Unlike many other Final Fantasy games, getting access to enough gil in order to continue your journey —and pick up the equipment you need along the way. That's where Hunting comes in. By taking these side quests you can earn yourself plenty of gil, extra experience in order to level up your party, and stars to help you raise your Hunter rank. There is a lot going on with Hunts, and that's why we've put together this handy guide to make sure you have the details to succeed.
The basics of Hunts
Hunts are side quests that are given to you by tipsters — the owners at restaurants scattered across the world. When you take a Hunt, you'll be given access to all the information that you need in order to knock out the monsters causing havoc. While you'll be able to pick between several different hunts when you take these quests, you can only have one active quest at a time.
Each Hunt will let you know the target that you are going after. Sometimes this may just be one large beastie, and other times you may need to deal with a pack of them. There are two basic types of hunts: Normal and Hard. While all hunts have nastier monsters than you will normally run into while exploring, Hard hunts definitely require a little bit of prep work unless you want your party to get wiped out.
Each Hunt also has a Hunter Rank attached to it.
You'll also see the level that is recommended to take down the targets of a hunt. In general, you can handle a hunt that is a level or two above yours, but taking a much higher level hunt may well end with your party dying on you. Each Hunt also has a Hunter Rank attached to it, in order to take a Hunt you will need to unlock higher Hunter ranks.
Your Hunter rank goes up as you complete hunts. As you level up you'll get access to more hunts that are of even higher ranks. When looking at Hunt info, you'll also see how many stars you will receive for completing it. You'll also see the conditions of the Hunt. In some hunts, a specific weather pattern is required, and in others you may need to hunt your mark during the night in order to find them.
Of course, after you have successfully completed a hunt, you will definitely get rewards. Once you have defeated your mark, you'll get a decent EXP reward, especially if it was a hard Hunt. Then, when you turn the hunt back in to the tipster you'll get a gil reward, along with an item reward. This is actually the easiest way to farm gil. since you don't receive it just for fighting the normal monsters out in the world.
Hunter Ranks
Those starts you earn on hunts are how you increase your rank. Once you've collected enough stars, you'll achieve the next rank. The star count resets with each rank increase; here's what you need to ascend to the next rank, and what reward you'll get when you do:
| Rank | Stars Required | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 1: Apprentice | 0 | no reward |
| 2: Trapper | 5 | Silver Bangle |
| 3: Chaser | 15 | Sapphire Bracelet |
| 4: Ranger | 30 | Gold Bangle |
| 5: Slayer | 50 | Champion's Anklet |
| 6: Officer | 40 | Black Choker |
| 7: Guardian | 40 | Blue Diamond Bracelet |
| 8: Grandmaster | 40 | Centurion Bangle |
| 9: Hand of Mercy | 30 | Legatus Bangle |
| 10: Alleyway Jack | 43 | Dark Matter Bracelet |
Tips and Tricks
There are 102 different hunts that you can deal with over the course of the game. These range from very easy hunts found in Hammerhead, to gigantic and difficult beats in Altissia. The same strategy can't be used over and over again, instead you'll want to prepare yourself so that you are confident that no matter what you encounter it can be easily dealt with.
Prepare a meal
Whether you make camp before rolling out to deal with a Hunt, or you grab some food from a restaurant, the easiest way to prepare is by feeding your party a meal. This can give your party the boost that it needs in order to knock out your targets with a minimum of difficulty. For particularly pesky Hunts, feeding your party one of their favorite meals may give you the advantage you need to win.
Stay Aware
Keeping an eye on all of your enemies is critical, especially if you are dealing with a group of targets. Using blindisde links, techs, and warp strikes you can ensure that none of your enemies will sneak up on you. If you're dealing with a particularly nasty Hunt, remembering that you have access to the Armiger Arsenal, and magic can be the difference between success and defeat.
Don't forget your summons
While they shouldn't be used willy nilly during Hunts, your summons may be able to save you in a pinch. They can be especially handy during night time Hunts when nastier monsters are drawn into your combat. Just remember that some summons can only be used when specific weather patterns are nearby, and they ought to be saved for when you really need something to save your bacon.
Items are your friend
While Noctis will heal while at warp points, having a good stock of curative items is always a good call. They can ensure that Ignis, Prompto and Gladiolus don't end up dying mid battle. Using better items you're even able to cure the entire party all at once. Keeping an eye on everyone's health, and Noctis's MP is crucial, especially for hard Hunts.
