Monster Hunter Now: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Monster Hunter Now is the latest craze by Capcom and Niantic that follows in the footsteps of Pokémon Go. The action role-playing game has you hunting down monsters right in your neighborhood. The game blends the physical world with augmented reality, placing the beasts right before your eyes.

The gameplay is simple. You only need to get up and move. But that's not all. There's combat and a lot of resource collection to become the world's greatest monster hunter. 

If you are new to hunting and want someone to hold your hand, we've got you. These tips will have you ranking as the top hunter in no time. So, without much further ado, here's Monster Hunter Now – 5 best tips for beginners.

5. Choose Your Weapon

This goes without saying: for any successful hunt, you need the right tool for the job. Thankfully, Monster Hunter Now has an array of options. Plus, some of these weapons are returning classics from the Monster Hunter franchise. But before we dwell on which weapons to choose, the game uses crafting techniques to forge and upgrade your weapons. This means you'll not only be locating the beasts but also finding useful items to upgrade your armor.

Items such as monster bones, plants, and ore are necessary when upgrading weapons. Once you have these in your inventory, go ahead to the equipment menu and upgrade your weapon. The same applies when forging weapons. The menu shows which weapons you have yet to acquire and what materials you'll need to craft them. But a word of advice: avoid upgrading all weapons simultaneously. This takes a lot of resources and time. You're better off finding which weapons suit your game style and upgrading.

The game has six main archetypes: Long Sword, Great Sword, Bow, Sword and Shield, Hammer, and Little Bowgun. Each of these weapons bears a distinct trait. For instance, the hammer is useful for pounding anything you come across. Its special skill, Spinning Bludgeon, deals massive damage at a continuous pace when you swing it. This comes in handy when you're overpowered, instead of calling on a nearby hunter for help.

4. Team Up or Not

In Monster Hunter Now, you have two modes to choose from: Solo hunt or multiplayer. A solo hunt can be rewarding—the joy of finding the beasts on your own and taking them down. But you should note that the game progressively becomes more challenging. Soon, you'll battle monsters that are bigger and more powerful. While weapons in your inventory can do the trick, you may easily lose out on HP. 

So it's best to partner up with a teammate. If you encounter vicious beats, switching to multiplayer mode pairs you with three available monster hunters. The match happens randomly, and the game allows up to four players in a team. If you want to tag along a specific friend, you can use the game's QR codes to invite them on the hunt. What's more, if your mate is miles away from you, you can join their parties and save the world from these night-mythical beasts. 

Moreover, teaming up earns you rewards such as potions and paintballs. Plus, you know what they say: Two is better than one.

3. Beware of Attacks

Monster Hunter Now, battles are 75 seconds long. These short encounters almost always lead to victory since the attacks are about spamming the attack button. But you also have to be wary of your defense tactics. 

After a few hits, the monster starts becoming agitated. Soon, you'll notice a red glow, which is your cue to duck. The red glow is the monster readying for a hit. If that hit lands on you, you'll lose a substantial amount of HP. That being said, keeping track of your character's health is also essential. Losing any HP puts your life and the hunt at risk. 

Although your character's health regenerates, it takes a while, which keeps you out of the action. Consuming a potion gets you back on your feet. However, the game only supplies one potion every day. To stock up on more, you'll need to locate this resource. 

So, how do you evade attacks? You simply need to swipe left, right, or down. This technique comes in handy, especially when hunting down giant monsters. 

2. Complete Quests on Time

For any beginner, the crucial step is covering all game quests. Most of these quests come with a time limit, and failure to complete them on time results in the loss of rewards. You can find the quests from the menu, which mostly range between tracking down monsters or locating items. 

When hunting a monster as part of a quest, you can mark their location using a paintball. If you're a fan of the Monster Hunter franchise, you may have a clue what this is. For those not yet acquainted, allow me to elaborate. A paintball is a tag system that locks down the monster's location. So, if you're in a hurry and can't spare the time for a kill, simply ask your Palico to use the paintball. 

Moreover, the game will notify you of large monsters within your area in the paintball section. These monsters stay for a limited time, so it's always best to watch the paintball section. Gunning down these monsters reaps greater rewards, including Iron Ores, Zenny, and Gems. 

1. Mind Your Environment

The final tip is not a game-specific one but a safety one. As an AR game, your physical environment is the game's map. You can view streets and possibly buildings, but not other hazards. This calls for caution when hunting the monsters.

Plus, the game gives a fair warning to players to ensure that they are in a safe place before commencing the game. This is necessary for beginners and veterans alike before playing the game. You wouldn't want to step into a busy street chasing down a virtual monster. Your safety comes first. So, before you dive into this fictional realm, be mindful of your environment.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our five best tips for beginners? Do you have any other useful tips for Monster Hunter Now newcomers? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here.