Finding a Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic is basically the rite of passage that separates the casual button-mashers from the real hunters. You know the feeling. You’re staring at a crafting screen, looking at that gorgeous new armor set or a high-tier weapon upgrade, and there it is. One single item standing between you and glory. The dragonbone relic. It sounds simple enough, right? Just go find a bonepile and dig. But if you’ve spent three hours scouring the Windward Plains or the Scarlet Forest only to come back with a pouch full of Monster Bone S and some useless dung, you know it’s never that easy.
It's rare. It’s frustrating. But it’s necessary.
The dragonbone relic isn’t just some random loot drop; it’s a high-tier crafting material that acts as a bottleneck for some of the most powerful mid-to-late-game gear in Monster Hunter Wilds. Capcom has always loved a good grind, and this is where they really lean into it. In previous games, we had similar hurdles with things like the Wyvern Gem or the Mantle, but those usually came from carving a monster’s face off. The relic is different. You have to be a scavenger. You have to know the map better than the monsters do.
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Why the Monster Hunter Wilds Dragonbone Relic is So Elusive
Honestly, the drop rates for a Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic can feel downright disrespectful sometimes. You’ll hit a bonepile and get excited when the animation takes a second longer, thinking this is it, only to pull out a Dragonbone Piece. Close, but no cigar.
The game’s RNG (Random Number Generation) is a fickle beast. Most players make the mistake of just hitting every bonepile they see while they’re on a hunt. That’s fine if you’re playing casually, but if you actually need the relic, you have to change your strategy. You need to be looking for "Rare" bonepiles. These usually have a distinct shimmer or a different color palette—often looking a bit more weathered or bleached by the sun—compared to the standard piles.
In Wilds, the weather system also plays a massive role that a lot of people are ignoring. The "Inclemency" periods, like the Sandstorms in the Windward Plains or the heavy rains in the Scarlet Forest, actually change the gathering nodes. Some of the highest-tier bones, including the Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic, have a significantly higher chance of spawning or being "upticked" during these intense environmental shifts. If you aren't out there while the lightning is crashing down or the wind is blinding you, you’re essentially playing on hard mode.
The Best Farming Routes You Should Actually Use
Don’t just wander. That’s the fastest way to burn out.
Instead, focus on the Windward Plains first. There’s a specific high-altitude area near the nests of the Balahara where the ancient carcasses tend to accumulate. You want to look for the "Old Dragon" nodes. These aren't your run-of-the-mill ribcages sticking out of the sand. They look like they’ve been there for centuries.
- Start at the northernmost camp.
- Head toward the jagged rock formations where the Ceratonoth usually hang out.
- Look for the caves. Specifically, the ones that require a bit of climbing or using your Seikret to glide across gaps. Bonepiles tucked away in hard-to-reach spots have a better loot table. It’s a classic developer trick.
If you’ve unlocked the Scarlet Forest, the game changes. The density of life there means more death, which means more bones. Look for the "flooded" sections after a heavy rain. When the water recedes, it often reveals gathering points that weren't accessible or visible before. I found my first three Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic drops in the muddy banks near the Uth Duna's territory.
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The Gear Setup for Gatherers
Stop wearing your combat armor if you’re serious about farming. You need the "Geologist" skill. I cannot stress this enough. At its max level, Geologist lets you gather from bonepiles an extra time. That one extra pull might not seem like much, but over a thirty-minute farming run, it doubles your chances of hitting that rare drop table.
Also, look for the "Honey Hunter" or "Botanist" equivalent for minerals and bones. In Wilds, the skill names have shifted slightly, but the effect is the same: more loot per node.
Dealing with the Desire Sensor
We all know the "Desire Sensor" is real. It’s that invisible hand of Capcom that knows exactly what you need and refuses to give it to you. The moment you stop looking for a Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic, you’ll probably find five.
One way to trick the game (or at least your own brain) is to set your wishlist for something else. If you have the relic marked on your wishlist, the game tracks it. While there’s no hard proof that Capcom lowers drop rates for wishlisted items, the community has joked about it for decades for a reason.
Instead of focusing purely on the relic, go on an Expedition. Don’t set a timer. Don’t hunt a specific monster. Just ride your Seikret, enjoy the scenery, and hit the nodes. Expeditions in Wilds are much more seamless than in World or Rise. You can stay out there indefinitely. The nodes respawn every few minutes, so you can essentially create a loop.
- Route A: Windward Plains caves to the dunes.
- Route B: Scarlet Forest riverbeds to the high canopy.
Switch between them. If you stay in one locale too long, the "Rare" spawns seem to stagnate. Moving between the regions resets the instance and gives you a fresh shot at the high-end RNG.
What to Do Once You Actually Get One
Don’t spend it immediately on a weapon upgrade unless it’s your primary. A lot of the early "Rarity 4" or "Rarity 5" weapons require a Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic, but some armor pieces offer "Focus" or "Weakness Exploit" levels that are way more valuable in the long run.
Check the Smithy carefully. If you’re a Great Sword user, that relic is almost certainly going into your weapon. But if you’re playing something like Dual Blades or Bow, where elemental damage matters more, you might find that an armor piece giving you a massive stamina boost is a better investment of such a rare material.
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Common Misconceptions
People think you can get these from small monsters. You can't. Don’t waste your time farming the little scavengers hoping for a relic. They drop "Monster Bone S" and "Sharp Fangs." That’s it.
Another myth is that you need to be in a "Master Rank" equivalent. While Wilds handles progression differently, you start seeing these relics in High Rank expeditions. You don't need to wait for the literal end of the story to start your collection. You just need to find the right nodes in the right weather.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you’re logging in right now to find a Monster Hunter Wilds dragonbone relic, do exactly this:
Check the map for "Inclemency." If the Windward Plains has a sandstorm, go there immediately. Equip any gear you have with the Geologist skill—even if the defense is terrible. You aren't there to fight; you're there to scavenge.
Eat a meal that boosts your gathering luck. In the canteen, look for the ingredients that trigger "Felyne Gatherer" or "Felyne Carver." These small buffs stack.
Once you’re in the field, ignore the large monsters. Stay crouched in the tall grass or stay on your Seikret to move fast. Hit the bonepiles in the caves first, then move to the high-elevation ridges. If you do three full loops and get nothing, quit the expedition and reload. This forces the map to regenerate its rare node placements.
Keep at it. The drop rate is low, likely under 5%, but with the Geologist skill and the right weather, you can bump your efficiency enough to make it a certainty rather than a gamble. Once you have that first relic, the rest of the game’s crafting tree starts to open up, and you’ll finally be able to take on the Apexes with the gear you actually deserve.
Next Step for Your Build: Check the Smithy for the "Ancient" weapon tree. Most of these require at least two relics and a handful of Machalite Ore, but they provide the highest raw damage for the mid-game transition. If you’ve gathered enough bones, prioritize the chest piece of the "Bone" armor set for the extra gathering perks it provides for future runs.