Updated at: 09-03-2023 - By: Leo Hall
This list of the most difficult monsters in Monster Hunter World is great if you like a good challenge or are just curious.

Players who enter the Monster Hunter games unprepared for the most difficult monsters often face severe consequences.

A lot like the Dark Souls games and other difficult action RPGs, you’ll progress further if you carefully plot your attacks and study your opponents’ tells, weaknesses, and openings.

Here, we’ll rank the most challenging enemies you’ll face in Monster Hunter World.

Feel free to share your thoughts below if you think we missed your favorite monster or if you disagree with our ranking.

What is Monster Hunter World?

Capcom created and released Monster Hunter World, an action role-playing video game. After making your character and choosing a Palico to travel with you, the story has you joining an expedition on the Fifth Fleet headed to the New World of Astera. The Research Commission has already sent out four fleets in search of the Elder Dragons; these are formidable creatures whose very existence affects the climate.

The 10 Toughest Monsters In Monster Hunter World

This monster hunting business, why does it fall under the purview of the Research Commission? As members of the Hunter’s Guild, they are responsible for restoring ecological harmony when specific species populations grow uncontrollably large. Consider it “high-stakes” animal conservation. The population of these predators needs to be controlled because many of them are extremely dangerous.

This game has been extremely profitable for Capcom, which is an interesting fact to consider. Over 13 million copies have been sold, making it their all-time best-selling game. If you’re worried about starting this series now, know that you’re not alone; many readers have felt the same way.

Monster Hunter World Hardest Monsters

Anjanath

Typical behavior: trying to track you down

Players often view Anjanath as the story’s first “wall” because they haven’t faced anything nearly as formidable up to that point. Anjanath is a vicious predator that, like a T-rex, will use its mouth to breathe fire and gnaw on your flesh.

You can try to outrun Anjanath all you want, but he’s always right behind your heels. If you’re a new player and have only faced Kulu Ya Ku and Pukei-Pukei so far, this boss may seem insurmountable. However, Anjanath’s brash and aggressive demeanor is also its undoing, as its vulnerabilities are frequently displayed.

Azure Rathalos

Distinguishing feature: aversion to touching down

The Azure Rathalos is essentially a reskinned version of the regular Rathalos with some added behaviors that make it more difficult to kill. First of all, there is no gradual buildup to this monster’s hostility; it is immediately hostile the moment it detects your presence.

Second, it will spend most of the battle in the air, occasionally raining fire from above. Using flash pods greatly improves the odds of survival when facing off against an Azure Rathalos, but inexperienced hunters should still be prepared for a tough fight.

Lavasioth

Unique Selling Point: Invincible Lava Armor

Without a doubt, Lavasioth is one of the most vexing adversaries in the game, and it only gets more so as the difficulty level increases, especially in its Tempered form. Even though it’s essentially Jyuratodus with a new coat of paint, the switch from Water to Fire and the hellish lava cave setting make for a much more challenging battle.

In order to do serious damage to Lavasioth, you must first break off its armor and expose its skin. It constantly attacks with fireballs and runs around the battlefield. Lava on its body will start to harden, creating a new layer of armor if you don’t act quickly enough.

Uragaan

Typical behavior: a terrifying jaw slam

Uragaan, found in Elder’s Recess, is Radobaan’s more potent kin. What it lacks in spikes on its skeleton it makes up for in the sharp explosive fragments it leaves behind as it rolls around the battlefield, usually in your direction.

It can also be burned or put to sleep by the vapor jets that shoot out of its body. One should avoid getting too close to an Uragaan because of its jaw slamming attack, which can either knock one unconscious or deal significant damage.

Teostra

Typical Feature: Blood-red Death Flames

Teostra may not be as intimidating as his female love interest Lunastra, but he makes quick work of inexperienced players when it comes to carting hunters. He can cause massive supernova explosions and is prone to sending flame bursts in your direction.

Taking this guy down is difficult mainly because of how fast and vicious it is. You’ll learn to avoid Teostra’s attacks after some time of practice. But even then, you should stock up on defenses and bring plenty of potions.

Bazelgeuse

Explosive dive bombs are a defining characteristic.

Bazelgeuse’s favorite thing to do is to appear out of nowhere, swoop in and try to ruin your day in some way, whether by interrupting an encounter or by fighting you directly. In addition to being one of the game’s most powerful apex predators, it also has the ability to use a variety of different, frustrating special attacks.

