Monster Hunter Wilds is Capcom’s most accessible entry in the series, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. The hunting gameplay loop is deep, the systems are layered, and the game doesn’t explain half of them properly. Whether you’re a franchise veteran or a first-time hunter, these 12 beginner tips for Monster Hunter Wilds will make your first 20 hours significantly smoother.
1. Try Every Weapon in the Training Area First
Monster Hunter Wilds has 14 weapon types, and each one plays like a different game. Before you commit to one, visit the Training Area at your camp and spend 10 minutes with each weapon.
Beginner-friendly weapons:
– Sword & Shield — Fast, versatile, can use items while unsheathed. The best starter weapon.
– Long Sword — Good reach, flashy combos, a Spirit Gauge mechanic that rewards aggression.
– Hammer — Simple but satisfying. Bonk monsters on the head for stuns.
– Light Bowgun — Ranged option, great for players who want distance from the monster.
Avoid as a first weapon: Charge Blade, Hunting Horn, and Insect Glaive. They’re amazing but have complex mechanics that are better learned after you understand the basics.
2. Use Your Secondary Weapon
New to Wilds: you can equip a secondary weapon and swap mid-hunt. Forge a second weapon, equip it at your camp/tent menu, and press right on D-pad (or X on keyboard) during exploration to switch.
Smart combos:
– Melee primary + Ranged secondary (for flying monsters)
– Sword & Shield + Greatsword (fast weapon for poking, heavy weapon for openings)
– Any weapon + Light Bowgun (for when you need safe damage at range)
3. Always Eat Before a Hunt
Before every hunt, head to your tent and grill a meal. This is not optional — meal buffs last 30-50 minutes and dramatically increase your effectiveness.
- Meat dishes — Boost Attack
- Fish dishes — Boost Defense
- Extra ingredients — Extend buff duration
Cook a meat-focused meal for offensive hunts and a fish-focused meal when learning a new monster. The defense boost can save you from one-shots during your first encounter.
4. Master Focus Mode and Wound System
Focus Mode is the biggest new mechanic in Wilds. When activated, you can spot wounds on the monster — weak points created by your attacks.
Using a Focus Strike on a wound:
– Deals massive bonus damage
– Can topple the monster (free damage window for your team)
– Breaks monster parts faster
Build your combos around creating wounds, then switch to Focus Mode to identify and exploit them. This is how experienced hunters deal double or triple the damage of beginners.
5. Gather Everything While You Hunt
Don’t just chase the monster — pick up every resource you pass. Gathering materials while on hunts is more efficient than farming them at base because:
– Farms are less effective than in previous Monster Hunter games
– Rare crafting materials are scattered throughout hunt zones
– Some environmental items (flash bugs, shock traps) can turn a hunt in your favor
Get in the habit of pressing the gather button while running between areas. It takes one second and accumulates into a massive resource stockpile over time.
6. Break Parts and Cut Tails
Attacking specific body parts of a monster isn’t just for damage — it gives you extra crafting materials.
- Breaking parts (head, wings, claws) gives bonus loot at the end of a hunt
- Cutting tails (with cutting weapons like swords) gives an extra carve for tail-exclusive materials
- Some armor sets and weapons require specific parts that only drop from breaking or cutting
Always prioritize the head (for stuns with impact weapons) or the tail (for cutting with bladed weapons). Your team should coordinate who targets which parts.
7. Use the Dive Evade for Emergency Dodging
When sprinting away from a monster, pressing the dodge button performs a dive evade — a forward leap that gives you approximately three seconds of invincibility. This is your emergency button for surviving otherwise fatal attacks.
When your health bar flashes red with the screen shaking, that’s the game warning you an incoming attack is lethal. Sprint away from the monster and dive evade. This saves more hunts than any potion.
8. Learn the Day/Night and Weather Cycles
Biomes in Wilds have dynamic cycles that affect gameplay:
- Plenty period — More herbivores, more flora to gather, calmer environment
- Fallow period — Landscape looks muted, resources are scarce, predators are more aggressive
Plan your gathering runs during Plenty periods. Hunt aggressive monsters during Fallow when they’re already enraged (they’ll be aggressive regardless, so you might as well hunt them during the bad weather).
9. The Story Is Just the Tutorial
Here’s the thing most new players don’t realize: Monster Hunter Wilds’ main story takes place entirely in Low Rank. The “real game” begins after you finish the story and enter High Rank, where:
– Monsters hit harder and have new attacks
– Better materials and equipment become available
– The true endgame loop begins
Don’t worry about optimizing your Low Rank gear. Focus on learning weapon combos, monster patterns, and the hunt preparation loop. The skills transfer, the gear doesn’t.
10. Use the Radial Menu for Items
Scrolling through your item bar during combat is a death sentence. Set up your Radial Menu (customizable in the options) with your most-used items:
– Mega Potions
– Max Potions
– Traps and Trap Tools
– Flash Pods
– Antidotes/Nulberries
Practice using the Radial Menu until it’s muscle memory. Being able to heal in one quick flick instead of scrolling through 20 items will save your life repeatedly.
11. Upgrade Armor Regularly — Don’t Just Chase Weapons
New players obsess over forging the coolest-looking weapon while wearing starter armor. Your armor is equally important:
– Upgrade armor at the Smithy using Armor Spheres (found everywhere)
– Match armor skills to your weapon type (Attack Boost for damage dealers, Evasion for dodgers)
– Don’t grind for a complete set — mix and match armor pieces for the best skills
Armor upgrades are cheaper than forging new sets and provide immediate defense boosts. Prioritize upgrading your current armor over hunting for a full new set until High Rank.
12. Play Co-Op — It’s the Best Way to Hunt
Monster Hunter Wilds supports up to 4-player co-op with seamless matchmaking. Playing with others:
– Makes hunts faster and less frustrating
– Lets you learn monster patterns while others draw aggro
– Diversifies weapon coverage (one player stuns, another cuts tails)
– Is significantly more fun
Fire an SOS Flare during any hunt to invite random players, or squad up with friends through the lobby system. For more great co-op experiences, check our best co-op games list.
If you’re having performance issues, check our PC optimization guide to ensure Wilds runs smoothly.
Final Thoughts
Monster Hunter Wilds is a deep game with hundreds of hours of content, and the first 20 hours are about building foundations. Learn one weapon well, master Focus Mode wounds, eat before every hunt, and gather everything you see. Don’t rush the story — it’s training for the real game in High Rank. And play co-op whenever possible. Happy hunting.
