Monster Hunter Now is a location-based, augmented reality RPG published by Niantic, Inc.—the very same publisher responsible for another widely successful AR RPG, Pokemon GO.
In Monster Hunter Now, you can slay a vast selection of monsters, collect various loot, and even party up with other players—all relative to your location in real-time.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
This guide will show you everything you need to know to help you become a better hunter in Monster Hunter Now and set a solid foundation for your account in the long term!
The ABCs of Monster Hunting
If you want to get a hold of Monster Hunter Now’s basics early on, here are some aspects of the game that you must understand first and foremost before delving deeper as a newbie hunter.
Monsters
Monster Hunter Now, hence the name, revolves around players hunting different kinds of monsters in exchange for loot and experience.
Here’s a list of all the monster species that you can hunt in Monster Hunter Now:
- Kulu-Ya-Ku
- Tobi-Kadachi
- Barroth
- Paolumu
- Great Girros
- Great Jagras
- Anjanath
- Rathian
- Pukei-Pukei
- Jyuratodus
- Diablos
- Rathalos
- Legiana
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Monsters can be found scattered all over the map, and in Monster Hunter Now, the real world is your map.
NOTE: To encounter monsters and other interactable items, you’ll have to walk around in the real world. Remember to travel safely, however, and pay attention to your surroundings!
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Aside from their species, Monsters are then further divided according to their difficulty, which is categorized by their (★) level.
The more stars they have, the harder they are to defeat, but monsters with higher stars also drop better loot and give better HRP (Hunter Rank Points) when defeated.
Habitats
There are three different kinds of Habitats in Monster Hunter Now:
- Desert
- Swamp
- Forest
To see which habitat you are currently in, you can just check the icon at the upper-left corner of your screen while walking:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
As you can see from the image below, each Habitat may feature monsters or loot that are exclusive to only that area:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Make sure to always check what habitat you’re currently in or need to be in to get the loot and hunt the monsters you want!
While it’s not that necessary in the early game, switching between different Habitats is crucial if you want to get Habitat-exclusive loot and progress smoothly in the late game.
Consumable Items
As a beginner, you’ll be taught how to use consumable items (specifically healing items) in the tutorial, so make sure to pay attention!
Your character heals HP passively outside of combat, but when you do get into battle, you’ll need to use healing items to recover HP and revive from 0 HP.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Including the two healing items, there are six types of Consumable Items in the game:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
There are two ways to obtain consumable items in Monster Hunter Now—you either earn them from Quests or Special Quests as rewards or purchase them from the Shop.
Weapons
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Maintaining your Weapons by upgrading them whenever you can is a huge part of the game, as it is directly responsible for the amount of damage you deal while hunting monsters.
All weapons are divided according to their types. Each of these weapon types comes with its own set of unique advantages, such as more range, DPS, or even attack speed.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Weapon Types in Monster Hunter Now include:
- Sword & Shield
- Great Sword
- Long Sword
- Hammer
- Bow
- Light Bowgun
Aside from the Sword & Shield which is given to you at the start of the game, you won’t have access to all the other weapon types right away.
This is fine, however, as the Sword & Shield is a very solid weapon that’ll be enough to help you learn the basics of combat in the early game, making the transition to other weapon types later down the line much smoother.
Armor Sets
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Aside from your Weapons, you are also allowed to craft, equip, and upgrade several armor sets in Monster Hunter Now.
Furthermore, it is important to note that Armor sets are not just for aesthetics in this game. They give you bonus stats in Defense and resistance against certain types of attacks.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
There are currently 14 Armor Sets that you can collect and upgrade in Monster Hunter Now:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Ranking up your character as fast as possible should be one of your main priorities as soon as you get in the game.
You can earn HRP by either hunting monsters or clearing Quests and Special Quests
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Clearing Quests and Special Quests is the best way to go about this, as not only will you get HRP by clearing them, but you also get lots of Zennies and consumable items this way.
Moreover, you can also earn some rare materials just by completing these Quests, so don’t forget to clear them whenever you can!
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
The rank you should aim to get to ASAP is Hunter Rank 11, as this is where you start to unlock higher-tier monsters and be more than eligible to claim the referral code reward, which you unlock at Hunter Rank 6.
OBJECTIVE #2: Collect Materials For Weapon And Armor Upgrades
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
To level up your weapons and armor past level limits by Overgrading them, you must first collect materials.
The materials required for Weapon and Armor Overboost can be obtained by either claiming Quest rewards or hunting specific monsters that drop materials related to their weapons and armor.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
For Weapon Overboosts, here are the grades you can level them up at where they can unlock unique upgrades and skills:
- Grade 2 (Special Skill Unlocked)
- Grade 4 (Equipment Skill Unlocked)
- Grade 8 (Equipment Skill Unlocked)
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Armor Sets, on the other hand, unlock Special Skills at Level 2, then at different other levels depending on which Armor Set it is.
