Palicoes are your companions in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - they'll fight alongside you, helping you battle, heal, and trap monsters. Unlike the companions in older Monster Hunter games, their weapons and armour can be crafted and customised to your preference. You can even save loadouts of gear for your Palico companions and switch them out easily at your home base. You can recruit more Palicoes by finding them on quests or expeditions, but you can only have two with you at a time (including your customized Ace Palico).
Unlike crafting armour for your main character, which requires monster parts, crafting for Palicoes depend on special items called “Scraps.” There are many different kinds of Scraps that correlate to different types of gear. You will have to collect different types of Scraps to unlock new armour and weapon recipes for your Palico at the Blacksmith.
Scraps are earned by playing mini-games with your Palicoes once you unlock Sunsnug Isle in the singleplayer and complete the quests for the Headmeowstress. You can play mini-games with your Palicoes in between your own quests. The fishing mini-game can earn you water-type monster Scraps such as Ludroth and Plesioth, and the Meownster Hunters mini-game can earn you land types of Scraps, and eventually High Rank scraps as you proceed.
In addition to decking out your Palicoes, they will level up occasionally by gaining experience when you complete quests. They’ll learn useful skills and even be able to mount monsters, cure poison, and place traps. If you set two or more of the same type of Palico in your “1st Stringers,” your Ace Palico will receive some of their abilities. We love soloing G Rank quests with our level 30 Palicoes. They are purrty great!
Net Gun Fishing Mini-game
Use your Meowster Fisherman for a chance to pull in some rare crafting Scraps. If you’re not interesting in crafting, you can use a combination of other Palicoes (once you unlock them by playing through the singleplayer) to focus on netting a certain type of fish.
The fishing mini-game requires you to study the pattern the fish are swimming in, notice the direction they’re facing, and aim where you predict they will swim to capture the most fish with one shot. The more fish you capture, the better your chances of netting rare Scraps.
Sometimes, a large monster will appear underneath the waves. You simply have to net this one monster to reel it in and bring home the Scraps. Be careful where you aim, though, since you only get one shot.
Meownster Hunters
To play the Meownster Hunters mini-game, select a route and choose which Palicoes will go on the quest. The shorter the route you choose the more likely your Palicoes will succeed, but you’ll be less likely to receive rare Scraps at the end of the quest. Choosing a long route will require planning, and sending a compatible team of Palicoes into the field.
If you notice there is a chart with Advantage, the mini-game features a rock paper scissors mechanic where: Red > Blue > Yellow > Red.
While you are watching your Palicoes quest, coloured icons will pop up. Try to pick Palicoes and use icons that are strong against the colour of the monster you are fighting. You can tell what colour the monster you’re fighting is during Route Selection, and on the top screen of your 3DS during the mini-game. As your Palicoes level up and you progress through the singleplayer, they will be able to take on more challenging quests for you.
Special Nintendo Palico DLC
To access the special Mario and Luigi costumes, speak to the Palico Housekeeper on the right in your house. Go to the Downloadable Content Option. Select Yes to check for DLC and go to “Gift Area.” Select the free Starter Item Pack, it will come with enough Super Mushrooms to make a Mario or Luigi costume (complete with an awesome Mario Bros.-themed hammer) at the blacksmith. Capcom has stated that there will later be another quest offered as DLC that provides the Super Mushrooms to make the other brother’s costume. Check with the Housekeeper for future content, when it is released.
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