Trailraider is a mechanic introduced in Monster Hunter: World that governs additional NPC allies the player can get on the field aside from their Palico. Trailraiders are meant as a feature to help players that are playing by themselves; the presences of another player would automatically remove employed Trailraiders.
Unlike previous generations where players possess the ability to customize the load-out and attributes of their secondary back up, Trailraiders are acquired in the field with their availability and types being very dependent on luck and circumstances. Their effectiveness are also loosely governed by the Unity level.
Basics[]
Unlocking[]
Trailraiders are divided into different factions, each needing to be unlocked through a specific "Cultural Exchange" Bounty that involves a series of side activities leading up to an alliance to a certain Lynian tribe within the locales of New World. There are 5 Cultural Exchange in the base game, with an additional 1 in Iceborne. Unlocking these Trailraiders overlaps with acquisition of their respective Palico gear. Each Cultural Exchange Bounties can be triggered by following clues given by the Lynian Researcher will out on an Expedition is the respective map.
| Cultural Exchange | Locale | Unlocked Lynian Trailraider | Unlocked Monster Trailraider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bugtrapper | Ancient Forest | Bugtrapper Grimalkyne | Jagras |
| Protectors | Wildspire Waste | Protector Grimalkyne | Kestodon |
| Troupers | Coral Highlands | Trouper Grimalkyne | Shamos |
| Plunderers | Rotten Vale | Plunderer Grimalkyne | Girros |
| Gajalaka | Elder's Recess | Gajalaka | Gastodon |
| Boaboa | Hoarfrost Reach | Boaboa | Wulg |
Recruitment[]
There are two Trairaider slots, one for Lynian and one for a Small Monster, making a total of 2 Trailraider can be recruited at a time.
To recruit a Trailraider back up, the player's Palico must be taken along with them as they are the one recruiting them on the field. The Palico would have to be brought close to the desired recruit for it to automatically recruit said Trailraider; in the case of monsters, the Palico will recruit at random from the available monsters. Monsters that have been recruited by your Palico will have its health restored to full and is immune to attack during recruitment animation.
Lynian potential recruits can be found across predetermined areas in each locale and they are generated randomly among Lynian trailraiders that players have unlocked with the exception of clan/tribe home bases in which they will always spawn the same Lynian Trailraider groups. Any monster of legitimate Trailraider species can be recruited with the exception of Jagras that are under the influence of Leshen/Ancient Leshen.
Trailraider cannot be dismissed normally. They must either have their health bar depleted completely or forced to dismiss by leaving your Palico behind at camp. Monster Trailraiders have places off-limits to them and will automatically dismiss themselves should you enters such areas or the player enter the basecamp tent.
In Iceborne, player can acquire the Boaboa Signal Palico Gadget, which occupy its own slot separate from other 6 gadgets. When used, the gadget will summon one random Lynian and Small Monster Trailraider allowed in that locale (or just either one should players already have the other).
Unity Level[]
Unity level is the barometer of kinship between your Palico and the allied Trailraider factions. They translate into gameplay as level effectiveness for said Trailraiders; having higher Unity level brings bonuses such as higher health, higher damage output and more versatile set of abilities varied among Trailraider factions. Unity Level can be raised by bringing Trailraider from said faction on activities in the field; hunting monsters yield the most increase in the Unity Bar.
Each Lynian Tribe/Clan has their own Unity Level, while all Small Monsters share a Unity level. Unity level is capped at level 5 in the base game and at 10 in Iceborne.
Lynian Trailraider[]
Lynian Trailraiders generally function like one's own Palico. They cannot be directly commanded and will act on their own accord in battle. Lynian Trailraiders can follow players anywhere and will wait for players in camp areas.
