Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection hides some of its rarest Monsties behind a clever gatekeeper system, and players who know where to look will gain a significant edge. Invasive Monsters guard every Endangered Species den in the game, and you'll need to track down each one, solve a specific in-battle puzzle to make it retreat, then finish it off inside the newly unlocked den to claim your egg.
What Are Invasive Monsters?
These aren't your average field encounters. Invasive Monsters are supercharged variants of existing monsters tucked away in hard-to-reach corners of each region. A few things you'll want to know before hunting them down:
- They only appear at night, so don't bother searching during the day.
- Endemic life behaves strangely near their territory, acting as a natural compass pointing you in the right direction.
- Eerie music will begin playing as you close in on their location.
- All Invasive Monsters are at least Level 75, so come prepared.
- You cannot simply defeat them on first contact. Each one requires solving a specific in-battle puzzle to trigger a retreat before the den becomes accessible.
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Before entering any Invasive Monster's territory, collect every clue scattered around the area. These clues are your only hints for solving the retreat puzzle, and missing them can leave you completely in the dark mid-battle.
All Invasive Monster Locations by Region
Azuria
Azuria contains three Invasive Monsters across its landscape.
- Invasive Species 1 (Invasive Yian Garuga): Encountered automatically during the main story in the Sunpetal Plains as part of Act 1, Chapter 6.
- Invasive Species 2 (Invasive Seregios): From the Mirror Lake Catavan Stand, mount a Flying Monstie and ride the updrafts above Mirror Lake to reach the cliff indicated by the blue arrow on the map. At night, the endemic life forms a glowing runway pointing toward the entrance.
- Invasive Species 3 (Invasive Plesioth): From the Mirror Lake Catavan Stand, use a Royal Ludroth or Plesioth to swim north through the channel into a cave. Alternatively, approach from the east on land and drop down at the water entrance.
Canalta Timberland
Canalta Timberland holds three Invasive Monsters, one of which appears during the main story.
- Story Invasive (Invasive Arzuros): Encountered automatically during Act 2 as part of the main narrative.
- Invasive Species 1 (Invasive Shogun Ceanataur): From the Lookout Point: Howlingyowl Forest Catavan Stand, drop into the ravine directly south, then pass under the waterfall into the cave beyond.
- Invasive Species 2 (Invasive Nerscylla): From Camp: Blessing Hill, glide across the ravine toward the narrow opening on the far side. Look right for elevated terrain to make the crossing manageable.
Tarkuan
Tarkuan features two Invasive Monsters in its rocky, vertical terrain. Bringing a Climbing Monstie is strongly recommended for both.
- Invasive Species 1 (Invasive Diablos): From Lookout Point: Rococo Rocks Catavan Stand, glide southeast to the ground floor. Find the ravine opening marked on the map, follow the path, then climb the wall at the end.
- Invasive Species 2 (Invasive Odogaron): From the Rococo Rocks Catavan Stand, glide south to a column with a tall updraft. Ride that updraft back northwest into an opening in the rockface. The Invasive Monster's territory begins deep down the path.
Serathis
Serathis hosts just one Invasive Monster. From the Lookout Point, glide northeast to the tops of the rock formations and hop across them to find the path entrance marked by the curved arrow on the map. The sole Invasive Monster here is the Invasive Khezu.
Serathis den entrance route
Key Puzzle Solutions at a Glance
Here's a quick reference for what each Invasive Monster requires to retreat. Full solutions contain spoilers, so these are kept at a high level.
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Set battle speed to Normal before fighting Invasive Seregios. The puzzle solution depends on reading visual cues during its roar animation, and faster battle speeds can cause you to miss them entirely.Why Endangered Species Are Worth the Effort
Every Invasive Monster you repel opens an Endangered Species den, giving you access to eggs for rare Monsties unavailable anywhere else in MHS3. These are some of the most powerful companions in the game, and the puzzles guarding them are designed to reward players who pay attention to environmental storytelling rather than brute-forcing their way through.
The key here is patience. Collect every clue, read Rudy's dialogue carefully during battles, and remember that the trigger for each retreat typically fires after Rudy says, "So this is where the real fight begins!"
Source: Ign
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When do Invasive Monsters appear in Monster Hunter Stories 3?
Invasive Monsters only appear at night. Visiting their territory during the day will yield no encounter. Watch for strange endemic life behavior and eerie background music as signs that you're in the right area.
What level should I be before fighting Invasive Monsters in MHS3?
All Invasive Monsters are at least Level 75, so you'll want your party and Monsties at a comparable level before attempting these encounters. Coming in underprepared will likely result in your party being one-shot before you can trigger the retreat condition.
Can I fight the same Invasive Monster multiple times?
Once an Invasive Monster retreats, the Endangered Species den it was guarding becomes accessible. You can then attempt to slay the monster inside the den to claim the Endangered Species egg.
Do I need special Monsties to reach Invasive Monster locations?
Yes. Several locations require specific traversal abilities. Flying Monsties are needed for updraft crossings in Azuria, swimming Monsties like Royal Ludroth or Plesioth open water routes, and Climbing Monsties make navigating Tarkuan's vertical terrain significantly easier.
