How to Defeat Rathian in Monster Hunter Rise

Monster Hunter Rise‘s monster lineup is incredibly diverse and features some extremely interesting newcomers that are sure to become series’ mainstays down the line. The new entry in the series also features monsters that fans of the franchise will instantly recognize, such as Rathian, the Queen of the Land.

Here’s everything you need to know to take down this monster with ease.

Overview

Rathian, like Rathalos, has appeared in all Monster Hunter games released so far, so you should already know this monster if you’re a series’ veteran. In Monster Hunter Rise, this Flying Wyvern isn’t particularly strong, and bringing weapons capable of dealing Dragon and Thunder damage will allow you to make it even less of a threat. Make sure to bring some Fire and Poison protection as well to make the fight easier.

Where to Find Rathian

Rathian can be found in the Shrine Ruins starting in Area 7, in the Sandy Plains starting in Areas 3 and 10, in the Flooded Forest starting in Area 11 and in the Lava Caverns starting in Area 14

How to Defeat Rathian

Praise the Weak Points

Rathian has a few weak points that will allow you to make the fight much shorter, disable one of her special attacks, and even knock it down. While fighting the monster head-on is incredibly dangerous, it also allows you to go for the head, which is Rathian’s main weak spot. Use any opportunity to attack the head to shorten the fight.

Additionally, you may also want to cut the monster’s tail and attack her feet as much as you can. Cutting the tail with an edged weapon will prevent her from using its annoying Somersault attack which can also poison you, while attacking the feet will let you knock down the monster temporarily, leaving her open to attacks for a short while.

Too Slow

Rathian’s attacks like the Fire Breath attacks and Somersault are quite powerful, but they also come with a massive recovery time that leaves the monster wide open. Learn the patterns and how to avoid them properly to take advantage of these openings as much as possible.

You Can’t See Me

In case fighting Rathian head-on, going for the head and avoiding attacks to take advantage of openings is not a viable strategy for you, you can choose to play it completely safe, and stay right behind the monster, near the tail, for the duration of the fight. By properly positioning yourself this way, you will be able to avoid most damage and chip away at the monster’s health without any risk.