Monster Hunter: World Cheats & Secrets guide screenshot

Cheats & Secrets

Cheats & Secrets Guide for Monster Hunter: World



Important Note: No Traditional Cheat Codes


Monster Hunter: World does not include any built-in cheat codes, unlock codes, or debug commands. There is no console, no password entry, and no developer menu accessible through normal gameplay. All content must be earned through hunting, crafting, and exploration. However, the game is rich with hidden features, Easter eggs, and developer-intended secrets that can enhance your experience. This guide covers all known legitimate secrets and hidden content.

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Secret Techniques & Hidden Mechanics



Capture vs. Kill – The Hidden Rewards


  • Secret: Capturing a monster (using a trap and tranq bombs) yields more rewards than carving from a corpse. It also unlocks unique Arena quests and gives bonus materials for some monsters.

  • Tip: Always capture unless the quest specifically asks for a kill (e.g., "Slay").


    • Intimidating the Jagras / Shamos


  • Secret: If you wield a large weapon (Great Sword, Hammer, etc.) and stand still near small monsters like Jagras or Shamos, they will sometimes flee in fear instead of attacking. This is a hidden intimidation mechanic based on weapon size and hunter rank.


    • Flash Pods in the Air


  • Secret: Flash Pods are most effective when the monster is airborne (e.g., Rathalos, Legiana) – they cause a knockdown. But using a Flash Pod while mid-air yourself (e.g., while falling from a ledge) does nothing special – that is a myth. The real secret: Flash Pods can be used to interrupt monster roars only if timed correctly while the monster is in the animation.


    • The "Crouching" Recovery


  • Secret: When you are knocked down, pressing no buttons (or just lying still) often causes you to stay down longer, becoming invulnerable during the animation. This is a hidden mechanic to avoid follow-up attacks. Test it against Diablos or Nergigante – staying down lets you avoid the tail slam.


    • Whetfish Fin + – The Hidden Sharpener


  • Secret: Whetfish Fins (especially Whetfish Fin+) are hidden items found in certain fishing spots. They act as a whetstone but can sharpen in one stroke. The Whetfish Fin+ is rare but incredibly useful for fast sharpening mid-combat.

  • Location: Best spot – the fishing hole in the Rotten Vale area at the bottom of the central pit (requires bait). Also in the Elder's Recess geothermal pool.


    • Secret Palico Gadgets


  • Secret: Your Palico can unlock several hidden gadgets beyond the default Vigorwasp Spray. Each requires specific conditions:

    • 1. Flashfly Cage – Complete the quest "The Trail of the Anjanath" and then talk to the Grimalkyne in the Ancient Forest near the South Camp. Requires finding three Doodles.
    2. Shieldspire – Progress Wildspire Waste Grimalkyne questline; find three Doodles in that zone.
    3. Vigorwasp Spray (already have) – upgrade to max by collecting all Vigorwasp locations.
    4. Coral Orchestra – Coral Highlands Grimalkyne; find three Doodles near the exit to Rotten Vale.
    5. Meowlotov Cocktail – Rotten Vale Grimalkyne; find three Doodles near the central camp.
  • Easter Egg: Each gadget has a hidden "critter" helper – e.g., the Flashfly Cage summons a tiny beetle.


    • Hidden Camps & Camp Upgrades


  • Secret: You can find and activate hidden camps in every locale. Each zone has up to 4 possible camp sites, but only 2 are available initially. The others require finding "Camp Gestures" (rare endemic life or NPC interactions).

  • Tip: To unlock all camps, you must complete quests from the Provisioner (a research NPC) and sometimes capture specific monsters. For example, the Ancient Forest N.E. camp requires hunting a Pukei-Pukei with a special condition.

  • Hidden Upgrade: You can upgrade your camps to have a Canteen, Private Room, and Botanical Research – but the Secret Kitchens in Astera (the personal quarters) require finding rare endemic life like the Downy Crake to unlock special cooking recipes.


    • Secret Fishing Spots


  • Secret: Several fishing spots are hidden behind obstacles or require bait. The Rotten Vale has a fishing spot that requires you to use a Slinger Torch to melt the effluvium. The Elder's Recess has a spot on the highest platform that can only be reached by using Wedge Beetles (hidden grapple points).


    • Rare Endemic Life – The True Hunt


  • Secret: The game has over 20 rare endemic life creatures that are purely cosmetic. They do not affect gameplay but are a major Easter egg. Examples:

    • - Downy Crake – Small fluffy bird that appears on the backs of Aptonoth or Gastodon. Found in Ancient Forest or Wildspire Waste. Requires patience and Ghillie Mantle.
    - Petricanth – A rare fish that requires a specific rod and bait. It’s a throwback to earlier Monster Hunter games.
    - Wintermoon Nettle – A jellyfish-like creature that appears only at night in the Coral Highlands at the highest point. It glows and is extremely rare.
  • Trophy/Achievement: Catching all rare endemic life unlocks the "Angling Aficionado" trophy/achievement.


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    Easter Eggs & Developer-Intended Hidden Content



    The "Proof of a Hero" Secret


  • Easter Egg: During the final battle against Xeno'jiiva (base game) or Fatalis (Iceborne), the classic Monster Hunter theme "Proof of a Hero" plays at specific moments. It is triggered by reaching certain health thresholds. This is a callback to the series' history – no other way to hear it in World.


    • The Canteen Felyne Foodie


  • Easter Egg: If you eat all 12 Felyne food items in a certain order (the "Secret Meal"), you get a hidden buff called "Felyne Lucky Cat" which increases the chances of rare material drops. The order is: Meat > Fish > Vegetable > Bread > Cheese > Eggs > Milk > Rice > Fruit > Beans > Soup > Drink. This is not documented in-game.


