Updated at: 20-04-2023 - By: Leo Hall
It’s incredible how many unique monsters there are in MHR. Listed below are some of Monster Hunter Rise’s toughest foes.

Any new player to the Monster Hunter franchise will, in a matter of seconds, begin to worry about their safety, what with all the dragons and hybrid fantasy creatures populating the series.

Many of the most powerful monsters in the series make an appearance in Rise, making this one of the strongest enemy lineups to date.

Here we rank the most challenging monsters in Monster Hunter Rise, those that will test your strategy, teamwork, and even luck to defeat.

If your favorite Monster Hunter: Rise foe isn’t here, don’t worry; we’ll be adding more entries to this list as more monsters are introduced.

Mizutsune

Bubble Blower, Their Famous Move

Mizutsune may not be the scariest monster on this list, but during mating season the males tend to become much more aggressive, which is bad news for Hunters.

With Rise, Mizutsune gains additional abilities that make it a dangerous foe, including the ability to launch water bubbles that, if they hit the player, will cause waterblight.

Hardest Monsters In Monster Hunter Rise [2023 List] - GamingScan

If that weren’t enough, Mizutsune can also use a water beam attack that shoots upward before sweeping right to left or left to right.

Finally, you should always be on the lookout for its claw slam attacks, in which it leaps towards you and moves its body as if it were about to start dancing.

Goss Harag

Icy Death Breath, their signature move.

Goss Harag, a fanged beast recently added to Rise, is quickly earning a reputation as one of the hardest monsters in the game.

Given its preference for spamming ice attacks in battle, it’s no surprise that Goss is only found in the Frost Islands.

Goss can create frost blades by inhaling extremely cold air and then exhaling it in a deadly icy blast.

If you see a Goss digging its blades into the ground, you had better get the hell out of there before the blades break and ice fragments start flying your way.

Zinogre

Charged Up Claws, their signature move

Zinogre, a fanged wyvern with the power of thunder, lives in the mountains of Rise and uses its charging ability to increase its strength in combat.

It does this by calling upon nearby thunderbugs, which it then consumes to replenish its energy supply and enable it to carry out more lethal aerial and ground maneuvers.

Zinogre’s charge has two stages: the first involves a ring of thunderbugs, and the second involves Zinogre’s fur being pointed straight up in the air.

A fully charged Zinogre is incredibly fast and has the ability to inflict thunderblight, so it’s best to strike while he’s still weak.

Almudron

Scary Mud Mountains are his signature attack.

Another monster to make its debut in Rise is Leviathans like Almudron, which are enormous wyverns that are particularly adept at swimming and confidently occupy the top spot in the food chain.

Almudron normally lives in the mountains, but due to the events of Rise, it now wanders the plains and forests in search of food.

Almudron, with its thick and powerful tail, likes to dig deep into the soil, create massive mud waves by swiping its tail, and then leap high into the air.

If Almudron doesn’t kill a Hunter right away, its mud attacks will make them immobile and slowly drain their health for a while.

Magnamalo

Purple Pain, the signature move

Magnamalo, a new addition to the Rise monster roster and a fanged wyvern, is one of the game’s most aggressive creatures.

Magnamalo, who resembles a tiger, attacks relentlessly from the moment the battle begins and stops only when it has secured a kill.

It can attack you from any direction thanks to its four-clawed fingers and the long serrated blades on each of its forelegs.

Magnamalo is able to create mysterious purple flames along its body and launch fireballs at the player in addition to its sharp claws.

Apex Rathalos

A final fireball, the signature move.

Even though it’s technically cheating to include an Apex variant of a monster, we figured we’d make an exception for a creature as terrifying as Apex Rathalos.

Despite only showing up in Rampage quests (at least at the time of this writing), Apex Rathalos sets the mood for battle the moment it enters the fray.

This includes unleashing arena-wide firestorms to wipe out any defenses you set up, such as turrets.

We fear fighting these creatures in the wild, but at least you can die as many times as you like in the Apex Rathalos’ Rampage quest.

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Chameleos

Now You See Me, Now You’re Dead is my signature move.

Since the Elder Dragon Chameleos was added to Rise in the April 2021 update, it has become a major challenge for Monster Hunter players.

