The main selling point of Monster Hunter: Rise is, obviously, hunting large monsters. Huge beasts like Magnamalo and Mizutsune certainly grab attention. But to slay or capture monsters, players will have to look for something a little smaller. Endemic Life are small creatures that grant various buffs to hunters who capture them.
There's a pretty wide variety of Endemic Life in the game, so some of them are bound to be more useful than others. Depending on the species, they can drop materials, heal, deal damage to monsters, or even help the player travel around the map. Knowing which critters to go for can make or break a player's hunt.
10 The Monksnail Isn't Useful, But It Is Adorable
What is that, off in the distance? It's not a Yama Tsukami cameo – it's just the Monksnail. Based on the legendary Japanese sea monsterumibozu, this giant beastie sometimes appears in the distance at the Frost Islands. It might look scary, but it seems friendly when it reacts to Greeting actions.
The Monksnail doesn't actually do anything. It's one of a handful of Rare Endemic Life creatures that only served to be photographed for an achievement. But darn if it isn't cute as all get out.
9 Escuregot Has Minor Healing Properties
This snail-like creature is of the most commonly found Hunting Helpers. When Escuregot is startled, it emits a healing mist that blinds predators. Apparently, humans are immune to the blinding effect, so the snails often end up as unwitting support for hunters.
The cloud that an Escuregot emits lasts for a good while, and is wide enough to heal multiple players. However, it doesn't recover health very quickly. Vigorwasps are almost always a better choice if they're nearby.
8 Antidobra Cures Blights & Statuses
Antidobra work very similarly to Escuregot. When placed down, they create a blue cloud that clears status ailments and boosts Resistance for a bit. The cloud lasts a few seconds, so multiple players can use it in a Hub Quest hunt. It's functionally similar to the Vase of Vitality Palico skill.
Antidobra are usually more useful than Escuregot, because curing blights is a bit harder than healing. While there are many ways to restore health, the only way to get rid of many statuses is to consume an item or wait it out.
7 Stinkmink Lures Monsters To Initiate Turf Wars
These white weasels emit pheromones when Hunters place them down. The smoke attracts any nearby monsters. When the monster reaches the Stinkmink, it'll scamper away.
Attracting a monster might not sound like a good idea, but consider that two monsters fight when they enter the same area. Turf Wars can deal significant damage, without the player having to lift a finger. Luring Rajang with a Stinkmink is a common trick in High-Rank play, since the angry ape is very strong in Turf Wars.
6 The Brewhare Increases Item Potency
These precious pink rabbits carry fermenting bacteria in their thick coats. Any consumables that players use while the Brewhare is in effect will be more potent. Potions heal more, and rations increase the Stamina max further.
The downside of Brewhares is that they only stay with the player for a few items. Sometimes it can be difficult to choose which items to use with the Brewhare. One of the most useful qualities of the creature is that it removes the chance of stamina drop from consuming Burnt Meat.
5 Aurortles Are Life-Saving, But Hard To Find
These tortoises let ants build a sturdy hill on their backs. Aurortles are one of the most useful Hunting Helpers that players can find in Rise. Their sturdy shells absorb the impact of a fatal blow, preventing the hunter from fainting once before they escape.
Aurortles are arguably the hardest Endemic Life to find. They only appear in two locations in the game, and they're both out of the way. One rests on a mountain peak in the Lava Caverns, and another is found at the top of the pyramid in the Flooded Forest. It takes a bit of time to reach them, so players seldom use them.
4 Rock Lizards Drop Useful Items
Rock Lizards, along with their cousins Scale Lizards and Boulder Lizards, are in a special group called Crafty Creatures. When players interact with these creatures, they shed their rocky skin and skedaddle. This leaves behind useful crafting items like ores or Armor Spheres.
Here's a trick: don't interact with them normally. The best way to harvest materials from them is to hit them with Throwing Kunai. They can be hit up to three times, and drop something with each hit. Boulder Lizards drop the rarest items, followed by Scale Lizards and then Rock Lizards.
3 The Puppet Spider Traps Monsters For The Player To Ride
Probably the most useful Hunting Helper, Puppet Spiders shoot out sticky yet strong webs that immobilize monsters. More importantly, a monster trapped by the web can be ridden right away. This is very useful for banging monsters into walls or using them to attack another enemy.
Puppet Spiders will stick around for a while after they're placed, but remain stationary. Players must lure monsters over to them. Also, remember that there is a cooldown for Wyvern Riding. Monsters that have been recently ridden won't be trapped by the Puppet Spider.
2 Great Wirebug
Great Wirebugs provide a sort of secondary fast travel to maps. Look for patches of Jewel Lilies on hunts. If the player has a Great Wirebug with them, they can place it among the flowers. Interacting with the Great Wirebug sends hunters flying across the map, typically ending up in a place that's hard to reach otherwise.
These guys are especially useful in the Sandy Plains and other maps with multiple levels, which can be a bit hard to navigate. An NPC near the Steelworks gives quests throughout the game that reward the player with more Great Wirebugs.
1 Spiribirds
Spiribirds are easily the most helpful and most important Endemic Life species. The pollen carried in their feathers gives a buff for the duration of the hunt. Their color indicates which stat they affect.
It's a good idea to collect Spiribirds even if the Petalace is maxed out. Each one collected gives a few Kamura Points. For maximum efficiency, try to map out a route to collect as many Spiribirds as possible before confronting the monster. Additionally, remember that the value of each Spiribird – and the max buff level – is determined by the equipped Petalace.