If you’ve booted up Monster Hunter Wilds for the first time, you’ve probably noticed the notice board outside your outpost is already stuffed with quests before you even finish the opening tutorial. It’s easy to brush off most of these as filler content when you’re eager to track down and fight the game’s massive flagship monsters, but skipping the wrong quests can leave you missing critical gear upgrades, quality of life features, and rare materials you won’t find anywhere else. This guide breaks down the monster hunter wilds quest list by category, explains how to unlock hidden hunts, and shares exactly which quests you should prioritize at every stage of your playthrough to save time and get the best rewards.
Core Categories in the Monster Hunter Wilds Quest List
All quests fall into one of five core categories, each with different difficulty levels, unlock requirements, and reward types. Understanding the difference between each category will help you pick the right hunts for your current progression level without wasting time on quests that don’t give you the loot you need.
- Low Rank Quests: The introductory tier of hunts, designed to teach you core mechanics like monster tracking, weapon combos, and item usage. All low rank quests unlock automatically as you progress the main story, no extra requirements needed.
- High Rank Quests: Unlocked after you beat the final low rank story boss, these quests feature harder-hitting monsters with new attack patterns and rare drop materials for mid-game gear sets.
- Master Rank Quests: The endgame tier available after you complete the main high rank story. These quests have the toughest monsters in the game, and drop materials for the strongest armor and weapon upgrades currently available.
- Optional Side Quests: Quests posted by villagers and outpost staff that don't advance the main story, but reward you with rare consumables, palico equipment, and even new fast travel points across the map.
- Limited-Time Event Quests: Rotating quests added post-launch that feature modified monsters, exclusive crossover collab gear, and huge reward bundles you can't get anywhere else.
A lot of new players write off optional side quests as irrelevant filler, but many of these unlock permanent upgrades that make every subsequent hunt way easier. For example, a low rank side quest from the outpost’s provisioner will unlock the ability to carry 5 extra potions at a time, a game-changing buff for new players still learning monster attack patterns. You don’t have to do every side quest right away, but it’s worth scanning the list every time you unlock a new rank to see if any offer permanent upgrades.
How to Unlock Hidden Quests Not Listed on Your Default Notice Board
Not all available quests will show up on your notice board automatically when you unlock a new rank. Many are hidden behind specific requirements, and you can easily miss them if you don’t know where to look. Most of these hidden quests offer exclusive rewards you can’t get from regular story hunts, so they’re worth tracking down as you explore.
The easiest way to unlock hidden quests is to raise your friendship level with outpost NPCs by turning in requested materials or talking to them after every main story mission. The blacksmith, for example, will unlock special monster hunt quests once you turn in enough low rank materials, and these reward exclusive weapon skins and extra ore for upgrades. You can also find hidden quest markers scattered across the open world, usually pinned to trees or rock formations in remote areas. Interacting with these will add rare monster hunts to your list that don’t show up in regular rotations.
Completing all quests in a given rank tier will also unlock a special secret urgent quest that gives you a permanent stat boost, like extra max stamina or a larger item pouch. I spent nearly 10 hours grinding high rank hunts before I realized I missed three hidden side quests from the canteen chef, and those unlocked the ability to make stat-boosting meals that last twice as long as regular ones. Don’t make the same mistake I did by skipping over NPC interactions to jump straight into hunts.
Prioritizing Quests for Fast Progression Without Skipping Rewards
You don’t have to complete every single quest on the list to progress through the story, but picking the right ones to tackle first will save you hours of grinding later on. If you’re trying to get to endgame master rank content as fast as possible, follow this simple prioritization framework to avoid wasting time on low-value hunts.
First, always tackle urgent story quests first. These unlock new areas of the map, higher rank tiers, and new core mechanics that open up more quests later. Next, scan for side quests that align with your upcoming story hunts. If you’re about to hunt a Rathian for a story mission, check if any side quests ask you to break its tail or collect its scales, so you can knock out two quests in one run instead of replaying the same hunt twice. That simple trick cuts down on mid-game grinding time by nearly 30% in my experience.
You should also prioritize master rank optional quests that reward decoration slots or armor sphere bundles, even if you’re rushing through the story. A lot of new players skip these to get to the final master rank boss faster, and end up getting one-shot repeatedly because their gear is too underpowered. Taking an extra hour to knock out three or four of these optional quests will give you enough upgrades to make the final boss fight feel manageable, instead of a frustrating slog.
What Rewards You Can Expect From Every Quest Tier
Every quest tier has distinct reward pools, so knowing what you’ll get before you start a hunt will help you pick the right quests for the loot you need. You can check the full reward list for any quest by highlighting it on the notice board, but there are a few general rules you can follow to guess what you’ll get before you even look.
Low rank quests mostly give basic crafting materials for your first set of gear, plus enough zenny to stock up on potions, traps, and other basic consumables. The most valuable low rank rewards are the palico gear upgrades you get from side quests, because these make your palico way more effective at healing you and distracting monsters during high rank hunts. High rank quests give materials for mid-game gear sets that can carry you through most of the master rank story, plus rare low-level decorations that give small stat boosts to your build.
Master rank quests give you the strongest crafting materials in the game, plus large amounts of zenny and rare consumables you can’t buy from the item shop. Limited-time event quests have even more exclusive rewards, including crossover armor sets, special weapon skins, and limited emotes for your hunter. If you see an event quest for a monster you need materials for, run it as soon as possible, because event quests usually have much higher rare drop rates than regular hunts.
At the end of the day, the monster hunter wilds quest list is designed to give you plenty of flexibility to play the way you want, whether you’re trying to rush through the main story as fast as possible or 100% every available hunt in the game. You don’t have to follow any strict order to have fun, but keeping track of which quests give you permanent upgrades or the materials you need for your favorite gear will make your playthrough way less frustrating. Don’t forget to check the notice board every time you finish a main story quest, because new quests will pop up regularly as you raise your rank and explore more of the map. If you’re ever stuck on a tough hunt, take a break to run a few lower rank quests to upgrade your gear first, that small adjustment usually makes even the hardest master rank fights feel doable.