Accessories and damage tests: where do Attack and Element bonuses apply?

Do accessory bonuses increase a weapon’s base stats, or belong to the flat-addition part of the damage formula? We compared actual damage on November 12, 2026. Here are the results, the basics of accessories, and how to use them in MHNow Calculator.

Accessory basics

Accessories occupy a separate equipment slot. Multiple copies of the same type can be owned. Each type has a fixed main effect and up to three randomly refined sub-effects.

The Now Keyring has Defense +30 as its main effect. Forging unlocks after the pre-season story, and tickets come from the acquisition quests: November 12, 2026, 00:00 UTC to December 16, 2026, 23:59 UTC. Refining uses Proofs of Conviction. See the official links below for material and protection rules.

Available sub-effects and provisional maximum values

The official list covers the eight effect types below. The numbers are our current per-slot maximum estimates as of November 12, not officially confirmed caps. We will revise them if higher values are found.

Sub-effectProvisional maximum per slot
Attack+40
Defense+15
Affinity+4%
Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice, Dragon attack+50 each

Repeated effect types are supported. For example, three Fire +50 slots would total +150. This is a theoretical example using the values above, not a guarantee of roll probability or maximum rolls in all three slots.

Element test: 546 damage

Test conditionValue
Weapon attack / element336 / 228
Flat attack bonus211 (skill and sub-parameter bonuses)
Flat element bonus50 (Dragon Attack Lv1)
SkillCharge Master Lv5
AttackCharged swing, motion value 41
AccessoryDragon attack +10
Where the accessory bonus is addedPredicted damage
Weapon base element550
Flat element addition546
Observed in game546

The result matches the flat element addition model. Adding it to the weapon’s base element would change how modifiers such as Charge Master apply.

Physical test: 688 damage

Test conditionValue
Weapon attack2251
Attack increase30%
Motion value / hitzone18 / 130
AccessoryAttack +14
Where the accessory bonus is addedPredicted damage
Weapon base attack689
Flat attack addition688
Observed in game688

This also matches the flat-addition model. Based on this test, the calculator adds accessory attack in the flat bonus section, not to weapon attack amplified by effects such as Burst.

546 and 688 are damage observations under the test conditions, not the expected values shown in build search results. We have not added motion values or hitzones to the build-search expected-value formula.

How the calculator applies bonuses

Attack contributes to physical damage. Element bonuses apply only to a weapon of the matching element: Fire +50 does not increase another element. Affinity is added to affinity, but is not included in Critical Strength. Defense is displayed and stored but does not increase the expected damage value.

The two tests support the attack and element addition positions described above; they do not independently test every possible skill interaction. The affinity conversion exclusion is the calculator’s current rule.

We also checked that Attack Boost Lv2 (+100) and accessory Attack +100 produce the same expected value, as do Dragon Attack Lv1 and accessory Dragon +50. These are calculator consistency checks, not additional in-game measurements.

Register your accessories and compare builds

Choose an accessory from the search or build screen, then enter its type, optional nickname and sub-effect values. Copies of the same type can be saved separately, edited, duplicated or deleted. Element bonuses that do not match the weapon are dimmed.

Your collection is currently saved in the browser you are using, without automatic synchronization to other browsers or devices. Clearing browser data may remove it. My Sets also retain accessory information, and portrait or landscape build cards can include the selected accessory.

Compare builds in MHNow Calculator →

Sources and test scope

Official accessory help · Official sub-effect list · Development team announcement

Test date: November 12, 2026. Official specifications, our observations and calculator rules are distinguished above. Future updates or additional testing may change the conclusions.

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