While airborne, it can dive bomb straight at the player or rain shards down on the ground that will explode in massive explosions. It can shoot fireballs and detonate even more shards from its tail when it’s on the ground. Since Bazelgeuse is prone to Turf Wars, you can bet that everything will go wrong if you ever meet a Bazelgeuse in real life.

Black Diablos

Identification Trait: Monocular Vision

You’ve got nothing on Black Diablos, the erratic temperamental mate of the Diablos you’ve been fighting. The terrifying aspect of this version is that it keeps coming at you no matter how many times you defend yourself or deal damage.

Black Diablos’s attacks share similarities to those of a regular Diablos, but she has her own special quirks that give her greater range and make her attacks feel more random. It’s been said that Black Diablos are even more difficult to defeat than Elder Dragons for many players.

Xeno’jiva

Nuclear war is a trademark

Although the fight against Xeno’jiva isn’t the most complicated in the game, it can be difficult due to the length of time it takes because of the boss’s high health. The second half of the battle is the more challenging of the two.

As the second phase begins, Xeno’jiva will begin to redden and charge up, at which point it will become more aggressive and set off explosions all over the arena floor. You’ll be facing one of the game’s toughest enemies here, with many of their attacks having the potential to kill you in a single hit.

Deviljho

Dragons’ breath pickled in vinegar: a defining characteristic

Although it appears to be a generic monster, Deviljho packs as much punch as an Elder Dragon and can hold its own against many of the monsters on this list thanks to its extensive arsenal of moves. First, we’ll hit the high points: extremely robust, capable of inflicting enormous physical damage, and perpetually enraged.

Up to this point, we have the ingredients for the sort of monster you wouldn’t want to meet by chance in a back alley. What’s more, as the battle wears on, Deviljho will inevitably become more hostile, putting your patience and survival skills to the ultimate test.

Nergigante

A defining characteristic is sharp dives.

In Monster Hunter: World, Nergigante is one of the few ‘walls’ players will face, and with good reason; he enjoys the taste of other Elder Dragons. There’s a good chance you won’t make it through the fight the first, second, or even tenth time because you’ll probably be on your own.

Its signature dive-bomb, in which it leaps into the air and lunges at its target from a distance, is where Nergigante really shows its teeth. There is usually nowhere to take cover, so you must find a way to avoid getting hit by the initial blow and any falling objects.

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Hardest Monsters Rank - MHW Iceborne

Kushala Daora

Tornadoes that never seem to end are one of its defining characteristics.

Fighting Kushala Daora wouldn’t be so terrible if you weren’t constantly being pelted with tornadoes. The developers’ apparent goal of making your hunter appear as clumsy as possible comes across as sadistic.

The real challenge is working close enough to Kushala to make a difference before it takes off or blows you away with another tornado, even though none of its attacks deal massive damage. It’s impossible to turn it down without risking a headache, so flash pods are a necessity.

Kirin

Lightning is a defining characteristic.

Even though Kirin is an Elder Dragon, at first glance it doesn’t seem particularly intimidating. But if you challenge it, you’ll find out firsthand why it’s so frightening in combat. The only vulnerable part of the creature is the horn on its head, which it can protect by encasing in an electrical field.

Adding to the difficulty is the fact that it is constantly moving around the battlefield and has the potential to trigger lightning storms in the area. Staggering it is your best bet, but even that could result in a lightning strike.

Lunastra

Distinctive feature: blue death flames

Teostra’s flame-spewing flame, Lunastra, is an Elder Dragon who is more powerful than her male counterpart in every way. When her blue flames come into contact with you, they will deplete your health faster than you can heal.

Also, she’s more likely to cause huge “supernova” explosions, meaning you’ll have to keep your distance for the duration of the battle. And if that weren’t bad enough, trying to use a flash pod on Lunastra will cause her to immediately go supernova.

Kulve Taroth

Identifying feature: Lava flows throughout the ground.

Kulve Taroth is one of the few raid bosses to appear in every Monster Hunter game, and he also happens to be one of the largest Elder Dragons in the series’ lore. It has the highest health bar in the game, so it will take a lot of consistent attacks from multiple hunting parties before it runs away.

While the initial stages of the encounter pose little threat, the climactic stages pose significant danger. When Kulve loses its skin, it gains speed and becomes more aggressive. In addition, this section takes place in a tight cave with teammates who are also frantically scurrying about, all while trying to stay alive.

