To raise your Hunter Rank (HR) in Monster Hunter Wilds, advance the campaign whenever an HR ceiling blocks your progress, then take on Optional Quests, Field Investigations, large-monster hunts, and side missions. Key campaign quests raise the ceiling; after the story, repeatable hunts continue to build HR and unlock more quests.
How Hunter Rank progression works
HR measures progression and determines access to campaign missions and other quests. It does not directly increase your health, stamina, or combat stats. Your equipment and build change when you craft or upgrade gear; HR itself is an access gate.
When the game stops offering the next story mission because you have reached the current HR ceiling, continue with the available campaign quest. Completing key campaign quests lifts the ceiling. Some HR progress earned while a cap is active may be held and applied after the cap rises, so a capped rank does not necessarily mean your hunts are wasted.
Ways to raise HR
Advance the campaign when capped
Make the next available main mission your priority if the HR ceiling is preventing story progress. Campaign progression raises the cap and opens further missions.
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#1 Best Overall
- Wild New Adventure – Monster Hunter Wilds follows the story of a special Research Commission investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the series, the hunter is joined in their journey by a colorful cast of characters, including a Palico partner, Guild-appointed Handler Alma, trusty smithy Gemma, and the mysterious child Nata. Together, the team ventures into an unexplored new frontier where surprises await around every corner.
- A Living World – The Forbidden Lands spans multiple biomes with dynamic identities, such as the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, where the ecosystems shift between vibrant seasons brimming with life, and unforgiving climates where monsters fight over limited resources. Changes in the landscape will impact the creatures that live there and push hunters to adapt as well.
- New Monsters and Wildlife – Monster Hunter Wilds features a variety of new creatures, ranging from herds of small species to large monsters – some of which roam the Forbidden Lands in packs. Every creature hunters encounter in the wild has carved out a special place in its habitat and possesses unique attacks and behaviors.
- Players can also now ride atop the Seikret, an agile new mount enabling hunters to traverse difficult terrain, perform actions like sharpening weapons on the move, and switch between two weapons while out on hunts!
- Evolved Hunting Action – The series’ acclaimed action-packed gameplay is back and more exciting than ever! Hunters can look forward to tracking down monsters with an array of new moves, special abilities, equipment, and more. The action also now flows seamlessly from cutscenes to gameplay, resulting in a new level of immersion.
Hunt through Optional Quests and Field Investigations
The official Monster Hunter Wilds endgame guide identifies Optional Quests and Field Investigations as ways to raise HR. For an Investigation, check the map for roaming monsters and save a hunt as an Investigation. The guide describes up to three attempts at the same hunt, which can make an Investigation useful when you want repeat opportunities for a particular monster or its materials.
Pair hunts with side-mission objectives
Large-monster kills and side missions can also contribute to rank progression. When a side mission can be completed during a hunt, combining the objectives is a practical way to make progress on both. The available evidence does not establish one universally fastest quest or a dependable HR-points-per-minute ranking, so choose a hunt you can clear reliably rather than chasing a supposed best farm.
Use your next unlock as a target
Rather than grinding toward an arbitrary number, check the in-game requirements for the quest you want to unlock. The following are examples reported in PlayStation Blog coverage of specific updates; they are not a complete list of current quests, and availability can change with updates or event schedules.
| HR milestone | Reported quest access | Additional requirement or context |
|---|---|---|
| HR 31 | Initial Lagiacrus missions | Complete “A World Turned Upside Down” and the “Forest Doshaguma” side mission. |
| HR 31 | Seregios missions | Complete “A World Turned Upside Down.” |
| HR 41 | 8-star Tempered Lagiacrus and Seregios quests | Available after their initial missions. |
| HR 50 | Arch-Tempered Uth Duna quest | An example from the covered title update; it does not mean every HR 50 quest is currently available. |
| HR 100 or above | Gogmazios | Complete “A First Cry.” |
| HR 100 | 9-star Arch-Tempered Jin Dahaad quest | Reported in Update 4 coverage. |
The HR 31, 41, and 50 examples come from PlayStation Blog coverage of Free Title Update 2. The HR 100 examples come from PlayStation Blog coverage of Update 4. Check the requirements shown in your game for the current version, especially for event quests.
