If you’ve been getting your teeth into Monster Hunter Tri for Wii since its release earlier this year, you’ll know it poses a beastly challenge that can occasionally leave you feeling a little lost in the wilderness.

But don’t lose heart! If you’ve found yourself searching high and low for a precious item or unable to overcome some of the more fierce monsters roaming the wild, our Monster Hunter Tri tips are here to help you along.

Featuring insights into some of the most frequently asked questions about the game, our guidance could help you re-establish yourself as the most feared predator on the food chain.

Elusive items

Some items in Monster Hunter Tri are easy to get your hands on, while others can seem like the stuff of myth due to their scarce supply. Fear not, however, you just need to know where to look! Check out our descriptions of how to lay hold of some of the game’s most elusive items.

Jumbo Pearl
The Jumbo Pearl is a precious item with multiple uses, but it’s not going to fall from the sky and land at your feet. If you want to pick one up, head for the Deserted Island/Moga Woods area, then dive into the water and swim down to the piles of bones found on the ocean floor in areas 10 and 11. Don’t be surprised if you have to make more than one trip to find what you’re looking for though – Jumbo Pearls can be tricky to find even if you know where to look!

Sharqskin
You’d be right in thinking that defeating a Sharq is the correct way to acquire a Sharqskin, but it’s the manner in which you conquer the monster that matters. When you have a Sharq weakened and on the brink of defeat, deal your final blow with a Harpoon. Now when you glean resources from your fallen enemy you can expect to retrieve a Sharqskin.

Pelagicite Ore
This rare ore can be tracked down if you do a spot of mining in areas 4 and 5 of the Flooded Forest. Look out for the reddish crystals that appear along certain walls and pick away at them in order to unearth Pelagicite Ore. As with other hard-to-find resources, you might need to show some persistence to get what you’re after!

Defeating Monsters

With scores of Monsters to overcome out in the wild, you’ll have to become a versatile and knowledgeable hunter to succeed. There are, however, certain creatures that could be posing more problems than you can cope with. Here are a couple of key hints on battling some of the game’s biggest baddies.

Diablos
When you first encounter Diablos in the Sandy Plains you’d be forgiven for feeling tempted to run the other way. This huge Flying Wyvern sports horns, tusks and the ability to burrow underground before launching deadly strikes from below.

The first thing you should know before battling Diablos is that this monster is most susceptible to ice-based attacks. You should also do your best to avoid getting too close when Diablos roars, as being hit by the resultant sound waves will leave you frozen to the spot and open for attack.

Diablos will charge you, bite at close range and swing its tail with savage intent, so, as with every battle, you’ll need to learn your enemy’s attack patterns to survive and prevail. However, one very useful tip that can help you along comes into play when Diablos disappears from view by burrowing underground. When this happens, try throwing a Sonic Bomb just as Diablos’s tail disappears into the earth. A well-timed blast will leave the monster temporarily paralysed and there for the taking.

Sonic Bombs will no longer work once Diablos becomes enraged, by which point the beast will also be weakened and perhaps attempting to flee underground and escape. If you want to make sure that doesn’t happen, keep him in your sights by simply tagging him with a Paintball.

Once you do overcome Diablos, there are plenty of resources to be gleaned from carving. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get your hand on the extremely rare Wyvern Stone from the fallen monster’s tail...

Barioth
Most susceptible to fire-based attacks, Barioth rules over the frozen Tundra region and displays impressive (but terrifying) agility when navigating the ice-locked world around him.

Many hunters have come unstuck against this vicious saber-toothed creature, but there are some essential elements to claiming victory. First of all, expect to be on the defensive as much as the offensive as you dodge or counter Barioth’s almost relentless attacks. Running straight into battle with no regard for defence is not an advisable strategy.

You should also consider carefully the fact that Barioth’s wings, tail and razor sharp teeth are all “breakable parts”. So, as well as coming armed for battle with plenty of health replenishing hot drinks, you should also pack Pitfall Traps and Shock Traps, as these are effective at disabling Barioth before you go in for the kill. Targeting his wings will eventually decrease his mobility a great deal, making it easier to get close and sever that lacerating tail he keeps swinging your way.

Keep your wits about you, keep targeting those weak areas and, almost as importantly, keep warm if you want to lay Barioth to rest!

Money Matters

Even monster hunters need money to help them survive, and if you’re feeling strapped for cash there are plenty of ways to boost your in-game income.

Perhaps the most important resource at your disposal when it comes to increasing your currency count is the farm. As you complete quests, more farming possibilities will open up to you, and you’d be well advised to make the most of those possibilities and grow crops that outsiders will pay good money for.

One good way to do so is to get hold of Funky Pheromones by slaying stacks of Altaroth and Bnahabra in Free Hunt mode. You’ll then want to plant those Funky Pheromones with a Godbug (found in the Tundra, Sandy Plains or Volcano areas) for the longest cycle you can afford, to create a crop from which you can reap some very healthy rewards!