It worked just fine for me in base Rise.

Don't care, I'm here for pantsu shot.

A game made only to attack, fast as possible, regardless if you're facing an enourmous creature that can destroy structures.

It is not Monster Hunter anymore, you're just boss rushing, it is Monster Slayer.

I think defense gems only work well to compliment an already defense orientated build

I one of these but for MHW

there are times when it definately will save you from fainting though a small margin is all you need to not fail a quest sometimes.

You do know, that defense boost only makes sense with an already high defense value on your armor. And it doesn't make sense comparing it without full health. It's the core gameplay mechanic, so it would be interesting testing it with full health. I also think that different damage type will show other results. Element damage is also a value to keep in mind.