Rank #3
- Wild New Adventure – Monster Hunter Wilds follows the story of a special Research Commission investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the series, the hunter is joined in their journey by a colorful cast of characters, including a Palico partner, Guild-appointed Handler Alma, trusty smithy Gemma, and the mysterious child Nata. Together, the team ventures into an unexplored new frontier where surprises await around every corner.
- A Living World – The Forbidden Lands spans multiple biomes with dynamic identities, such as the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, where the ecosystems shift between vibrant seasons brimming with life, and unforgiving climates where monsters fight over limited resources. Changes in the landscape will impact the creatures that live there and push hunters to adapt as well.
- New Monsters and Wildlife – Monster Hunter Wilds features a variety of new creatures, ranging from herds of small species to large monsters – some of which roam the Forbidden Lands in packs. Every creature hunters encounter in the wild has carved out a special place in its habitat and possesses unique attacks and behaviors.
- Evolved Hunting Action – The series’ acclaimed action-packed gameplay is back and more exciting than ever! Hunters can look forward to tracking down monsters with an array of new moves, special abilities, equipment, and more. The action also now flows seamlessly from cutscenes to gameplay, resulting in a new level of immersion.
- Crossplay Multiplayer – Alongside the option to enjoy the story of Monster Hunter Wilds solo, hunters can join up to three other players across any platform to explore the world together and take on the game’s challenges as a hunting party or receive aid from notable story characters as Support Hunter NPCs.
How to choose what to hunt next
- Need to lift a story cap? Advance the available campaign mission; optional hunts do not replace the campaign quest that raises the ceiling.
- Working toward a specific quest? Use its displayed HR and prerequisite missions as your target.
- Want repeat attempts or particular materials? Consider a Field Investigation that features the monster you need.
- Have a side mission underway? Look for a hunt that lets you complete its objective at the same time.
- Unsure which hunt to select? Favor a difficulty that your current gear and group can handle consistently. No verified comparison establishes a universal fastest HR farm.
What the announced expansion means for HR
In September 2026, PlayStation coverage reported that the announced 2027 expansion Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance will require the base game, HR 40, and completion of “Awaking From a Dream” to enter Master Rank. This is a future prerequisite, not content currently playable. See the PlayStation announcement for the announcement details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Wild New Adventure – Monster Hunter Wilds follows the story of a special Research Commission investigating the Forbidden Lands. Fully voiced for the first time in the series, the hunter is joined in their journey by a colorful cast of characters, including a Palico partner, Guild-appointed Handler Alma, trusty smithy Gemma, and the mysterious child Nata. Together, the team ventures into an unexplored new frontier where surprises await around every corner.
- A Living World – The Forbidden Lands spans multiple biomes with dynamic identities, such as the Windward Plains and Scarlet Forest, where the ecosystems shift between vibrant seasons brimming with life, and unforgiving climates where monsters fight over limited resources. Changes in the landscape will impact the creatures that live there and push hunters to adapt as well.
- New Monsters and Wildlife – Monster Hunter Wilds features a variety of new creatures, ranging from herds of small species to large monsters – some of which roam the Forbidden Lands in packs. Every creature hunters encounter in the wild has carved out a special place in its habitat and possesses unique attacks and behaviors.
- Evolved Hunting Action – The series’ acclaimed action-packed gameplay is back and more exciting than ever! Hunters can look forward to tracking down monsters with an array of new moves, special abilities, equipment, and more. The action also now flows seamlessly from cutscenes to gameplay, resulting in a new level of immersion.
- Crossplay Multiplayer – Alongside the option to enjoy the story of Monster Hunter Wilds solo, hunters can join up to three other players across any platform to explore the world together and take on the game’s challenges as a hunting party or receive aid from notable story characters as Support Hunter NPCs.
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