Money & Zenny Farming
Zenny is the lifeblood of any Hunter, funding everything from weapon upgrades and armor crafting to essential item purchases and canteen meals. While simply playing through quests will net you a decent amount, dedicated farming can ensure you're never short on cash for that crucial gear upgrade. This section details the most efficient ways to fill your coffers.
Early Game Zenny (Low Rank)
In the early stages of your hunting career, Zenny can feel scarce. Focus on these methods to build a solid foundation:
- Resource Center Bounties: Always check the Resource Center for active Bounties. These often reward a good chunk of Zenny for simply hunting specific monsters or gathering certain items, which you'd likely be doing anyway. Prioritize those that align with your current objectives.
- Expedition Gathering: Head out on expeditions, particularly to the Ancient Forest or Wildspire Waste, and focus on gathering.
- Mining Outcrops: Look for blue and white mining nodes. Items like Iron Ore, Earth Crystal, and Machalite Ore sell for a respectable amount.
- Bone Piles: Collect Monster Bone S, Monster Bone M, and other bone materials. While some are useful for crafting, duplicates can be sold.
- Account Items: Keep an eye out for sparkling spots on the ground. These often yield Account Items (e.g., Glimmering Ore, Dragonvein Coal) which are automatically converted to Zenny upon quest completion or returning to Astera.
- Selling Monster Parts: After hunting monsters, you'll accumulate various parts. While you should save some for crafting, excess common materials (e.g., Jagras Scale, Kulu-Ya-Ku Feather) can be sold to the Provisions Stockpile. Be mindful not to sell rare parts you might need later!
Mid to Late Game Zenny (High Rank & Beyond)
As you progress into High Rank and unlock more challenging content, the Zenny rewards increase significantly. These methods are highly efficient:
Event Quests: The Golden Geese
Event Quests are often the most lucrative way to earn Zenny, especially those designed for farming. Keep an eye on the Event Quest schedule.
- "The Name's Lavasioth!" (High Rank): This event quest pits you against a tempered Lavasioth in the Elder's Recess. The primary draw here is the abundance of decorations dropped, but more importantly, the high Zenny reward for completion and the sellable monster parts. Equip your best fire-resistant gear and aim for quick hunts.
- "A Farewell to Zinogre" (Master Rank - Iceborne): While this guide focuses on the base game, it's worth noting that Master Rank event quests like this one offer immense Zenny and valuable materials.
Investigation Farming
Investigations are a fantastic source of Zenny and rare materials. Look for investigations with high bonus rewards.
- Gold Reward Boxes: Prioritize investigations that offer multiple gold reward boxes. These boxes have a higher chance of dropping rare monster materials, which sell for a premium.
- Tempered Monster Investigations: Tempered monsters, especially Elder Dragons, offer some of the highest base Zenny rewards and valuable materials. While challenging, they are excellent for both Zenny and decoration farming.
- Strategy: Pick an investigation for a monster you can defeat quickly and efficiently. Focus on breaking parts and carving for maximum material yield, then sell off any excess.
Selling Trade-In Items
Certain items are specifically designed to be sold for Zenny. These are often found in specific locations or as quest rewards.
- Golden Eggs & Silver Eggs: These rare items are found in specific gathering spots during quests or expeditions, particularly in the Elder's Recess. They also drop from certain monsters or are given as quest rewards.
- Golden Egg: Sells for 10,000 Zenny.
- Silver Egg: Sells for 1,000 Zenny.
- Commissions & Deliveries: Completing certain optional quests or deliveries for the Resource Center can sometimes reward high-value trade-in items.
The Argosy & Botanical Research Center
These passive income sources are crucial for long-term Zenny generation.
- The Argosy: Send the Argosy on voyages to collect Trade-In Items. Prioritize routes that specify "Trade-In Items" or "Rare Trade-In Items." The more you upgrade the Argosy, the more items it can bring back. Regularly check in with the Captain to receive your haul.
- Botanical Research Center: Cultivate plants that sell for a good price or are used to craft high-value items.
- Might Seeds & Adamant Seeds: These can be cultivated in large quantities and sell for a decent amount individually.
- Nourishing Extract: Cultivate Mandragora and Honey, then craft Mega Demondrugs or Mega Armorskins. While the items themselves are useful, excess can be sold.
General Tips for Maximizing Zenny
- Equip the "Greed" Skill (Armor Skill): Certain armor pieces or decorations grant the "Greed" skill, which increases the Zenny you receive from quest rewards. Look for armor like the Kirin set for this bonus.
- Sell Unused Decorations: As you acquire more decorations, you'll inevitably get duplicates or ones you simply don't need. These can be sold at the Smithy for a surprising amount of Zenny.
- Complete All Bounties: Always have three Bounties active from the Resource Center. They often reward Zenny and Armor Spheres, and completing them is usually passive as you hunt.
- Don't Forget Your Palico: Your Palico can gather items during quests and expeditions. Equip tools like the Plunderblade to increase the chances of them knocking off valuable monster parts or trade-in items from large monsters.
By combining these active and passive farming methods, you'll ensure a healthy Zenny balance, allowing you to craft and upgrade to your heart's content without ever feeling the pinch!