All monster weaknesses in Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster weaknesses in Monster Hunter Wilds are meant to be information that you earn - as in, the Monster Field Guide won't tell you what a monster's vulnerable to until you hunt it at least once. Doesn't help much if you're stuck on a monster the first time around, but that's where we come in to help out. We've got all the monster weaknesses and vulnerabilities in MH Wilds laid out here for your easy reference, including elements, status effects, items, and even what they're resistant or immune to, so you know what not to bring into the hunt. If you want a full table to work from, here's every monster weakness in MH Wilds, from the lowly Chatacabra to the real titans of the endgame.

Warning: the following guide contains spoilers for Monster Hunter Wilds, in that it reveals the existence of all major Monsters within the game.

Every monster Weakness in MH Wilds

Our table below has every weakness for every monster in Monster Hunter Wilds, including their elemental vulnerabilities, the weak points on their bodies, and their resistances and immunities. These monsters are laid out in the order that they are encountered in the game's campaign.

Below we'll cover the monsters in greater detail, but it's important to remember that anything from our Monster Hunter Wilds weapons tier list can defeat any monster, even if you're using the wrong element imbued into it - it'll just be harder to do. Player skill is always more important than gear or having the best Monster Hunter Wilds armor, but it goes without saying that the right equipment will certainly help.

We'll also lay out below which monsters can be captured with traps if you want to take them alive, as not every monster can be. For a refresher on how to use traps to do that, we've got a special guide on how to capture Monsters in MH Wilds.

Chatacabra weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Ice / Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Tongue
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Forelegs
• Effective Status Effects: Stun / Paralysis / Poison
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Dragon / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Stay behind the Monster Hunter Wilds Chatacabra where possible, and hit the tongue when it extends to hurt you. Chatacabra builds rocks on its forearms to increase damage, but those can be broken off with consistent damage.

Quematrice weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water
• Body Weak Points: Neck
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Tail
• Effective Status Effects: Poison / Paralysis
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Fire / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Chopping off the beast's tail will stop it lighting fires, which it uses a lot to burn the area. Otherwise, stay agile and work on avoiding its periodic rampages, then dive back in when it's done.

Lala Barina weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire
• Body Weak Points: Tail / Stinger
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Petals / Claws
• Effective Status Effects: Stun
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Water / Dragon / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Lala Barina generates descending "florets" that paralyze the player if they touch too many of them, so watch out for the red flowers. If they climb onto the ceiling you can knock them down with sustained damage or stun, and the flower can be forced to recede if it takes enough damage - if you know how to mount monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds, definitely target the big rose. Oh, and if it makes the mistake of revealing the stinger, hit it hard!

Congalala weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Ice
• Body Weak Points: Rear
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head / Foreleg / Tail
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Creates dangerous stinks that can be cured by the Deodorant item or rolling in water. Dodge its attempts to fart at you, then stab the rear for major damage.

Balahara weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head
• Effective Status Effects: Paralysis
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Sonic Bombs / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Water
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: It'll try to spit goo at you, which is your chance to hit the exposed mouth. Sonic Bombs are heavily effective on them, but be wary of their unpredictable thrashing and sudden leaps from the sand. Slow fighters like those who use the Monster Hunter Wilds Heavy Bowgun might struggle here.

Doshaguma weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Belly
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Forelegs / Tail Hair
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Separate them from their packs with dung pods, then use their predictable charges to lure them into traps and environmental hazards. Hit the belly when they rear up, or access it from the side with quick movement.

Uth Duna weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head / Tail / Forelegs
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Water / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: It throws up large veils of fins to shield itself and make its shape harder to distinguish. These are retracted after time and sufficient damage, but that's when it becomes faster and more aggressive. It'll also create waves ahead of it, so get ready to evade horizontally and deal with waterblight.

Rompopolo weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water
• Body Weak Points: Tongue
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head / Forelegs / Back / Tail
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Uses clouds of poison and explosions expelled from sacs on its body, so bring antidotes. If the sac begins to expand, hit that to cut off either the toxic or explosive blast. if you have a friend with the Monster Hunter Wilds Hunting Horn mastered, their buffs will come in handy here.

Rey Dau weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water / Ice
• Body Weak Points: Head
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Wings
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Water / Thunder / Dragon / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Hit the glowing crystal sections of the Monster Hunter Wilds Rey Dau to break them off and limit Rey Dau's electrical power. The head in particular is capable of electrical beams of astonishing damage, so try not to stand in front of it where possible. When it charges up those beams, there's a small window to hit it in the head with a focus strike and cancel the attack.

