Monster Hunter Now monster list

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?

Image: Niantic / Capcom

There are 12 monsters currently available in Monster Hunter Now, with each species unlocking one-by-one as you progress through the 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

As well as the above, there have also been two timed-exclusive monsters to date, which will return to the game in future events:

• Black Diablos (debuted during September 2023’s “Diablos Invasion”)
• Pink Rathian (debuted between Oct. 9 and Oct. 15, 2023 as part of “Rathian & Pink Rathian Week”)

Remember, if you come across a monster 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”, is arriving Dec. 7, with a teaser image revealing Zinogre (shown in battle), Banbaro, and Barioth (as part of the armor sets the Hunters are wearing), as well as weapon types Dual Blades and the Lance.

Image: Niantic / Capcom

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 launch 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.