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?
A total of 20 monsters have been released in Monster Hunter Now, some of which are temporary spawns, or require completing specific storylines to unlock.
The following core monster list will be added to the map once defeated in the main story, unlocking in the following order:
- Great Jagras
- Kulu-Ya-Ku
- Pukei-Pukei
- Barroth
- Great Girros
- Tobi-Kadachi
- Paolumu
- Jyuratodus
- Anjanath
- Rathian
- Legiana
- Diablos
- Rathalos
- Odogaron
- Tzitzi-Ya-Ku
There’s also Devilijho, which only unlocks via Invasions.
Most of the following “Fulminations in the Frost” monsters will be added to the map once defeated in dedicated new monsters storyline between Dec. 2023 and March 2024, with the exception of Zinogre, which will then only reappear in Hunt-a-thons from Dec. 15:
- Radobaan
- Banbaro
- Barioth (seasonal spawn between Dec. 2023 and March 2024)
- Zinogre (one time story encounter, reappears in Hunt-a-thons from Dec. 15)
There have also been three timed-exclusive monsters, which appear during certain events:
- Black Diablos (debuted during Sept. 2023’s “Diablos Invasion”)
- Pink Rathian (debuted between Oct. 9 and Oct. 15, 2023, as part of “Rathian & Pink Rathian Week”)
- Azure Rathalos (debuted during Jan. 2024’s “Descent of the Azure King”)
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?
At launch, developers Niantic and Capcom confirmed new monsters — alongside new story quests and weapon types — will be introduced to the game as part of a seasonal model, set to release as part of a big update each quarter.
The first of these, “Fulminations in the Frost,” arrived in Dec. 2023, introduced Radobaan, Banbaro, Barioth, and Zinogre.
Three new monsters — Odogaron, Tzitzi-Ya-Ku, and Devilijho — were added in March 2023.
Outside of these major updates, there are event-exclusive monsters, such as Black Diablos during September’s “Diablos Invasion,” and Pink Rathian in October’s “Rathian & Pink Rathian Week.” These 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.
This means we can expect to see new monsters beyond the aforementioned seasonal updates, though the frequency of these is uncertain.
For those expecting original monsters in Monster Hunter Now, so far the roster consists of creatures that have debuted elsewhere in the series. However, the developers have said they would “love to include unique monsters in the game in the future.”
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.