Nerscylla weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Pincer
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Left Claw / Stingers / Mantle
• Effective Status Effects: Paralysis
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Water / Thunder / Dragon / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Uses poison as well as sleep to hurt hunters, so bring cures for both. The mantle on its back is burned away by Fire, while the exposed skin underneath is vulnerable to Thunder. Otherwise, keep mobile and be wary of its fast-moving pincers.

Hirabami weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head / Tails
• Effective Status Effects: Poison / Sleep
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Ice / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: They often float above and are hard to hit, so save your biggest attacks for when they land. In fact, wounding the membrane on their necks will ground them for a while, and should be a priority.

Ajarakan weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water / Ice
• Body Weak Points: Arms
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Back
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Fire / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: This big ape generates a fiery aura that requires Cool Drinks or Chillmantle Bugs to negate. Their hide is also resistant to ranged attacks unless you use specialised anti-heat attacks or Watermoss on them first. Beyond that, use their rage against them - once they heat up, they're also most vulnerable to attack, as their shells soften.

Nu Udra weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Arms (all of them)
• Breakable Points: Head
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Fire / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Cutting off Nu Udra's limbs will do a lot to compromise it. You should also be wary of its attempts to ambush you, and try to retaliate by targeting its head. When it catches ablaze, douse it with Watermoss to negate it and leave it massively vulnerable.

Guardian Doshaguma weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Ice / Thunder / Dragon
• Body Weak Points: Forelegs
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Forelegs / Tail Hair
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Exhaust / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: It's slow, but its arm swings cause explosions that can still be difficult to avoid. Smash its forearms for massive damage, and hit the crystals it creates with elemental slinger attacks to blow them up from a safe distance.

Guardian Rathalos weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Thunder / Dragon
• Body Weak Points: Mouth / Legs
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Wings
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Fire / Exhaust / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Like Doshaguma, hit the crystals with elemental attacks to blow them up when you're safely away from it. Otherwise, you want to break the tail and wings where possible, and try to remain between its legs, where it struggles to reach. The powerful fire attacks from the head are the main peril.

Jin Dahaad weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire
• Body Weak Points: Mouth / Chest
• Severable Points: Tail Iceplate
• Breakable Points: All sections
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Ice / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: No

Strategy: Jin Dahaad is covered in plating that needs to be cracked to reveal the soft exterior. The main priorities are the head and back, but it's easier to hit those if you deal with the legs first. Jin Dahaad uses a lot of ice attacks with wide AOE reach, so you always need to dodge further back than you think you do, and come equipped to deal with Iceblight. Use the environmental weaknesses around to do massive damage and lay traps, and when it curls up and starts absorbing energy, immediately run for cover behind a piece of fallen ice to escape the upcoming explosion.

Guardian Ebony Odogaron weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water
• Body Weak Points: Forelegs / Tail
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Tail Tip / Forelegs / Hind Legs
• Effective Status Effects: Paralysis
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: As with all guardians, blow up their crystals with ranged slinger shots and elemental damage. Otherwise, the GEO is a fast-moving enemy with a lot of bleed attacks - stay at a distance and play defensively until it stops moving, then hit back hard when you see that opening.

Xu Wu weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Ice
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Smaller Arms
• Breakable Points: Head / Mouth / Larger Arms
• Effective Status Effects: Poison
• Effective Items: Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Dragon / Flash Pods / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: This horrible starfish/octopus thing fights similarly to Nu Udra, so expect sudden ambushes and chaotic flailing. Hit the mouth hard, especially when an attack is being wound up, and you can stun it, which is superb for Hammer and Great Sword users. Likewise, a master of the Monster Hunter Wilds Bow might be able to do a lot of damage, as Nu Udra doesn't have a huge amount of long-range attacks.

Guardian Arkveld weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Dragon (but not really)
• Body Weak Points: Chainblades, if you hit them with Cut / Blunt / Ammo
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Chainblades
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Elemental attacks done to the Chainblades / Exhaust / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: No

Strategy: The White Wyrm is a powerful foe who uses the extendable chainblades to throw out elemental damage at range, blowing up crystals. Hit those with elemental attacks to detonate them, but target the chains themselves with weapon attacks, as they just absorb anything elemental. Otherwise, learn to dodge horizontally and be ever ready for its fast turns and sudden explosions of energy. The game says it's weak to Dragon attacks, but in reality it's more of an exploit wherein hitting the chains overcharges them and forces it out of rage mode.

