The Culinary Art of Monster Hunter Wilds
Creating delicious meals has always been a cornerstone of the Monster Hunter franchise, and this tradition continues in Monster Hunter Wilds. As you venture into the vast, diverse regions of the game, gathering ingredients becomes a crucial task. These ingredients not only add variety to your meals but also grant specific benefits and buffs that can significantly enhance your hunting capabilities. Having a wide array of ingredients ensures you are well-prepared for any challenge that comes your way. However, finding them can be a time-consuming and sometimes frustrating endeavor. This guide will help you navigate the culinary landscape of Monster Hunter Wilds by detailing every cooking ingredient, its effects, and where you can obtain it.
The Importance of Trading with Villagers
One of the most efficient ways to stock your pantry is by trading with the villagers. After completing the main story, you’ll unlock the Village Intermediary, Nata, who can help you communicate with the various traders across the game. Nata will update you on what items the villagers are looking for at your base camp, located next to your tent. It’s a good idea to check in with Nata after each hunt to see what ingredients are in demand. By fulfilling these requests, you can trade for cooking ingredients and even acquire Ancient Wyvern Coins, which can be used for further trades. The villagers are a vital resource, and keeping them satisfied ensures a steady supply of the ingredients you need.
Exploring the Regions for Ingredients
Exploring the different regions of Monster Hunter Wilds is essential for gathering the ingredients you need. Each region has its unique flora and fauna, providing a wide variety of resources. Here’s a breakdown of the primary and additional ingredients you can find:
- Fish: Fish are a staple ration, increasing your health and stamina by 50 and 150 points respectively, while also boosting your defense by four points. You can catch fish by fishing in various water bodies across the regions.
- Meat: Meat is another primary ration, offering the same health and stamina benefits as fish but increasing your attack by two points instead of defense. You can obtain meat by hunting various monsters.
- Veggies: This primary ration is perfect for well-rounded meals, increasing health and stamina by 50 and 150 points, defense by two points, and elemental resistances by three points. You can gather herbs and vegetables from the natural environment.
These primary ingredients ensure you have a solid foundation for any meal, but the real magic happens when you add additional ingredients and finishing touches.
Additional Ingredients for Enhanced Meals
Additional ingredients can be traded with specific villagers and provide specialized benefits. Here are some notable examples:
- Kunafa Cheese: This ingredient can be obtained by trading with the Kunafa in Windsong Village in the Windward Plains. When used, it has a chance to decrease the damage you receive, making it ideal for defensive play.
- Sharp Kunafa Cheese: A more potent version of Kunafa Cheese, Sharp Kunafa Cheese can be acquired by trading with the Kunafa in Windsong Village with Thundering Fulgurite or Great Windward Aloe. It significantly reduces the damage you take, enhancing your defensive capabilities.
- Droolshroom: Found in the Scarlet Forest by trading with the Wudwuds, Droolshroom is perfect for reducing stamina depletion during stamina-draining moves like evading.
- Delishroom: A more powerful version of Droolshroom, Delishroom can be traded for with Bulky Treasure or Eternal Scarlet Amber. It greatly reduces stamina depletion, allowing you to perform more evasive maneuvers without running out of stamina.
- Mud Shrimp: These can be traded with the Oilwell Basin village using Drifting Sea Pot, Fine Antimite, Antimite, or Auric Oil. Mud Shrimp slightly extends the invulnerability period when evading, giving you a crucial edge in combat.
- Turbid Shrimp: Another trade item from the Oilwell Basin village, Turbid Shrimp can be obtained with Antimite Mass or Time-honed Wylk Gem. It greatly extends the invulnerability period when evading, making it a valuable addition to your meal.
These additional ingredients can be the difference between a successful and a failed hunt, so it’s worth the effort to gather and trade for them.
Finishing Touches for Extra Bonuses
Finishing touches are optional but can provide significant boosts to your meals. Here are some of the most useful:
- Eastern Honey: This ingredient can be obtained through special trades by providing Fossilized Fire Opal. When added to a meal, Eastern Honey increases the amount of health recovered when healing, making it invaluable for long, grueling hunts.
- Jeweled Mullet Roe: You can trade for this with 10 Ancient Wyvern Coins. It increases your attack power when you are in wet conditions, making it perfect for hunts in rainy or underwater areas.
- Monster Chili: This can be traded for with Royal Sea Pot and increases your defense in hot and cold climates, negating the environmental effects. It’s particularly useful in regions like the Windward Plains and the Ruins of Wyveria.
- Truffle Du Conga: Available through special trades with Chaliceweed, this ingredient sometimes increases the number of resources you gather from bones, ore, and other gatherable items, making your exploration more rewarding.
- Wild Herb: This finishing touch can be traded for with Ancient Wyvern Coins and lessens the effects of various ailments, providing a safety net during intense battles.
- Wild Seed Oil: Another trade item, Wild Seed Oil can be obtained with Wylk Gem or Ancient Wyvern Coins. It increases the potency of abnormal status attacks, making it an excellent choice for hunters who rely on status effects to bring down their prey.
Adding a finishing touch to your meal can give you that extra edge you need to overcome even the most challenging hunts.
Optional Quests and New Traders
As you progress through Monster Hunter Wilds, you’ll unlock optional quests that introduce new traders to your base camp. These traders will have unique item requests that you need to fulfill to gain access to their wares. Exploring the various regions is key to finding the items they desire. For example, to trade for Sharp Kunafa Cheese, you’ll need to gather Thundering Fulgurite or Great Windward Aloe, which can be found in the Windward Plains. Similarly, to get Delishroom, you’ll need Bulky Treasure or Eternal Scarlet Amber, which are more common in the Scarlet Forest. Completing these quests and fulfilling the traders’ requests will open up a whole new world of ingredients, each with its own unique benefits.
Staying Prepared and Stocked
In the world of Monster Hunter Wilds, being prepared is half the battle. Regularly checking in with Nata to see what items the villagers need and fulfilling their requests is crucial. It’s also a good idea to have a mix of primary ingredients, additional ingredients, and finishing touches always on hand. This way, you can tailor your meals to the specific challenges you face. Whether you need increased attack power, better defense, or enhanced elemental resistances, the right combination of ingredients can make all the difference. Don’t forget to explore the regions thoroughly, as many ingredients can be found in unexpected places. With a well-stocked pantry and a bit of culinary creativity, you’ll be ready to take on any monster in the game.
