them with a few Armor Spheres if you’re still feeling squishy, but save the Hard Armor Spheres for your end-game sets. You’ll thank me later when you’re trying to max out your Teostra gear.