Your Palico and Tailraiders are invaluable companions in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, offering support, unique abilities, and even offensive capabilities. Understanding their mechanics and how to best utilize them can significantly improve your hunting success.
Palico Gadgets:
Your Palico can equip one of several gadgets, each with unique functions. These are unlocked through story progression and optional quests. The Palico will use its gadget autonomously during hunts.
- Vigorwasp Spray: The most common gadget, providing healing to you and your Palico. Essential for sustain.
- Shieldspire: Creates a shield that can draw monster aggro, giving you breathing room.
- Plunderblade: Has a chance to steal extra monster materials during a hunt. Invaluable for farming.
- Flashfly Cage: Can stun monsters when they get too close.
- Meowcano: A powerful offensive gadget that deals damage over time.
- Coral Orchestra: Provides buffs to attack and defense.
- Healing and Support: The Vigorwasp Spray and Coral Orchestra are generally the most useful for survivability and consistent buffs.
- Farming: The Plunderblade is excellent for resource gathering.
- Aggro Control: Shieldspire can be useful for drawing attention away from you.
Tailraiders:
Tailraiders are small, indigenous creatures that can join your Palico and assist you. They are recruited by interacting with them in the field. Once recruited, they will follow your Palico and can be found at camps or your room.
- Recruitment: Look for small, often colorful creatures in various locales. Interact with them to recruit.
- Assistance: Tailraiders can provide minor buffs, distract monsters, or even inflict status effects.
- Tailraider Safari: You can send your Palico and recruited Tailraiders on safaris from your room. These safaris yield various materials, monster parts, and sometimes rare items. The success and rewards of the safari depend on the types of Tailraiders you have and their level.
Palico Skills & Equipment:
Your Palico can also be equipped with armor and weapons, which can be crafted. These improve its stats and effectiveness. Additionally, Palicos learn passive skills as they gain experience, further enhancing their utility.
Strategy: Choose Palico gadgets that complement your playstyle and the specific hunt. For difficult monsters, Vigorwasp Spray is often a safe bet. For farming, Plunderblade is a must. Regularly send your Palico and Tailraiders on safaris to gather valuable resources while you're away.