Monster Hunter Stories 3 Monstie Tier List: Best Companions Ranked

Not all Monsties are created equal. Some hit the field with elite stats and game-changing skills right out of the egg, while others need extensive Gene editing just to stay relevant past the midgame. This tier list breaks down every Monstie from the best to the ones you should only bother with early on, so you can build a party that actually carries you through the endgame. Rankings are based on default stats, Gene quality, and overall combat viability without accounting for Dual-Element variations.

S-Tier

These are the best Monsties in Monster Hunter Stories 3, and most of them are locked behind late-game progression. That is not a coincidence. Elder Dragons and Deviant species sit at the top of the rank system for a reason.

Malzeno speed and self-heal stats

Espinas is the standout status Monstie. Its Venom Flame skill can inflict both Noxious Poison and Paralysis in a single move, and its base stats are high across the board. Low stamina costs on all skills mean you can keep building kinship with Solar Cry without draining resources. The main catch is availability: you will need to reach Bountiful Dunes or create the Secret Espinas via the Azuria retreat.

Namielle is the earliest Elder Dragon you can encounter, found at Mirror Lake in Azuria. Its Storm Veil skill applies four buffs simultaneously: Water Attack Up, Thunder Attack Up, Wyvernfell Up, and Defense Up. Maxed-out HP and very high Defense make it one of the tankiest options in the game, and dual Water/Thunder coverage gives it flexibility against most endgame threats.

Malzeno functions as a self-sustaining attacker. Its Night Parasites skill heals it based on damage dealt, and Nightmare Cradle is an AoE Dragon attack that also applies Attack Down to enemies. The catch is that Nightmare Cradle unlocks at level 65, so you will not see its full potential until deep into the endgame. Its Dragon element is especially useful against the final boss, Aenshin.

Velkhana sits among the highest collective stats in the game and delivers strong Ice damage relative to stamina costs. Icicle Breath applies Defense Down, while Icicle Storm inflicts Accuracy Down. Defeating Velkhana as a boss in Serathis is required to unlock it.

Deviljho excels at depleting the Wyvernsoul gauge fast. Its Dragonblast skill deals massive Wyvernsoul damage, letting you stagger and topple monsters more quickly than almost anything else. High HP, Attack, and Defense let it trade blows without flinching. The tradeoff is an effective Dragon weakness, so watch your matchups.

The remaining S tier Monsties include Arkveld (natural resistance to nearly every element), Ratha (treated as S-rank in every habitat for Excursions), Rathalos and its variants Azure Rathalos and Dreadking Rathalos (progressively higher Attack at the cost of Defense), Stygian Zinogre and Thunderlord Zinogre (top-tier Dragon and Thunder damage respectively), and Soulseer Mizutsune (evasion buffs plus the ability to inflict Burn).

A-Tier

A tier Monsties are significantly easier to acquire than most S tier picks, with some available from the opening region. They perform well by default and become genuinely powerful after targeted Gene adjustments.

Monsterpedia Monstie rankings

Magnamalo is the best burst-damage Monstie in this bracket. Its Hellfire Retribution detonates Blastblight earlier than other options, which translates to large damage spikes in subsequent turns. Balanced stats across HP, Attack, Defense, and Speed mean it fits into almost any team composition. Extremely weak to Water, though.

Dreadqueen Rathian carries reliably through most of the main story. It has access to Severe Poison, high base HP and Attack, and can also inflict Burn. It unlocks automatically after progressing the main mission and releasing a Rathian through Habitat Restoration, making it one of the most accessible high-tier Monsties in the game.

Grimclaw Tigrex has the highest raw Attack of any Monstie in the game, though its accuracy on the most damaging skills is low. Brute Tigrex offers a better balanced stat spread with access to AoE Stun via Reverberating Roar at level 50, making it the superior pick for consistent performance over raw burst.

Silverwind Nargacuga holds the highest Speed stat in the game alongside its subspecies, comes with a 20% base Critical Hit rate, and has White Shadow, a two-turn dodge skill. Brachydios and Deviljho round out the top of this tier with high Attack, HP, and multiple Blastblight application options.

Other notable A tier picks: Hellblade Glavenus (lowest Defense in the game but some of the highest combined HP and Attack), Bloodbath Diablos (maxed-out Attack with recoil damage as the downside), Espinas (already covered above in S tier per TheGamer's ranking, though Game8 places it at SS), and Odogaron (fast, self-healing, inflicts Bleeding).

B-Tier

B tier Monsties can handle most content with some Gene investment. They tend to favor either offense or defense heavily, which limits their flexibility but makes them useful in specific scenarios.

Rathian and Pink Rathian are worth using early but fall behind their Dreadqueen variant once you access it. Deadeye Yian Garuga has access to Severe Poison and Wyvernsoul Defense Down but is slightly fragile.

C and D Tier

C tier Monsties are not bad, but they require considerable Gene work and tend to serve narrow purposes. Somnacanth and Aurora Somnacanth can be useful for Sleep application if you invest in Speed. Bishaten can inflict multiple status ailments with Fruit Frenzy but has poor resistances. Ajarakan provides the earliest access to Blastblight if you need it before better options become available.

D tier is where the early game Monsties live. Velocidrome has excellent Speed but nothing else. Great Izuchi has high Crit-Rate skills paired with poor stats and broad elemental/ailment weaknesses. Gypceros and Purple Gypceros can inflict Darkness and Stun respectively, but both are quickly outclassed. Paolumu, Chatacabra, Kulu-Ya-Ku, and the Yian Kut-Ku variants all fall here for similar reasons: fun early on, not worth the Gene investment later.

Dreadqueen Rathian poison skills

What's the best Monstie for beginners?

Dreadqueen Rathian is the answer for most players. It unlocks through normal story progression, has strong default Genes, and covers both Severe Poison and Burn without requiring any Gene editing. It remains competitive well into the endgame and gives you a reliable foundation while you work toward unlocking Elder Dragons.

For players who want a status-focused team from the start, Tobi-Kadachi is available early and applies Paralysis, buying time until stronger options open up. Ivory Lagiacrus is another early-game standout with a well-balanced stat spread and access to AoE Lightning attacks.

For more guides covering weapons, armor, and team compositions, browse the latest gaming guides at GAMES.GG.