Behemoth

distinguishing feature: a meteor shower to end all meteor showers

Behemoth is the most difficult boss to defeat in the Final Fantasy crossover event. There are a few reasons for this, the most important being that you’ll be able to create the game’s strongest armor set statistically.

It’s also very difficult to succeed with a ragtag group because the fight is optimized for coordinated teams. Behemoth’s many attacks and phases are meant to throw you off your game, so expect things to go from bad to worse at some point during any encounter with him.

Rathian

She is the queen of the land and the female counterpart to Rathalos. The Rathian is happy to welcome a player with fire and poison.

Protection from fire is helpful, and her poison attacks can be stopped by, well, chopping off her tail.

Chameleons

When it comes to unique skills, chameleons have it all. This Elder Dragon can steal from players, make themselves invisible, and even poison them.

Players will need to lop off his tail and crack his horn to permanently end his ability to blend in with his surroundings. The catch is that you can only sever his tail when he has 30% health or less and deal Dragon-type damage to break his horn.

Tigrex

Tigrex is a Flying Wyvern, but he spends most of his time on the ground, where he will relentlessly attack players until one of them dies. His attacks are powerful and have respectable range, but his charge has the potential to catch opponents off guard.

Move to the side and give yourself some room to avoid his attacks. You’ll have some breathing room in case he turns around and charges you again. The Tigrex, aggressive as he may be, has a tell you can use to your advantage and a heavy bias toward charging you down.

Zinogre

The Zinogre is a swift and dangerous Fanged Wyvern that combines the ferocity of an Odogaron with the lightning power of a Kirin. Some of his attacks gain lightning properties when he’s supercharged.

You can better handle Zinogre if you’ve planned for how to deal with Thunderblight. When used in Iceborne, the Thunderproof Mantle is effective as intended. You can predict most of his moves, so long as you play it safe, you should be fine.

Glavenus

In the form of a T-rex with a massive sword for a tail, Glavenus can launch devastating attacks from great distances, especially when his tail is illuminated. Also, he’s an aggressive Brute Wyvern.

However, your damage will only enter the severe range when Glavenus’ tail is lit up, so keep that in mind if you decide to concentrate on that. Massive damage can also be inflicted by setting off an explosion in his firecharged throat.

Vaal Hazak

All that Effluvium around this Elder Dragon not only feeds him, but also severely weakens you. Vaal Hazak is where you’ll spend most of your time, and it’s full of acid pools that can quickly deplete your health.

Vaal Hazak plans his beam attack in advance while ‘playing dead,’ so to speak. In order to counteract the effects of Effluvial Buildup, you should eat some Nulberries, while wearing three Miasma gems will provide you with complete immunity.

Valstrax

We never imagined a world in which a dragon with a jetpack would be considered cool. This was followed by the introduction of Valtrex. This Elder Dragon is quick, aggressive, and armed to the teeth with a plethora of attacks, allowing it to deal with foes at both close and long range.

His repertoire of moves is impressive, but his tells are easy to pick up on once you get to know him. There are a number of delicate areas on Valstrax, including his head, front claws, back, chest, and wings. You can even lop off his tail if you want.

Brachydios

Brachydios, known as the Brute Wyvern of Exploding Fists, enjoys nothing more than pummeling unsuspecting players senseless with his slime-covered fists and head. In addition, he leaves slime prints that explode after a set amount of time and do damage on contact.

Until he chooses to reapply it, the slime on his hands can be removed with Water-type weapons. If his hands are broken, the slime will be used up faster.

Barioth

Barioth is a deadly Flying Wyvern who flies at incredible speeds and enjoys pounce attacks. When enraged, he transforms into a real-life speed demon, leaving very little room for the player to maneuver, much less kill him.

If you manage to break the spikes on his wings, he will lose some of his flight capability. Bring Fire-type weapons to gain an elemental advantage over him.

Namielle

Just because she looks stunning doesn’t mean she is. The game’s fastest one-hit KO special can be found on Namielle, a powerful Elder Dragon. If you get hit by one of Namielle’s many attacks while she has a pool of water around her, you risk contracting Waterblight. She also wields lightning attacks, which are bolstered by her puddles, and can inflict Thunderblight.

Since Namielle is vulnerable to Fire and Blast attacks, you can use Brightmoss to clear away some of the water. Avoid her like the plague if you see her revving up for a Supernova.

