Note:: You need to have unlocked the Rite of Channeling for this. While element changes can be done early game, it is also much easier once you're later in the game and have access to better genes.

Monsters begin to express elemental effects at +4 elemental attack, nothing else matters.

First we'll start with a humble Aptonoth.



0 element bias and 0 elemental attack across the board makes Aptonoth a good test ground for changing elements. Unlike the second game, Monster Hunter Stories 1 doesn't allow you to move genes so we need to find other monsters with genes that fit in the grid open to this Aptonoth.

This Red Khezu has a Thunder Attack+2 gene that will fit in nicely in an open slot.





And just like that, our Aptonoth has +2 Thunder Attack. But it's not enough to fully change her element yet. I had another gene that would fit in the topmost slot that also has Thunder Attack +2 which will push us to that +4 goal. One rite later and...





Our Aptonoth is now a yellow thunder girl! This changes her basic attacks and her Kinship skills to the thunder element.

This segment is a little smaller, but it is possible to change the element of monsters who are already elemental. It takes a lot more effort however, especially if you're changing a monstie to an element they're normally weak to.

You need to overpower the original element, which will be at +4 or above. This means the minimum you'll need is a +5 in the new element but this might vary per monster.

As you can see in the below example, this Lagombi is stocked full of fire genes but won't express the fire element because it's ice elemental attack is still higher. Lagombi begins with a negative fire attack so we'll need to load up on higher levels of +Fire elemental attack to meet the +5 requirement.



But it isn't impossible, even in early game to do this. Here is my Thunder Rathian, as an example. All her genes are +2 thunder attack that eventually overpowered her innate fire element.



It might take a bit of extra work but it's worth it!



Good luck on your elemental builds Riders!