A Beginner’s Guide to Monster Hunter Wilds

Hello, fellow hunters! At the time of writing this, I've spent nearly 50 hours in Monster Hunter Wilds, and I still have a lot of hunting to do. However, I’ve definitely encountered some trouble while trying to get used to the new lands and techniques in the game. That’s why I’m here to teach you how to conquer the Forbidden Lands a little easier.

Get your practice in!

A hunter always learns and keeps their skills sharp.

As always, I highly recommend heading to the training area to get some practice in with the various weapon types. For newbies, it’s to find their most suited hunting tool. For veterans, it’s to learn about the changes and additions to their movesets.

Use the Training Area to your advantage.

In this entry, you can now switch to a secondary weapon in the middle of a hunt, so it might be an opportunity to learn something new and develop a new strategy. For example, you might want to bring a Long Sword for close-range combat and a Light Bowgun for long-range fights. You can just bring two different weapons of the same type (encouraged by the fact that weapons have their own skills now), but variety is the spice of life… and sometimes a giant sword isn’t the best weapon to use.

Focus Mode and Wounds

May your aim be true and your actions swift.

Focus Mode is a key tool in your arsenal, allowing you to easily spot wounds you’ve made on a monster; If you use a Focus Strike on the wound, you’ll deal some serious damage and might even topple the monster. Material rewards have been reduced for this entry, but only because you get so much out of wounding monsters and destroying them. You don’t have to use Focus Strikes to destroy wounds, but they are way more effective and have fancier attack animations.

All weapons can exploit wounds, but not all can reach them.

Focus Mode also has uses outside of seeing wounds, such as allowing Great Sword users to aim their charge attacks (including the True Charged Slash) anywhere they want. Play around with it. Heck, try and include it in your combos.

Offset Attacks and Power Clashes

Counter and engage.

Offset Attacks are powerful upward swings of your weapon that, when timed properly, will interrupt a monster’s attack, potentially causing a quick topple and an opportunity for a follow-up attack. It’s a counter that can turn the tides of a difficult hunt. This technique is available for Great Sword, Hammer, Switch Axe, Hunting Horn, and Heavy Bowgun.

It's all about timing with these techniques. Use them wisely.

Power Clashes is a special mechanic that, when performed correctly, will stop a monster in their tracks. However, Power Clashes must be built up to like a status effect, guarding against enough attacks to trigger one. Perfect Guards allows you to trigger Power Clashes sooner, so get your timing right. Available for Great Sword, Sword and Shield, Lance, Gunlance, Charge Blade, and Heavy Bowgun.

Pop-up Camps

Take a load off and restock.

Pop-up camps are satellite camps you can place down at set points around the map, indicated by butterflies. They allow you to fast travel, restock your items, and switch out your gear: a home away from home. Be warned, as these camps can be destroyed unless they’re in a “Safe” spot, away from any wandering monsters.

Picking the right locations can drastically reduce the amount of time it takes getting to a target or simply give you a quick way to grind out items. I have one that’s extremely useful for getting money and points quickly. Keep “The Underground Lake” in mind.

Environment, Friend and Foe

Nature is awesome, but also very dangerous.

Your hunting grounds are just as good of a weapon as, well, your actual weapons, both for and against you. While you're out exploring, take note of the various traps, endemic life, and small monsters out there. Falling rocks, sand traps, and lightning rods can seriously debilitate a monster… or you if you aren’t careful.

The lands are always shifting.

Also, please mindful of ledges as a monster blasting you off is just a shamefully long Seikret ride back to the fight. Pay attention to Alma and your Palico, too; they might remind you of something or give you a helpful tip.

Gather

Get a headstart on your farming.

My most important and common tip, but it’s much more important here: you should be gathering as much as you can while out on hunts. Farms aren't as effective as they were in the previous games, so getting a stockpile of items will take a little more time.

You can aim your Hook Slinger and grab any item you come across (except bones and ore) even while travelling by your Seikret, and you’ll be travelling a lot. Honey, herbs, trade-in items, anything you can get your hands on will be of use at some point throughout your hunts or crafting armour.

Check your rewards

Sort out your loot.

Completing hunts and side missions will sometimes only bring up the results screen on the side, showing your rewards but not what you actually get. This is a problem as, well, the only difference between different monster parts and decorations are by colour. You might think you're getting an Attack Jewel Deco, but in reality, it's Counterstrike. You might miss out on what you're actually getting, so check the Quest Results in your pause menu if you miss it.

I’m leaving out plenty of other things I want to talk about out of this article because 1) I want you to experience what Monster Hunter Wilds has to offer and 2) Some tips are better left for when you’ve conquered the Forbidden Lands. And as always, there is nothing wrong in just asking others for help. It’s a co-op game so… cooperate. Happy Hunting!