Rajang

When it reaches its “Super Saiyan” state, the Rajang, a fanged beast with anger management issues, goes completely insane. It takes some skill to defeat him, what with his high mobility and aggressive moveset.

The damage from his elemental attacks can be reduced by wearing clothing that is resistant to lightning. For improved energy conservation and dodging skills, you should also become proficient with weapons featuring high mobility, such as dual blades. Since his head is vulnerable, you should aim your attacks at it. To help the fight go more smoothly, use weapons that deal blast damage.

Gore Magala

Gore Magala, the main attraction of Monster Hunter 4, is a wyvern unlike any other; unlike his mature form, Shagaru Magala, he is not an Elder Dragon despite sharing many of their traits. His aggression and the Frenzy Virus he can infect you with make him a formidable foe. The virus prevents you from healing and weakens your defenses.

Gore Magala’s attacks can be seen coming a mile away, but he has a fast recovery time. If your weapon permits it, a hit-and-run strategy can be effective. In order to reduce the impact of the Frenzy Virus, you should deal steady damage to Gore Magala while avoiding his more destructive attacks.

Fatalis

The Elder Dragon is the game’s ultimate boss at the end of Iceborne and, interestingly enough, the last online boss in the original Monster Hunter. The monstrous fire breather Fatalis has almost exclusively one-hit kill moves at his disposal. Once again, the Iceborne version will be under scrutiny.

You’ll need to be familiar with the arena and with Fatalis’ attack patterns in order to survive this battle. Because Fatalis uses some of his fire breath attacks up close, melee fighters need to be quick on their feet whenever they go on the offensive against him.

Here, siege weapons play a crucial role; however, be aware that Fatalis has an increased chance of killing the person controlling the siege weapon. You can avoid the first two Novas by taking cover, and the remaining three by circling them and escaping from the back. By breaking Fatalis’ head twice, you can reduce the strength of his attacks. In addition, he will unconsciously flinch at every other Dragon Pod shot at him.

Alatreon

This Elder Dragon, a master of all elements, is the one opponent you will likely face in which strategy is crucial. Since Iceborne’s Alatreon is the most up-to-date, we’ll be analyzing it here.

If you haven’t met the prerequisites, Alatreon’s Eschaton Judgement will one-shot you due to its elemental DPS check. If his horns aren’t shattered during Dragon Active, he’ll transform into the opposite element, significantly upping the difficulty of this battle.

Determine Alatreon’s initial element by learning the name of the quest he is currently undergoing. If he starts in Fire Active, you should use Ice weapons, and vice versa. His horns are easily broken after he enters Dragon Active mode. Unless they are broken in time, he will switch to the opposing element. It will be more challenging for you to deal enough elemental DPS to counter his Eschaton Judgement as a result. One strategy is to grab his claws and try to ram his head into a wall. Finally, if you want to make it through the Eschaton Judgement alive, be sure to snack on some Astera Jerky at just the right time.

Monster Hunter: World - 10 Hardest Monsters (And How To Beat Them) – Page 9

Choosing a weapon best for you

Early in the tutorial, you’ll be given the option to select your first weapon. Since this isn’t a permanent decision, pick something that interests you. It’s fine to switch weapons if you find that the one you picked doesn’t suit your play style. In Monster Hunter World, you can choose from fourteen unique kinds of weapons. Do you have the dexterity of a dancer and the precision of a Lancer to skirt around an opponent and stab at their vulnerabilities? Perhaps you’re more of a Hammer type of person. Or maybe you’re the one who raises a special kind of insect and then uses a Glaive to direct it in battle. In any case, there is bound to be something that interests you. The full catalog of available arms is as follows:

  • Bow
  • Bowgun with a Low Recoil
  • Armament: Bow and Arrow
  • The Blade Is Ready to Charge!
  • Blades on both ends
  • A Mighty Blade
  • Gunlance
  • Hammer
  • Horn for Hunting
  • A Glaive for Insects
  • Lance
  • Blade Length
  • Blade Changer
  • Armor and weaponry

Find out about the various tweaks and new abilities being added to these weapons in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. These tweaks and the new Clutch Claw are compatible with the existing game data.

Each type of weapon has countless possible iterations. The performance of a Great Sword made from Anjanath bones will differ from that of a sword made from steel, but which do you prefer? To a large extent, it could be determined by your goals. Keep in mind that the strengths and weaknesses of various monsters make different weapons more effective against various beasts. That doesn’t mean you have to swap out your gear after every hunt, but it is something to think about. Locate the Training Grounds on your map for target practice. Asking your housekeeper for directions is another option.

