Physiology of monsters

[리치실드]

I don't understand monsters elements and ailments.
For example I'm trying to maximize my Anjanath hunting.
1 X on FIRE
3 yellow stars WATER
2 yellow stars THUNDER
2 yellow stars ICE
1 yellow stars DRAGON

Does this mean Anjanath has low resistance to fire or high resistance? Water will deal more damage to him because of 3 yellow stars? What does the red x or yellow star mean?
Also same applies to aliments?

[Suzaku]

More stars means higher effectiveness. An X means they are immune to that element. Same with statuses.

It's also a general rating of effectiveness. Some elements are more effective under certain conditions in special cases.

Also, elements basically don't matter unless you're using bow or dual blades. All other weapons favor raw damage.

[리치실드]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Suzaku:

Also, elements basically don't matter unless you're using bow or dual blades. All other weapons favor raw damage.

really??? I'm using shield and sword, I'm actually killing the great jagras faster using fire elemental weapon, also while using fire element against great jagras, doesn't hit white numbers

[Meewec]

Oprindeligt skrevet af 리치실드:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Suzaku:

Also, elements basically don't matter unless you're using bow or dual blades. All other weapons favor raw damage.

really??? I'm using shield and sword, I'm actually killing the great jagras faster using fire elemental weapon, also while using fire element against great jagras, doesn't hit white numbers

everything you can make currently probably does the same damage but since great jagras is weak to fire the fire sword will do more.

[]"]]

Oprindeligt skrevet af 리치실드:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Suzaku:

Also, elements basically don't matter unless you're using bow or dual blades. All other weapons favor raw damage.

really???

No. Use whatever you want for now.

At end-endgame, some Raging Brachy / Safi / Fatalis weapons are so high in raw damage, they made elemental obsolete for that weapon type. Not all types though. Elemental CB, HH, DB, Bow are meta (against elemental matchups).

The main drawback of elemental weapons in progression is you need multiple sets, which is a waste of resources and time crafting if you're going to replace them soon. Many people find it easier to just concentrate on the highest raw damage.

Personally I enjoyed making different elemental sets while learning the game.

---

The stars in the hunter's guide are just a rough guide. They don't tell the full story because the monster can have different weaknesses on different parts of the body. E.g. Anjanath's highest elemental Hit Zone Value (HZV) is on his nose, head, and wings.

The weakness may also change based on conditions during the fight. Later on you will meet more interesting monsters.

You can find the numbers on fextralife wiki:

https://monsterhunterworld.wiki.fextralife.com/Anjanath#:~:text=Detailed%20weakness

or the same tables here:

https://robomeche.github.io/MHW-Database/

[Vulkalu]

As has been stated above, more stars means the monster is weaker to that element or status, an X means they're immune.

Personally, outside of a few exceptions (mostly late game), I wouldn't worry too much about monster weaknesses and just use what you like, whether that be raw damage, elemental damage, or status build-up. If you like switching to counter every monster's weakness, go for it. If you're like me and just want one good weapon for the majority of hunts, that is also viable.

Which, considering status weapons haven't been mentioned much here yet, I will just go ahead and say that they're perfectly fine to use, too, if you like them. Different statuses have their different pros and cons, and it'll depend a lot on how you play and if you play with other people or solo.

For example, sleep can be a great way to give yourself a break from the monster to sharpen, heal, etc., or to deal extra damage to it. But if you're in a group, it can be really easy to accidentally wake up the monster if your group is not coordinated or not expecting the sleep to trigger.

Note that this also goes for palico weapons, if you play with them out at all, as palicos can also trigger statuses.

[리치실드]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Vulkalu:

For example, sleep can be a great way to give yourself a break from the monster to sharpen, heal, etc., or to deal extra damage to it. But if you're in a group, it can be really easy to accidentally wake up the monster if your group is not coordinated or not expecting the sleep to trigger.

Note that this also goes for palico weapons, if you play with them out at all, as palicos can also trigger statuses.

I see, one question tho.
Yesterday I made a this weapon, for the information I gather Anjanath is weak to water due to 3 stars
https://monsterhunterworld.wiki.fextralife.com/Jagras+Garotte+I

But while hunting I wasn't hitting any water elemental, I think is because the weapon says (Water 300), what does it mean if the damage is in the ()?

[Suzaku]

An element number that is greyed out and surrounded by parentheses means that the element is "hidden," or "locked," and is completely inactive. The element can be unlocked with the Free Element/Ammo Up skill. Weapons with hidden element can have their attack power boosted by the Non-Elemental Up skill, usually through the decoration and not by wearing Diablos gear.

In general, you don't want to bother with trying to unlock elements with the Free Element skill. You're often better served focusing your limited space for skills on more general damage skills, like those that buff raw damage and affinity. If you want elemental damage, pick up a weapon that doesn't have its element hidden, and then use elemental attack skills to buff it even further.

[N.GinWorks]

To summarize it without much headache; Yes, more star mean high effectiveness that result in more/additional damage, ailment included. Smart hunter is a hunter who hunt with proper equipment to get the job done. That is unless you didn't get jewel to unlock hidden element in every weapon yet.