Monster Hunter Wilds: How To Beat Nerscylla
Nerscylla is one of many recurring monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds, and makes for a tough opponent in the early-mid game. Nerscylla is easily recognizable by the purple crystalline spines that jut out of its back, and its bright red front claws. First introduced in Monster Hunter 4, it's a Temnoceran-type monster, which places it in a category with a wide variety of other arachnid enemies. It's known for its deadly mandibles, which it hides behind a hard carapace until it's ready to attack. It can inflict poison attacks on the player.
Able to inflict several status effects, Nerscylla may not be the toughest enemy, but it can be deadly to an unprepared player. It also appears in a shrouded variant from time to time, wearing the hide of a Gypceros, a species it's known to prey on. During the epilogue, a Frenzied variant of Nerscylla may also appear. Although there are unique considerations for each variant, a Nerscylla is a Nerscylla, and certain pieces of advice hold true no matter when, where, or how you're fighting it. Here are some tips that may help you beat Nerscylla in Monster Hunter Wilds.
How To Prep For Nerscylla
Where To Find Nerscylla
Nerscylla mainly inhabits three locales on Monster Hunter Wilds' map: the Basin, the Cliffs, and the Wyveria regions. You'll first encounter it as part of a story quest in the Iceshard Cliffs, but once you've discovered one, it'll be clearly labeled on the map whenever it appears.
The Environment Overview filter on the map screen will give you a list of all the discovered monsters roaming the area.
Nerscylla favors underground areas - it has a very obvious lair within the Iceshard Cliffs, covered in webs and positively crawling with its hatchlings. I found this the most reliable place to encounter a Nerscylla, in case you're farming it for materials. That's not to say you'll never see them above ground, but you're more likely to find them in cave systems.
Nerscylla's Elemental, Damage, & Status Effect Weaknesses
Nerscylla has two primary elemental weaknesses: Fire and Thunder. However, Thunder is only really effective once Nerscylla's mantle is broken, so you may want to equip something with Thunder elemental damage as a secondary weapon, and swap to it only after you've done significant damage. Also, as with most monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds, the effectiveness of each individual element and physical damage type varies by the body part you inflict it on. The table below breaks down the efficacy of every damage type, according to the Field Guide. The higher the number of stars, the more damage it does.
Cut | Blunt | Ammo | Fire | Water | Thunder | Ice | Dragon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Head | 3 stars | 4 stars | 3 stars | 1 star | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Torso | 2 stars | 2 stars | 3 stars | 2 stars | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Left Foreleg | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Right Foreleg | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Left Claw | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 1 star | Ineffective | 1 star | 1 star | Ineffective |
Right Claw | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 1 star | Ineffective | 1 star | 1 star | Ineffective |
Belly | 4 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 1 star | Ineffective | 2 stars | 1 star | Ineffective |
Stinger | 2 stars | 2 stars | 4 stars | 2 stars | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Left Hind Leg | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 1 star | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Right Hind Leg | 2 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | 1 star | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Mantle | 3 stars | 3 stars | 2 stars | 2 stars | Ineffective | Ineffective | 1 star | Ineffective |
Therefore, in general, blunt weapons with fire elemental damage will probably be your best bet against Nerscylla. Anything from the Rathalos, Nu Udra, and Yian Kut Ku trees works especially well here. In addition, Nerscylla is susceptible to the following status effects:
- Poison
- Sleep
- Paralysis
- Blastblight
- Stun
- Exhaust
Therefore, equipping weapons and armor that grant you related skills will go a long way. Make your main targets Nerscylla's head, belly, stinger, or mantle, depending on your preferred weapon type, and you'll have no problem keeping pace when it comes to damage.
What To Bring With You When Fighting Nerscylla
When facing Nerscylla, your main goal - besides dealing damage - will be to prevent it from inflicting status effects. Nerscylla can hit you with Sleep, Poison, and Webbed, so ensure you have a full stock of Antidotes, Energy Drinks, and Cleansers when going into battle. Don't make the mistake of failing to stock up. Of course, any piece of equipment that grants you resistance to these status effects is also welcome. I found Nerscylla's poison to be the most troublesome aspect of fighting it, so if you can only choose one, go with Poison Resistance.
