How to Capture in Monster Hunter world
Monster Hunter World is all about hunting the monsters, but did you know there’s an alternative to that? By learning how to capture in Monster Hunter World, you’ll be able to complete your quests without having to slice and dice your target. Killing isn’t always your only option; you can take boss-level monsters alive with the right timing and items to earn additional materials and rewards. Capturing also unlocks that specific monster in the Arena.
There are two ways to capture in Monster Hunter World. To unlock pets, you’ll have to use the capture net. But if you want to go for the more enormous monsters, you’ll need a few essential items such as Tranq Bombs. Capturing, as a whole, is almost always an optional way to complete a regular quest, but it can also become a requirement for specific hunts. Learning how to do so is vital if you want to tick every quest off the list.
Table of Contents
Tranqs and Traps
To capture a large monster in Monster Hunter World, you’ll need tranquilizers and traps. The tranquilizers (or tranq for short) come in different flavors; if you’re a melee weapon user, you can use the Tranq Bombs, but if you’re a gunner, you can check your weapon to see if you’re allowed to carry Tranq Ammo. As for the traps, you can choose between Shock Traps and Pitfall Traps. Note that if you’re already undertaking a quest requiring you to catch a monster, tranqs and traps are automatically available in the Item Box. Otherwise, I highly recommend stocking up on them if you’re just doing a regular hunt.
You can buy these items from the Provisions Stockpile, but you can opt to craft them instead. To craft Tranq Bombs, you’ll need Parashrooms and Sleepherbs, while Tranq Ammos require a Normal Ammo Level 1 and a Tranq Bomb. As for Shock Traps, you’ll have to combine a Trap Tool and a Thunderbug, while Pitfall Traps require a Trap Tool and a Net.
Capturing the Monster
Once you have what you need and track down the monster, attack it like normal until you see it’s wounded. This can be visibly seen once the monster begins to limp when it moves and then goes back into its nest to rest. Once this happens, the monster is vulnerable enough for capture. Any significant damage to a monster—like a tail or a wing cut—will persist once you catch it and return to Astera.
Stalk the monster once you’ve noticed that it’s in critical health, and place your Shock Trap/Pitfall Trap where it can catch the monster. You can also sneak up on it via the Ghillie Mantle should the monster be asleep. Once the trap hits, you’ll need to act fast—use the quick menu and switch to your Tranq Bombs immediately (or your ammo list if you’re a gunner) to deploy them. Some monsters will require more tranqs than others, so it’s best to carry more than just one with you during a mission or an expedition.
When the tranqs take effort, the monster will pass out—it’s not dead yet, but it’s asleep. At this point, the hunt ends, and you’ll be able to see your newly captured beast in Astera. Just a heads up, though: a subset of creatures in Monster Hunter World, like Eldern Dragons such as the Kirin, can’t be captured—you have no choice but to slay them.
Capturing Smaller Critters
Now, let’s talk about how you can use the Capture Net. Besides the main targets in a hunt, you have the option to capture smaller targets you find scurrying about in the wild as well. These can range from frogs to bugs. To do so, rotate through your inventory on your bottom right and equip the Capture Net in your Item Bar. The Capture Net will always be on your hunter, so you don’t have to worry about not having it when you’re out on a mission. Using the left and right triggers, aim and fire the Capture Net. Since the net’s reach isn’t that great, you’ll have to scoot over real close—you’ll know the target is in reach once the retractile glows orange.
When capturing smaller critters, you’ll have to be careful since many of them get spooked when you’re too close for comfort. To avoid them from running away, you can opt to sneak your way to them by tapping the X or A button; the Ghillie Mantle or long overgrowth can also be used to give you a stealthy edge.
Any small creatures that you catch during your expeditions can become your pets. Once you head back to Astera, you can go to room your chat with your Housekeeper to see the list of your catches. Select a bunch of pets you’d like to let loose to see them out into the room. You can interact with them by feeding them.
Capture Vs. Kill: Which is Better?
In regards to acquiring which method yields more loot, capturing versus killing has always been a hot debate in the Monster Hunter community. The drop rates are the meat and potatoes of this heated discussion—if one method has better chances of getting rare items, then it should be the one players should use when farming. Based on official guide books for Monster Hunter World, the drop items and rates of killing and capturing a monster are identical; players have the same chances of loot, regardless of which method they choose.
A significant advantage of killing the monster is that you’ll have more time to break its part. More often than not, breaking off certain monster parts is the best way to obtain rare materials. However, breaking things off a moving target isn’t easy—it takes a certain amount of accuracy, especially if the target isn’t that large.
As for the major benefit of capturing a monster, you’ll get more items than you will by carving. At the end of the hunt, you can only receive three materials through carving, but you’ll get 4-5 items when capturing. Also, if you’re fighting more brutal monsters—like two very Furious Rajangs, for example—it’s sometimes easier to end the fight prematurely to avoid failing the quest.
Capturing and killing both have their advantages. If you’re looking for specific parts, then killing the monster may be the way to go. But if quantity is more important than quality, capturing may be the best method.