Local Lynians[]
The resident Lynians of New World's locale have a fixed set of ability based on their clan/tribe, but their preferences and strength might be denoted by the title their hold. The following is the set of abilities they're known to use based on their factions:
| Faction | Abilities |
|---|---|
| Bugtrappers | Setting up Flashfly Cage, setting up Shock Traps. |
| Protectors | Taunting Mosnters, Tanking Blows with shileds, using shield bashhes to stagger monsters. |
| Troupers | Occasionally performs their musical routine and gives the player various buffs. |
| Plunderers | Uses their blade as ranged attack that drop shinies, they also stash monster materials mid-combat that players can collect in the reward screen. |
| Gajalaka | Generally tougher than Grimalkynes, hurls molotovs that inflict damage, throwing knives that can be coated with random status effect. |
| Boaboa | Generally tougher than Grimalkyne, hurls spear that both do damage and are coated with Poison. Sets up Pitfall Traps. |
Other Palico[]
At times, Palicos of other players that one has the Guild Card of will appear in the field or answer the Boaboa Signal in place of local New World Lynians. The advantage and disadvantage of having another player's Palico as assistance is that these Palicos are only as strong as their owner makes them to be. This means, players can either be as fortunate as to find a well-equipped Palico with load-out matching the necessity of the quest at hand, or being so unlucky as to get a severely underpowered assistance from a Low Rank player's Palico in a Master Rank quest.
Additional Features[]
Lynian Trap[]
In select areas of locales, random set of Lynians might be waiting to assist you in toppling down large monsters. These assistance comes in 3 types:
- Grimalkyne Vine Trap: Available once the player reaches Unity level of 3 with any Grimalkyne clan and is denoted by a green paw sign on the map. Activates when a mounted monster comes near the trap conductor. A squad of Grimalkyne will strangle the monster with vines, leaving bound for several seconds before getting toppled and remain vulnerable afterward. This trap give the player a considerable window of time to either inflict damage to the monster or do other things. This trap does not work against Elder Dragons.
- Gajalaka Shellshock: Available after level 3 Unity with the Gajalaka, or by completing the Gajalaka side objective in the Witcher 3 collaboration Special Assignment; denoted by a red paw sign on the map. Bringing a monster near the trap conductor will have it blasted down by a powerful initial shot from which a group of Gajalaka will fire a relentless barrage of explosives at the downed monster.
- Boaboa Harpoon: Available after level 3 Unity with the Boaboa and denoted by a brown paw sign on the map. This trap functions the same as Gajalaka Shellshock, but instead have a group of Boaboa hurling a barrage of poisoned spear and the downed monster.
The type of Lynian Trap is not depended on the locale. Once the player have unlocked the trap function, they can appear in any locales.
Trailraider Safari[]
Trailraider Safari is a passive loot generator feature in Astera, Research Base, Seliana where players send out a team of Lynians to embark on safaris in locales in which the result are affected by factors such as the selected locale, expected obstacles and the Safari team proficiency in 3 fields. Overall Unity level with various Trailraider factions will affect the overall quality of Safari team options that players get.
Pawswap and Treasure Hunt[]
Pawswap is a feature available in a Lynian Tribe home base after players have raised their Unity level with said tribe to a certain point. This feature allows players to trade with 3 potential buyer; players initiate the trade by offering an item from their current Inventory. Each Lynian have different preferences that can be denoted from their expression. Exchanging an item with a Lynian that really desire it will yield better rewards and raise the Unity level more.
Trade enough with a tribe, and they will give clue to a treasure of that locale that players can collect. The clue for this treasure is recorded in the Hunter's Notes.
Monster Trailraiders[]
Monster Trailraiders fight as they would as a regular monster, only with increased aggression and improved health pool. Monster Trailraiders cannot follow players to camp and would automatically dismiss themselves should players fast travel to camps.
In combat, Monster Trailraiders often serve as tanks, absorbing a lot of damage while dealing a decent amount themselves whilst the Lynians compensate with tricks and tools to sabotage the monster or help the player. Girros is the only Trailraider monster to inflict a Status Effect.
With high enough Unity level, the player's Palico might engage in a cavalry stance where the Palico hops on the Monster Trailraider back and they fight as a unison for a limited time. In this stance, both parties benefit from reduced damage reaction and higher damage output.
It should be noted that monster Trailraiders cannot be normally found when an Elder Dragon is present in the locale. They also take damage from enviromental traps as with all monsters. Some monsters, like Seething Bazelgeuse and Savage Deviljho, deal extremely high damage to other monsters that monster Trailraiders can easily die from their attacks.
In Iceborne players have access to Raider Rides in which they can call upon a separate Trailraider monster that they can use as a transportation method around the map. These particular Trailraider monsters do not fight and appear bigger than their brethren. They cannot be controlled directly and instead automatically seek paths to destinations and targets that players assign on the map; they cannot seek path to locations that are off limits for Trailraider monsters.