You’re probably used to the old routine. In previous Monster Hunter games, you’d walk up to a quest board, scroll through fifty different "slay 10 small monsters" tasks, and slowly chip away at them to unlock a new soup ingredient. Monster Hunter Wilds doesn't really work like that. If you go in looking for the classic "Optional Quest" list to be your main source of progression, you’re going to feel like something is missing.
The truth is that MH Wilds side quests are much more spread out and, honestly, kind of weirdly integrated into the world compared to World or Rise.
Why your quest list looks so empty
A lot of players hit the first few chapters and panic because their quest counter only shows a handful of missions. It’s not a bug. Wilds has shifted the "busy work" into something the game calls Field Surveys. Instead of loading into a specific map to hunt one Rathalos and then getting kicked back to town, you just... find the Rathalos.
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You hit it once. The game says "Field Survey Started."
That’s basically the side quest now. It’s seamless. But for the actual, formal side missions—the ones with the little yellow icons—you have to be more proactive. Most of these don’t even show up until you're well into Chapter 4. If you’re still in the Windward Plains wondering where the "real" content is, keep pushing. The game keeps its cards close to its chest until you hit High Rank.
The stuff you actually need to do
Not all side quests are created equal. Some just give you a handful of honey and a pat on the back. Others are basically mandatory if you don't want to suffer in the late game.
- Palico Support Moves: Look for your Palico offering quests like Healing Help or Flash Course. These aren't just for fun; they unlock the Vigorwasp and Flashfly Cage tools. If you’ve ever felt like your cat is just standing there watching you get mauled, it’s probably because you skipped these.
- The "Botanical Research" Replacements: There is no farm box in the base camp at the start. You have to earn it. Quests like Beware the Gypceros (given by Zatoh) or Aida’s Apprehensions are the keys. Completing these unlocks material collection requests from NPCs like Murtabak or Sabar. This is how you automate your Honey and Blue Mushroom supply.
- Hunting Assistants: You can actually unlock major NPCs to help you in the field. Gemma has a quest line starting with High-Quality Materials that eventually leads to Smithy’s Seal of Quality. Finish that, and you can bring her along as a Hunting Assistant.
The weirdness of the "Environmental Link"
If you’re playing with friends, side quests get a bit clunky. To go out and capture endemic life or do those NPC requests together, you have to use the Environmental Link system.
Here’s the catch: only the host can hand in the side missions.
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It’s a bit of a headache. You’ll be roaming around, catching a rare lizard for a researcher, but only one of you gets the "Checkmark" unless you break the link and everyone talks to the NPC individually. It’s a design choice that feels a little dated in a game that otherwise feels so modern.
Don't ignore the researchers
You’ll see Dareel and Samin hanging around the base camps. Their research reports seem like filler—"Go catch a Tracktail Lizard," "Go find a Rime Beetle"—but they scale.
The rewards start small (blue mushrooms, maybe some seeds), but they eventually lead to the high-end Mantles and Charms. Specifically, once you get to the Suja region, keep an eye out for quests involving Hirabami and Ajarakan. These are the ones that reward you with the Powercharm and Armorcharm.
You just leave those in your inventory. Free attack and defense. Forever.
A quick reality check on "100% completion"
In Monster Hunter World, you got a fancy rainbow armor pigment for finishing every optional quest. In Wilds, the community is still hunting for that "ultimate" reward. As of right now, there isn't a massive "super-quest" that unlocks for clearing the board.
Does that mean side quests are useless?
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No. But it means you should prioritize the ones that unlock mechanics. If a quest giver is offering a "Pendant" or a "Plushie," that's for fashion. If they're offering a "Material Collection Request," that's for survival.
How to find what you missed
If you’re looking at your map and it’s a sea of brown, check the World Map menu. Hover over each locale. If you see a notification saying "[Name] wants to talk to you!", get over there.
NPCs move around. Kanya might be at the Scarlet Forest camp one minute and back in Suja the next. The game doesn't always put a giant "!" over their heads if you aren't in the same zone.
Actionable Next Steps
- Push to Chapter 4: If you are bored in the early game, stop doing "exploring" and just blitz the story. The good side quests are locked behind the mid-game transition.
- Prioritize the Palico: Do any quest where the reward is a "Support Move." A Palico with the Rath-from-Above move is a completely different beast than a baseline cat.
- Automate your farm: Find Murtabak in the Windward Plains and Plumpeach in the Scarlet Forest. Getting your material trade-ins running early saves hours of gathering later.
- Check the Seikret Pouch: Remember that side quest rewards often go to your Seikret's stash, not your pockets. Press Left on the D-pad (or N on PC) while mounted to actually grab your loot.