MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD – Monster Behavior

by Falagar / Articles, Monster Hunter World / 13 Aug 2018

Monster Behavior

The developers worked tirelessly to make the game as detailed as possible, in ways that most players would never notice. They wanted Monster Hunter World to feel like a living, breathing ecoystem. For example, the Pukei-Pukei’s poison attacks have different properties depending on what nuts and berries it had most recently snacked on in the map.

Moving away from minutae, let’s focus on monster behavior as it pertains to gameplay. When out on a quest, keep in mind what monster you’re hunting. Particular monsters prefer different locales, and stick to those locations. You won’t find a Jagras hiding high among the treetops, for example. If you learn where the monster patrols, eats, and sleeps, you’ll have a much easier time finding them at the beginning of the hunt without needing to rely on scoutflies.

Some monsters are aggressive, some are passive. If a monster sees you, its reaction can give you some insight on its temperament. It might attack you right away, seeing you as a meal. It might ignore you, considering you not a threat. Once you attack, lesser monsters might run away, while larger monsters (most quest targets) will fight back.

Pay attention to the monster’s body during the fight. It has a windup or tell before each attack. If it raises up a claw, it’s likely to swipe with it. If it raises its tail, it’s likely about to slam it down. Over time, you’ll be able to distinguish exactly what a monster’s about to do. Generally, the more dangerous an attack is, the longer windup will be.

Several times during the hunt, a monster will leave the area and move to a new location. Simply follow it and continue the fight. If you get lost, the scoutflies should be able to guide you. Sometimes, you’ll be able to interrupt a monster before they leave, such as with a stagger, mount, or trap. Just be wary of fighting in tight spaces that limit your maneuverability. If you’re fighting in a bad location, or there are multiple monsters fighting in an area, you can force a monster to relocate immediately by firing a dung pod at them.

When monsters are close together in combat, a turf war might occur. In most cases, the more dominant monster will win the turf war and deal a massive amount of damage. However, in some rare cases the lesser monster may win, especially if it is enraged while the dominant monster is weakened and exhausted. Some monsters are on more equal footing and the battle may go either way. You can use turf wars to your advantage by intentionally leading monsters close together.

After taking enough damage during a hunt, a monster will become enraged. They usually announce this with a roar, then have some other indicator such as smoke or flames coming out of their body. They attack faster and deal more damage. Fight more cautiously when a monster is enraged.

On the other hand, monsters can also become exhausted. Monsters have stamina, which depletes by using attacks and taking blunt damage. If a monster is exhausted, they move and attack slower, and special attacks may fail. This is a great opportunity to deal damage. An exhausted monster will try to eat food, or bite at a hunter, to restore stamina.

When a monster is at low enough health, they can be captured. The next time they leave the area, they will limp and move to their nest area to go to sleep. While sleeping, the next attack against the monster will deal double damage. If the damage source is from an item such as a barrel bomb, it will deal triple damage. Otherwise, the hunter is free to use tranq bombs and a trap for an easy capture.

Be wary of elder dragons after they return to their nest. They cannot be captured as they are immune to traps. They are more dangerous when fought at their nests, be it from their expanded moveset or from the nest itself. It’s recommended to kill an elder dragon before they reach their nest if possible. One method to do so is by shooting them with crystalburst slinger ammo as they limp.

Falagar

He is the founder and editor of Magic Game World. He loved gaming from the moment he got a PlayStation 1 with Gran Turismo on his 7th birthday.
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