    • The Hidden Handler Dialogue


  • Easter Egg: If you stand idle in Astera for 5+ minutes without opening any menu, your Handler will start saying unique, quirky lines. She also comments on specific outfits – e.g., if you wear the Bazelgeuse armor, she says "You look explosive!"


    • The "Kulu-Ya-Ku" Pet Rock


  • Easter Egg: Kulu-Ya-Ku often picks up rocks. If you break the rock with a slinger shot, it will stagger. But if you let it keep the rock and it holds it near its mouth, you can see it is actually eating something from the rock – a tiny insect. This is a behavioral secret.


    • The Secret Room in Astera


  • Easter Egg: In Astera, behind the main building (up the stairs near the Research Base), there is a locked gate. Later in the game (after completing the main story), you can find a key item behind the Canteen (a "Grimalkyne Doodle") that opens it. Inside is a small room with a stuffed animal – the Moofy plushie from Monster Hunter Stories. Interacting with it gives you a special pose for your guild card.


    • The Felyne Meteor Strike


  • Easter Egg: In the Arena, if you use a specific combo of attacks (Great Sword charge + Hammer spin + Hunting Horn encore), the Felyne cook in the background will occasionally throw a giant meat cleaver at the monster. This is a hidden animation.


    • The Witcher Crossover Secrets


  • Easter Egg: During the special assignment "The Witcher 3: The Trail of the Ancient Forest", you can find Jinn (Geralt's horse) in a secret spot, or find the Novigrad signpost. Also, using the Igni sign (Slinger fire pod) on a beehive will trigger a special dialogue from the Handler. These are pure fan service.


    • The Behemoth Jump Exploit (Patched but Historical)


  • Secret (Historical): In the base game, during the Behemoth fight, if you stood on a certain rock in the Elder's Recess while being targeted by Charybdis, the tornado would hit the rock and you would be launched high into the air. This allowed you to mount Behemoth easily. It was patched but remains a famous exploit.


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    Legitimate Hidden Content & Unlockable Secrets



    Hidden Quest Chains


  • Secret: Some quests only appear after completing specific optional objectives. For example:

    • - "The White Monster" (capture a Legiana) – triggers after capturing all base monsters.
    - "The Sapphire Star's Guidance" – unlisted quest that appears when you have hunted 100 of each monster type.
    - "The Greatest Jagras" – a hidden event quest that gives massive amounts of decorations. Only available during certain festivals.

    Secret Item Box in the Training Room


  • Secret: In the Training Room (accessed via the Handler in Astera), there is a hidden item box in the corner behind a pillar. It restocks your ammo and items for training – but only if you leave the room and re-enter.


    • The "Gajalaka" Secret


  • Secret: In the Rotten Vale, there are hidden Gajalaka (small tribe) camps. If you befriend them by completing deliveries, they will occasionally show up in hunts to help you. Their secret gift is the Poison Smoke Bomb – a powerful area denial tool.


    • Hidden Monster Dialogue


  • Easter Egg: If you use the Ghillie Mantle and approach a sleeping monster, you can hear it snoring. Some monsters have unique sleep sounds – e.g., Paolumu makes high-pitched whistles, Diablos growls.


    • The Secret Guild Card Backgrounds


  • Secret: To unlock all guild card backgrounds, you need to complete hidden achievements like catching every rare endemic life or completing all event quests on a single character. These are developer-intended rewards for completionists.


    • The Proof of a Hero Emote


  • Secret: Purchasing the "Proof of a Hero" emote from the Deluxe Kit (DLC) is not a secret, but there is a hidden animation: if you use the emote while standing near a camp, your hunter will play a lute version instead of the default trumpet.


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    Platform-Specific Secrets (PC & Console)



    PC Modded Secrets (Unofficial)


  • Warning: Using mods or cheat engines is against Capcom's terms of service and can result in ban. However, there are legitimate, developer-approved cosmetic mods that do not affect gameplay. The only officially supported mod is the High Resolution Texture Pack.


    • Cheat Engine (PC – Not Recommended)


  • Note: The PC version can be modified via Cheat Engine for infinite health, one-hit kills, etc. These are not legitimate and violate the game's anti-cheat. Use at your own risk and only for offline content. No official secrets involve using third-party tools.


    • Console Exclusive Secrets


  • Secret: On PS4 and Xbox One, there are exclusive gestures and stickers that come from playing other Capcom games (e.g., the Spyro crossover gave a special Quest). These are time-limited and not listed in the main game.


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    Exploit-Safe Secrets (Patched Exploits Listed for Historical Knowledge)



    The "Cluster Bomb" Pre-Nerf


  • Historical Exploit: Before Iceborne, the Cluster Bomb (from Heavy Bowgun) could deal massive damage and knock teammates flying. It was often used to troll. Capcom nerfed its damage and stagger. No secret code – just a broken mechanic that was fixed.


    • The "SnS Jump Attack" Ledge Glitch


  • Historical Exploit: Sword and Shield users could repeatedly jump off a ledge and do an aerial attack to infinite combo monsters. This was patched to limit the damage scaling. No secret code involved.


    • The "Capture Net" Duplication Glitch


  • Historical Exploit: Using the Capture Net on certain items could duplicate them in your inventory. This was patched early in the game's life. No legitimate secret requires duplication.


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    Final Notes


  • No shortcuts: The only way to truly progress is by hunting. The secrets listed above are meant to enhance your experience, not break the game.

  • Always check for updates: Capcom frequently adds hidden content via free title updates and event quests. Check the in-game notice board for active events.

  • Explore thoroughly: The New World is full of hidden nooks. Use Scoutflies to track endemic life, breakable walls, and secret gathering points marked by a faint blue glow.


Happy hunting, and may the Sapphire Star guide you!