Monster Hunter World may be the most approachable entry in Capcom's long-running franchise yet, but it can still be a difficult game to get used to for the uninitiated. Whether you're a returning adventurer who wants a quick recap of how to jump in, or a beginner who wants to know how to get started, this guide will help you prepare for Monster Hunter World's opening hours.
And if you want learn even about what the game has in store, we're currently exploring everything you can do in the endgame, collecting all of the Monster Hunter armor sets we can find, and testing out strategies with each of the game's 14 weapons. Check out this link for all of our most important Monster Hunter content, including our Monster Hunter World review.
Monster Hunter World will have a day one patch at launch as a requirement for accessing online content, but Capcom plans on delivering several other updates throughout the year. So far, the PS4-exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn crossover armor has been confirmed, as well as a Mega Man outfit for your Palico. And coming this spring will be a free content update that introduces a new fearsome monster to hunt, so once you master the basics, there'll be a lot more game to explore.
Find the right weapon
Unlike other games, you're not stuck in a specific class that dictates your playstyle in Monster Hunt World. Instead there's an assortment of 14 weapons that let you choose how to approach your hunt. Every weapon is a viable option, although some are much easier for beginners than others.
Whether or not this is your first game, it's a good idea to spend time in the game's training room to gain familiarity with the full range of weapons and see which one you like most. For your first adventure, the best choices are either the sword and shield or the dual blades. Both weapons provide the best trade-off between attack speed and recovery. They may not deal crazy damage, but they're the most forgiving when getting used to the controls and monsters you'll be fighting.
The next level up includes the great sword, long sword, and hammer. Slower, but more powerful weapons, the combos for those weapons are still easy to learn, but if you miss an attack, you're left vulnerable for much longer than the starting blades.
But the only way to really understand the different weapons is to try them. And keep in mind that if you go into a zone with the wrong equipment, you can always head to your tent at the campsite to swap it out for something more appropriate.
Find some friends to adventure with
Monster Hunter World is tuned for both single- and multiplayer action, but if you're new to the series, playing with friends is the best way to experience everything offered. Even if you don't have a pre-arranged group of buddies who are already in the game, be sure to take advantage of the online matchmaking system: the options let you specify what type and rank of hunters you want to group up with so you can be sure to find the right dynamic for your particular skill level.
And if you do decide to go it alone, don't be afraid to take advantage of the SOS flares. In this version of Monster Hunter, you're able to call for help at a moment's notice when the situation gets dire.
Get ready before the hunt
While you have access to your inventory--and even the canteen--after accepting a mission, you shouldn't waste time preparing after you've already set out. Instead, take care of these three mission prep steps before you start a hunt:
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Eat: Make sure to get a good meal with a focus on whatever stat you think will help you get through the next fight. If it's a strong monster and your armor's so-so, get a defense boost. If they use a lot of elemental attacks, get an elemental boost. And if you're confident and you want to try to knock out your enemy as quickly as possible, opt for the attack boost.
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Empty your personal storage: Do you have leftover items from your last quest? Get them out of your pockets and into your inventory box!
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Stock up: Get the items you'll need for your next quest. Early on, you should be good with some potions, herbs (to make more potions), antidotes, nulberries, and honey. That list will expand as your hunter rank goes up, but it's important to establish a beginning setup that covers the major contingencies.
But where do you get all those preparatory items...?
Grab everything
When you're out in the field, if you see something shiny, just grab it. Bugs, plants, mushrooms--eventually you'll learn what each item is, and maybe you'll ignore the stuff you use less of, but it's good to get in the habit of stocking up and staying at capacity.
If you're on a quest that you know will be easy, feel free to leave things like Nulberries and Herbs back in your camp inventory so you can collect more out in the field. And if ever run low on supplies, you can scope out specific items by looking at the gathering locations on your map.
Eventually, you'll unlock the ability to farm multiple items from one of researchers in Astera. You'll have to complete quests to stock that mini-supply, but that leads to the next point...
Regularly check-in with Astera's NPCs
The game doesn't always make this explicit, but after every hunt you'll want to run a social circuit around Astera. Visit the old man in the Ecological Research Center to update your Monster Field Guide--you'll get prompted to do this on the results screen after a successful hunt if you've found enough new information.
Check in with the Resource Center to turn in any completed bounties and to register new ones. These are the main way you obtain Armor Spheres, which are necessary for keeping raising the effectiveness of your older armor.
Collect your harvest from the Botanical Research Center before it gets full. And if you don't have anything specific you want to cultivate, go with Honey. You'll always need mega potions.
And check in every so often with the Tailraider Safari, once you unlock it (you can access this from your room back in Astera).
Collect wildlife
A Monster Hunter's life may mostly be about felling impossibly large beasts, but that net in your inventory lets you capture the smaller denizens of the world. If you're not sure if you can catch it, just try! The smaller creatures you catch with your net will be made available as pets back in your room.
The wishlist is a great way to keep track of what you need to collect
Hunting down monsters so you can make some sweet pants is the primary driver in Monster Hunter, so be sure to take advantage of the wishlist feature. The wishlist will break down exactly what materials you need and even help you find what you're looking for. You'll get handy notifications when you’ve found the material for a piece of gear you're tracking, which saves you the trouble of checking in at the smith every time you return from a hunt.
Search for more campsites
With each area in the game, you start with one camp, and through the story you’ll get access to a second. However, there are a total of four in each area and it's up to you to find the rest. You can search yourself or you can just join a quest with another player who already found one to save a little time. After that, you’ll get a special delivery you need to complete, and then the camp is yours.
Make sure to do the Optional Quests and Investigations
While you might be inclined to get through the main story quests as quickly as possible (and that's the fastest path to getting the best armor and weapons), you don't want to ignore the other items on your quest list. Optional Quests have the potential to unlock powerful upgrades, and they're also the way that you'll expand your cantina. If you want to make sure to get the most benefit from your pre-hunt meals, you'll need to complete the chef's gathering quests.
And unlike Bounties, the Resource Center's investigations aren't completed automatically when you meet those requirements on a hunt. Investigation quests are a separate category, and completing them nets you bonus rewards on the hunt. When you need "just one more" monster part, investigations are the best way to try and farm rarer crafting components.
Don't forget to upgrade your Palico
Your Palico is your constant companion on the hunt, but don't forget that they have their own armor to upgrade as well! The system is a bit simpler, but whenever you're crafting new armor for yourself, check and see if there's anything better for the little guy as well.
Use the environment
If you keep facing a monster head-on and failing, take a step back and look for some environmental help. When looking at your map, scroll over to the "Traps/Environmental" section to find things like Vine Traps, which can incapacitate your prey, as well as plants that can inflict poison and stun. Taking advantage of what's already available on the map can make taking down even seemingly unbeatable foes a little more manageable.
Don't give up!
Monster Hunter can be a challenging game, but it's an experience that rewards you the more you put into it. If a hunt fails, don't look at it as wasted time, but think about what you learned about that monster's patterns.
And if all else fails, upgrade your armor. Going back to finish lower tier sets (or pouring a few armor upgrade orbs into your current equipment), can give you just the defensive boost you need to take on your next quest. If it feels like you're doing everything right, but you're still taking a beating, boosting your defense might be all you need!
And if you really need a break, search for the Poogie in your camp and give him a pet. There's no better stress relief than petting your new best piggie friend.
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