You may not be Ash Ketchum and you don’t have to deal with Pokéballs, but you can catch the monsters in Monster Hunter: World too. All the details are in our catching guide.
In Monster Hunter: World, you’ll initially spend most of your time hunting and taking down monsters. However, in many side quests, you will be asked to capture beasts alive.
The distribution of loot drops is somewhat different when capturing compared to killing. You can also complete the mission a bit faster, as capturing usually takes less time than killing.
But capturing the local fauna is not limited to the big ones. Smaller representatives like insectoids or geckos can be caught and later used to decorate your room. You will also receive research points for capturing small animals and sometimes even a trophy.
Note: Elder Dragons like Zorah Magdaros or Nergigante CANNOT be captured.
We will explain both capturing methods in detail – because you need to be perfectly prepared for it.
How to Catch Monsters
Monsters must be weakened first: You don’t catch monsters just by going out and throwing a net over Anjanath’s head. It might become angry, but it’s still not captured. To even be able to catch monsters, you must first weaken them.
However, this is easier said than done, since the creatures in Monster Hunter: World don’t have practical indicators like a health bar. Therefore, you have to pay attention to external characteristics.
Once the skull is on the mini-map, strike: Is the monster limping? Is its skin heavily damaged? Is the monster symbol on the mini-map decorated with a skull? These are indicators that the beast’s health is nearing its end. This is your moment to strike!
Shock First, Then Put to Sleep!
You need shock traps or pitfall traps and a tranquilizer bomb: To even be able to capture monsters, you first need to craft specific items. Specifically, you need items that can shock and put opponents to sleep.
If an opponent is shocked and paralyzed, it can be put to sleep and brought back to Astera alive.
Several options are available:
- Shock and tranquilizer ammunition for ranged weapons
- Shock traps / pitfall traps and tranquilizer bombs with area effect
Here’s how you craft tranquilizer bombs: To craft tranquilizer bombs, you can gather directly from the local flora in the Ancient Forest. Specifically, you need sleeping grass and paralysis mushrooms – both items you can find abundantly.
To craft tranquilizer ammunition, you need tranquilizer bombs and Normal Ammo I.
Shock traps are crafted by combining a trapping device and a thunder beetle. Convenient: Trapping devices can be purchased directly from the supply vendor in the trade hall. Thunder beetles can be found almost everywhere or planted in the botanical garden.
Pitfall traps are crafted from a trapping device and a net.
Which Trap Should I Use and When?
Whether you use a pitfall trap or a shock trap largely depends on the situation. A shock trap is quickly placed, but it doesn’t last as long as a pitfall trap. Then you have a shorter time window to throw the tranquilizer bomb.
There are also beasts that are immune to one or the other trap form.
In general, however: Place your trap in narrow spots that the monster must pass through while hunting you to increase your chances of hitting. If the creature has fled to its nest, you can also place the trap right before the sleeping monster.
The Right Use of Tranquilizer Bombs – Here’s How It Goes
If the creature is caught in your trap, you need to hurry. Throw the tranquilizer bombs at the monster or shoot it with tranquilizer ammunition. After at least two hits, you should have successfully captured the monster.
If you have successfully captured the monster, the mission is complete: The corresponding reward screen appears (similar to a successful hunt). You can also watch the details of such a hunt in the following German video by Charles:
How to Catch Pets for Your Room!
You may have already noticed them – smaller creatures that inhabit the forest floor, the trees, or the air of Monster Hunter: World. An entire ecosystem exists alongside the game’s giants and is just waiting to be discovered.
Use the capture net in your inventory and sneak up: You can catch these little insects, such as birds, geckos, or bugs and later release them in your room, where they can happily play around. For this, you need a special item, the capture net!
You can find the capture net quite early in the game in your inventory and it is usable indefinitely. When you have a capture target in sight, the displayed frame turns orange.
Be careful, as some animals will flee if you get too close or scare them. So be cautious! Only throw the net when you’re sure you can catch something. Sneak towards them crouched or using the Ghillie Mantle to stay undetected. The Ghillie Mantle makes you invisible and will be unlocked during the game.
If you have caught a little creature, you can return to Astera and release it in your room, where it will flutter around or walk around. The benefit of the animals is purely decorative, making your rooms cozier. Talk to your Palico housekeeper. With him, you will get the option to release the animals in the room.
Share your capture strategies with us in the comments
Catching and hunting monsters is the most fun in a group! Here you can find our big multiplayer guide that explains how you can play together. It’s somewhat cumbersome in Monster Hunter World.
