Slaying monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds is fun and all, but I'm here to tell you that capturing is secretly the better option

If you secured rewards during Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta 2 or have been exploring your crafting inventory, you may have observed tools such as pitfall traps, shock traps, and tranq bombs at your disposal. Remember, there are various methods for hunting monsters, and sometimes, it’s not just about hacking, bonking, or shooting them to death. Instead, these items might be useful for capturing the monster alive.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, there are advantages and disadvantages to both slaying monsters versus capturing them, which I will discuss further below. If you’re new to the game and questioning whether to spare the creatures of the Forbidden Lands or not, or simply unsure about the capture process, here’s a breakdown on when to kill or capture in Monster Hunter Wilds, along with instructions for capturing them effectively.

In this rephrased version, I aimed to make the text more accessible and engaging by using a conversational tone and breaking down complex ideas into simpler steps.

So wait, is capturing or killing better?

Okay, these are my least favourite words to answer a question like this, but it’s true: It depends.

Initially, certain missions may ask you to hunt a creature in a specific manner. Typically, they’ll use phrases like “Hunt [creature name],” but sometimes they might say “Slay” or “Capture.” In these instances, it’s important to follow the instructions given: If the quest calls for slaying, you’ll need to kill the creature, whereas capturing will require you to, indeed, capture it. Killing a creature when the quest asks for capture will cause the mission to fail.

In most instances, these situations are quite specific, so you have a great deal of freedom to make decisions on your own about 90% of the time.

Capturing rather than killing can offer several advantages. The main benefit is that it drastically reduces the time spent hunting, as you avoid the intense final stage where the creature is usually furious about its impending death. This allows for a smooth transition from one hunt to another, even if it’s just a few minutes saved in each instance. Over time, these small savings accumulate into numerous additional hunts.

It’s also advisable to save if the situation seems risky. If you’ve already completed a couple of tasks and are on the verge of failing your third mission, it’s wiser to save and quit rather than taking chances and possibly losing a 15-minute effort, ending up with nothing to show for it.

The question that often arises within our community is whether capturing monsters yields better rewards compared to killing them. However, unlike Monster Hunter: Rise, Wilds does not provide separate capture success rates in its in-game Monster Guide drop tables, making it challenging to conclusively determine if one approach outperforms the other.

From what we understand, there doesn’t appear to be any special monster materials that are only obtainable through carving or capture in Wilds. Instead, all materials from a monster can show up as “Target Rewards” – the prizes you receive upon completing the quest. It seems that capturing a monster gives you instant access to three of those Target Rewards.

While sculpting a defeated beast, you’ll find yourself limited in the variety of monster loot you can obtain. This is because specific types of typical rewards such as certificates and elemental crystals are no longer included. Consequently, carving increases your likelihood of acquiring uncommon materials like gems instead.

In this scenario, I’m attempting to acquire an Uth Duna Watergem from a senior Uth Duna, as per the Monster Guide, there’s a 3% chance it will be my Target Reward. But since carving is involved, the drop rate increases to 5%, as it removes materials like Torrent Sacs and Uth Duna Certificate S from the potential rewards.

In essence, you have two strategies: carving or capturing monsters. Carving offers a 2% higher chance of better rewards, but since capturing is usually faster, you’ll accumulate more gems over time by ending the hunt early and claiming your Target Rewards. However, if you play out the whole hunt, you increase your chances of earning various rewards by breaking monster parts. For instance, in Uth Duna’s case, there’s a 7% chance of obtaining a Watergem from breaking its tail. In summary, given that all materials can be obtained as Target Rewards in Wilds, capturing is likely the best long-term strategy. Just ensure you break the parts that offer a chance at the material you desire before capturing the monster. For specific percentages, consult the in-game monster guide.

As a gamer, I can confidently say that while the data crunchers are diving deep into the specifics of Wilds, it’s clear that there are two effective methods to gather resources: carving and capturing. The approach you choose depends on your current requirements.

How to capture a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds

I’ll go into more detail below, but if you’re looking for the quickfire rundown:

Deal damage until the monster has a skull next to its icon on the minimap.
Place either a pitfall trap or shock trap down near it.
Throw down two tranq bombs to secure the capture.
Alternatively, tranq first and then capture.

It turns out, catching monsters is surprisingly straightforward, especially if you’ve dabbled in any other Monster Hunter games. In Wilds, the process remains identical. As of now, every monster in the game can be captured, except for the one you battle at the end of low rank. However, this might change as Capcom introduces more enemies to fight in future updates.

regretfully, if you expect a non-violent approach to subdue monsters, capturing them still necessitates a prolonged assault. You must inflict enough harm for a flashing skull to emerge beside the monster’s symbol on your map. This indicates the creature is near death and, most crucially, ready for capture. Attempting to seize a monster before it has a flashing skull will be ineffective, so keep vigilant while fighting.

As your loyal companion, Alma or your Palico will often notify you when a monster is weak enough for capture. So, don’t forget to listen closely as they’ll give you a heads up if you’re not checking the minimap regularly.

As a gamer, when a monster is almost defeated and starts to limp away, I follow it to its destination, rummaging through my inventory pouch for the ideal trap. It could be a shock trap or a pitfall trap, whichever I prefer – though some monsters from past games have proven to be immune to specific traps. The key is ensuring the monster steps right into the trap, no matter which one I choose.

If it manages to trigger a shock device or falls into a pit, it will either be electrocuted or ensnared by vines. At that point, prepare your tranquilizer bombs, approach the creature, and toss them using Square.

In order to effectively use the tranquilizer bombs, position yourself very close to the monster. You’ll typically need to toss at least two of them to knock the beast unconscious. Once the monster is out, you’ve successfully captured it and can claim your rewards. If after throwing two bombs, the monster remains awake, give it a few more whacks – occasionally, the skull icon may appear prematurely.

If you prefer, you could first dart them with a tranquilizer and then trap them. This method also works effectively. Monsters sometimes have good resistance to traps, allowing them to escape relatively quickly. Although I haven’t encountered any problems when using this sequence so far, I anticipate that future updates may narrow the window of opportunity just a bit more.

2025-02-27 14:10

Slaying monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds is fun and all, but I’m here to tell you that capturing is secretly the better option

So wait, is capturing or killing better?

How to capture a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds

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