As Monster Hunter: World makes its debut on the Xbox One and PS4 (PC TBA), hunters from all over are gathering to see what lies ahead in ‘The New World’. Being dropped in the realm of the hunter can be a lot to tackle head-on, so we’re on hand to help.
Whilst embarking on hunts, you as a hunter must be ready for all dangerous situations that can pop up out of nowhere (literally), whether it’s a 30m dragon of a horde of man-sized lizards; you must always be prepared. Here’s our top Monster Hunter: World tips and tricks to help you survive – and thrive – in the New World.
If you’re unsure of whether or not the game is for you, take a look at our Monster Hunter: World review, written from the perspectives of a new- and returning player.
Prepping for a hunt
Before embarking on a hunt, there are many ways a hunter can ready themselves for what’s to come. We like to use a four-stage setup which, if followed, makes hunts a lot more manageable.
Canteen
Food can be a great way to make sure you’re prepared for what you’re about to face. No matter what is it you’re doing in the new world, eating food can help in different ways. Keep dying in one hit to that annoying oversized beast? Increase your defence. Or is that giant boulder absorbing most of your damage? Boost your strength.
Ordering a meal can be done at 2 different spots; before venturing on a quest via the 3rd floor in Astera, or at any campsite. Fear not, both sites give the same meal and stat boosts, though the Oven Roast feature which allows you to use your own ingredients for a random stat boost is exclusive to Astera.
Craft what you need
Resources are a big part of surviving. You can easily adapt to the weaknesses of a monster by using certain items in your battles – the catch is that most of these items aren’t found, they’re crafted. For example, you can craft a net to capture an injured monster or you can use those handy potions and some honey to improve the healing effect of a normal potion.
The combinations are endless so always pick up resources that you come across on your travels and see how you can change up the hunt.
Inventory
There are many monsters who can affect you with game-changing ailments, and how you assemble your bag can help- or kill you. Make sure you are carrying antidotes, potions and meat at the very least before heading out as you never know who, or what, might be after your head.
Just the essentials
Before departing, be sure to check what you’re holding. Hunters are given a limited inventory so emptying it before leaving for a hunt can be important. How else are we going to pick up all those important and highly sought-after resources?
Hunting
A hunt can have many different outcomes, the worst being death by massive teeth. To avoid being a snack, hunters must be ready for what is coming their way. Whenever you leave for a mission, expedition or an investigation, you will always get to choose your landing camp.
At the camp, there are still a few final checks you can make as there are inventory chests and food stools ready for use. From there, you can plan the path of your hunt using your handy pocket map. More often than not, if there is a specific monster you are hunting and you chose the right camp to start at, you’ll be able to locate their tracks relatively quickly. The glowing bugs will lead you to the next track to follow until you reach your target.
Once the fight starts, don’t expect it to be over in a jiffy. Some of these beasts like to go the whole way – even Mayweather would struggle. Finding the monster is one thing, defeating it is another. But don’t be disheartened if you don’t manage to kill it the first time around – once you gain enough research points on a monster, you’ll unlock information including weaknesses, attacks and even its location at any given time, giving you an edge in the next battle.
Astera
The main hub ‘Astera’ is home to the hunters in the New World. Between missions, there are always a few things hunters should do.
Be sure to chat to all the NPCs you come across, as many will have missions and investigations for you to take on. Completing these tasks can benefit you with Armour Spheres and other rewards that will boost your hunting capabilities.
There are Ecological, Botanist and Tailrider Safari NPCs updating their services between missions.
Make sure that there are no more available upgrades for any equipped Armour or Weapons before heading out on a hunt – you always want to have the best equipment possible for the job.
Friends, Strategies and SOS
Talking of death, it can be really frustrating, and at times it can make you want to throw the towel in, but marching on can open avenues to enjoyment you didn’t know hunting gave you. Enter les amis. After completing the first few missions, you will unlock the option to depart with other hunters and call on their expertise when out in the field.
Having a good team strategy can be key to success as you want to maximise the efficacy of the team. For instance, what good is it to have all four hunters crowding around a dragon slashing away, for them all to be killed in one fell swoop? That’s where the game plan comes in. Using all the different weapons and armour sets available can make light work of any opponent.
We found that a shield bearer taking the brunt head-on while having an archer rain hell on the poor creatures of the new world works brilliantly. Don’t forget the nutter riding that beast with his axe being wedged between the monster’s eyes. There are many ways to hunt, and finding your way is part of that fun.
But let’s say none of your friends are available. What are you to do if you need some help? An SOS flare can bring in random players who are willing to lend their might. It’s a very useful feature that brings players in without having to invite people in your time of need, though you should be wary of the scaling of monsters when playing in multiplayer.
Weapons and Armour
The New World is full of monsters of different shapes and sizes, so there are many different weaknesses to exploit and strengths to be aware of. Choosing your loadout carefully will allow you to adapt to what the monsters are going to throw at you.
Making sure you’re well-armed for every outing is very important, as the hunting zones’ environments are always changing. With that in mind, you will need to upgrade your Armor and weapons effectively. Many small monsters are easily dealt with by a bow and arrow whereas a large monster that’s covered with protective Armor can be worn down with heavy strikes. You can even stop flying enemies from escaping with air damage only given by ranged weapons or projectiles.
Knowing what your enemy is going to use against you can help turn a narrow defeat turn into an easy victory. This can be done by fighting a monster and dying to it or tracking a monster for research points and visiting the Ecological Research centre. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Palico
What good is hunting if you don’t have a cute adversary to accompany the 100s hours of luring capturing and killing? Palicos provide the hunter with another character to upgrade and level up, (as if one wasn’t already fun enough!).
These cute little cat-like creatures are extremely helpful in many different aspects. Firstly, they can take aggro off whatever you are hunting to give those few precious seconds of recovery. When your health drops below critical they look around for Vigorwasps which fully recover health and stamina (errr, man’s new best friend?).
Palico can also find items, resources and even tracks. Upgrading the Palico’s equipment can be completed at the Blacksmiths in the same fashion as upgrading your Armour or Weapons. Making sure that your Palico is also well adapted for what’s to come can determine how useful it will really be.
In summary…
Preparing when out in the new world can be the difference between success and failure, so be sure to always make sure you’re ready for a hunt. Whether you’re hunting a big’un or just researching some wildlife in the forest, you never know what to expect.