The most troublesome part of fighting a Chameleos is dealing with its poison attacks, especially the puffs of poison clouds it can blow at you.

In addition, there’s the issue of Rise’s cloaking ability, which makes it invisible for a short time before reappearing to launch a surprise attack.

To gain confidence in taking on a Chameleo, you’ll need to engage in several battles (and experience defeat) before you can learn to dodge and anticipate its moves.

Nargacuga

Move of distinction: the South’s Quickest Tail

The most terrifying thing about a Nargacuga is not its red, eerie eyes, but the fact that nearly every part of its body can be used as a weapon.

A white bar of sharpness or higher is needed to cut its bladed wings, and the tip of its long, spiked tail can make a rattling sound reminiscent of a rattlesnake.

The nargacuga is not only very difficult to catch because of its speed and stealth, but also because it tends to hang out in places that are difficult to access, such as caves and high trees.

When you consider that Nargacuga is also notorious for surprising Hunters from great heights and distances, you can see why it is one of the game’s most dreaded foes.

Thunder Serpent Narwa

Electric Murder Rings, their signature move.

It’s not going to be an easy fight against the Thunder Serpent Narwa, the current final boss of Rise’s Hub Quest.

After all, the Rampage catastrophe was precipitated by this creature, an Elder Dragon capable of thunderous attacks and telekinetic feats.

It has thunder sacs on its stomach that it uses to fire electricity beams and rings, and to spawn metal rock platforms from the ground as part of its attacks.

And if that weren’t enough, Rise divides the fight against Narwa into three parts, so you might want to take a moment to relax and gather your wits before you begin your pursuit.

Rajang

Gorilla Grab: Our Name for It

There’s no getting around the fact that Rajang is one of the hardest monsters in Monster Hunter Rise; in all honesty, you’re probably better off avoiding it altogether.

Known as a Fanged Beast, this monstrous offspring of a gorilla, goat, and monkey is not only one of the most powerful monsters you will face but also one of the fastest.

It is known to dart around the battlefield while dishing out attacks, sometimes shooting lightning from its mouth and other times drawing you close for a slam attack.

Worse yet, Rajang can easily stun you and, when angered, will begin deflecting normal attacks, much to the consternation of blade users everywhere.

Anjanath, The Fire-Breathing T-Rex

The Anjanath, a new monster introduced in Monster Hunter: World, resembles a flying Tyrannosaurus rex. It uses its sense of smell to locate prey, and it will chase down and kill anything that attacks it. The Anjanath is able to tear its enemies apart with its powerful jaws and dragon-like fire breath.

The Anjanath is a monster of the fire element, so it is important for players to remember that water is its greatest weakness. The Anjanath are most frequently spotted in Monster Hunter Rise’s woods and grasslands.

Tigrex

The Tigrex are violent and prone to egocentric displays of superiority. They’ll roar loudly and menacingly at their assailants to scare them off. They, like other wyverns, will go to great lengths to catch their dinner. One of the game’s most adaptable species, the Tigrex, can use a variety of elemental powers depending on where they are.

Tigrex are dangers at level seven, and while they aren’t the most difficult monsters in Monster Hunter: Rise, players may still find them challenging. The Tigrex species can be found in the Lava Caverns, the Sandy Plains, and the Frost Islands, and can be identified by their bright coloration.

Diablos

Diablos, despite being herbivores, are among the most dangerous monsters in Monster Hunter Rise because of their extreme aggression. They are able to survive on a variety of desert cacti, but will still aggressively pursue and attack any stranger.

Diablos, also called “the Tyrant of the Desert,” are capable of burrowing beneath the sand. Diablos, like the worms in the Oscar-nominated blockbuster Dune, come up from below and bite the dust. Diablos, a formidable enemy from the very first Monster Hunter game, were recently brought to life in the film adaptation of the series.

Bishaten

Monster Hunter Rise introduces a new Fanged Beast called the Bishaten. Even though it has a low Threat Level of 4 stars, this beast can still prove difficult for players just getting started. Bishaten will use a variety of fruits in various colors to throw at the hunter. The colors of these Fruits indicate the respective statuses they impart. Inflict poison with the Poison fruit, blind the Hunter with the Flash fruit, and restore your health with the Jumbo fruit.

