Summary
Monster Hunter Wildsis bringing back the SOS Flare system introduced inMonster Hunter: World, which allowed players to summon other players to join their expedition when they needed help overcoming a challenging monster. WhileMonster Hunter Wildsis keeping the main idea of the system intact, however, it is making a much-needed change to it to increase its efficiency. InMonster Hunter: World, SOS Flares weren’t always very effective, as players would use the item only to then be subjected to long wait times due to a lack of players responding to the invite. This got increasingly problematic asMonster Hunter: Worldaged and its player count dwindled.
Monster Hunter Wildsis committed to fixing this issue with its new Support Hunter system, which will automatically summon an NPC Support Hunter to assist the player if no players respond to the invite — unless players have their Support Hunter settings set to “Player Only.” This not only fixes the main issue with the original SOS Flares, but it will also makeMonster Hunter Wildsa more single-player-friendly experience. One named NPC has already been confirmed as a Support Hunter who will answer the distress call, butMonster Hunter Wildsshouldn’t stop there, as there is far too much potential for this unique system to be limited to one NPC.
Monster Hunter Wilds Needs More Than One Support Hunter
Olivia and Her Palico Athos Are a Confirmed Support Hunter Team in Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wildswill feature several named NPCs, among them being the battle-hardened, hammer-wielding Hunter Olivia and her Palico companion Athos. Judging by what has been shown so far forMonster Hunter Wilds, players may encounter Olivia fairly early on in the game, which would make sense considering she has been confirmed to be a Support Hunter who will respond to the player’sSOS Flareswhen other players don’t. While it will be a huge bonus to have Olivia and Athos fighting by their side inMonster Hunter Wilds, however, having the same Hunter with the same weapon and move set may get stale after a while. However, there may yet be a solution to that problem.
Monster Hunter Wilds Should Let Other Named NPCs Be Support Hunters
AssumingMonster Hunter Wildshas more named NPCsapart from the various hunt party members it has revealed so far, it would make sense for those NPCs to be featured as Support Hunters as well. Perhaps players could recruit said NPCs throughout the story to see them become Support Hunters, whether by paying for their services or completing a quest for them. Players could then customize which of these Support Hunters is available to join them before setting out on an expedition.
It would also make sense, in this case, for each of these named NPCs to have unique weapons and skill sets, as that would increase the appeal of having multiple Support Hunters available. Then, players could enhance their gameplay with a Support Hunter that complements their playstyle. This would be especially beneficial forMonster Hunter WildsHammer users, since Olivia already wields a Hammer.
Unless, that is,Monster Hunter Wildsthen allowed players to swap Olivia’s weapon for a different one.
There is far too much potential inMonster Hunter Wilds' Support Hunter system for Olivia to be its only available NPC. The system is already one ofMonster Hunter Wilds' best features, but it could be even better by allowing players to choose between multiple Support Hunters before they head out on a hunt. It could be that not all ofMonster Hunter Wilds' named NPCs have been revealed yet, which is probable considering the game’s release is likely still many months away. If that’s the case, perhaps Capcom’s nextMonster Hunterstill has a few tricks up its sleeve.
Monster Hunter Wilds
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.
