Guides

Monster Hunter Wilds: Best Loadout for Hunting Zoh Shik

Zoh Shik is one of the most challenging hunts in Monster Hunter Wilds, and facing such a formidable foe requires careful preparation and a well-crafted loadout. This guide will detail an optimal combination of weapons, armor, decorations, and items to help you efficiently defeat Zoh Shik and claim victory.

Overview of Zoh Shik

Zoh Shik is known for its aggressive behavior, powerful ranged attacks, and devastating elemental damage. This monster has high mobility, frequently repositioning itself during battles, making close combat and ranged attacks equally challenging.

To effectively hunt Zoh Shik, you’ll need a balanced loadout focused on survivability, mobility, and offensive power.

Recommended Weapon Choices

Heavy Bowgun (HBG) – High Power, Precision, and Defense

The Heavy Bowgun is highly recommended for this fight, thanks to its versatility, powerful shots, and defensive capabilities. Choose a bowgun that offers spread ammo, wyvern ammo, and a shield attachment for blocking incoming attacks.

  • Recommended Weapon: Ironclad Devastator
  • Ammo Types: Spread Ammo 3, Wyvern Ammo, Pierce Ammo 3
  • Attachments: Shield Mod, Power Barrel, Recoil Suppressor
  • Special Ability (Recommended): Wyverncounter—allows you to counterattack by timing a block precisely against Zoh Shik’s heavy strikes.

Alternative: Charge Blade – Balanced Offense and Defense

The Charge Blade provides mobility, shield defense, and high burst damage potential. Its powerful counter opportunities make it a solid choice for aggressive hunters.

  • Recommended Weapon: Thunderbolt Edge
  • Element: Thunder (Zoh Shik’s weakness)
  • Playstyle: Aim to build phials quickly, use guard points effectively, and land Amped Elemental Discharge (AED) on weakened body parts.

Armor and Skills Setup

Monster Hunter Wilds

Survivability and damage output are both essential in this fight. The ideal armor set emphasizes health, defense, and offensive skills.

  • Silver Rath Helm α+
  • Silver Rath Mail β+
  • Silver Rath Vambraces α+
  • Silver Rath Coil β+
  • Silver Rath Greaves α+

Optimal Armor Skills:

  • Health Boost (Level 3): Maximize your health to better withstand Zoh Shik’s powerful attacks.
  • Weakness Exploit (Level 3): Increase damage output significantly by targeting Zoh Shik’s weak points.
  • Critical Boost (Level 3): Improve damage of critical hits.
  • Guard (Level 3): Reduce knockback and stamina depletion when blocking, critical for HBG shield or Charge Blade.
  • Evade Extender (Level 2): Enhances dodge distance, critical for avoiding Zoh Shik’s large AoE attacks.
  • Thunder Attack (Level 3): Boosts thunder-elemental damage, exploiting Zoh Shik’s weakness (for Charge Blade users).

Recommended Decorations

Proper decoration placement is essential to maximize your skill efficiency:

  • Vitality Jewel (+ Health Boost)
  • Tenderizer Jewel (+ Weakness Exploit)
  • Critical Jewel (+ Critical Boost)
  • Guardian Jewel (+ Guard)
  • Jumping Jewel (+ Evade Extender)
  • Bolt Jewel (+ Thunder Attack) (for Charge Blade only)

Recommended Items Loadout

Prepare your pouch with vital items to sustain yourself through the hunt:

  • Mega Potion (x10): Primary healing item.
  • Max Potion (x2): Instant full heal and health boost.
  • Ancient Potion (x1): Emergency instant health/stamina refill.
  • Nullberry (x10): Removes elemental blights inflicted by Zoh Shik.
  • Flash Pod (x3): Temporarily stun Zoh Shik, creating an opening to attack or heal.
  • Mega Barrel Bomb (x2): High damage potential when Zoh Shik is downed.
  • Pitfall Trap and Shock Trap (x1 each): Immobilize Zoh Shik briefly for additional damage opportunities.
  • Powercharm and Armorcharm: Passive boosts to attack and defense.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Palico and Companion Setup

Your Palico companion is crucial in distracting Zoh Shik and providing vital support:

Palico Gear:

  • Shieldspire Gadget: Draws Zoh Shik’s attention, giving you breathing room to heal or reload safely.
  • Vigorwasp Spray (alternative): Offers additional healing support.
  • Palico Armor: Equip highest defense available.

Combat Strategy Against Zoh Shik

Positioning and Mobility:

  • Maintain a safe distance if using Heavy Bowgun, focusing on Zoh Shik’s head and wings.
  • Use Evade Extender to dodge quickly when Zoh Shik initiates its AoE attacks or charges.
  • Stay alert for Zoh Shik’s ranged elemental attacks; block or evade promptly.

Offensive Tactics:

  • Take advantage of Zoh Shik’s openings after large attacks to deal concentrated damage.
  • If using Heavy Bowgun, activate Ignition Mode for increased damage output whenever available.
  • Utilize Wyverncounter carefully; precise timing allows massive damage and prevents knockback.
  • Charge Blade users should build up phials and unleash Amped Elemental Discharge (AED) during opportune moments.

Defensive Tactics:

  • Block effectively with shield attachments or guard points to minimize damage.
  • Heal promptly after receiving damage; Zoh Shik can quickly combo into a lethal strike.
  • Monitor elemental blights closely; use Nullberries to remove negative effects instantly.

Conclusion

Preparation and practice are key to successfully hunting Zoh Shik. By selecting the right gear, decorations, and strategy, you’ll significantly improve your chances of victory. Master your weapon choices, carefully manage your resources, and stay adaptable in combat. Happy hunting!

Anika Sørensen, hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, has established herself as a prominent video game journalist over the past twelve years. Specializing in Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) and Role-Playing Games (RPGs), Sørensen is celebrated for her insightful analyses and passionate coverage of the gaming industry. Beyond writing, Anika is an active member of the gaming community, attending major events like E3 and Gamescom to provide live coverage and exclusive insights. Her dedication to fostering a deeper understanding of video games has inspired countless gamers and aspiring journalists alike. Currently, Sørensen is working as Gaming Tier List's chief news editor.