Monster Hunter board game will now offer the hunting horn and lance, 14 total weapons

The highly anticipated crowdfunding campaign for Monster Hunter: World - The Board Game kicks off Tuesday on Kickstarter, and it will offer just a little bit more than fans had bargained for. In a news release, developer Steamforged Games announced that it would add two fan-favorite weapons to its line of products. The hunting horn and the lance will both be available as an add-on to the base game, which brings the total number of hunters up to 14.

“We truly appreciate how important being able to ‘use your main’ is,” Steamforged said in a news release on Thursday. “To that end, we’ve been working hard alongside the lovely folks at Capcom to get these two hunters designed, developed, and over the line before the campaign launches.”

Monster Hunter: World - The Board Game is a cooperative experience for one to four players. Each player takes on the role of one or more hunters, each specializing in a single weapon fighting style. The game relies on a small deck of cards to control its massive monsters, thereby removing the need for a game master. It’s a system similar to Steamforged’s previous game, Dark Souls: The Board Game, but with some much needed diversity and refinement. It also boasts a thematic campaign mode, where players can earn resources from their kills to upgrade their gear.

Grid View

• The miniatures for the Monster Hunter: World board game 3D printed, part of a promotional demo version of the game. Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon
• The miniatures for the Monster Hunter: World board game 3D printed, part of a promotional demo version of the game. Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon
• The miniatures for the Monster Hunter: World board game 3D printed, part of a promotional demo version of the game. Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon
• The miniatures for the Monster Hunter: World board game 3D printed, part of a promotional demo version of the game. Photo: Charlie Hall/Polygon

The hunting horn is a large melee weapon that tends to stun enemies, while the lance is known for its reach and defensive capabilities. Both will be included in the $40 Hunter’s Arsenal add-on, which includes six unique hunters as well as the Ancient Forest and Wildspire Waste settings.

They will also be included in the all-in package, which costs a whopping $289. Fans will get quite a lot more at that price point, including 12 monsters to hunt and 1,800 total cards — including the cards needed to outfit hunters with more exotic versions of standard weapons. While we expect the base game to arrive at retail one day, unlike some other high-end crowdfunded tabletop games, it’s not clear if all the expansions will.