After completing the main campaign in Monster Hunter: World and defeating Xeno’jiiva, players unlock a new tier of challenge: Tempered Monsters. These variants mirror their standard counterparts but deal significantly more damage, posing a much greater threat. Identifying and tracking these monsters is essential for progressing through high-rank content, and this guide will show you how to efficiently locate Tempered footprints to unlock valuable investigations.
Understanding Tempered Monsters and HR Requirements
Tempered Monsters are divided into three threat levels, each becoming available at different Hunter Ranks (HR):
- Threat Level 1 – Unlocked at HR 13, spanning HR 13–29
- Threat Level 2 – Becomes available at HR 30, up to HR 49
- Threat Level 3 – Unlocks at HR 50+, featuring Tempered Elder Dragons
Hunting these monsters is vital for farming high-level investigations and further increasing your Hunter Rank.
Finding Tempered Footprints
Tempered footprints are key to unlocking investigations. These tracks appear as blue highlights when revealed by your scoutflies, distinguishing them from regular monster trails. However, they are relatively rare and may require resetting the zone to force a respawn.
Threat Level 1 Footprints
Location: Wildspire Waste
- Path 1: Start at the first camp, slide down the hill, and move past the swamp area. You’ll find two footprints under an archway, and two more near the stream.
- Path 2: Head toward the waterfall near the Jyuratodus spawn zone. Check behind nearby rock formations for extra tracks.
- Reset Tip: If no tracks appear, switch to a different map (e.g., Ancient Forest) and then return to Wildspire Waste to refresh the footprint spawns.
Threat Level 2 Footprints
Locations: Elder’s Recess & Coral Highlands
- Elder’s Recess: Search the southwestern lava zone, especially around Lavasioth’s territory.
- Coral Highlands: Look for Kirin tracks near its usual spawn area and along the ledges where Legiana often sleeps.
How Tempered Investigations Work
Collecting Tempered footprints eventually unlocks new investigations. However, the monster featured in the investigation may not be the same as the one that left the tracks. For example:
- Finding Tempered Odogaron tracks may yield an investigation for Tempered Diablos or Tempered Rathalos, as long as they’re within the same threat level.
Efficient Farming Strategy
- Equip the Ghillie Mantle: This lets you follow monsters unseen, allowing uninterrupted tracking.
- Track During Hunts: While on a quest or expedition with a familiar monster (e.g., Rathalos), spend 5–10 minutes collecting footprints before engaging it.
- Repeat Investigations: Most investigations provide 5–8 attempts, giving you multiple chances to farm rewards and gather more footprints.
Progressing Beyond HR 50
Once you reach HR 50, you’ll gain access to Tempered Elder Dragons, which require more complex tracking. These high-risk encounters demand a different approach—stay tuned for a future guide focused on Elder Dragon strategies.
Final Thoughts
Efficiently farming Tempered footprints is the gateway to stronger gear, better loot, and advanced investigations. With the right techniques—whether resetting zones or leveraging stealth—you can make the grind much smoother. Keep your gear sharp and your scoutflies ready.
Happy hunting, and may your investigations lead to glorious battles!




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