Monsters in Monster Hunter Now are, as with every entry in the series, the main focus of the game, giving you new challenges to face and weapon and armor types to craft.
Starting with just a handful of large monsters to begin with, the further you progress through the main story quest, the more species you unlock.
For those who prefer to discover these at their own pace, the following page contains spoilers for the monster list in Monster Hunter Now — including whether there are original monsters coming to the series.
Monster Hunter Now monster list: How many monsters are there in Monster Hunter Now?
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A total of 24 monsters have been released in Monster Hunter Now, some of which are temporary spawns, or require completing specific storylines or activity types to unlock.
Complicating things further is the game’s seasonal model, meaning some monsters will only appear at some times of year, or require additional seasonal story complication to access.
Monster Hunter Now monster list
| Monster | First appearance | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Monster | First appearance | Requirement |
| Great Jagras | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Kulu-Ya-Ku | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Pukei-Pukei | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Barroth | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Great Girros | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Tobi-Kadachi | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Paolumu | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Jyuratodus | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Anjanath | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Rathian | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Legiana | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Diablos | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Rathalos | Launch | Main story unlock |
| Black Diablos | “Diablos Invasion” event in Sept. 2023 | Hunt-a-thons, rare wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Pink Rathian | “Rathian & Pink Rathian Week” event in Oct. 2023 | Hunt-a-thons, rare wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Azure Rathalos | “Descent of the Azure King” event in Jan. 2024 | Hunt-a-thons, rare wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Radobaan | “Fulminations in the Frost” in Dec. 2023 | Common wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Banbaro | “Fulminations in the Frost” in Dec. 2023 | Common wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Barioth | “Fulminations in the Frost” in Dec. 2023 | Not available; winter season spawn only (last appeared Dec. 2023 to March 2024) |
| Zinogre | “Fulminations in the Frost” in Dec. 2023 | Hunt-a-thons only |
| Odogaron | “The Vernal Invader” in March 2024 | Common wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Tzitzi-Ya-Ku | “The Vernal Invader” in March 2024 | Common wild spawn following appearance in seasonal story quest |
| Devilijho | “The Vernal Invader” in March 2024 | Invasions only |
| Coral Pukei-Pukei | “Spring forward with Coral Pukei-Pukei” event in March 2024 | Event only (wild spawn and Hunt-a-thons) |
Remember, if you come across a monster on the map you cannot fight there and then, using a paintball allows you to save that encounter for later.
When will new monsters release in Monster Hunter Now?
New monsters — alongside new story quests and weapon types — are introduced to the game as part of a seasonal model alongside a major update each quarter.
The next set of monsters will arrive on June 12 as part of the game’s summer update, with the confirmation of the first Elder Dragon in June, and the first Leviathan in July:
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Image: Niantic / Capcom
How have monsters been rolled out in the game so far? The first seasonal update, “Fulminations in the Frost,” arrived in Dec. 2023, introduced Radobaan, Banbaro, Barioth, and Zinogre. Three new monsters — Odogaron, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku, and Devilijho — were then added in March 2024.
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Outside of these major updates, there are monsters which debut in events, such as Black Diablos during September 2023’s “Diablos Invasion,” and Pink Rathian in October 2023’s “Rathian & Pink Rathian Week.”
These subspecies are more powerful versions of Diablos and Rathian, but since they come with their own armor and weapon sets, can be considered unique monsters in their own right. At first, these monsters only appeared for a limited time, but have since become wild spawns once defeated as part of a seasonal storyline.
We imagine future subspecies will follow a similar pattern — debuting for a limited time with a mid-season event, before appearing as spawns with the rollout of a new season months later.
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For those expecting original monsters which debut first in Monster Hunter Now, so far the roster consists of creatures that have appeared elsewhere in the series. However, the developers have said they would “love to include unique monsters in the game in the future” — so perhaps we can expect something eventually.
This is not the first Niantic game to contribute to the canon of a wider series — Pokemon Go introduced Meltan and Melmetal, for example — and it’ll be interesting to see what impact Monster Hunter Now has on the main series over time.
Until then — looking for more advice? Our Monster Hunter Now tips and tricks page can give you some extra pointers.