How to capture monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds

Here’s everything you need to capture monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds, so you can finish a hunt quickly and earn rewards in record time.

How do you capture monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds? While slaying monsters is a foregone conclusion in Capcom’s hunting RPG, it’s not the only way to end a hunt. Instead, you can choose to capture rather than kill, letting you complete the quest without a carcass to carve up at the end.

While you won’t receive quite as many rewards from captured MH Wilds monsters as you do slain ones, there are numerous benefits to this humane hunting method. Principally, capturing a monster in Monster Hunter Wilds is a great way to beat the timer or death penalty, letting you walk away with something rather than nothing. However, the ability to capture a monster is a little more complicated than just hacking away at it with your MH Wilds weapon. Here’s how to do it without wasting your supplies.

How to capture a monster in MH Wilds

The easiest way to capture monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds is to lure a weakened monster into a Shock Trap and throw Tranq Bombs at it while it’s ensnared.

You can identify that a monster has been weakened by its body language and behavior. Limping is the most obvious tell, as is drooling and fleeing. Your Palico also has several dialogue triggers that indicate a monster is ready to capture. Capture tools are expensive to craft, so don’t attempt to use them too early – they’ll only go to waste.

Once a monster is weakened, it’s time to ensnare it. While any trap will do, we prefer the Shock Trap over the Pitfall Trap for the paralyzing effect it inflicts, which leaves them incapacitated for a little while longer if your first capture attempt fails.

Tranq Bombs are the most basic capture tool available, requiring only Sleep Herbs and Parashrooms to craft. These hand grenades are only effective at very close range, so get as close as possible to an ensnared monster before you set them off.

Alternatively, you can use Tranq Bombs as a material to craft long-range Tranq Knives for your Slinger or Tranq Ammo for your MH Wilds Light Bowgun or Heavy Bowgun. Whatever your preference, tranq items are an essential component to capture monsters, so don’t forget to stock up ahead of the hunt. If you run out, use MH Wilds fast travel to get to the nearest pop-up camp and craft more.

Finally, a note on co-op hunt etiquette. It’s understood that most hunters would prefer to kill rather than capture, and so it’s considered bad form to capture a monster unless your team is on the verge of failure. If you’re hopping in to help out a stranger, remember to adhere to your host’s wishes, or just go ahead and capture it if it’s your hunt to finish.

Now that you know how to capture a monster, check out all the best Monster Hunter Wilds armor you can make from the materials you’ve earned. We’ve also got the lowdown on MH Wilds transmog if you want a fresh look without taking a hit to your stats. Finally, check out our complete list of all the MH Wilds quests for more mission rewards.