Palico 101: Your Palicos 2

Learn about Palico types like Support, Fighting, Bombing, Protection, Healing, Stealing, Treasure, Stamina, and Launching in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Maximize your feline companion's potential!

Alright, so you've got your hunter, but what about your trusty sidekick? In Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, we've got these awesome little Felyne Companions called Palicos, and they're way more than just cute! Think of them as your personal backup, and you can even customize your very first one to match your style. Once you get a bit further into the game, you'll be able to recruit a whole squad – up to twenty or even thirty of them!

These guys specialize in different roles, and knowing what they do is key to making your hunts smoother. You've got your:

• Support: These Felynes are all about keeping you in the fight. They'll blow their horn to heal you for small amounts and can even set traps. At higher levels, they'll even help you track monsters! Honestly, I highly recommend these guys.
• Fighting: Straight-up damage dealers. Some focus on small monsters, others on the big ones, and some do a bit of both. If you're struggling with a giant beast, make sure your Fighting Felyne isn't just distracted by the little critters running around. Give them the best gear you can find!
• Bombing: These Felynes chuck bombs. Now, they won't hurt you directly, but getting flung backward by their own bombs can be super annoying, especially if the monster is down and you're about to land some big hits. I'd probably skip these guys.
• Protection: Similar to Support Felynes, they're not big on attacking. They'll play their horn to boost the defense of you and any other Palico you bring along. The defense buffs aren't always super noticeable unless they're massive, though. If you're going for the ultimate support setup, pairing one of these with a Healing Felyne is a solid choice. I still lean towards Support Felynes myself.
• Healing: These are your dedicated healers. They're more potent than Support Felynes, and when they play their tunes, they'll heal you and even boost your maximum health! Definitely a top recommendation. Their weapon isn't as crucial, but make sure they've got defensive armor.
• Stealing: These Felynes use Boomerangs and have a chance to swipe monster materials right off the beast! They're not the best for direct combat or support, but if you're always short on materials or just love getting bonus loot, a Stealing Felyne is your best bet. Sometimes, they can even snag incredibly rare items!
• Treasure: These guys are focused on gathering. Their skills are all about speeding up how much stuff they can collect. They're super handy for harvest tours or gathering quests, but might not be much help when you're facing down a Rathalos.
• Stamina: These Felynes are all about keeping your stamina up. For short bursts, their buffs can completely negate stamina depletion! If you're using weapons that guzzle stamina, like the Dual Blades, these Felynes are your best friends. I can't recommend them enough. Having a few of these on hand can give your main Felyne some serious utility.
• Launching: These Felynes help you make jumps and make monsters more vulnerable to mounting. If you love mounting monsters, especially with the Insect Glaive, or if mounting makes a tough fight easier, a Launching Felyne is worth considering. A successful mount might even get a cheer from your Launching Felyne that gives your mounting meter a free boost!

Every Palico is truly unique, and their stats reflect that. They have three main stats that grow as they level up: Health, Attack, and Defense. These can also be tweaked with their weapons and armor. Then there's Enthusiasm, which ranges from one to five paws. Higher Enthusiasm means your Palico will be more engaged and perform better on quests, including those special Meownster Hunter quests. Keep their Enthusiasm high by letting them rest occasionally. Each Palico also has a unique Team Attack, like the healing-focused Purrtuoso or the offensive Rath-of-Meow. You'll also see their preferred Target: Small monsters, Large monsters, or a Balanced mix. And don't forget their unique Skills – there are tons of them that will help you out whether you're out in the field or letting them handle their own quests!