Astera Everything to Know Guide – Monster Hunter World
Monster Hunter: World is out and that means it’s time to start hunting Monsters. While much of the game will be spent out on various hunting expeditions, you will also be spending your time in the game’s hub areas. In these areas you will be able to accept assignments/bounties, receive rewards, manage investigations, craft weapons and armor, and a bunch of other stuff. To help you navigate these areas, I’ve thrown together this Astera guide, which will layout everything to know about the area.
Each page is laid out according to floor level. Floor 1 is called the Tradeyard and can be found below, Floor 2 is on the next page, Floor 3 & 4 are on the page after that, and page 4 is dedicated to NPCs and miscellaneous stuff.
Provisions Stockpile
-
- The Provisions Stockpile can be found beneath the hull of an overturned boat. You can’t miss it.
-
- The Provision Stockpile serves as a sort of General Store in Monster Hunter: World. Here you can buy and sell various items.
The Provisions Stockpile serves as a general store. Here you can buy and sell items such as potions, antidotes, binoculars, and various ammos. It can be located near the West gate, beneath the flipped over boat hull.
As you progress through the story, the Provisions Stockpile will add new items for purchase. Keep an out for this as it can cut down on collecting time the further into the game you get.
Research Center
The Research Center becomes available after completing the first quest (where you end up killing the Great Jargas). It can be found beside the Provisions Stockpile. Once it becomes accessible you will have access to a number of tasks to complete:
- Bounties
- Investigations
- Delivery Requests
Completing these tasks will net you rewards such as Research Points and Armor Spheres.
Ecological Research
Ecological Research is a facility that studies monsters. Their studies can help you on your hunts. By gathering monster track, slide marks, and other data, you earn research points. Collect enough of these points on your hunt and your research level will increase. Each level increase gives you access to new features and monster intel which will make your hunts easier.
Another thing you can do at Ecological Research, is consult the monster field guide. This guide allows you to view monster information such as habitats, weaknesses and materials that can be carved/gathered from them.
Botanical Research Center
When you start your Monster Hunter: World adventure, this area will be closed. However, as you progress along the story (complete the Hunt a Tobi-Kadachi Mission), this area becomes available to use. Basically what you can do at Botanical Research is grow and cultivate various items. These items range from Herbs to Bugs. After you complete a certain number of missions, grown items will be available to collect. Here’s all that can be done in this area:
- Cultivate – Ask for items to be cultivated, or endemic life to be raised.
- Fertilize – Use research points to use fertilizer to that’ll speed up the cultivation process.
- Collect Harvest – Send Harvested items to the item box.
Argosy
Upon completion of the Zorah Magdaros questline, you will gain access to the Argosy. This merchant appears after a completion of a few quests and offers rare items for purchase with Research Points. At the Argosy you can request specific goods: Trade-in Items, Material Items, Consumable Items. On its next return trip, it will appear with items from the class you requested.
Elder Melder
Like the Argosy, the Elder Melder unlocks as you progress through the Monster Hunter World storyline. This giant cauldron is capable of taking ingredients from your inventory and using both Research Points and Melding Points, turns them into different items. This same process can be done for Decorations as well.
Living Quarters (AKA Your Room)
-
- Map location of the Living Quarters.
-
- The door to your Living Quarters.
The Living Quarters are located in the lower portion of the Ship (with the Smithy in it), near the Council area. Inside this area are a couple of NPCs as well as equipment management boxes. Here’s everything you can do in the Living Quarters:
-
- The Item Box located inside your Living Quarters.
-
- The Item Box gives you access to a variety of Hunter management menus.
Item Box
- Manage Items
- Crafting List
- Sell Items
- Change Equipment
- Sell Equipment
- Change Appearance
In your Living Quarters you can manage your Palico’s loadout.
Manage Palico
- Palico Status
- Change Palico Equipment
- Sell Palico Equipment
The Housekeeper can be found inside your Living Quarters.
Housekeeper (Palico NPC)
- Go to the Training Area
- Claim Add-On & Bonuses
There are two npcs in your Living Quarters. They provide gameplay tips when spoken to.
NPCs
- Excitable A-Lister – Gives game tips
- Serious Handler – Gives game tips
Note: There are Private Quarters & a Private Suite located on Level 3 you can unlock later.
Council
The Council area is where you will find a number of NPCs you can speak with. This area also facilities much of the storyline.
We are done with the first level of Astera, so make your way to the big ship and head up the stairs or lift found there. On the second level you will find the Smithy and Armory, two very important places in Monster Hunter: World.
More: Check out our Monster Hunter World guide section
What’s better, private suite or private quarters??
This is V1.0 of this guide. I will be adding to it as I learn more about the area. Please let me know about any spelling errors or things you want added. Time to sleep.