How to capture a Monster in Monster Hunter Wilds

Rather than slaying a monster you’re attempting to fight in Monster Hunter Wilds, there’s the option to capture it. Catching a monster gives you additional resources you might not otherwise get, providing different rewards

The way you capture a monster can be complicated. You have to make sure you try catching it at a certain point, and it’s easy to miss this opportunity, slaying it instead. Not only do you need to stop fighting it at a certain point, but if you want to capture a monster it requires you to bring certain items with you before you start a hunt. Here’s what you need to know about how you go about capturing a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Tools and tips to catch a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds

There are two tools you need to bring with you before you attempt to capture a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds: Tranquilizer bombs and a trap. The trap can be a pitfall trap or a shock trap. You can bring one of each if you’re worried about the monster potentially breaking out of the trap when you attempt to ensnare it. When you have those two items, the next step is choosing the monster you want to fight, and completing an assignment as you normally would.

Although you want to be the one to secure these trap items, there’s a chance your Palico might put down a shock trap during a hunt. You don’t want to count on it, though. There’s a random chance your Palico uses this item, and they might even use it well before a monster is about to die. Because of the random nature of this, it’s better to always have a pitfall and shock trap on your person.

Nothing changes during the first part of a monster encounter when you want to capture. Everything is the same: where you’re fighting it, breaking off pieces from it, and attempting to exhaust it. Eventually, a skull symbol appears next to the monster on your mini-map, indicating it’s close to dying. Your Palico also shouts about this icon, indicating it’s about to fall.

When this happens, you need to use the pitfall or shock trap to attempt to catch it.

As a monster is about die, place down the pitfall or shock trap close to where you’re fighting it. If the creature runs away before it hits the trap, you may need to return to a nearby tent to grab any spares you have before running after the monster.

The next step is to get the monster to run over the trap. When they run over the trap, they’ll be temporarily stuck in place. This is when you swap to your Tranq bombs in your inventory, run up to the monster, and use them underneath the creature. You’ll need to use multiple Tranq bombs when attempting to catch the monster before it goes to sleep. When the monster finally goes to sleep, you’ll have successfully captured it, and the mission ends as if you slayed it. You can only successfully use the Tranq bombs while a creature is stuck in a trap and they’re about to die.

You’ll receive additional monster parts after the end of a hunt, more than if you were to slay the monster. There are also some parts that are easier to get in Monster Hunter Wilds by capturing a creature rather than killing it. You can review those parts by going through the Field Guide and examining the Large Monsters category.

Even though capturing a monster increases the chances of getting certain rewards, there’s still a chance you might have to complete multiple contracts before you can get all the items you need for your ideal equipment and armor in Monster Hunter Wilds.