Conquering Jin Dahaad: A Guide for Monster Hunter Wilds

Jin Dahaad stands out as one of the more formidable creatures you’ll encounter as you progress toward the conclusion of Monster Hunter Wilds‘ primary storyline. Resembling a reptilian leviathan, Jin Dahaad reigns as the apex predator of the Iceshard Cliffs region, living up to its fearsome reputation. Your first encounter with this beast occurs in Chapter 3-3, titled “Nothing Frozen, Nothing Gained,” right before you leave the Iceshard Cliffs and approach Nata’s village. With its spiny exoskeleton, a thunderous roar, and a range of powerful ice attacks, Jin Dahaad can be quite a challenge, even for seasoned hunters.

Apart from its impressive strength, the battle against Jin Dahaad introduces a new mechanic that you’ll need to grasp quickly, including your first encounter with an insta-kill move. While this new mechanic may seem annoying at the outset, mastering the details of the fight can become a significant advantage if leveraged correctly. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what you need to know before taking on Jin Dahaad, including its moveset, weaknesses, and the materials you can gather from it.

Preparing for Jin Dahaad

Essential Gear and Supplies

Before facing Jin Dahaad, you’ll get a brief respite at a makeshift camp. This allows you to reset your loadout and refine your strategy. For starters, since Jin Dahaad is an Ice-elemental monster, prioritize Ice-resistant armor. This armor is unique to the Iceshard Cliffs and won’t be readily available outside of its main story mission, so don’t waste time searching elsewhere.

Additionally, Jin Dahaad has a powerful roar. You might want to equip a weapon, piece of armor, or accessory that grants you at least Level 3 Earplugs to avoid being staggered. It can also inflict Iceblight, which increases your stamina consumption and can be countered with a Nulberry. Furthermore, some of its attacks cause Frostblight, a debilitating status effect that you can only cure with Cleansers, or potentially by taking damage or rapidly tapping buttons. Some consumables are available in your supply cache, but bringing your own is advisable.

Weaknesses to Elemental and Status Effects

Below is a table summarizing Jin Dahaad’s resistances and weaknesses based on body parts. It’s worth noting that breaking the ridges on its back will reveal an additional weak point.

As you can see, most form of elemental damage doesn’t affect Jin Dahaad significantly. Use the weapon that suits you best, just avoid those that deal Ice damage. Its head and neck, along with the Exposed Iceplate, present the most vulnerable spots.

Jin Dahaad is susceptible to almost all status effects, except Exhaust, and is slightly less affected by Stun. Do note that Flash Pods, Sonic Bombs, Shock Traps, and Pitfall Traps won’t work on it, so save those for another encounter.

Weak Points and Moveset

Weak and Breakable Areas

Jin Dahaad features several breakable parts that you should target during the fight. The strategy largely revolves around breaking these ridges that cover the monster’s body, with its mouth and chest being the softest targets.

Your approach in this battle should be to first target Jin Dahaad’s forelegs. Activate Focus Mode to inflict damage effectively and ensure your efforts are well-placed. Dealing enough damage will send Jin Dahaad crashing, giving you the chance to strike its head or work on breaking the Large Iceplate on its back to expose its weak point.

If you have access to aerial attacks, you can bypass some steps by jumping over Jin Dahaad’s back and attacking its Large Iceplate until it’s exposed. Afterward, just repeat the process to inflict serious damage. Be aware that Jin Dahaad may regenerate its exoskeleton, so don’t be disheartened if it becomes protected again.

Moveset of Jin Dahaad

Throughout the battle, Jin Dahaad will primarily attack with Ice-elemental moves, such as icy beams and chilling clouds. Make sure to stock up on Nulberries and Cleansers to manage the status effects it brings. Most of these attacks are relatively easy to dodge, so keep your eye on the creature and stay nimble while you chip away at its Iceplates.

At specific moments during the fight, Jin Dahaad will envelop itself in ice, accompanied by a reddish wind blowing towards the monster. This indicates that it is about to unleash its insta-kill attack. When this occurs, look up and prepare your slinger. Strike a Giant Ice Chunk to cause it to fall and create a barrier for yourself, then get behind it to break Jin Dahaad’s line of sight and survive this lethal onslaught.

Jin Dahaad may also coil around the Giant Frozen Pillar situated in the center of the battlefield. If it does, take aim and hit it with your slinger to bring it down, dealing significant damage to the creature.

Materials and Rewards from Jin Dahaad

All Possible Drops from Jin Dahaad

Here is a list of all the materials dropped by Jin Dahaad at High Rank. Keep in mind that the Low Rank quest ends as soon as you repel Jin Dahaad, necessitating completion of Monster Hunter Wilds‘ postgame to actually carve materials from it.

Once you’ve gathered your materials, you can return to Gemma to see what new items you can craft. However, if this is your first encounter with Jin Dahaad in Monster Hunter Wilds, you might need to wait a bit to do so.