Monster Hunter Board Game: Buying Guide & Expansions

The Monster Hunter franchise has captivated fans worldwide with its engaging gameplay loop of hunting massive monsters to acquire loot, which in turn allows players to upgrade their gear and tackle even more formidable creatures. This thrilling cycle is perfectly adapted into the tabletop world with Monster Hunter World: The Board Game, offering a variety of experiences akin to its video game counterpart. 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 right into the specifics, feel free to browse through the items listed above. For a deeper understanding of what each set brings to the table, continue reading.

Core Boxes

The core boxes of Monster Hunter World: The Board Game are standalone experiences, each including four hunters and four monsters. These sets can be combined to mix and match characters and monsters, offering increased variety. While most components are unique to each set, there's some overlap, and additional cards are included for combined play.

Starting with a single core box is advisable for newcomers. If the game hooks you, consider expanding with smaller expansions or acquiring a second core set to enhance your collection.

Both core sets maintain high production quality, featuring the same engaging gameplay loop and impressive monster miniatures that dwarf the hunters, creating a dramatic sense of scale. The choice between sets largely depends on aesthetic appeal or your favorite settings from the video game.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Ancient Forest

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Ancient Forest

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This set transports players to a lush, primeval forest teeming with dinosaur-inspired monsters like the Great Jagras, Tobi-Kadachi, Anjanath, and Rathalos. Hunters equipped with traditional weapons such as the Great Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, and Bow embark on thrilling quests to vanquish these beasts.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Wildspire Waste

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Wildspire Waste

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Set in a rugged badlands environment, this box features creatures like the armored Barroth, swamp-dwelling Jyurados, bird-like Pukei-Pukei, and the subterranean Diablos. Hunters in this set wield more exotic weapons such as the Charge Blade, Switch Axe, Heavy Bowgun, and Insect Glaive, adding unique combat dynamics.

Retail Expansions

Following the Kickstarter campaign, several expansions became available at retail, though some are harder to find. Nergigante is scarce, while Teostra is exclusive to Steamforged Games. These expansions introduce Elder Dragons, new quest content, and a challenging five-star difficulty level, with larger miniatures to match the epic encounters.

While these expansions offer thrilling new challenges, they can be pricey, and some features are specific to one core box or the other. For instance, the Kushala Daora expansion includes crafting options tailored to hunters from both core sets. Thus, considering a second core set might be the best way to enhance your game experience.

Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Hunter's Arsenal Expansion

Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Hunter's Arsenal Expansion

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This expansion introduces six new hunters, each named after their distinctive weapons, including the Light Bowgun, Long Sword, Gunlance, Hammer, Lance, and Hunting Horn. It significantly enhances gameplay variety and provides new upgrade paths, though it requires both core sets for full utilization.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Nergigante Expansion

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Nergigante Expansion

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Nergigante is a unique addition that allows crafting new weapons for all existing characters, enhancing the game's depth. This spiny dragon grows spikes wherever it's damaged, presenting a formidable challenge.

Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Kushala Daora Expansion

Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Kushala Daora Expansion

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Kushala Daora, the wind dragon, brings powerful storms and tornadoes into play, making it a challenging fight. Its massive miniature with a wide wingspan adds to the epic feel of the encounter.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Teostra Expansion

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Teostra Expansion

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Teostra, the classic fire dragon, unleashes ranged attacks with blasts and fireballs, creating intense battles for any hunter daring to enter its domain.

Exclusive Expansion

Originally exclusive to the game's Kickstarter campaign, the Kulu-Ya-Ku expansion is now available through a subsequent campaign for the Iceborne boxes.

Monster Hunter World - Kulu-Ya-Ku Expansion

Monster Hunter World - Kulu-Ya-Ku

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Kulu-Ya-Ku, a creature resembling an ornithomimosaur, uses its claws to manipulate objects, including throwing rocks at hunters. This adds a dynamic element to combat, requiring strategic positioning to maximize damage.

Upcoming Content

Monster Hunter World Iceborne: The Board Game

Monster Hunter World Iceborne: The Board Game

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Following the success of the original game, Steamforged Games launched a Kickstarter for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. This new iteration introduces the Hoarfrost Reach core box with four new monsters and hunters, alongside Elder Dragons and a Hunter's Arsenal expansion. Three additional monster expansions—Absolute Power, Seething Anger, and Overpowering Hunger—offer even more content. Although the campaign has ended, you can still pre-order these items through Gamefound.