The Monster Hunter franchise thrives on a simple but enjoyable gameplay loop. The cycle of defeating a monster and using its parts to craft weapons or armor. Monster Hunter Wilds sets up a natural early progression of defeating a monster that grants you access to an elemental weapon that will be beneficial for the next few monsters down the line. As things move forward, the game presents new enemies with different resistances to elements, encouraging players to switch up what weapon and elemental damage they’re using to get the most bang for their buck. But, is that always necessary? Or is there a single element that could reign supreme?
The depth of Monster Hunter’s combat comes from knowing your weapon, and your target, inside and out. That includes learning what elemental damage the monsters are weak to, and which ones they resist. Having the wherewithal to prepare for a fight and give yourself the best advantage is a core aspect of the Monster Hunter experience. Some monsters like Arkveld, the flagship of Monster Hunter Wilds, have weaknesses to all elemental types in a perfect balance, so tackling the monster with whichever tool you have prepared is perfectly fine. However, some creatures like the Lala Barina have full immunity to multiple elements. That means if you’re using something it’s immune to, you’re missing out on potentially crucial extra damage.
Just about every seasoned Monster Hunter veteran would argue that it is in the best interest of each and every hunter to know their prey and plan accordingly. That means having every kind of element for your preferred weapon type readily available to used for any hunt. That preparation means you can always take advantage of your foe’s weakness and come out on top. In a game that urges players to exploit an enemy’s every weakness the common sense answer is to have a full armory and arsenal on standby.
The issue is that not every player has the time to invest in building that kind of weapons cache. The amount of work that goes into being hyper-prepared for every hunt is likely more than most casual players can commit to until much further into their experience with the game. So, is it possible that a single elemental damage type could carry someone through the whole game without issue? I think it’s absolutely possible.
To find the ultimate element, I started by checking the listed in-game weaknesses for every monster. The most obvious common thread was that the fire elemental damage has the greatest number of favorable targets, with nine monsters that have an exploitable weakness to it. However, fire also has the highest number of monsters that resist its damage, with seven monsters sharing that immunity. This makes the fire element a bit unstable when it comes to getting the most of a single elemental type.
The result I landed on was that the ice type of elemental damage is the single best element overall. There are only five monsters with high susceptibility to ice, which is the second lowest total right next to the thunder element. But only three monsters have full ice damage immunity. Monster Hunter Wilds’ roster of monsters is currently at 30 total after the addition of Mizutsune. That leaves 27 monsters that are vulnerable to the additional damage from an ice element weapon. As a player who likes to find a comfy set of armor and a favored weapon without having to swap constantly, I firmly believe that the element of ice claims the spot as the best element type in Monster Hunter Wilds currently.
Do you think another element deserves the top spot? You can let us know over on the Boss Rush Network’s Discord!
Featured Image: Capcom
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