The ability to mount a monster returns inMonster Hunter Wildsas a mechanic, but with a few changes that can make the technique tricky for new players and veterans to learn. As you perform certain attacks, your character has a chance to start riding a monster, putting you in a position to deal more damage. However, mounting a monster takes some preparation as you stay mobile during a hunt.

When you mount monsters, those monsters will try anything they can to throw your character off. Thisdistracts the creatures from any allies you may haveduring a hunt, allowing them to deal some damage while the monster is occupied. Withcrossplay inMonster Hunter Wildsbeing likely, mounting is more important than ever during multiplayer hunts.

Monster Hunter Wilds hunter using jumping attack to try and mount monster with weapon

How To Perform Mounts In Monster Hunter Wilds

Keep Up Pressure Through Aerial Attacks

The only way to perform a mount against a monster is tobuild up aerial jumping attacks from high placesagainst whatever creature you’re hunting. Using a jumping attack off a ledge or using a strike while leaping from your Seikret are common ways to initiate a mount, but you still need to land attacks to mount. If you miss any aerial strike, you’ll miss out on a chance to start riding a monster.

An easy way to land aerial attacks is to jump right after sliding down a slope before performing a strike, as the forward momentum should give you more reach to hit your target.

Key art from Monster Hunter Wilds shows a player character riding a Seikret, looking out at a vast landscape.

Onebig mistake inMonster Hunter Wildsyou can make is assuming your first aerial strike on a monster will lead to a mount.Mounts build up over time as you land multiple aerial attacks with your weapon, with higher-damage weapons initiating a mount faster than others. For example, a charged aerial attack from a Greatsword may start a mount right away, while Dual Blades will have to do multiple air attacks to initiate the technique.

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The larger the monster, the more jumping attacks you’ll likely have to do to mount it. From what I’ve experienced, a Rey Dau takes more leaping strikes to mount than a Chatacabra, so be prepared to adjust your offense accordingly to properly mount the monster you want to ride.

Rey Dau in Monster Hunter Wilds.

How To Stagger Monsters From Mount Attacks

Create Weak Points And Stay Alert

When you mount a monster, a small blue circle will show up at the bottom of your screen. This is the Mount Meter, which builds up from blue to yellow, then red to indicate how much mount damage you’ve inflicted while riding a monster.When you fill up the Mount Meter completely, you can do a special attack that topples a monster, leaving it thrashing on the ground and vulnerable to your strongest attacks.

There are multiple ways to increase the Mount Meter using the multiple attacks at your disposal when your character is on a monster’s back. Here are all the different maneuvers you can do while mounting a monster:

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When a monster tries to throw you off it while your character is mounted, you canBraceorMoveto a different area of the monster to avoid its struggling.If you run out of Stamina while mounting a monster, you will fall off of it.

Knife attacks are fast, reliable ways to initiate damage as the monster moves around, with Strong attacks inflict a bit more punishment. However,you can Brace while performing Light Knife Attacks, giving you a way to build up the Mount Meter quickly while ignoring a monster’s attempts to throw you off. Keep in mind that every strike drains your Stamina through, so be careful using too many attacks in a row.

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One of the best moves to build up the Mount Meter is touse a Weapon Attack, which creates a weak point on a monster​​​​​​. Thisnew feature inMonster Hunter Wildsmakes part of a monster vulnerable, breaking armor and increasing the damage dealt when striking that particular area. Weapon Attacks build the most Mount Meter, but they also cost the most Stamina to perform.

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Continuously using Brace while mounted on a monster will greatly limit the Stamina depletion from all the attacks you use to build the Mount Meter. After you mount any of the monsters inMonster Hunter Wilds, you should always move around, brace, and keep attacking to ensure you get the special attack that staggers your target.

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