Forging new gear requires you to visit the smithy, Gemma, at the base camps. So long as you have the requisite items, she can craft all manner of armor and weapons for you. It’s always best to visit Gemma after every hunt to see what she can forge for you.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a massive game, but not if you just stick to the main story. This game has massive monsters, sure, but if you simply beat each one once, you're missing the true meat of the Monster Hunter experience.

To perform a Block/Guard in Monster Hunter Wilds, press and hold R (PC), R2 (PlayStation), or RT (Xbox). If you have a weapon capable of blocking equipped and ready, your Hunter will perform a Guard with that weapon, blocking incoming damage to an extent.