The Monster Hunter franchise has captured the hearts of gamers worldwide, with its engaging gameplay loop that revolves around battling monstrous creatures to obtain valuable loot, which in turn allows players to upgrade their gear and take on even more formidable foes. This captivating cycle has been successfully adapted into the tabletop realm with Monster Hunter World: The Board Game. Just like its video game counterpart, the board game offers a variety of sets and expansions, each adding unique elements to the experience. Here's a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this exciting board game adaptation.
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Monster Hunter World: The Board Game: Ancient Forest
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Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Wildspire Waste
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Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Hunter's Arsenal Expansion
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Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Nergigante Expansion
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Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Kushala Daora Expansion
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Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Teostra Expansion
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Monster Hunter World - Kulu-Ya-Ku
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Monster Hunter World Iceborne: The Board Game
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If you're eager to dive straight into the offerings, you can browse all the items listed here. For those interested in a deeper understanding of what each box contains, continue reading for detailed insights.
Core Boxes
Each core box of Monster Hunter World: The Board Game is a standalone experience, featuring four hunters and four monsters. These boxes are designed to be combinable, allowing players to mix and match hunters and monsters across sets. While the components are primarily unique to each set, there are some shared elements and additional cards that enhance gameplay when combining sets.
Starting with a single core box is recommended for newcomers. As you become more engrossed in the game, you can expand your collection with smaller expansions or consider purchasing a second core set if your passion for the series grows.
The quality remains consistent across all core sets, with the same engaging ruleset and high production values, including impressively large monster miniatures that create an impactful sense of scale. Each set offers a distinct aesthetic and thematic experience, so choosing one can be based on visual appeal or nostalgia tied to the video game series.
Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Ancient Forest
Set in a lush, primeval forest, this box features a vibrant green and brown game board. The monsters draw inspiration from dinosaurs and tropical creatures, including the lizard-like Great Jagras, the furred and scaled Tobi-Kadachi, the fearsome Anjanath, and the majestic dragon Rathalos. The hunters are equipped with classic weapons: Great Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, and Bow.
Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Wildspire Waste
This set transports players to a rugged badlands environment, featuring a mix of rocky outcrops, deserts, and swamps. The monsters include the armored Barroth, the monstrous swamp-fish Jyuratodus, the bird-like Pukei-Pukei, and the underground behemoth Diablos. The hunters wield more exotic weapons: Charge Blade, Switch Axe, Heavy Bowgun, and Insect Glaive.
Retail Expansions
Following the Kickstarter model, several expansions were available for pre-order and are now accessible at retail. However, the Nergigante expansion is scarce, and the Teostra expansion is exclusive to Steamforged Games.
Nergigante, Kushala Daora, and Teostra are Elder Dragons, introducing a new tier of challenge with additional quest content and a higher difficulty level. These expansions also feature larger miniatures, enhancing the epic feel of the game.
While these expansions offer exciting new content, they are costly and often designed to work with specific core sets. For instance, Kushala Daora includes crafting weapons tailored to hunters from both the Ancient Forest and Wildspire Waste sets. Therefore, acquiring a second core set might be a more practical initial step for expanding your game.
Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Hunter's Arsenal Expansion
This expansion introduces six new hunters, each named after their weapon: Light Bowgun, Long Sword, Gunlance, Hammer, Lance, and Hunting Horn. It significantly enhances gameplay variety by offering new upgrade paths and characters. However, to fully utilize all six hunters, you'll need both core sets.
Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Nergigante Expansion
If you're looking to add a single dragon to your campaign, Nergigante is an excellent choice. It allows crafting additional weapons for all available characters, including those from the core sets and the Hunter's Arsenal. Nergigante's unique design, with its growing spikes, adds a thrilling challenge to the game.
Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Kushala Daora Expansion
Kushala Daora, the wind dragon, brings powerful storms into play, challenging hunters with its massive wingspan and tornado blasts. This expansion offers a formidable opponent that tests players' strategies and resilience.
Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Teostra Expansion
Teostra, the classic fire dragon, unleashes ranged attacks with fireballs and blasts, making it a fearsome adversary. This expansion is exclusive to Steamforged Games and adds a familiar yet intense challenge to your campaign.
Exclusive Expansion
Originally available only through the game's Kickstarter campaign, the Kulu-Ya-Ku expansion is now accessible via the Iceborne Kickstarter campaign. It commands a premium on the secondary market.
Monster Hunter World - Kulu-Ya-Ku Expansion
Kulu-Ya-Ku, a unique creature capable of using tools like rocks to attack, adds an unpredictable element to the game. Its design, reminiscent of an ornithomimosaur, fits well within the Ancient Forest setting but can be used with either core box.
Upcoming Content
Monster Hunter World Iceborne: The Board Game
Following the success of the original game, Steamforged Games launched a Kickstarter for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. While it retains the core mechanics, it introduces new concepts and is only partially compatible with the original sets. The Iceborne core box, Hoarfrost Reach, includes four new monsters and hunters, along with Elder Dragon and Hunter's Arsenal expansions. Additionally, three monster expansions—Absolute Power, Seething Anger, and Overpowering Hunger—each containing four new monsters, were unlocked during the campaign. Although the campaign has concluded, you can still order these items through Gamefound before they ship.
