Health Gauge - How to Display and Increase Health

Guide for the Health Gauge in Monster Hunter Wilds (MH Wilds). Guide on how to read the HP gauge, maximize, display, and increase the limit.

How to Display Health Gauge

Hold L1

Monster Hunter Wilds' health gauge can be displayed by holding down L1. In addition to the health gauge, you can also check the stamina gauge, remaining time to increase the health limit, and icons for enhanced status. Note that it will always be displayed even if you do not press L1 if you are interacting with a monster.

Change Settings to Always Display

You can change the health gauge display from 'Game Settings'. If you want to be able to always see it without pressing L1, set it to 'Fixed' to fully display at all times.

How to Increase Health Gauge Limit

Eat Cooked Meals and Local Cuisines

Eating Cooked Meals or Local Cuisine increases your maximum Health for 30 to 50 minutes. This boost significantly affects the difficulty, so always eat a meal before heading out on a quest.

Adding Ingredients Extends Duration

The effect time of the BBQ Grill is 30 minutes if only Rations are used, but it can be extended to 50 minutes by adding Additional Ingredients. You can add any ingredients you want, so add as many Additional Ingredients as possible when cooking. If you just want to extend the effect time, you don't need to add Finishing Touches.

Time Pauses at Base Camp or in Tent

The health limit increase effect time is not consumed while in Base Camp or Tent. The count starts when you enter the area where monsters appear.

Raise Max Limit with Items

Item	Time and Effect
Well-done Steak	[30 Minutes] - Health and Stamina limit increases to maximum - Recover a little Health and Stamina
Max Potion	[15 Minutes] - Health limit increases and instantly recovers to maximum
Ancient Potion	[15 Minutes] - Health and Stamina limit increases to maximum and instantly recovers to maximum

In addition to cooking, you can also increase your health limit with certain items. However, in both cases, the effect time is shorter than cooking, so basically we recommend raising the health limit with cooking. In particular, Max Potion and Ancient Potion are useful as Recover Items, so refrain from using them just to increase your health limit.

Health Gauge Details

Green Gauge Decreases When Attacked

When you are attacked by a monster, the green part of your Health gauge decreases, and the decreased amount is displayed in black and red. The red gauge automatically recovers little by little over time, but the black gauge does not automatically recover. If your health is decreasing, use recovery items frequently.

Enhancement & Status Icons

When you strengthen your Status with Items, Meals, etc., or get inflicted by status ailments, an icon will be displayed above your Health Gauge. When the effect time is less than 20 seconds left, the icon will start counting down, and when it reaches 0, the icon will disappear.

Evade or Guard When Red Wave Appears

When a monster attacks and the attack is likely to knock out the Hunter, a large red wave appears on the health gauge. The wave only shows for a brief moment before the attack, so if you see it, quickly 'Evade' or 'Guard' to survive.

Specific Skills and Effects

If you equip armor skills like Heroics or meal skills like 'Guts' that activate based on remaining health, a reference vertical line will be added to the health gauge. Heroics shows a white line, and Guts shows a yellow line, so keep this in mind.

Monster Hunter Wilds Related Guide

Useful Information

Game System

Character Creation Guide	Character Creation Recipes	Recommended Settings
Join Multiplayer	SOS Flare Guide	How to Change Name or Rename
Friend Request Guide	Hunter ID Guide	How To Cook
Layered Armor Equipment	How to Play Solo Online	FPS Comparison & Settings
How To Join a Lobby	Skip Button Guide	Arachnophobia Assistance
Craft Guide	Individual Strength Guide	Save Data Guide
Wound Guide	How to Hide Head Armor	How to Link Party
Receptionist Alma	Error Guide	Beginner's Guide
Support Hunter	How to Display FPS	Voice Chat Guide
Seikret Customization	Supply Items	Character Edit Voucher Guide
How to Lock-on	How to Pause	Photo Mode
Common Wood Minnow	Fishing Rod Guide	Whetstone Guide
Portable BBQ Grill	Camping Kit	Palico Guide
Tent Guide	How to Capture Monsters	Field Survey Quest
Mending Mantle	Canteen Guide	Support Ship Guide
Limited bounties	Login Bonus Guide	Nu Yaya Guide
Peony Sparklerjelly Guide	Layered Armor Outfit	Arch-Tempered Rey Dau Guide
Arena Quest Guide and Rewards	King of a Faraway Sky	Anguish and Atrocity
Congalala Cravings	When Do Quematrice Sing?	Doshaguma of the Hollow
Barrel Bowling Guide	Arena Chatacabra Quest	Diva Buff Effects
High Rank Guide	Wyvern's Wakening Guide	How to Edit and Send Stickers
Poogie	Cosmetic DLC Guide	How To Change Gender
How to Edit Shoutouts	Resting	Gathering Boosts
That Won't Work on Me!	Daughters of Carabosse	Chemicus Nocturnus
Gravios Blockade	Careening Out of Control	A Silent Flash Event Quest
How to Jig Line	Weapon Usage Rates	Immortal Equipment
Best Weapons for Beginners	How to Farm Tempered Rey Dau	How to Use Quick Reel
Poison Status Effects	Item Pouch Guide	Health Gauge Guide
Street Fighter 6 Collaboration Release Date

Hunting / System Guide

Basic Controls	Combat Tips	How to use Focus Mode
What is a Wound?	Seikret Guide	Training Ground Location
Power Clash Guide	Offset Attack	Sneak Attack
How To Mount Monsters?	Radial Menu Guide	How to use Binoculars
How to Grill Meat	Capture Net	Ghillie Mantle
Slinger Guide	Large Barrel Bomb	Secondary Weapon
Evasion Guide	Perfect Evade	Radial Menu Guide
Perfect Guard	How To Switch Weapons	How to Reach HR 100
Lucky Voucher	Loadout	Research Help: Monsters
How to Stun	Weak Points For All Monsters	How to Catch 30 Whoppers
Chat Guide

Map Information

Pop-up Camp List	How to Fast Travel Guide	Where to get Ore
Where to get Bone Material	Fish List & Fishing Spot	Endemic Life
Slinger Ammo	Check & Change Environment	The Grand Hub

Recommended Information before Purchasing

Release Date & Platforms	Save Data Bonuses	Pre-Order Bonuses
Recommended Specs	PS5 & PS5 Pro VS PC: Specs Comparison	Controller & Set Up Guide
Differences in Edition	How To Crossplay Guide	When Steam Version will be Released?
Will It Be Released On The Switch Or PS4?	Character Profiles and Voice Actor List	Predictions & Speculations
New Features	Storage & File Size Guide	How To Download Benchmark
Weapon Adjustments	Should You Buy an Xbox?	Fairy Light Pendant DLC