You’ll want to upgrade both your Weapons and Armor as often as you can, as this will allow you to hunt stronger monsters, which then equates to better loot and more HRP per hunt.
OBJECTIVE #3: Find Your Prefered Playstyle
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
The final thing that you must prioritize above all other objectives in the game is finding the playstyle you like.
While you do get more resources further down the line, deciding on which weapon type and armor you’d like to use as your “main” equipment will help you save up your Zennies and materials in the early game.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Make sure to invest only in the equipment that reflects your playstyle the most, as it will allow you to focus all of your resources into one weapon instead of spreading them way too thin—possibly slowing down your progress in the long run!
TIP: Investing your resources in one or two weapons at most will be beneficial for most new players. You should pick different armor parts to invest in, however, as this will give you protection from different attack types.
Five Best Tips For Beginners In Monster Hunter Now
Now that you’re aware of the basics, here are some of the best tips that’ll help you go from a newbie hunter to a pro with a solid grasp of Monster Hunter Now’s gameplay mechanics.
TIP #1: Create Or Join Parties For Easier Hunts
Is there a particularly tough monster you’re having trouble beating? Well, remember that you could always just create or join a party to make the hunt go faster and easier!
To team up with other players, you must first click on the monster you want to hunt, then click “Hunt together using QR Code”:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
You’ll then be redirected to a lobby where you can see other players who joined your hunt. To allow them to join, you must first invite them to scan the QR code posted in the lobby:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
NOTE: Keep in mind that your party members must be within 200 meters of you, otherwise they will not be able to join you in your hunts!
TIP #2: Use Your Paintballs Wisely
You’ll be taught how to use Paintballs in the tutorial, but the gist of it is that they allow you to essentially mark a monster and save it for hunting later when you have the time.
Marked monsters can be hunted anytime within two days.
There are two types of Paintballs in the game—regular Paintballs and Palico Paintballs.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Regular Paintballs are colored pink and can be used by the player to mark monsters manually.
Palico Paintballs, on the other hand, are colored blue and are used by your Palico to mark monsters automatically while your Monster Hunter Now app is closed. You get three Calico Paintballs for free every day.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
In a nutshell, Paintballs are very useful when you don’t have the time to hunt a specific monster at the time, or enough power to subdue them.
The best way to use Paintballs is to save them up for stronger monsters, and then hunt them with the help of a party.
TIP #3: Use Your Consumables Wisely
As a beginner, you won’t be able to get that many consumable items—especially ones that heal your character’s HP like First Aid-Meds and Potions.
With this in mind, remember to use your Potions and First-Aid Meds sparingly, like during tough boss fights when they are absolutely required.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Remember, your character regenerates HP automatically while not in combat, so oftentimes, it might be a better decision to just wait instead of popping a restorative item.
Also, you can obtain 5 First-Aid Meds per day by claiming them in the Item Shop for free. Don’t miss them, especially if you’re F2P!
TIP #4: Always Dodge And Block During Combat
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
If you want to be an efficient hunter and save your healing items for later, the best way to go about it is to spam your blocks and dodges while hunting.
To Block, you must tap and hold your screen. This will allow you to guard against enemy attacks, decreasing the amount of damage you receive significantly.
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
To Dodge, you must swipe to a specific direction in your screen, and your character will then roll towards that direction.
You can also trigger a Perfect Dodge which allows you to roll longer by executing a dodge in the last possible moment right before the attack hits, although some Special Skills will allow you to time it easier.
TIP: For beginners, the best way to clear your hunts easily without being damaged would be to Dodge your way into the back of a monster and attack them there. Be careful, however, as some monsters can attack you even when you’re behind them!
TIP #5: Check The Monster Guide Regularly
Another huge aspect of the game that all beginners must take advantage of is finding out a monster’s weakness, the loot they drop, and their location.
You can do all this by visiting your Monster Guide, which you can do simply by clicking on your character portrait on the lower-left side of the screen:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Next, click the Monster Guide button among the options shown in your character bio:
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
And voila—you have access to your Monster Guide which shows you every bit of info about the monsters you’ve hunted so far!
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
You can use the Monster Guide to see which habitat to visit to hunt a specific monster, along with every single material they drop and what weaknesses they have.
Monster Hunter Now: Coupon Codes List
Photo: Niantic, Inc.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any coupon codes out yet for Monster Hunter Now.
You can, however, use this Referral Code to get 3 Paintballs, 300 Zenny, and 5 Potions once you reach Hunter Rank 6:
Referral Code: FHHT5PY9
Also, don’t forget to add us if you want a (moderately) active player on your Friends List. See you in the game!
Username: June
Friend ID Code: 9197 0167 6656
Conclusion
Monster Hunter Now is one of the best mobile games to ever come out in 2023. It offers a fresh take on Augmented Reality RPGs and encourages its players to stay active both online and in the real world.
If you’d like to check out more of our content about Monster Hunter Now, feel free to visit the articles listed below!
Monster Hunter Now – Tier List – September 2023
Monster Hunter Now – Ultimate Weapons Guide
