Wild Hearts | Karakuri Guide
Wild Hearts from Koei Tecmo is a unique take on the monster-hunting genre, mainly due to its inclusion of the mysterious Karakuri and how they can be used not only to get around Azuma but also help in taking down the vicious kemono that you will hunt.
Wild Hearts Karakuri Guide
What are Karakuri?
Karakuri are an ancient technology that has sat dormant for years. They are wooden structures imbued with magical properties. Seemingly the knowledge of how to use these Karakuri has been lost over time but you are the last hunter able to wield them. They will help you navigate the world of Azuma with ease. Additionally they can also give you the edge in your ongoing battle against the various kemono you will encounter along your journey.
What types of Karakuri are there?
There are three main types of Karakuri that you will use on your adventure. They are:
- Basic Karakuri – Helpful tools that assist you in exploring hunting areas
and fighting Kemono. They require Celestial Thread to build. - Fusion Karakuri – Combinations of Basic Karakuri that offer protection or increased damage.
- Dragon Karakuri – Weapons and devices with special characteristics,
but draw on Dragon Pit energy to build.
Basic Karakuri
Basic Karakuri are simple tools that can assist you whilst you are exploring the areas of Azuma. They include the Crate which can be used to reach higher levels, the Spring which you can bounce off for rapid movement, and the Torch to light up an area or add fire to your weapon to take down pesky vines.
However, Basic Karakuri can also help in your fight against the Kemono. Crates can be stacked and climbed to help attack an enemy from above – often a great start to a fight. Also, Torches can imbue your weapon with fire, which is particularly handy when you’re facing a foe weak to that element.
Fusion Karakuri
These special Karakuri are created when a combination of Basic Karakuri are placed together. They fuse together to create something altogether more useful. You can only use Fusion Karakuri once you have unlocked them, mostly during battles with Kemono. In certain situations, you will encounter a Fusion Flash even, which slows time and tells you a specific combination of Basic Karakuri to use to create something new. The first of these is the Bulwark you can unlock whilst fighting Kingtusk. Placing six crates together will unlock the Bulwark Fusion Karakuri, which can stop the Kingtusk charging. Once unlocked, Fusion Karakuri can be used at any point.
Dragon Karakuri
These special Karakuri draw on Dragon Pit energy from the area you place them in. There are plenty to unlock and each have specific characteristics. You can create Tents to rest at and they act as Fast Travel points on the map. You can unlock a Forge to upgrade your gear on the fly, and even a Campfire to manage your hunts and the mysterious Tsukumo.
Each Dragon Karakuri has an element associated to it and a cost to build. In order to build it you must have enough of that element available across all your unlocked Dragon Pits. Find and unlock more Dragon Pits across each area in Azuma to give yourself more options.
Can you upgrade your Karakuri?
You can, and unlock additional Dragon Karakuri as well, to customise your experience. In the main menu, scroll along to the Karakuri page. Here you will find an enormous Skill Tree-type mechanic linked completely to Karakuri. Using Kemono Orbs which you get from defeating kemono and breaking their parts, you can invest in upgrades to existing Karakuri or even completely new ones to try out and enhance your adventure.
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH KARAKURI YOU SHOULD UNLOCK FIRST IN WILD HEARTS
Anything else?
The best thing to do with Karakuri is to experiment. Wild Hearts is a game all about discovery, with plenty of ways to help you tackle its trickier challenges. Unlock a new Karakuri and try it out, often it’ll be a new way to help you find new secrets or a way to bolster your stats, or evade a kemono. See what works for you and share your tips and tricks with your fellow hunters.
