Strategy Guides/Ultimate Monster Guide - Archive-Divine-Legendaries

With the additions in the past few years of divine, piercing and item archives, not to mention the classic Medal and Achievement rewards, the path to being a monster hunter is less clear. Do you want to get the best gear easier? Do you want to avoid wasting your time on pointless monsters and focus on the ones who pay out? Follow me, O hunter, and I shall attempt to help you.

In this guide I'll go over the monsters you should hit in about the order you should hit them in. I'll point out the features of each that you should look for, from humble Achievements, to special drops to farm. Before it gets asked, if I don't mention a monster, odds are it's not worth your time.

While geared primarily at the newer players, veteran players can benefit from using this as a checklist to track their own hunting.

Rounds - While I put the monsters in an easy hunting order, I'll group them under a theme. Once you finish the round, move to the next. This will help keep you focused on your current objectives rather then running about. Also gives you a good list of monsters to look for in the public lists.

Achievement/Medals - These are free skill and favor points for hunting the monsters you are going to anyway. I'll note the numbers and times as well as rewards.

Drops - These are the things you are searching for. Because they fill out your Item Archives (IA), require for legendaries (Leg), are needed for future monsters, or are just really good drops. I won't list everything that you want/need from these monsters, just the ones that you are specifically hunting for. Many monsters drop gems and ores, possibly even essences, and I don't mention them... you'll pick them up while looking for the rest of the gear. I list the number of items you want to max out your bonuses.

First Round - Cleaning out the old stuff

Most of these are old monsters that people have forgotton about. Quite a few have easy drops that build your archives, and it can't hurt to pick up the achievements and medals while you are at it.

Congratulations! You've gotten through the first step, cleaned out the old requirements, and gotten yourself a hefty chunk of skill and favor points, and some pretty decent gear. Now things are going to get worse...

Second Round - A stop to build Divine
You are going to need Divine power from here on out. We take a quick side-step to pump you up. Yes, this means more farming...

Round Three - Giants!
You'll need two Lava Infernos for later Legendaries. While you are at it, pick up some archive items. Glacius & Magmos will be tough to wear through. You might be tempted to buy some of the Giant's divine items. Don't. They aren't that strong and just mean more grinding for you. Make your two Lava Inferno (don't upgrade to a Molton Core... Whirlpool which you got already, is a better spell, and you don't have time to waste farming).

Round Four - Elementals!
Your first Legendary - the Aetherfury. Okay, it's not that great, but it unlocks later things. Plus, the farming for it gives you some more good gear for later. ...painfully long grinds to get a mediocre axe. I know, I know. But you need it for later legendaries. Fuse up 5 of them and move on.

Side note - You can make the Titan Aetherfury. It's okay, but will make you have to grind out ANOTHER to max out the archive. Still, if you have the extra while trying to get that last Stormbinder, go for it.

Round six - Sea Kings Helm
Okay, okay. You don't need this really. Feel free to skip ahead to the next section. Still, if you feel like hunting some Leviathans, this isn't a bad time... And they all have achievements and medals, so you might as well swing through while you are grabbing them...

If you are a vet or just want to be hardcore, you can skip right to Wrath. It'll be harder without the gear from the previous Leviathans, but it is possible. Honestly, it's not a bad helmet...

Round Seven - Elemental monsters
(UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Don't alter yet. I'll be back...)