Monster Hunter Wilds’ Guardian Arkveld is a legendary challenge, but with the right preparation, you can take down this formidable white wyvern. This guide will show you the best loadout and strategies to successfully hunt Guardian Arkveld and secure valuable materials for crafting powerful gear.

Understanding Guardian Arkveld

Guardian Arkveld, nicknamed the White Wraith, is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Wilds. This massive wyvern creature wields dangerous chain-like appendages and excels at long-range Dragon attacks, capable of inflicting Dragonblight status. Arkveld absorbs elemental energy through its wing-bound chainblades and unleashes it as devastating explosions, making preparation vital.

Guardian Arkveld’s Key Characteristics

• Elemental Affinity: Dragon
• Status Inflicted: Dragonblight
• Weakness: Dragon Element
• Resistances: Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice (minimal effectiveness)
• Breakable Parts: Horns, Wings, Tail (severable)

Recommended Loadout for Guardian Arkveld

Your loadout should maximize defense, elemental resistance, and damage output. Here’s an ideal equipment setup for tackling Arkveld:

Best Weapon Choices

Primary Recommendation: Dragon-Element Weapons

Since Guardian Arkveld is vulnerable primarily to Dragon damage, wielding Dragon-element weapons will significantly boost your damage output.

• Guardian Rathalos Weapons (Recommended):
  Guardian Rathalos weaponry offers excellent Dragon-element damage, high raw attack values, and affinity bonuses. The Albirath Blade II (Charge Blade), Albirath Feroce II (Hunting Horn), or Whitefire Rathguard (Longsword) are especially powerful for this encounter.

Alternative Options:

• Raw Damage Weapons:
  If you don’t yet have access to Dragon-element weapons, high raw-damage weapons like Guardian Ebony Odogaron gear or Guardian Arkveld gear itself will serve you well.

• Status Weapons:
  Weapons dealing Blast, Paralysis, or Poison are effective secondary choices. The Ajara Reverberator I (Hunting Horn) or Nerscylla gear can provide additional utility by inflicting debilitating status conditions.

Recommended Armor Set

A strong defensive armor set is vital, emphasizing Dragon resistance, health boosts, and defensive skills.

Armor Pieces:

• Guardian Arkveld Helm
• Guardian Arkveld Mail
• Guardian Ebony Braces
• Guardian Arkveld Coil
• Guardian Rathalos Greaves

This combination grants essential skills:

• Weakness Exploit: Increases damage to weak spots.
• Burst: Additional damage from consecutive hits.
• Flayer: Enhances damage against wounded areas.
• Dragon Resistance: Reduces Dragon-element damage.
• Constitution: Reduces stamina use for dodging and blocking.

Recommended Decorations:

• Critical Jewel: Boosts critical damage further.
• Protection Jewel: Adds Divine Blessing, reducing damage received.
• Adapt Jewel: Enhances evasion capabilities, making dodging Arkveld’s powerful attacks easier.
• Physique Jewels: Reduces stamina consumption, allowing for sustained combat maneuvers.

Best Item Loadout

Your item pouch should include:

• Mega Potions
• Max Potions
• Nulberries (to cure Dragonblight)
• Well-Done Steak
• Flash Pods (to interrupt flying attacks)
• Shock Traps and Tranq Bombs (optional, for capture)
• Pitfall Traps (excellent for immobilization and damage windows)

Hunting Strategies for Guardian Arkveld

Study and Exploit Attack Patterns

Guardian Arkveld has distinct attack patterns involving its chainblades and tail:

Key Attacks and Counters:

• Chain Slam: Arkveld slams its chainblade vertically, then follows with the other.
  Counter: Dodge sideways or block if your weapon allows it.

• Chain Grapple: Arkveld grabs you, causing heavy damage.
  Counter: Quickly use Slinger ammo to Arkveld’s face to break free.

• Flying Sweep: Arkveld leaps and drags its blades across the ground.
  Counter: Dodge toward the opposite side or use Flash Pods to bring it down.

• Dragon Strike (AoE): Arkveld charges and slams down, causing an explosion.
  Counter: Dodge behind Arkveld or away from the blast epicenter.

• White Wraith’s Wrath (Ultimate AoE): Arkveld glows white and unleashes a massive Dragon-element AoE explosion.
  Counter: Quickly move behind its wings or dodge precisely when the blast occurs.

Focus on Weak Points

Attack Arkveld’s horns, wings, and tail. Breaking or severing these parts significantly reduces Arkveld’s capabilities and provides extra materials upon quest completion.

• Tail Severing: Use sharp weapons like longswords or dual blades to quickly cut off Arkveld’s tail, reducing its attack range.
• Horns and Wings: Aim to damage horns and wings to stagger Arkveld frequently, opening additional attack windows.

Leverage the Environment and Monster Turf Wars

The Ruins of Wyveria provide environmental aids, like falling rocks and glowing wildlife. Utilize these to damage or stun Arkveld. Additionally, Arkveld often engages territorial battles with Rey Dau—luring Arkveld into these conflicts can deal substantial indirect damage.

Utilize Your Seikret Mount Strategically

Your Seikret mount provides invaluable combat mobility. Use your mount to reposition quickly, recover health safely, sharpen weapons, and move between attack windows seamlessly. This tactic conserves stamina and creates opportunities to attack Arkveld’s flanks safely.

Rewards and Gear Crafting

Defeating Guardian Arkveld grants unique, high-value materials:

• Arkveld Scale
• Arkveld Armorplate
• Arkveld Horn
• Arkveld Calloushell
• Arkveld Tail
• White Arkveld Pelt
• Arkveld Gem (rare drop)

These materials craft powerful Guardian Arkveld gear, featuring excellent Dragon elemental damage and resistance, powerful offensive skills, and high defense stats.

Final Tips and Advice

• Eat Before Hunting: Always consume meals for boosts to health, stamina, and defense.
• Practice Evasion: Master dodging Arkveld’s AoE explosions and chainblade strikes.
• Bring Allies: Arkveld’s difficulty scales with player numbers, but a team can divert its attention and create attack opportunities.

With this detailed loadout and strategy, you will be well-equipped to face Monster Hunter Wilds’ Guardian Arkveld. Happy hunting!