You can save the fruit by interfering with the monster’s throwing motion. After eating the fruit, you can take advantage of its social status. Bishaten, while holding a fruit in its mouth, will also use its tail to attack the Hunter. If you take damage from this attack, your status will change according to the type of fruit you ate. Finally, Bishaten will spin incredibly quickly before launching into a darting aerial attack.

Tips on defeating Bishaten

Be prepared for the run by stocking up on antidotes and herbal medicines, and keep your distance from the fruit. When the monster is carrying the yellow fruit on its tail, it is especially dangerous. A hit from this move will temporarily incapacitate your hunter. Pay close attention to the tail, as this is what will ultimately bring Bishaten crashing to the ground and rid you of the fruits. Bishaten is easily defeated with an Ice Element weapon, so prepare accordingly.

Teostra

When you reach AR 40, Teostra will be one of the three Elder Dragons you must face again thanks to Version 2.0. It’s possible that this monster’s blast orbs will make it difficult for melee fighters to defeat it. These blast orbs will detonate with a devastating explosion. Further, if Teostra enters the Super Flame Armor state, he will take no damage from ranged attacks other than to the head.

Keep your distance from Teostra and replenish your health with potions often. In your battle against Teostra, you must avoid her three deadly attacks. Teostra will use her flame thrower to deal massive damage at close range. Circular Supernova, where it performs a miniature supernova on the area in front of him, is another dangerous attack.

Finally, Teostra’s Supernova attack is the most dangerous of its moves. Anyone caught in the Supernova caused by Teostra will be transported. Keep your distance from the Supernova’s blast radius if you want to survive Teostra’s onslaught; it’s a one-shot.

Tips on Defeating Teostra

Your main objective should be to destroy Teostra’s horn, not to avoid his blast orbs. Remember that while Teostra is in Super Flame Armor, Ranged attacks will only connect with her head. Teostra’s flame armor can be dismantled by simply knocking it to the ground. If you don’t have time to run away from the Supernova, you can always try to leap into space like Superman or take a giant leap of faith.

Monster Hunter Rise (for Nintendo Switch) Review

PROS

  • Combat and exploration are greatly enriched by the introduction of new, fluid movement and attack skills.
  • Superb ability personalization that inspires playarounds
  • The visuals are an improvement over the first Monster Hunter game for the Switch.
  • Rise is unlike any other game in the series thanks to its unique Japanese style and settings.

CONS

  • A dearth of original monsters
  • In multi-player games, visual effects often hinder visibility of gameplay.
  • Doesn’t Offer Enough Mastery Challenge

Monster Hunter's Hardest Monsters - Green Man Gaming Blog

MONSTER HUNTER RISE (FOR NINTENDO SWITCH) SPECS

Arcade Machine Switch from Nintendo
Game Type Role-Playing
The ESRB’s Evaluation T Is For Teen
Monster Hunter Rise is Capcom’s response to the challenge of following the excellent Monster Hunter World. One of the most approachable, innovative, and enjoyable games in the long-running franchise, Monster Hunter: Rise is the result of the series’ transition to a new console and engine. All of the improvements made to the gameplay in World are present in Rise, along with the series’ traditional action-RPG elements and massive boss fights. However, Rise simplifies things even further by removing unnecessary remnants and introducing welcome new capabilities. Monster Hunter Rise, for $59.99 on the Nintendo Switch, is an easy Editors’ Choice pick despite its small monster roster and lackluster end game.

Old Weapons, New Tricks

Like its predecessors, Monster Hunter Rise is an action role-playing game in which you take on the role of a hunter tasked with eliminating dangerous monsters. Wirebugs, however, are the most striking and important departure from earlier versions. When tossed, these useful insects release a supernaturally strong silk that can be used to propel oneself forward, swing one from its thread like Spider-Man, or pull one to greater heights. The Wirebugs allow you to climb, wall run, and parkour over the various mountainous landmarks in Rise, making it a Monster Hunter game with an unprecedented amount of verticality.

In combat, the Wirebugs are similar to, but vastly improve upon, the grappling hook and Clutch Claw introduced in Monster Hunter World and its Iceborne expansion, respectively. There were always a wide variety of weapons and gameplay styles to choose from in the series, but it was frustrating how often your movement speed was tied to your weapon. Never again.