One of the core mechanics introduced in Path of Exile's Bestiary Challenge League is the ability to capture beasts using nets. This opens up powerful crafting options to modify items. However, beast capturing can feel tricky to get the hang of at first. This guide covers everything a player needs to know to become a master beast catcher in PoE.

How Beast Capturing Works

Once you acquire nets by doing the Einhar missions, you can throw them at magic or rare monsters in maps and the wilds. This will initiate a capture encounter where you must fight and wound the beast to lower its health bar. Staying alive while DPSing it down is key. Successfully capturing fills your Bestiary with beasts to use at the Menagerie.

Capture Chance and Critical Hits

Your chance to capture is based on the beast's level vs. yours. Critical hits increase this chance significantly. Use skills like Power Siphon or Venom Gyre to crit often. Hunter monsters have slightly higher capture rates. Menagerie crafting options unlock after catching each beast's variants (magic/rare/unique).

Capture Strategies and Positioning

Kiting beasts around obstacles or terrain breaks the line of sight, preventing damage. Bait them into breath or stomp skills you can dodge. Space out to avoid overlapping AoEs. Some beams and charges are easier to sidestep than tanking head-on. Bringing Einhar along boosts fights and nets extra Path of Exile items.

Net Tips and Bazaar Storage

Each net costs 1 Whetstone to craft at the Menagerie. Stock up on whetstones through trades or vendor recipes. Use 4 nets max in a map before leaving to save progress. Captured beasts stored in your Menagerie can be freed up by using them in crafting or selling extras at the Menagerie Bazaar for some (POE Currency). This prevents being capped.

Beast Crafting Recipes

Through trial and error, you'll learn what crafting options each captured monster provides. Popular ones allow modifying suffixes/prefixes, and adding sockets, links, resistances, and more. Elreon's beasts are needed for high-level crafting. Always check Menagerie before a craft to avoid missing recipes. Keep mandatory beasts stored.

Specialized Capturing Gear

While not required, specialized capture builds greatly help the process. Go with high life, resists, move speed, and critical strike chance. Weapons like Windripper or tornado shot bows crit often for more nets. Optional support gems like Faster Attacks or Culling Strike aid fights. Investing in a dedicated capturing character pays off.

Rotating Capturing Spots

Rather than all in one area, spread capturing across different zones each day. This refreshes monsters and nets better beasts over time vs. just re-running the same zone endlessly. DailyEinhar missions also advance your Bestiary. You can find a capture target, complete the map, and then return to catch it later too.

Trading Tip

Selling complete Bestiary sets on trade sites earns good POE Currency. Many players prefer buying finished collections rather than catching them individually. It's a steady way to turn beast captures into items or craft funds needed for bigger projects.

Beastfarming For Profits

With optimized capturing strategies down, you can engage daily in capture runs for consistent crafting supply and wealth generation. Target farm valuableDivination CardsCardsbeasts like Humilating for additional Savage rewards. Bring captured herds for bulk Menagerierewards.

Let me know if you have any other beast-capturing questions! Happy hunting in Wraeclast.