Ever found yourself face-to-face with a monster that’s giving you more trouble than expected? Monster Hunter Wilds SOS Flare system is your ticket to getting backup when you need it most. Whether you’re looking for help from other players or AI Support Hunters, here’s everything you need to know about how to use SOS Flares in Monster Hunter Wilds.
How to Send Out and Use SOS Flare in Monster Hunter Wilds
You are fighting Arkveld, the hardest monster in Monster Hunter Wilds so far, and you’re struggling to defeat it. What you need is to fire an SOS flare. While your Palico can assist you, having other players join the fight is much more effective.
To fire an SOS Flare, hold L1 on your controller and press down on the right analog stick. You’ll get a quick confirmation prompt, and once you agree, your hunter will shoot the SOS flare into the sky. Don’t like these controls? You can customize the radial menu to put the SOS Flare wherever feels most comfortable for you. So, what happens after you send out an SOS flare?
Player Response System
When you send out an SOS Flare, you’re opening your hunt to up to three other players. These hunters can join your quest from anywhere in the game. They don’t even need to be in your lobby. Once your party fills up, the SOS signal automatically stops. If someone leaves, you’ll need to fire another flare to open up spots again.
Support Hunters
This new mechanic is first introduced in Monster Hunter Wilds. In previous Monster Hunter titles, you might have found yourself waiting too long for players to join your SOS, sometimes with no one joining at all. In Monster Hunter Wilds, Support Hunters provides a solution to this problem.
If other players don’t join quickly enough, the game sends AI-controlled Support Hunters to help you out. These computer-controlled hunters will fight alongside you until real players show up. When human players join, the Support Hunters politely bow out to make room.
How to Change SOS Flare Settings
Before you fire a flare, head to the Quest Counter to customize your Member Recruitment Comment. This lets you tell other hunters what kind of help you’re looking for, whether it’s specific weapon types or playstyles. You can even set your preferences to receive only Support Hunters if you prefer AI companions in the Multiplayer Settings.
It’s worth noting that you can’t restrict SOS Flares to friends only. If you want to hunt exclusively with friends, your best bet is to create a private lobby instead. While you can use passcodes and disable auto-accept for other types of hunts, SOS Flares remain open to all players.
Also Read:
- Monster Hunter Wilds: How to Transfer Character Data From OBT to the Full Game
- Monster Hunter Wilds: How to Increase and Restore Stamina
- Monster Hunter Wilds Co-Op Guide: Master Link Party and Crossplay With Friends
When Should You Use SOS Flares?
The great thing about SOS Flare is its flexibility. You can use the SOS signal right at the start of a quest if you want to hunt with others from the beginning. Or, if you are more of a solo hunter who occasionally needs backup, you can fire the flare when things get tough. These are some tips for effective SOS Flare use in the game:
- Fire your flare early if you know you’ll want help. This gives other players more time to join too.
- Use the Member Recruitment Comment to find players with complementary hunting styles.
- Make sure your Multiplayer Settings allow for both Players and Support Hunters if you want AI backup.
In short, whether you’re facing a particularly challenging monster or prefer hunting in groups, the SOS Flare system in Monster Hunter Wilds offers the flexibility to get help when you need it.
