Monster Hunter Wilds offers players a vast open world filled with fearsome beasts and helpful allies. While tracking and hunting monsters take center stage, the game's NPCs add a handy crutch of crucial support, story development, and personality to the hunting experience. From blacksmiths who forge powerful weapons to handlers who guide missions, each character serves a distinct purpose in the hunter's journey.
The NPCs of Monster Hunter Wilds vary dramatically in their usefulness and impact on the hunting experience. From the indispensable Gemma and combat-ready Palico to background villagers who merely add atmosphere, each character serves a purpose in the game's ecosystem. Understanding which NPCs offer the most value can help hunters prioritize interactions and maximize their efficiency in the field. This tier list ranks Monster Hunter Wilds' NPCs based on their usefulness, story significance, and overall impact on gameplay.
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S-Tier: Essential Companions
- Gemma (The Smith)
- Palico
- Nata
In terms of a harmonic combination of utility and an engaging personality, few Monster Hunter Wilds NPCs come close to Gemma. As the game's designated blacksmith, she's responsible for crafting the weapons and armor that define a hunter's build and playstyle. Story-wise, she's a core part of the game's plot, accompanying the hunter on expeditions and taking on a maternal role in Nata's life. Owing to her impact on gameplay and narrative, it's easy to place Gemma at the top of the pyramid of Monster Hunter Wilds' extras.
Where Gemma shines through with her multifaceted character design, the Palico companion leans heavily into its combat utility to rank highly on the list. These feline fighters do far more than provide cute companionship; they can directly attack monsters, heal hunters autonomously, and even transport players back to camp when knocked out. A well-equipped Palico can remove up to a third of a monster's health while constantly applying debilitating status effects, enhancing survivability and shortening battle length.
Nata, on the other hand, starts his Monster Hunter Wilds journey as a character for players to protect. By Chapter 4, however, his role expands dramatically, interwoven into the very essence of the game's plot. After surviving a solo desert trek when his community is attacked, he unlocks the Village Intermediary system, a network that centralizes item trading and eliminates the need for region-hopping. This quality-of-life feature elevates him from a passive story figure to a functional game-changer.
A-Tier: Valuable Allies
- Alma (Hunter Handler)
- Olivia (Team Mom)
- Rove (Philosophical Wudwud)
Alma serves as the player’s handler, providing mission guidance and authorization throughout the adventure. Hunters depend on Alma to achieve their full potential. Her sweet and caring nature makes her a favorite of Nata's, and her role in quest management ensures players always know their next objective.
Olivia brings combat experience and leadership to the hunting party. Unlike non-combatant NPCs, she can hold her own against monsters and often takes charge when encountered. Her poetic musings add depth to her character, while her hunting experience allows her to serve as both a mentor and a capable ally.
Similarly, Rove is no ordinary Wudwud. Despite being nearly devoured in a spider’s lair, he remains calm and philosophical, and his guidance after being rescued helps steer players in the right direction. His unique perspective and stoic demeanor make him one of the most memorable non-human characters in Monster Hunter Wilds.
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B-Tier: Helpful Supporters
- Erik (Compulsive Botanist)
- Zatoh (Village Guardian)
- Fabius(Veteran Hunter)
Erik provides botanical knowledge vital to navigating the Wilds' ecosystems, though his recklessness often puts himself and the party in danger. His compulsion to investigate rare plants frequently (and annoyingly) leads to multiple rescue missions, but his insights into the natural world provide crucial information for hunters navigating unfamiliar environments.
Zatoh begins as a suspicious character but evolves into a helpful guide after being rescued. As guardian of an unarmed village, Zatoh's protection strategy involves luring monsters away on his Seikret, putting himself in extreme danger. His recommendation to lend the hunter Seikrets marks a turning point in trust and provides players with vital transportation.
Fabuis is a scholarly character whose studies add to the world’s lore, often encountered analyzing creatures or terrain. Although he doesn’t impact gameplay mechanics, he enriches the setting through his written works and occasional hints. He doesn't impact Monster Hunter Wilds' world like some of the most memorable characters, however.
C-Tier: Situational Assistants
- NPC Traders (Kilama, Musharpeye, Gawdygog, etc.)
- Athos
- Y'sai
- Generic Quest Givers
- Background Villagers
Regional traders like Kilama, Musharpeye, Gawdygog, and others offer rare items and resources tied to specific zones. Their inventories often come in handy, but the inconvenience of travel and limited inventory rotations make them more situational than essential. Athos, while present in the game's character roster, has limited mechanical or narrative presence compared to higher-ranked NPCs. He serves his purpose but is decidedly average compared to some of the other folks on display.
Y'sai appears as Zatoh's friend with a more trusting disposition toward strangers, but also suffers from a lack of narrative significance or gameplay impact of higher-ranked characters. Generic quest givers provide side missions after key story beats, especially following Forest Findings. Similarly to other characters, their lack of individual identity or involvement limits their value.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 89 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
WHERE TO PLAY
The unbridled force of nature runs wild and relentless, with environments transforming drastically from one moment to the next. This is a story of monsters and humans and their struggles to live in harmony in a world of duality.
Fulfill your duty as a Hunter by tracking and defeating powerful monsters and forging strong new weapons and armor from the materials you harvest from your hunt as you uncover the connection between the people of the Forbidden Lands and the locales they inhabit.
The ultimate hunting experience awaits you in Monster Hunter Wilds.
