Step into the high-stakes world of Monster Hunter Wilds with the “Beware the Gypceros” quest-your first High Rank challenge that pits you against the elusive, flash-blinding Gypceros. This side mission not only tests your combat skills but also your mastery of the game’s dynamic weather system, as the beast only emerges during the rare Fallow season. Track down this mysterious wyvern in the Windward Plains, outsmart its dazzling attacks, and report back to Zatoh in Kunafa Windsong Village to secure your hard-earned rewards and advance your hunter’s journey.
In this Monster Hunter Wilds guide, we’ll walk you through how to start the “Beware the Gypceros” quest and how to find the Gypceros during Fallow, and when done, report to Zatoh.
How to start ’Beware the Gypceros’
To start the “Beware the Gypceros” quest in Monster Hunter Wilds, first complete the main quest and enter High Rank. Then, finish the initial High Rank story mission called “New Ecosystems,” which will unlock the quest from Zatoh. Head to Kunafa Windsong Village in the Windward Plains and speak with Zatoh, who will inform you about a mysterious monster causing trouble-Gypceros. Note that Gypceros only appears during the Fallow weather condition in the Windward Plains, so you will need to wait for or manipulate the weather to Fallow to encounter and hunt it.
Once you’ve finished the main quest and entered High Rank, complete the first main story mission, “New Ecosystems.” This quest will set you on the path of High Rank, and also give Zatoh a quest for you. Travel to the Kunafa Windsong Village in the Windward Plains, where Zatoh resides, and talk to him (he’ll be marked on your map).
Zatoh will tell you that there’s an “unfamiliar” monster wandering around the Windward Plains that blinded some of the village workers with a bright flash. The villagers aren’t sure what kind of monster this could be, but the veteran Hunters out there know exactly what Zatoh is describing: Gypceros.
The problem is that Gypceros only seems to come out during Fallow, which is the weather condition that causes resources to be more scarce. To hunt this Gypceros and save the village, you’ll need to wait until Fallow season in the Windward Plains.
How to find Gypceros in the Windward Plains
To find Gypceros in the Windward Plains in Monster Hunter Wilds, you need to wait for the Fallow season, a specific weather condition during which this poisonous bird wyvern appears. You can check the Windward Plains map between hunts and look for Gypceros wandering in areas like Kunafa Village or Zone 4, often near the base camp. If it doesn’t spawn naturally, you can manipulate the weather by resting at a tent in the Windward Plains and setting the environment to Fallow, which costs 300 Guild but guarantees the right conditions for Gypceros to appear. Once the weather is set, head to the indicated location on your map to start the hunt.
You have a few options when it comes to finding Gypceros during Fallow season.
First, you can check the Windward Plains mapbetween hunts. Eventually, you’ll check at the perfect time and find a Gypceros walking around. All you need to do then is hunt it to finish the quest. This adds in an element of luck, but removes any need to care about the game’s weather system, so it’s a bit more straightforward – especially when there are so many other High Rank side quests to do while you wait.
Second, you can just change the weather – more on that below – in Windward Plains to be Fallow, which should spawn a Gypceros for you to hunt.
How to change the weather to Fallow
To change the weather to Fallow in Monster Hunter Wilds, head back to your tent at a base camp or pop-up camp and open the camp menu. From there, go to the BBQ Menu and select the Rest option. This will bring up the Environment and Time menu, where you can choose the Fallow weather condition along with your preferred time of day. Confirm your selection, but keep in mind that changing the weather costs 300 to 500 Guild Points. Using this method allows you to set the Fallow season, which is characterized by dry, cloudy, and dusty conditions with scarce resources, ideal for encountering monsters like Gypceros that only appear during Fallow.
To change the weather to Fallow, head to one of your pop-up tents in the Windward Plains and open the menu that allows you to grill and eat a meal inside your tent. Instead of eating, scroll down the menu to rest. Select the rest option to pull up a menu that will let you change the environment condition and give you a time of day. Select whatever time of day you prefer, but make sure your selected environment says Fallow. You’ll then need to pay 300 Guild Points to rest, but you should have plenty at this point – plus you’ll earn 100 back when you complete this quest.
