Monster Hunter Board Game: Buying Guide & Expansions

The Monster Hunter franchise has captivated gamers worldwide with its unique blend of action and strategy, where players hunt colossal beasts for valuable resources to upgrade their gear and take on even more formidable foes. This thrilling cycle has been successfully adapted into the tabletop realm with Monster Hunter World: The Board Game, offering a variety of expansions and core sets that cater to different tastes and play styles. Here's a guide to help you navigate through the offerings and find the perfect addition to your collection.

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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 looking for a quick overview, you can scroll through the items listed above. For a deeper dive into what each box offers, keep reading.

Core Boxes

The core boxes of Monster Hunter World: The Board Game are standalone games, each featuring four hunters and four monsters. These sets can be combined, allowing you to mix and match hunters and monsters across different environments. While each box has unique components tailored to its specific monsters and hunters, there is some overlap, including cards that enhance gameplay when sets are combined.

Starting with a single core box is recommended for newcomers, and as your interest grows, you can expand your collection with smaller expansions or consider purchasing a second core set for more variety.

Both core sets boast the same high-quality components and engaging gameplay loop, with stunningly detailed miniatures that enhance the game's immersive experience. The choice between them often comes down to aesthetic preference or nostalgia tied to the video game series.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Ancient Forest

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Set in a lush, primeval forest, this box introduces players to the Great Jagras, Tobi-Kadachi, Anjanath, and Rathalos, each inspired by dinosaurs and tropical fauna. The hunters equipped with Great Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, and Bow set out to conquer these beasts.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Wildspire Waste

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This set transports players to a rugged badlands environment, featuring the Barroth, Jyuratodus, Pukei-Pukei, and Diablos. Hunters use the Charge Blade, Switch Axe, Heavy Bowgun, and Insect Glaive to navigate this challenging terrain and defeat their foes.

Retail Expansions

Following the initial Kickstarter campaign, several expansions became available for retail purchase. However, some, like Nergigante and Teostra, are harder to find or exclusive to the publisher, Steamforged Games.

Nergigante, Kushala Daora, and Teostra introduce Elder Dragons to the game, adding new quest content and a higher difficulty level. These expansions come with larger miniatures and extend the campaign with ultimate boss challenges.

While these expansions offer exciting new content, they can be costly, and some features are specific to one core box or the other. If you're looking to expand your game, consider acquiring the second core set first for broader compatibility.

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

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This expansion adds six new hunters, each defined by their unique weapon: Light Bowgun, Long Sword, Gunlance, Hammer, Lance, and Hunting Horn. It significantly enhances the variety of your gameplay, offering new upgrade paths, though full utilization requires both core sets.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Nergigante Expansion

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Nergigante stands out as a single dragon expansion that allows crafting additional weapons for all available characters. Its unique design and gameplay mechanics make it an excellent addition to any campaign.

Monster Hunter World The Board Game: Kushala Daora Expansion

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Kushala Daora, a wind dragon, challenges players with its powerful storms and the largest miniature in the range. The fight is intensified by environmental effects like strong winds and tornadoes.

Monster Hunter World: The Board Game - Teostra Expansion

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Teostra, the iconic fire dragon, brings intense ranged combat to the table with its fireballs and blasts, adding a thrilling element to any campaign.

Exclusive Expansion

Originally a Kickstarter exclusive, the Kulu-Ya-Ku expansion can now be obtained through the Iceborne campaign on Gamefound.

Monster Hunter World - Kulu-Ya-Ku Expansion

Monster Hunter World - Kulu-Ya-Ku

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Kulu-Ya-Ku, with its unique ability to use tools, introduces a new level of strategy and unpredictability to the game. Its design, reminiscent of an ornithomimosaur, fits perfectly into the Ancient Forest setting but is compatible with both core boxes.

Upcoming Content

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 maintains the core mechanics while introducing fresh concepts. The core box, Hoarfrost Reach, includes four new monsters and hunters. Additional expansions like Elder Dragons and a Hunter’s Arsenal, as well as three monster packs—Absolute Power, Seething Anger, and Overpowering Hunger—further expand the gameplay. Although the campaign has closed, you can still pre-order through Gamefound.

With its rich array of content and high-quality components, Monster Hunter World: The Board Game offers an immersive experience that echoes the excitement of the video game series. Whether you're a fan of the franchise or new to the world of tabletop gaming, there's something in this collection for everyone.