The heart of theMonster Hunter Wildsexperience is the epic boss battles against imaginative beasts. These fights forgo traditional mechanics like health bars, so you’ll instead have to observe your prey’s body language and behavior to judge if it’s nearing its demise.

The wound system makes this task slightly easier, letting you evaluate a monster’s weak points and exploit them. The best hunters will prioritize creating and destroying wounds to finish hunts quicker, as well as harvest additional resources from enemy encounters.

What Are Wounds?

Wounds aretears in a monster’s hidethat you can strike with your weapons todeal even more punishment(signified byorange damage numbersin contrast to the normal yellow). They are opened bycontinuously striking the same body part, creating an exposed weak point. You can identify wounds on a monster rather easily, as they generallyappear as large lacerationsin their skin.

If you’re having a difficult time finding wounds you inflicted on a monster,hold the Left Triggerto enter Focus mode. Doing so willhighlight any openings you’ve madewith a red aura, letting you know where to strike.

How To Destroy Wounds

Once you have created a wound, you shouldattempt to destroy it as fast as you’re able to. Doing so will not only result ina massive blow to enemy health, but alsostagger your prey, letting you and your party attack them even more while they writhe helplessly.

Wounds can be destroyed by using your basic attacks, but it’smuch more efficient to use a Focus Strike. Focus Strikes candestroy a wound with a single blow, letting you cripple monsters and finish hunts much quicker.

To perform a Focus Strike, simplyget in range of your preyand enter Focus mode.Aim at a monster’s wound, and thenhit the Right Bumperto attack. If you’re successful,the wound will be destroyed, resulting in a burst of damage and the monster being temporarily stunned.

Focus Strikes areparticularly important if you’re farming a monster for parts; exploiting wounds not only hurts your prey, but alsodrops additional loot for you, letting you harvest resources at a faster rate.