When you wake up, it should be Fallow out, and you’ll be able to find and hunt your Gypceros. Once you reach the Gypceros in Windward Plain, just start attacking it in the wild and you’ll automatically begin a hunt for it.
The Gypceros is a High Rank monster, so you should show it some respect. However, it’s less lethal and aggressive than many of the other monsters you’ve fought up to this point. If you’d like to go in with counters, try using fire and slicing weapons. Make sure you have antidotes or other items that can heal poison as well.
Report to Zatoh location in Monster Hunter Wilds
To report to Zatoh in Monster Hunter Wilds during the “Beware the Gypceros” quest, head to Kunafa Windsong Village in the Windward Plains, where Zatoh resides. He frequently roams near the houses and can be found during daytime, so if you don’t see him, try resting at a camp to change the time to day and ensure the environment is set to “Plenty” for better visibility. Sometimes Zatoh may be inside buildings or temporarily absent due to weather conditions like sandstorms or time of day, so waiting nearby or resting again can help. If he is still missing, restarting the game might be necessary to make him reappear. Once found, talk to Zatoh to report your progress after hunting the Gypceros in the Windward Plains to complete the quest and receive rewards.
When you finish hunting Gypceros in the Windward Plains – if you kill one on another map it doesn’t count for this quest – report to Zatoh in Kunafa Windsong Village.
Some players have complained that Zatoh isn’t in Kunafa Windsong Village when they attempt to turn the quest in. The villagers seem to occasionally disappear from the village. (It’s unclear exactly what’s happening here, but it could be related to weather or the time of day.) If there are no villagers when you arrive, go rest again and set another time, or restart your game entirely. This should cause all the villagers to return.
If you can see that Zatoh is in the village but you can’t reach him because he’s in a building, just stand nearby and wait for a few minutes. He will (very slowly) make his way out of the building eventually.
When you complete “Beware the Gypceros,” you’ll earn 100 Guild Points, hunter rank and Palico experience, some Sharp Kunafa Cheese, three Carbalite Ore, and the ability to request material collections from Murtabak.
What are the key tactics to avoid Gypceros’ poison attacks in Wilds
Key tactics to avoid Gypceros’ poison attacks in Monster Hunter Wilds include:
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Always carry and use poison-curing items such as Antidotes, Herbal Medicines, or Herbal Powder to quickly counteract poison effects when hit.
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Avoid standing directly in front of Gypceros during its charge attacks, as it spits poison while charging, making it dangerous to heal or sharpen at that time.
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When Gypceros spits poison, move in the opposite direction to dodge the attack and avoid running through poison pools on the ground.
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Use blocking or dodging to counter poison spit attacks; blocking with your weapon can prevent poison application.
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Watch out for the ceiling poison drop attack where poison falls from above; avoid the puddles or use Puddle Pods to clear them.
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Breaking Gypceros’ crest disables its flash attacks, which often precede poison or stun combos, reducing the risk of being immobilized and vulnerable to poison follow-ups.
Combining these tactics with quick reactions and positioning will help mitigate the threat of Gypceros’ poison attacks effectively.
How can I effectively break Gypceros’ crest to prevent flash attacks
To effectively break Gypceros’ crest and prevent its flash attacks in Monster Hunter Wilds, focus your attacks on its head, which is its weak and breakable spot. The crest can be broken by dealing concentrated damage to the head, especially during the monster’s flash attack charge-up when it is vulnerable and open to wound attacks.
Using a weapon with a shield to block or evade the flash attacks can buy you time, but the key is to aim your strikes precisely at the crest. Activating Focus Mode (L2) to highlight weak points helps you target the crest accurately. Once the crest is broken, Gypceros loses its ability to flash and stun, significantly reducing the threat it poses.
In summary:
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Aim for the head, especially the crest.
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Attack during the flash charge-up for a window of vulnerability.
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Use Focus Mode to target weak points.
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Breaking the crest disables flash attacks entirely.