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If you want to bring any particular tools, items that deal Fire or Thunder damage can be enormously helpful against Nerscylla. Torch, Thunder, or Blast Pods can deal large amounts of damage or inflict status effects it's vulnerable to. Shock and Pitfall Traps work equally well if you need to capture a Nerscylla. Barrel Bombs can also be useful against their hatchlings.
Nerscylla's Weak Points & Moveset
Weak Points & Breakable Parts
Covered in a tough carapace, Nerscylla only really has one weak point: its pincers. However, its pincers are usually concealed behind a strongly armored part of its face, so you'll have to time your attacks carefully if you want to hit them. For the most part, you're better off focusing on its belly. Position yourself underneath Nerscylla, behind its head, and attack at will - you'll be safe from most of its attacks.
As for breakable parts, Nerscylla has three: its left claw, its stinger (the purple spines on its back), and its mantle (i.e. its lower back). Breaking monster parts has a chance to grant you extra rewards, which are listed in the table below. Breaking Nerscylla's mantle specifically can make it more vulnerable to Thunder attacks, so make sure to prioritize breaking its mantle if you want to use Thunder on your second weapon.
Breakable Part | Reward |
|---|---|
Left Claw | Nerscylla Chelicera |
Stinger | Nerscylla Spike |
Mantle | Rubbery Hide |
In Monster Hunter Wilds, you can break certain monster parts multiple times to receive extra rewards. With its multiple spines, Nerscylla's stinger can be broken twice, so you can potentially receive two Nerscylla Spikes if you're so inclined. I found it easiest to attack its stinger by using the Insect Glaive's aerial attacks, then mount Nerscylla and focus my attacks on its middle back. Just make sure you pick up anything a monster drops so you don't miss out on any extra parts.
Nerscylla's Moveset In Monster Hunter Wilds
To begin the battle, Nerscylla may launch a series of webs at you. These are pretty easy to avoid when it first launches them, as they're fired in a wide arc. Just be careful you don't accidentally step on them while dodging its follow-up moves.
If you're fighting it in the Iceshard Cliffs, Nerscylla may also summon its hatchlings, which only serve to confuse and distract you. If you need to decrease their number, bombs and explosive attacks work fantastically. They have very low HP and don't deal much damage, but they do take strength in numbers.
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Nerscylla may also use a series of aerial attacks, especially when it retreats to its webbed lair in the Iceshard Cliffs. I don't recommend trying to meet these with aerial attacks of your own, as clashing with Nerscylla here will almost certainly end with your attack being interrupted, dealing massive damage and quite possibly inflicting Poison.
Nerscylla Materials & Rewards
All Nerscylla Drops At Low & High Rank
The table below describes all the materials you can receive for hunting Nerscylla at low rank, along with the associated frequency with which those materials drop. The higher the frequency, the more commonly it appears. Keep in mind that capturing monsters instead of killing them may increase the likelihood of obtaining rare materials.
Material | Frequency |
|---|---|
Low Rank | |
Nerscylla Claw | 4 |
Rubbery Hide | 4 |
Nerscylla Shell | 3 |
Nerscylla Spike | 3 |
Nerscylla Chelicera | 2 |
Sleep Sac | 2 |
Nerscylla Certificate | 1 |
High Rank | |
Nerscylla Claw+ | 4 |
Nerscylla Carapace | 3 |
Rubbery Hide+ | 3 |
Nerscylla Spike+ | 3 |
Nerscylla Shear | 2 |
Coma Sac | 2 |
Nerscylla Certificate S | 1 |
Armed with this information and a high-damage, Fire-elemental weapon, you should have no issue taking down Nerscylla. Just make sure to heal through its status effects as soon as they come up; don't wait to heal Poison. Once you've defeated your first Nerscylla, you can bring your rewards back to the Smithy to craft the Nerscylla armor and weapon sets, a decent midgame loadout in Monster Hunter Wilds.
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