Instructions for playing Monster Hunter Outlanders for newbies

Monster Hunter Outlanders was officially launched on October 29, 2026, bringing Capcom’s legendary monster hunting formula to the mobile platform with new open world gameplay.

Developed by TiMi Studio Group, this co-op action RPG takes you to Aesoland, an island where monsters transformed by Radiantite roam. To survive, players need to prepare a reasonable strategy instead of just constantly pressing the attack button.

Monster Hunter Outlanders for Android

Monster Hunter Outlanders for iOS

New players often consume resources too quickly or spread their resources to upgrade too many weapons at once. This guide focuses on what’s really important in the first few hours of play, including which Adventurers to prioritize, how the Companion system works, and what to focus on when farming for resources.

First steps and priorities in the early stages of playing Monster Hunter Outlanders

First playtime at Aesoland

The game starts by creating your adventurer character (Fated Adventurer) – the main character has the ability to switch between all types of weapons. You don’t need to be too hesitant about this choice. The character’s appearance can be completely customized, and the ability to flexibly use weapons will be promoted during gameplay.

A good goal in the early stages is to unlock the first Adventurer Companion that can be used over time. These are characters with unique names, classes and fixed weapons, unlike the main character whose build can be changed.

Early access to Adventurers like Raya (troublemaker, dual sword wielder) or Madelyn (support, bow wielder) will give you a reliable source of damage or healing while learning to recognize monster attack patterns.

The in-game tutorial introduces three types of Companions, including Palico, Rutaco, and Trillan. They function similarly to Palicos in mainline Monster Hunter games, serving as AI-controlled companions that can provide buffs, healing, or damage buffs.

Don’t ignore these friends. A well-equipped Companion can get you through the hunt even if you run out of healing potions.

Basic fighting knowledge in the early stages

Monster Hunter Outlanders retains the stamina management mechanism and requires players to calculate the timing of attacks typical of the series. Continuously pressing the attack button without a strategy will make you easily defeated.

Pay attention to the signs of a monster’s attack, dodge through the attack instead of just running away, and learn when the chain of moves of the weapon you are using ends.

Radiant Species monsters deal more damage and move faster than regular monsters. The game will give clear signals when you encounter these opponents, so consider this a test of equipment strength. If you are defeated by a Radiant monster twice, retreat and craft better armor instead of continuing to consume support items.

Resource prioritization is really important

A lot of people waste resources in the early stages. Monster Hunter Outlanders has two crafting paths that compete for your resources: personal equipment and island buildings.

Prioritize personal equipment first: Weapons and armor determine your ability to survive in hunts. Meanwhile, building upgrades mainly improve convenience, such as helping to move faster, find better resource gathering locations or expand storage. However, if the hunter is defeated, you will not be able to craft anything.

Focus on using raw materials for the following goals:

• Upgrade a key weapon: Focus on one adventurer weapon upgrade path that you use the most.
• Craft suitable armor: Choose the armor that corresponds to the monsters you are hunting and check the elemental resistance of the equipment.
• Prepare healing and strengthening items: Stock up on basic items for use during extended hunts.

Don’t craft all the weapons from scratch. Choose one or two weapons that you feel are most necessary and useful, then focus on upgrading them. If you split the upgrade materials between five different weapons, you may not be strong enough to overcome the hunts that determine your ability to continue progressing in the game.

The right time to upgrade the project

Once you have a stable set of basic equipment, the buildings on the island will become more useful. Crafting stations, campsites, and travel points help reduce waiting time between hunts.

Build and upgrade these buildings when you have materials left over after improving your equipment, instead of prioritizing them from the start.

The Explorer system and how to build a squad

Monster Hunter Outlanders has a team drop system, allowing Adventurers and Companions to hunt together. Understanding the role of each character class will help you avoid unnecessary failures.

For most players, the safer option is to build a team around an Assault-class Adventurer for damage, a Support character for survivability, and versatile Companions to fill in missing roles.

Don’t use all three Assault-class Adventurers in the same squad unless you’re extremely good at dodging. Otherwise, the healing pressure will become too great and difficult to maintain during long hunts.

Madelyn is an outstanding choice for newcomers. She uses her bow to attack from afar, while her spore mechanism both deals damage and strengthens allies. Meanwhile, Raya’s dual swords offer a mobile and attack-oriented fighting style, but require players to pay more attention to standing position and movement.

Mistakes that make you grow slowly when playing Monster Hunter Outlanders

• Ignore elemental incompatibility: Check the target monster’s weaknesses before fighting. Using fire-type weapons to confront monsters with fire resistance will prolong the hunt and increase the risk of being defeated.
• Not focusing on equipping Companions: Companions also develop strength based on their own equipment. An under-equipped Palico will be quickly defeated and unable to continue supporting you.
• Too engrossed in performing a series of moves: Each weapon has recovery periods that make you vulnerable to attacks. Learn how to end the chain of moves early when necessary to ensure safety.
• Wasting consumables on easy hunts: Save your best healing potions and boosters for Radiant monsters or emergency situations when playing co-op.
• Try to hunt everything yourself: Some monsters possess mechanisms that require coordination between team members. If you get stuck, consider using multiplayer mode.

Don’t rush to hunt the hardest monster you can get your hands on. Monster Hunter’s progression system requires players to upgrade their equipment to overcome increasingly difficult challenges.

These requirements exist to ensure you have enough strength before going any further. Ignoring the necessary preparation steps will cause the difficulty to suddenly increase and turn the hunt into an unnecessarily harsh challenge.