Arekkz Gaming’s YouTube guides are the best resource for learning the finer points of each weapon, as he demonstrates the weapons in action and demonstrates each weapon’s special combos.

But beyond that, the single most crucial thing is to have top-notch equipment. The importance of regularly upgrading your machinery cannot be overstated. You need better armor and weapons to go on harder hunts, so make sure you’re investing in those. Sign up for bounties in between quests to earn more rewards and more quickly level your equipment. Keep an eye out for monster bones, and loot the bodies of your kills for souvenirs. Stockpile everything you can, because making some of the best weapons and armor requires a lot of resources. You should enjoy going to the Smithy more than anything else.

How multiplayer works in Monster Hunter World

Mastering Monster Hunter World’s multiplayer mode is a significant challenge. There are a few things you need to do to prepare for big hunts with your pals. Get the hang of the game by completing the tutorial missions first; if you want to jump right into multiplayer, you won’t be able to do so until then. The next step is to choose Create an Online Session when loading your game save. After starting the game, go to the menu and select Invite a Friend from the Communication submenu.

Once you’ve reached that point, you can begin your questing adventures together. Take into account your Hunter Rank, though. A higher-level Hunter can join a lower-level Hunter on a quest, but not vice versa. If your friend is Hunter Rank 5 and you are Hunter Rank 12, you can assist them with a quest but they cannot assist you.

Collaboration on expeditions is possible, albeit somewhat inconvenient. One player must initially set out on the mission and release the SOS flare. A passcode should be used if you do not want random players to join your game. Then, ask a friend to look for your quest on the Quest Board.

How to prepare for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne isn’t going to be hard to get to, technically speaking. In Monster Hunter World, getting to Hunter Rank 16 and completing the main story path are both simple requirements. If you haven’t already, please make that your top priority. There is still work to be done before players can truly consider themselves ready for the expansion’s new content.

Capcom notes that two mantles, the Iceproof and the Temporal, will be useful during this expansion. The former mitigates effects of ice and removes Iceblight, while the latter helps you take less damage overall. The utility of these two mantles should be self-evident, given that many of the new creatures in Iceborne share an icy theme.

The next step is to test your mettle against some Tempered Monsters. Due to their superior health, damage output, and occasionally unique attacks, these enemies present the greatest difficulty in the game’s initial stages. Defeating these monsters will net you special loot like Streamstones and Streamstone Shards. They can be used to further augment your equipment, giving you a significant advantage over the tough monsters you’ll face in Iceborne.

Which reminds me: this expansion adds a whole bunch of scary new monsters to kill. A variety of new and recurring monsters from previous games are included on the list. The complete list that has been made public is available right here, along with our other Iceborne guides.

  • Monsters that live in the icy wastes of Monster Hunter World.
  • Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Update List of New Armor
  • Updated weapons for Monster Hunter: Iceborne are listed.
  • Changes introduced in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

Iceborne’s Steamworks minigame and Lynian Research

The new Iceborne base in Monster Hunter World features some fun new minigames for players to try out. The Steamworks building is the first of its kind. Once a player reaches Mastery Level 3, they gain access to the Steamworks area. It’s a guessing game in which your objective is to correctly identify the inputs for three buttons chosen at random. The more closely you guess the concealed correct sequence, the better the rewards you’ll receive. Each time you go on a hunt, you bring back fuel for the Steamworks, and you can also convert specific items into fuel. As examples of the wide variety of rewards, we can mention the Armor Sphere , the Max Potion, and the Celestial Wyvern Print.

You must locate the Lynian Researcher in Seliana to begin the minigame of Lynian Research. He’ll hand you a camera and have you take 20 photos of various outdoor subjects for him. Both the original game and its expansion feature a wide variety of environments, some of which are home to Grimalkynes and others to flora and fauna of varying sizes.

Adventure is out there

There’s a ton of material to explore in Monster Hunter World. It’s easy to feel daunted by the prospect of making this journey, especially in light of the addition of the Iceborne expansion. Do not give up hope! You can have a good time, eliminate some monsters, and discover a new and exciting part of the world. More practice with various weapons and armor will help you hone your skills and increase your effectiveness in battle. On September 6, 2019, Monster Hunter: World: Iceborne will be released.