Unlocking the Guiding Lands in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Welcome to the Ultimate Endgame Playground!

If you’ve conquered the Elder Dragons, mastered your builds, and think you’ve seen everything Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has to offer—think again! The Guiding Lands is a special endgame area designed for those who crave more challenging hunts, exclusive materials, and a unique region-leveling system that adds a fresh layer of strategy. This guide will walk you through how to unlock this mysterious land, how to make the most of it, and expert tips to dominate your hunts!

What Are the Guiding Lands?

The Guiding Lands is a massive, dynamic region combining different biomes from across Monster Hunter World. It serves as an endgame playground where players can:

Hunt powerful tempered monsters.
Farm rare materials for augmenting weapons and armor.
Level up regions to spawn tougher foes.
Encounter exclusive monsters like Scarred Yian Garuga and Ruiner Nergigante.

This area is unique because it allows seamless transitions between different environments, letting players face off against a variety of creatures without the need for separate expeditions.

Step-by-Step Guide to Unlocking the Guiding Lands

To access the Guiding Lands, you must progress through the Iceborne expansion’s main storyline. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get there:

Step 1: Complete the Iceborne Main Story

To gain access to the Guiding Lands, you need to finish the primary storyline of Iceborne. This means defeating the final boss, Shara Ishvalda, an ancient and mysterious Elder Dragon that challenges even the most seasoned hunters. After you defeat Shara Ishvalda, a cutscene will play, indicating that you have reached the conclusion of the main questline.

Step 2: Hunt Ruiner Nergigante

Once you’ve taken down Shara Ishvalda, your next challenge will be Ruiner Nergigante, a more aggressive and deadly version of Nergigante. This fight will test your skills, so be sure to bring:

High-level armor with strong resistances.
Max potions, farcasters, and traps for a smooth battle.
Weapons with high affinity to land more critical hits.

After slaying Ruiner Nergigante, you will receive an urgent quest that grants you access to the Guiding Lands.

Step 3: Speak to the Handler

Following your battle, speak to the Handler in Seliana. She will provide details on the mechanics of the Guiding Lands and introduce you to this expansive new area.

Step 4: Enter the Guiding Lands

Once everything is set, you can now explore the Guiding Lands! Upon arrival, you will notice different regions based on existing biomes from the game: Forest, Wildspire, Coral, Rotted, Volcanic, and Tundra. Each area contains its own unique set of monsters and resources.

Understanding the Guiding Lands Mechanics

The Guiding Lands is unlike any other area in Monster Hunter World. Here’s what makes it special:

1. Region Levels & Monster Spawns

Each region (Forest, Wildspire, Coral, Rotted, Volcanic, and Tundra) has its own level, which determines the monsters that appear.
The higher the level, the stronger and rarer the monsters you’ll encounter.
You can increase a region’s level by hunting and capturing monsters native to that biome.

2. Exclusive Monster Encounters

The Guiding Lands introduces several exclusive monsters, including:

Scarred Yian Garuga – An enhanced version of Yian Garuga with devastating attacks.
Silver Rathalos & Gold Rathian – These dragons have unique armor and weapons.
Brute Tigrex – A more aggressive Tigrex with new attack patterns.
Ruiner Nergigante – An even stronger version of the classic Nergigante.

3. Special Materials & Augments

Hunting in the Guiding Lands rewards unique crafting materials.
These materials are essential for weapon augments and endgame armor sets.
Breaking monster parts yields better rewards, so focus on part breaks and tail cuts.

Farming Rare Materials in the Guiding Lands

The best way to farm rare materials efficiently is to plan your hunts strategically. Here are some methods to maximize material farming:

1. Target-Specific Monsters

Use Lures to summon specific monsters.
Check the Monster Spawn List before heading out.
Focus on breaking parts for better drops.

2. Use the Plunderblade Palico Tool

Your Palico can steal extra materials from monsters, increasing your loot significantly.

3. Take Advantage of Mining & Bonepiles

Use the Geologist Skill to gather extra materials from mining outcrops.
Look for bonepiles for rare crafting materials.

Leveling Up Regions Efficiently

Increasing the level of each region unlocks stronger monsters and better rewards. Here are some key strategies:

Hunt monsters native to the region you want to level up.
Capture monsters instead of killing them – This provides more region XP.
Focus on one or two regions at a time – Spreading XP across all regions slows progress.
Use region decay strategically – If one region’s level is too high, hunting elsewhere will reduce its level, balancing your experience.

Best Loadouts for the Guiding Lands

Your loadout should be flexible and prepared for any situation. Here are some top builds:

Damage Dealer (Greatsword, Longsword, Dual Blades)

Skills: Weakness Exploit, Critical Eye, Attack Boost, Handicraft.
Armor: Safi’jiiva set or a mix of Rajang and Velkhana.
Augments: Health Regen, Affinity Boost.

Tank/Support (Lance, Gunlance, Sword & Shield)

Skills: Guard, Offensive Guard, Recovery Up, Speed Eating.
Armor: Nargacuga for evasion or Teostra for defense.
Augments: Defense Boost, Elemental Resist.

Ranged DPS (Bow, Light Bowgun, Heavy Bowgun)

Skills: Spare Shot, True Critical Element, Special Ammo Boost.
Armor: Stygian Zinogre for raw damage or Safi’jiiva for element-focused builds.
Augments: Recoil Suppression, Reload Assist.

Final Tips for Mastering the Guiding Lands

Join Multiplayer Hunts – More players mean faster region leveling.
Restock Before Every Hunt – Always bring traps, potions, and coatings.
Use Investigations – Special quests provide better rewards.
Experiment with Loadouts – Adapt your gear to different monsters.

With this guide, you’re now fully prepared to unlock, explore, and master the Guiding Lands. Get ready for the ultimate Monster Hunter World experience and happy hunting!