Monster Hunter World (MHW) constantly ups the ante with challenges that keep even the most veteran hunters on their toes. Among its arsenal of equipment, the Insect Glaive stands out, not only for its swift, aerial combat but also for its unique mechanic involving Kinsects. These small, insectoid companions can be the difference between victory and defeat. This extensive guide explores the realm of Kinsects, offering insights and strategies to master this unique aspect of monster hunting.
Understanding Kinsects
Kinsects are more than just flying companions for those wielding the Insect Glaive. These critters play a central role in the hunter’s ability to gather essences from monsters, boosting their stats, and adding an extra layer of strategy and depth to combat. There are various Kinsects, each with different abilities, element affiliations, and dust effects. Choosing the right Kinsect can significantly influence your hunting prowess.
Kinsect Basics
At the core, Kinsects are divided into two main categories based on their speed, power, and weight:
- Culldrone (Speed): They excel in swiftly gathering essences from monsters.
- Mauldrone (Power): These Kinsects deal more damage and are better suited for aggressive tactics.
Each Kinsect can also produce unique Dust Effects when they hit a monster, which can cause additional damage or status effects when struck by you or your teammates. These effects include:
- Heal: Restores health to you and your allies.
- Poison: Gradually reduces the monster’s health.
- Paralysis: Temporarily immobilizes the target.
- Blast: Deals explosive damage after several hits.
Essence Gathering
The essence-gathering ability of Kinsects is what sets the Insect Glaive apart. Monsters have specific body parts that, when hit by a Kinsect, yield different colored essences, each providing unique buffs:
- Red Essence: Increases attack power and improves combos.
- White Essence: Enhances movement speed and jump height.
- Orange Essence: Provides a defensive buff.
- Green Essence: Restores a small amount of health.
Best Kinsects
When it comes to choosing a Kinsect, there’s a balance between the insect’s speed, power, and the type of dust effect it produces. Here are some of the community favorites each hunter should consider:
- Pseudocath III: Renowned for its unparalleled speed and Blast dust, making it a top choice for aggressive hunting strategies.
- Foliacath III Forz: Offers an excellent balance between speed and power, coupled with Heal dust, making it ideal for survivability.
- Grancathar III: A solid option for those who prefer a balance with a Paralysis dust effect, adding crowd control to the mix.
Kinsect Strategy
Mastering Kinsect strategy begins with understanding when and where to send your insect ally to harvest essences. The ideal scenario is to maintain all three primary buffs (Red, White, and Orange) for their combined effects, significantly boosting your combat effectiveness.
Essence Prioritization
- Red Essence is crucial for maximizing your damage output, making it a priority in most situations.
- White and Orange Essences should be collected as well, but their importance can vary depending on the monster you’re facing and your current situation.
Dust Effect Utilization
Utilizing your Kinsect’s dust effect can turn the tide of battle. Positioning and timing your attacks to trigger these effects when your teammates are around will maximize their benefit, whether you’re healing your group or stacking up explosive damage on a monster.
Kinsect Progression
As you advance through Monster Hunter World, upgrading your Kinsect becomes imperative to keep up with the escalating difficulty of the monsters you face.
Nurturing Your Kinsect
Each Kinsect can be leveled up through a nourishment process that requires various resources obtained during your hunting expeditions. Enhancing your Kinsect improves its speed, power, heal amount, and even the potency of its dust effects.
Choosing the Right Tree
Deciding on the evolution path of your Kinsect is as essential as selecting your Insect Glaive. It requires understanding the monsters ahead and aligning your Kinsect’s strengths to complement your hunting style.
Advanced Kinsect Tactics
Elevating your Kinsect game involves not only managing essences and dust effects but also integrating your Kinsect into your broader combat strategy.
Kinsect as a Debuffer
Strategically deploying your Kinsect to constantly apply status effects like Poison or Paralysis can cripple even the mightiest monsters, opening them up for massive damage from your team.
Essence Management in Combat
Advanced hunters master the art of essence renewal, timing their Kinsect’s essence gathering to ensure they’re always operating with full buffs. This often involves anticipating when your current essences will expire and sending out your Kinsect to refresh them just in time.
Combative Synergy
Beyond just a support tool, your Kinsect can be a significant contributor to your damage output. Integrating its attacks into your combat flow, especially with Blast or Poison dust, adds a layer of damage that can continuously pressure the monster.
Tactical Withdrawals
Knowing when to recall your Kinsect is crucial. If you’re in a pinch or need an immediate boost, recalling it to gather a Green Essence for a quick heal can be a lifesaver. Similarly, recalling your Kinsect conserves its stamina, ensuring it’s ready for the next essence collection or attack.
Wrapping Up
The Insect Glaive and its Kinsect companion offer one of the most dynamic and interactive weapon systems in Monster Hunter World. By understanding the nuances of Kinsect management, honing your Kinsect progression, and mastering advanced tactics, you’ll elevate your hunting capabilities to new heights.
Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or new to the thrill of the hunt, the path to mastering Kinsects is a rewarding journey filled with strategic depth and combat excellence. So, arm yourself, nurture your flying ally, and dive into the fray, for the world of Monster Hunter awaits.