I was 70 hours deep into my Monster Hunter Wilds endgame grind last month, looping Risen Kushala Daora hunts for a single elusive mantle, when a weird pop-up I’d never seen before flashed across my screen. It offered a quest called “Wrath of the Frozen Tempest” with no star rating, no listed NPC issuer, and a reward pool that included a layered armor set I’d never seen in any official previews. After a quick check with the community, I realized I’d stumbled on an unauthorized Monster Hunter Wilds quest – unlisted content that’s not part of Capcom’s official quest rotation, but offers some of the most unique challenges and rewards in the game. A lot of players avoid these quests because they’re worried about account bans or corrupted saves, but if you know what you’re doing, they’re a great way to shake up your routine without unnecessary risk. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to find, run, and get the most out of these hidden quests.
What Are Unauthorized Monster Hunter Wilds Quests, Exactly?
These quests fall into three main categories, each with different levels of risk and reward. First, you have hidden dev test quests, which Capcom leaves in live game builds to test upcoming mechanics, monster variants, or gear sets before official title updates. These are usually only accessible via specific in-game triggers, no mods required. Second, you have custom community-made quests, built by modders to add new challenges like multi-elder dragon hunts, boosted drop rate farms, or silly themed quests like hunting 20 tiny Kulu-Ya-Ku in 10 minutes. Third, you have glitched quests that unlock accidentally when you complete specific sequences of regular quests outside the intended design.
You don’t need to have mods installed to stumble on these quests – I’ve had two friends unlock glitched test quests just by speedrunning the main story within 20 hours of launch, no third-party tools at all. The “unauthorized” label just means Capcom doesn’t officially support them, so you won’t get customer support help if something goes wrong when running one. There are a few easy ways to confirm you’ve found one instead of a regular hidden side quest:
- No listed quest issuer or NPC reward giver on the quest details page
- Unusual reward pools that include unannounced gear or 10x the usual zenny/part drops
- No star rating matching the official low/high/master rank quest tiers
- A warning pop-up that says “unverified content” when you attempt to launch it
Not all of these quests are safe, of course. Modded quest packs downloaded from untrusted sources can come with malware that steals your account information, or bugs that corrupt your save file entirely. Stick to well-vetted sources if you’re seeking out custom quests, and you’ll avoid most of these issues.
How to Safely Locate These Quests Without Risking Your Account
If you play on console, your only access to these quests will be the random glitched or dev test ones that unlock via in-game actions, since console versions don’t support modded content. For PC players, you have far more options, but you need to follow a few ground rules to stay safe. First, when you’re looking for unauthorized Monster Hunter Wilds quests made by the community, never download quest packs from random Discord servers or unvetted file sharing sites. Stick to the largest, moderated Monster Hunter modding communities, where every upload is scanned for malware and bugs before being made public.
For the glitched dev test quests that anyone can unlock, the most reliable trigger we’ve found from latest community data is to complete 5 consecutive hunts for the same monster, all with 100% subquest completion, without returning to the main outpost between hunts. Launch each new quest directly from the camp tent after turning in the previous one, and you have a roughly 12% chance to get a hidden quest pop-up after the fifth hunt. These quests are completely safe to run, no risk of account flags, since they’re built into the official game files.
If you’re running modded custom quests, Capcom’s anti-cheat system will flag your account if you run modded content while connected to online servers. I learned this the hard way last year when I tried to run a custom Fatalis quest with friends in a private online lobby, and got a 72-hour account ban with no appeal. Always switch your game to offline mode before launching any modded quest, and make sure any friends you play with have the exact same mod pack installed and are also offline to avoid conflicts.
Top Rewards You Can Earn From These Quests
The biggest draw of these quests is the rewards you can’t get anywhere else in the official game. Dev test quests, for example, often drop unreleased armor sets and weapon prototypes that Capcom is testing for future title updates. I got a prototype Greatsword from the glitched quest I unlocked last month that has 30% more raw damage than the current best endgame Greatsword, plus a 20% base affinity boost. It only works in offline mode, but it’s been a blast to melt through regular hunts with it while I wait for the next title update.
Modder-made quests usually have way more generous reward pools than official quests too. There are popular custom quests that drop rare monster mantles and gems 10x more often than regular hunts, so you don’t have to grind 50 hunts just to get one single elder dragon mantle to finish your armor set. Many modders also make custom layered armor sets, including crossover designs from other games that Capcom hasn’t officially licensed, so you can customize your hunter’s look in ways you never could with official content.
There is one catch to keep in mind, though. Any rewards you earn from modded unauthorized Monster Hunter Wilds quests will be automatically wiped from your save when you connect back to online servers. Capcom’s anti-cheat scans for unobtainable items every time you go online, so don’t waste time grinding for modded weapons or armor you want to use in public lobbies. Glitched dev quest rewards, on the other hand, are usually safe to keep even when you go online, since they’re part of the official game files.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Running These Quests
After running dozens of these quests over the past few months, I’ve seen a lot of players make avoidable mistakes that cost them save progress or account access. The most common one is running modded quests while connected to online servers, even if you’re in a private lobby by yourself. Capcom’s anti-cheat runs in the background the entire time you’re connected to their servers, so it will pick up on the unauthorized quest data even if you’re not playing with other people.
Another common mistake is downloading quest packs that promise infinite zenny, instant max rank, or free premium currency. These packs are almost always loaded with malware, or have bugs that will corrupt your save file permanently. Always back up your save file before you attempt any unauthorized quest, even if it’s a glitched one you unlocked without mods. I had a friend lose 100 hours of progress last month when a glitched test quest crashed his game mid-hunt and corrupted his save, and he didn’t have a backup to restore from.
Don’t bother reporting these quests to Capcom support if you stumble on them, either. They won’t help you unlock them, and they may even flag your account for accessing unapproved content. You also shouldn’t use rewards from these quests in online speedruns or leaderboard submissions. The community moderation team checks every submission for unobtainable gear, so you’ll get disqualified immediately and possibly banned from future leaderboard events.
Unauthorized Monster Hunter Wilds quests are a perfect way to breathe new life into your grind when you’ve cleared all the official content and are waiting for the next title update. They offer unique challenges, exclusive rewards, and a chance to experience content most players will never see, as long as you follow the basic safety rules we laid out. Just remember to back up your save, stay offline when running modded content, and only download quest packs from trusted sources, and you’ll have a great time without risking your account or progress. If you’ve stumbled on any weird hidden quests yourself, drop a note in the comments to let other players know how you found them.