In the vast, moonlit dunes of Monster Hunter Wilds’ Windward Plains, a rare and elusive creature known as the Sandstar darts like a shooting star-fast, glowing, and notoriously difficult to catch. To complete Samin’s Special Research Report and earn a coveted trophy, hunters must master the art of tracking this speedy endemic lifeform at night, armed with Screamer Pods and a capture net. Ready your Seikret, prepare for a chase, and discover the secrets to capturing the Sandstar in this ultimate guide for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox players.
This is the sixth and final side quest in Dareel and Samin’s ongoing feud. By now, you’ve already caught a tracktail lizard, dapperwing, ember rufflizard, rime beetle, and gillopod. Now, you need a sandstar.
Our Monster Hunter Wilds guide will tell you when and where to find sandstar locations and how to catch them.
How to find a sandstar location in Monster Hunter Wilds
To find a Sandstar in Monster Hunter Wilds, head to the Windward Plains at night, preferably during the Fallow season, as Sandstars only spawn during nighttime and are more visible against the darker desert terrain. The best location to search is around Area 13, near the Oasis pop-up camp, especially along the northern edge of the dunes. Sandstars are rare and fast-moving, glowing blue creatures that can be difficult to spot and catch. To increase your chances, you can rest at the camp to set the time to night and fast travel to reset spawns if needed. When you spot a Sandstar, use Screamer Pods to stun it temporarily, then quickly capture it with your net before it escapes.
Sandstar locations are in Windward Plains, but only at nighttime during a plenty.
The other clue about their location is in the name – you’re looking for sandy areas. Head to the pop-up camp at Area 13: Oasis, as sandstars seem more likely to spawn along the north edge of the dunes surrounding that camp.
You’ll probably have to do a lot of running around to track one down. They’re easy enough to spot since they glow, but their spawn rate is really low – it took us three full nights to find and catch one.
If you get frustrated (you will get frustrated), ride toward another numbered area or fast travel away from the oasis. Heading northeast toward Area 12 is a good plan since there just so happens to be some baunos that way (more on them in a second). Once you’re out of sight of the dunes, turn around and head back.
There does not seem to be a consistent way to force a sandstar to spawn, so just keep at it. Before you go chasing them, though, you’ve got one extra step.
How to make screamer pods in Monster Hunter Wilds
To make Screamer Pods in Monster Hunter Wilds, you need to obtain them as slinger ammo by using your Hook Slinger on Baunos, a small flying wyvern found in the Windward Plains. When you target and shoot a Baunos with the Hook Slinger, you automatically collect Screamer Pods, which emit a harsh, high-frequency sound that can disrupt sensitive monsters. Screamer Pods have a maximum capacity of three and can be used to stun monsters, creating openings for attacks or capturing creatures like the Sandstar. To equip and use them, open the consumable wheel, select the Screamer Pods, and fire them with your Hook Slinger to release a soundwave that affects monsters in an area-of-effect.
If you talk to Samin again after he assigns you the side mission, he’ll give you a little more information. Specifically, that they have large ears and are sensitive to noise.
That’s your clue that you need a screamer pod. You can snag these from a baunos small monster with your hook slinger. (Technically, you collect an echo feather that automatically becomes a screamer pod). Screamer pods are one of the temporary slinger ammos that you can only pick up in the wild and cannot craft.
To find them, open your map and hit right on the D-pad two times to pull up the icon filter. Scroll down to baunos and then use left and right on the D-pad to cycle through their locations.
If you do this earlier in the day and then rest at a camp, you’ll still have the screamer pods at nighttime.
How to catch a sandstar in Monster Hunter Wilds
To catch a Sandstar in Monster Hunter Wilds, head to the Windward Plains at night during the Fallow or Plenty seasons, focusing on the desert areas around Area 13, especially near the Oasis pop-up camp. The Sandstar is a small, glowing blue creature that moves quickly and will flee if approached too closely. To capture it, use Screamer Pods (obtained from flying Baunos wyverns) fired from your Slinger to stun the Sandstar, then quickly use your capture net to catch it. Resting at the Oasis camp to reset the time to night and fast traveling can help increase your chances of finding this rare spawn.
As you’re approaching a sandstar, the stealth bonus from the ghillie mantle does seem to make it easier to get close, but don’t quote us on that.
Make sure you’ve got a screamer pod equipped on your slinger. You don’t have to be too precise with your targeting here, so close enough works. Hit it with a screamer pod to stun it.
Once it’s stunned, it’ll roll on the ground for a minute. Quickly equip your capture net either from the item bar or from your Essential Items radial menu. You have to be very quick with that part, though, since they don’t stay stunned for long.
With the new rectangle reticle, aim until the reticle turns yellow-orange and fire it. Just make sure you hit L2/LT and not the usual Square/X. Aim a little high for this shot – it sucks to miss it when they’re so hard to find.
Report back to Samin with your hard-earned prize to complete the side mission. You’ll also get the “I Caught a Shooting Star!” achievement or trophy.
How can I increase my chances of spotting a glowing sandstar at night
To increase your chances of spotting a glowing Sandstar at night in Monster Hunter Wilds, follow these tips:
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Hunt in the Windward Plains desert areas 11, 13, and 15 during nighttime, starting your search early in the night to maximize your available time before dawn.
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Change the time of day and weather at your tent (Base Camp or Pop-Up Camp) to set the conditions for night and preferably the Fallow weather, which darkens the desert and makes the Sandstar’s blue glow stand out more vividly against the sand.
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Use the tactic of running all the way to Rey Dau’s nest, climbing the area with Wedge Beetles to the left, then running back out to the desert; this method seems to increase the Sandstar’s spawn chances.
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Search actively across the large desert areas, especially near rocks and dunes where the Sandstar may hide, as it is camouflaged and moves quickly.
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Bring Screamer Pods or Sonic Bombs to stun the Sandstar when you find it, as it is very perceptive and fast, making it impossible to catch by chasing alone.
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Use your peripheral vision and averted gaze techniques (looking slightly off-center) to better detect the faint glow in the dark, similar to night vision strategies used in real life.
By combining these approaches, you improve both the likelihood of the Sandstar spawning and your ability to spot its glowing form in the desert night.
How does starting early in the night improve my chances of spotting a Sandstar
Starting your hunt early in the night improves your chances of spotting a Sandstar because this creature only appears during nighttime in the Windward Plains and will disappear at dawn, giving you a limited window to find it. Beginning early maximizes the amount of time you have before sunrise, allowing more opportunity to search the desert areas where the Sandstar spawns, especially since its spawn rate is very low and it can be difficult to locate. Additionally, the Sandstar’s glowing blue fur contrasts better against the darker desert at night, making it easier to spot if you start when the night is still fresh and visibility is optimal.
