Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection features over 100 monsties spanning generations from the first game through Monster Hunter Wilds . With so many creatures to collect, gene to optimize, and roles to fill, knowing which ones deserve a spot in your party is overwhelming.
Based on community feedback from the demo and full game reviews, certain monsties clearly outperform others in their roles . The Habitat Restoration system also allows for dual-element variants that can completely change a monster’s viability .
Here’s our complete Monstie tier list ranking every creature from S-Tier must-haves to D-Tier bench warmers.
S-Tier: The Absolute Best Monsties
These monsties dominate their roles with exceptional stats, powerful skills, and versatile gene options. If you can get one, build your party around them immediately.
Monster Hunter Stories 3 Monstie Tier List
| Tier | Monsties | Why They’re Strong |
|---|---|---|
| S-Tier | Mizutsune, Lagiacrus, Kirin, Ratha, Velkhana | Exceptional stats, powerful unique skills, versatile gene options |
| A-Tier | Rathalos, Zinogre, Tigrex, Glavenus, Brachydios | Great stats and skills, slightly less versatile than S-tier |
| B-Tier | Nargacuga, Anjanath, Paolumu, Pukei-Pukei, Tobi-Kadachi | Solid options for mid-game, specialized roles |
| C-Tier | Great Izuchi, Velocidrome, Gendrome, Iodrome | Early-game only, quickly outclassed |
Mizutsune stands out as one of the best Technical attackers with high speed and bubble status effects that can lock down enemies. Lagiacrus dominates water combat with powerful Thunder attacks and excellent bulk .
Kirin returns as a fan-favorite Elder Dragon with lightning speed and devastating Electric attacks . Ratha, your bonded Rathalos, scales incredibly well throughout the story and remains viable into endgame .
A-Tier: Excellent Choices
These monsties are powerful and will serve you well through most content. They may lack the absolute peak stats of S-tier but excel in specific roles.
Rathalos is the reliable Fire powerhouse with solid stats across the board. While Ratha gets the spotlight, regular Rathalos are still excellent choices . Zinogre combines Thunder damage with Speed-type attacks, making it a flexible option for many fights .
Tigrex is a pure Power-type attacker with massive raw damage, though its accuracy can sometimes be an issue. Glavenus brings Fire damage with unique blade-tail attacks that hit multiple times. Brachydios offers blast status with incredible damage potential when built around its unique genes .
The demo community noted that creatures like Lagombi and Zamtrios perform well in early ice situations, though they fall off later .
B-Tier: Solid Specialists
These monsties fill specific niches well but require more investment to reach their potential. They’re excellent choices for mid-game before you unlock the top tiers.
Nargacuga is one of the fastest monsties with great critical hit potential, though its damage lags behind top-tier options. Anjanath offers reliable Fire damage with decent bulk, making it a solid all-rounder .
Paolumu provides unique wind-based attacks and decent survivability, while Pukei-Pukei is a surprisingly effective poison specialist . Tobi-Kadachi shines as a Thunder-type with great mobility, especially if you unlock its dual-element variants through Habitat Restoration .
Community discussions suggest that Purple Ludroth and Royal Ludroth have their uses in water-focused teams, particularly with proper gene builds .
C-Tier: Early-Game Only
These monsties will carry you through the opening hours but should be replaced as soon as better options appear. Their stats simply don’t keep up.
Great Izuchi is the classic starting creature—decent across the board but outclassed by almost everything. Velocidrome, Gendrome, and Iodrome offer high speed and status options but crumple under serious damage.
The herbivores like Aptonoth, Apceros, and Popo are essentially training wheels. They have low combat stats and should be replaced at the first opportunity.
Some players in the demo noted that even early-game options like Yian Kut-Ku can be useful for specific gene builds, but as actual combat monsters, they quickly fall behind.
