How have Buddies changed?
Source: iMore
Just as the Hunter Rank cap has been unlocked, the Buddy level cap has also been unlocked so that they can be leveled up past level 20, all the way up to level 50. The Buddies hired from the Buddy Scout, Iori, will also have a higher default level from now on.
What new monsters can I fight?
Source: Capcom (screenshot)
A big part of the new update is the ability to fight multiple new monsters. Three Elder Dragons have been added to the game, namely Chameleos, the chameleon-inspired monster, Teostra, a firey lion, and Kushala Daora, a fierce dragon.