To be honest, Monster Hunter Wilds interface can feel overwhelming with so many indicators, gauges, and symbols all around the map, crowding your screen. For new players, this will be a bit hard to understand and they can feel lost before they even face their first monster. This detailed guide will help you understand what all icons and symbols mean in Monster Hunter Wilds.
What Do All Icons and Symbols Mean in Monster Hunter Wilds Gameplay
We will break down the game’s user interface when you are already traveling the Forbidden Lands. Let’s examine what each element means:
Icons and Symbol
Description
1. Health Gauge
The green bar icon you can see on the top left of the screen is your Health or Vitality Gauge. This bar will change with colors and movement based on your health conditions.
• Full green: You’re at max health. • Health Stopper: Your max health limit. • Red: Health you can slowly recover if not hit again. • Yellow Portion: How much you’ll heal over time after using the healing item. • Flashing Colors: You have a status effect. Purple is poison, Red is fire. • Wiggling Animation: Your health is very low. • Orange Flash: A deadly attack is coming.
2. Stamina Gauge
This yellow bar icon under the health gauge is the Stamina Gauge. This is used for running, dodging, and attacks.
• Blue Arrow: You’re feeling cold and losing stamina. You need to use a hot drink or heat source. • Maximum Length: You can increase stamina by eating at camp or using rations during a hunt.
3. Weapon Sharpness
The sword bar icon shows your weapon sharpness and management.
• Colored Segments: Sharpness drops as you attack. The color shows from most sharp to least: Purple, White, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red.
4. Palico
This cat icon shows the location of your Palico.
5. Status Indicator
All these small icons on top of your Health Gauge are the Status Indicators. It goes from meal buff, cool drink buff, stamina buff, affinity up, and more.
For a complete explanation of each status symbol, you can check the “Status Effects” tab under the Basic Controls menu.
Understanding your position and surroundings is vital for efficient hunting:
Icons and Symbol
Description
6. Interactable
This list on the left side of the screen shows all your gatherable items, endemic life, and traps nearby.
7. Mini Map
A mini-map icon is located in the bottom-left corner, showing your immediate surroundings.
8. Time and Weather
Below the mini-map, you can find icons like sun, rain, etc. These icons show the current time of day and weather, which affect monster spawns and events.
• Time: Morning, midday, evening, and night. • Weather: Plenty, Fallow, and Inclemency.
9. Monster Icons
At the bottom, you can also see a diamond icon that shows the nearby monsters and their relevance to your quests. This icon will change based on which monster are close to you. When locked onto a monster, its icon is highlighted instead of grayed out.
Quick access to your items can mean the difference between success and failure too while you are hunting, especially with the help of the Radial Menu:
Icons and Symbol
Description
10. Inventory
All the icons available in the bottom right corner of your screen are your current Inventory items. For an expand the view, you can hold L1/LB and view more items.
11. Radial Menu
While holding L1/LB, a Radial Menu will also pop up on the screen. Use the right stick to quickly select items or actions from this menu.
12. Mantle Indicators
Left of the Inventory icons, there will be Mantle Indicators. These icons show your active mantles and cooldowns for inactive ones.
13. Slinger Ammo
This pod icon displays the type of ammo currently loaded in your slinger for quick use.
Monster Hunter Wilds also provides real-time feedback on your fighting techniques. Here are the icons and notifications you need to check out when you are hunting:
Icons and Symbol
Description
14. Attack Names
This attack icon will pop up when you are fighting a monster. It shows the name of your current attack or combo.
15. Control Guide
These information and the button prompt icons are the Control Guide. These icons will appear and change based on your current action.
16. Quest Timer
The large clock icon is the Quest Timer. It displays the remaining time for timed quests or missions.
17.Skills
This white icon on the right part of the screen appears when Skills are activated or worn off.
What Do All Icons and Symbols Mean in Monster Hunter Wilds Menu
Now when you open the Menu Tab while playing, you will see even more icons and symbols that you need to learn. Here is the list:
Icons and Symbol
Description
1. Items & Equipments
This potion and sword icons mean the Items and Equipments. Click this to access your item pouch, including consumables, traps, and other useful items.
2. Missions & Quests
This notebook icon shows Missions and Quests. You can view and accept quests here, track your progress, and manage your quest log.
3. Info
The note paper with magnifying glass icon means Info. If you want to see some game guides, weapon controls, and other helpful information, you can choose this icon.
4. Communication
This message bubble icons shows the Communication tab in the menu. Use this to customize your emotes and shout outs in the game.
5. Recently Viewed
The timer icon shows your Recently Viewed menu. It stores up to 9 menus you’ve recently accessed.
6. System
Two cog icons means the System tab. When you open this you will be able to access the game settings, controls, and the radial menu customization.
7. Guild Points
The green circular shape with wings icon is your Guild Points. You can collect Guild Points by completing quests, catching fish, finishing a hunt, interact with endemic life, and so on.
8. Zenny
This gold circle icon means your Zenny. Zenny is the currency used in Monster Hunter Wilds. You can buy or craft items with this.
And here are the icons you can see in the Base Camp Menu:
Icons and Symbols
Description
9. Item Menu
This chest icon is the Item Menu. You can access your Item Pouch and Ammo Pouch here. You can also check some Transfer Items and Crafting List under this menu.
10. Equipment
Beside that, you can see an armor and sword icon. This is the Equipment menu. You can click this to change your weapons, armor, and view your current loadouts.
The cat paw icon shows everything that is connected to your Palico.
12. Meal
This square icon with smoke on top of it is the Meal menu. If you want to craft meals to have buffs and effects, heal yourself, or increase your stamina, you need to click this icon.
13. Quests
Just like mentioned above, you can also access the Quests menu from the Base Camp.
14. Audio
The speaker icon shows your Audio option. You can change your game volume here, set your voice chat, and even change your Palico’s language.
15. Appearance
Click this head icon if you want to change your Appearance in the game.
What Do All Icons and Symbols Mean in Monster Hunter Wilds Character Screen
There are also other icons that will pop up above the NPCs you find in the game, such as:
Icons and Symbol
Description
1. Objective Marker
The red flower icon shows the Objective Marker. This will pop up on above key locations or characters that are tied to your current objective.
2. Character Talk Icon
When approaching a character you can talk to, their name appears above them and there will be a green bubble icon. Approach the character to see a Talk prompt and start a conversation.
3. Facility Icon
When near a character managing a Facility, the related banner icon appears above them. Get closer to see the facility name and interact with it.
4. Key Dialogue Icon
An exclamation mark icon appears above characters with information. If you see this icon, be sure to talk to the character to avoid missing important details.
Every icon and symbol in Monster Hunter Wilds gives you useful information to help you during hunts, like keeping track of your health, stamina, items, and even your weapon’s status. Use this guide as a quick reference, and you’ll soon know how to read and respond to each indicator. Hopefully, this guide on icon and symbol meanings in Monster Hunter Wilds will help you succeed in every hunt.
Shida is a gaming writer at TechWiser who loves getting comfy with a good book. When she is not writing, you'll catch her growing crops in Stardew Valley and Fields of Mistria, or exploring Fortnite. For Shida, nothing beats a day split between reading books and playing games.