Zoh Shia weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Dragon
• Body Weak Points: None
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Wings / Forelegs
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: None
• Immunities/Resistances: Exhaust / Flash Pods / Sonic Bombs / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Can be Captured?: No

Strategy: This is a tough one - Zoh Shia has a massive health bar and functions a little like Rey Dau. Break the crystals on the wings and skull to depower it, and keep that up even after they regrow. Zoh Shia's attacks tend to be powerful, but telegraphed - watch it closely and play defensively, especially with the recognition that this will be a long fight.

Yian Kut-Ku weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water / Ice / Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Sonic Bombs / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Dragon
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: This ridiculous-looking creature is one of the few that's vulnerable to Sonic Bombs, but it's prone to flying into frenzied tantrums of pecking and charging around the battlefield. It's better to hold off in these moments, then hit back hard when it's done.

Gypceros weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Ice
• Body Weak Points: Head
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Thunder / Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: The Gypceros uses both poison and sudden flashes to stun you. You can see the stun coming when its head starts clicking and glowing - your moment to back away quick - and its ability to stun altogether can be deactivated by breaking its head open. Otherwise, this is a fairly similar fight to the Yian Kut-Ku.

Rathian weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Thunder / Dragon
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Wings
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Fire / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Rathian uses a mixture of ranged fire and poisonous melee attacks, so bring antidotes and try to split the tail as early as possible. The mouth is the most dangerous area for you, but also the biggest weakness of Rathian, so courageous players should learn to evade the flames and hit the head before running for cover under its belly.

Guardian Fulgur Anjanath weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water / Dragon / Ice
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Legs
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Thunder / Dragon / Exhaust / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Uses powerful Thunder attack and Wylkcrystals, and is a lot easier to fight at range if the option's available to you. Otherwise focus on the legs to knock it over, then hit it with your hardest attacks before it can get back up.

Rathalos weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Thunder / Dragon
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Wings
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Rathalos is similar to Rathian and may even summon one during the fight, which is where you should get a Large Dung Pod to drive them apart. Otherwise it's a lot of the same rules - bring poison cures and fire protection, and learn to evade its worst attacks from the mouth while trying to cut the tail off.

Gravios weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Water / Ice / Dragon
• Body Weak Points: Head / Belly / Back / Tail
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: All
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Fire / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: Gravios is a big, slow brute covered in armor plating that you need to break through to actually hurt it, and that isn't easy, especially when it generates fire, poison and sleep gasses through the gaps in that plating. Come equipped to cure all three, and focus on breaking a singular point in the armor - ideally the head or stomach. Either way, Gravios has a huge health pool, so expect a long fight.

Blangonga weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Thunder
• Body Weak Points: Rear
• Severable Points: None
• Breakable Points: Head / Tail
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Ice / Dragon / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: This is an icy, empowered version of the Congalala and a lot of the same principles apply, including the rather undignified strategy of evading the farting so you can stab it in the bum. It also summons minor apes to help it, but you can either drive them away with dung pods, or break the Blangonga's tusks to stop it from summoning.

Gore Magala weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Fire / Thunder / Dragon
• Body Weak Points: Mouth
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Antenna / Wings
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Water / Flash Pods / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: The grand horror of Monster Hunter Wilds, Gore Magala uses the Frenzy effect, which limits your ability to heal. You'll want to avoid these effects where possible - attacking will prevent it from kicking in - and it can even help you, as Frenzy wearing off gives you a temporary affinity buff. Gore Magala's own Frenzy mode makes it incredibly aggressive and will force you onto the defensive, but breaking their antenna should prevent that. Otherwise, this is a long fight against an enemy with a massive health bar, and you'll want to go in ready for a serious encounter.

Arkveld weaknesses

• Elemental Weaknesses: Dragon (but not really)
• Body Weak Points: Chainblades, if you hit them with Cut / Blunt / Ammo
• Severable Points: Tail
• Breakable Points: Head / Chainblades
• Effective Status Effects: None
• Effective Items: Flash Pods / Shock Traps / Pitfall Traps
• Immunities/Resistances: Elemental attacks done to the Chainblades / Exhaust / Sonic Bombs
• Can be Captured?: Yes

Strategy: The wild, empowered version of Arkveld functions the same as the Guardian model, with all the same weaknesses and exploits, as well as resistances. Everything you learned from the previous encounter applies here - stay out of the way of the chains when they come at you, but then move back in to damage them before they can be retracted. Again, you can overcharge them with dragon damage, but it only forces Arkveld out of rage mode.

And with that, that's all of the large monsters currently in MH Wilds and how to kill them! Of course, that's not going to be the end, and we'll be updating this page accordingly when the Monster Hunter Wilds roadmap brings in more beasts for players to slay further into the year.

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