Monster Hunter Wilds: Story & Quests - Progression Guide

Time: 2025-03-03 by mmojugg Game: Monster Hunter Wilds Guide

Launching on 28 February 2025, Monster Hunter Wilds immerses players in a dynamic frontier with vast biomes, challenging monsters and a story-driven campaign. The main story follows you as a hunter exploring the Forbidden Lands, dealing with monster anomalies (such as Jaron) and environmental changes (such as the Dragon Torch eruption), while optional quests provide additional challenges, materials, and progression. This guide provides a clear, practical approach to progressing through the main story, managing optional quests, and optimising your hunting gear, tactics, and strategies to ensure you make efficient progress in the wild world of Wilds.

The Story and Quest System: Understanding your journey

System context: In Monster Hunter Wilds, the main story unfolds in the Forbidden Lands, with monster investigations (such as Jaron's rampage in Wounded Hollow) and environmental anomalies (such as the overflowing Dragon Torch) taking place as the game progresses. You can skip cutscenes to focus on gameplay, but they introduce mechanics and narrative, per standard design. Optional quests, accessible via the quest counter or field encounters, provide materials (e.g. monster parts, ancient relics) and equipment that advance low and high ranks, per gameplay insights. Tools such as the Seikret, Focus Mode and the Big Monster Field Guide enhance progression via standard mechanics.

Objectives: To introduce the core systems and strategies for navigating the main story and optional quests-progression, gear, and quest management-to guide players in optimising their journey, based on in-game features.

Significance: Mastering the main story and optional quests ensures efficient progression, unlocks gear (e.g. Artian Weapons), and builds skills for the challenges of the Wilds, setting you up for success in the endgame in the Forbidden Lands.

Main story and optional quest breakdown: Core systems and strategies

Navigating the main story: Progression and preparation

Story Flow: Follow the campaign - start with early missions (e.g. Desert Trotters, Back to Camp) to unlock multiplayer, then tackle story quests (e.g. Investigating Jaron in Wounded Hollow, Dragon Torch Anomalies with Olivia) as the game progresses. Cutscenes reveal monster behaviour and environmental changes - skip if focused on speed, but check for mechanics, per standard design. Progression to high rank (HR 29+), dealing with crises such as ice shard cliff weather anomalies, per story flow.

Gear and skills: Equip low/high rank gear (e.g. Uragaan for stamina, Nerscylla for thunder resistance) with skills such as Flare (boosts wounding), Partbreaker (shatters parts), Vitality (boosts health), or Marathon Runner (stamina), per Progression Tips. Stack resistances (e.g. Fire for Jaron, Thunder for Balahara) to counter monster afflictions, per monster weakness.

Items and tools: Use consumables such as Rations, Well Done Steaks (health/stamina boosts), Max Potions (healing) and Nulberries (blight cures) for survival, per Hunter Basics. Carry traps (e.g. Pitfall, Shock) and sling ammo (e.g. Stones, Flash Pods) for control, and Seikret for mobility (call to strafe, jump for slams), per standard mechanics. Use the Big Monster Field Guide (after the first quest) to track monster weaknesses and drops, per in-game UI.

Strategy: Complete story quests sequentially - Investigate Jaron (low rank), prepare for Dragon Torch (high rank) - Use Seikret to hunt monsters, Focus Mode (hold trigger) for precision, and environmental traps (e.g. rocks) for damage, per Hunter Tips. Skip cutscenes for efficiency, return for mechanics, and join lobbies for support to efficiently advance to High Rank (HR 29+), per in-game flow.

Managing optional quests: Efficiency and Rewards

Quest types: Access optional quests at the quest counter or in the field - target specific monsters (e.g. Gypceros in the Windward Plains, Balahara in the Deserts) for materials (e.g. ancient relics, monster parts) and equipment, via the in-game UI. Use Investigations (high rank) for bonus rewards - Rest in Tent (300 points) to reset spawns, create quests with star bonuses (brown part symbols), per Efficiency Hacks.

Mechanics: Track monster spawns (day/night, weather cycles) - e.g. Gypceros appears during flourishing weather, per monster traits. Use Wish List (Forge) to mark equipment needs (e.g. Gypceros Liquid), highlighting relevant quests, per Farming Tips. Engage monsters in the field (e.g. hit Gypceros to start a quest), join lobbies or squads for co-op, per Multiplayer Flow.

Strategy: Farm optional quests for materials - target Gypceros for fluids (Flourishing Weather, Rest Tent), Balahara for tail spikes (Investigations, Star Bonuses), use Flare/Partbreaker for 10x drops, per Farming Insight. Use Seikret for hunting, Focus Mode for wounds and Traps/Slinger for control, capture at 20% health (same rewards) or kill for breaks, maximise loot, per efficiency norms. Join lobbies for support, ensuring efficient progression through low/high rank.

Optimise progression: Balancing story and quests

Gear upgrades: Crafting equipment (e.g. Artian Weapons, Balahara Armour) at the Forge-Use materials from optional quests (e.g. Gypceros Fluids, Balahara Spikes) and story rewards (e.g. Ancient Relics), per standard crafting. Upgrade with Investigation (High Rank) - spawn rest, farm star bonuses, and smelting extras at the foundry, per Progression Tips.

Combat Tactics: Learn monster patterns - dodge Jaron's Fireblight (Q/E/SS), block Balahara's Electricity (2 for yellow), or counter with offset attacks, per Standard Combat. Use Focus Mode to target wounds (blue, not red) for Focus Strikes, break parts for loot, per Hunter Basics. Stack resistances and stamina with rations/steaks to ensure survival, per Gameplay Insights.

Strategy: Alternate story and optional quests - Complete Jaron (main) for progression, then farm Gypceros (optional) for materials, using Seikret and Focus Mode, per Efficiency Hacks. Skip cutscenes for speed, return for mechanics, and join lobbies for support to efficiently advance to high rank (HR 29+), per in-game flow.

Community Insights: Story and Quest Trends

Players find the pacing of the main story varies - cutscenes are educational, but some feel long, per gameplay feedback. Optional quests are exciting - researching materials (e.g. ancient relics) enhances equipment, per community tips. Seikret mobility thrills - jumping and shooting rule, with focus mode suggesting precision. Many call Gypceros/Balahara "fun but tricky", based on standard community discussion.

Wilds Progression Core: Story and Quest Synergy

The main story and optional quests drive Wilds - gear up with Flare/Partbreaker, use Seikret and Focus Mode, and master iframes, per launch insights. Balance Story (Jaron, Dragon's Torch) and Quest (Gypceros, Balahara) - farm materials, dodge attacks and dominate the Wilds frontier, ready to hunt and fierce.

Story and Quest Mastery: Your Wilds Hunting Edge

Monster Hunter Wilds equips you for progression - tank with the Great Sword, dodge with the Seikret and strike with Focus Mode. Prepare rations, traps and resistances - Progress through the main story, farm optional quests and rule the Wilds' Forbidden Lands, beast-ready and unstoppable. Dive in, hunt strategically and triumph!

Thank you for reading

This guide will prepare you for the main story and optional quests of Monster Hunter Wilds and ensure you progress efficiently. Step in - your epic hunt awaits!