Best Monsties Tier List
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This is a tier list for the best Monsties in Monster Hunter Stories 3 (MHS 3). Learn which Monsties are the best to have in the game.
| Monster/Monstie Guides | ||
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| All Monsties | Monster Weaknesses | Best Monsties |
List of Contents
Best Monsties Tier List
 Attention! |
This list does not include all of the Monsties, specifically those in lower brackets. Consider leaving your opinion in the Comment Section!
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under the page's title to be notified of any updates!Best Monsties
| Tier | Monsties List |
|---|---|
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 Espinas Type: Power Element: Fire  Namielle Type: Technical Element: Water  Malzeno Type: Speed Element: Dragon  Velkhana Type: Technical Element: Ice  Great Poogie Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Deviljho Type: Power Element: Dragon  Boltreaver Astalos Type: Technical Element: Thunder  Brute Tigrex Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Magnamalo Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental  Dreadqueen Rathian Type: Speed Element: Fire |
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 Dreadking Rathalos Type: Power Element: Fire  Brachydios Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Green Nargacuga Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental  Lunagaron Type: Speed Element: Ice  Purple Gypceros Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Silverwind Nargacuga Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental  Thunderlord Zinogre Type: Power Element: Thunder  Ivory Lagiacrus Type: Speed Element: Thunder  Red Khezu Type: Technical Element: Thunder  Bloodbath Diablos Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental |
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 Stygian Zinogre Type: Technical Element: Dragon  Rey Dau Type: Speed Element: Thunder  Deadeye Yian Garuga Type: Speed Element: Fire  Aurora Somnacanth Type: Technical Element: Ice  Azure Rathalos Type: Power Element: Fire  Hellblade Glavenus Type: Speed Element: Fire  Grimclaw Tigrex Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Lagiacrus Type: Power Element: Thunder  Soulseer Mizutsune Type: Speed Element: Water  Astalos Type: Technical Element: Thunder  Ajarakan Type: Technical Element: Fire  Diablos Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Black Diablos Type: Power Element: Non-Elemental  Nargacuga Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental  Barioth Type: Technical Element: Ice |
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 Canyne Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental  Zinogre Type: Speed Element: Thunder  Glavenus Type: Speed Element: Fire  Legiana Type: Speed Element: Ice  Tigrex Type: Speed Element: Non-Elemental  Sand Barioth Type: Technical Element: Non-Elemental  Mizutsune Type: Technical Element: Water  Pink Rathian Type: Speed Element: Fire  Seregios Type: Technical Element: Non-Elemental  Almudron Type: Power Element: Water  Ratha Type: Power Element: Fire  Bishaten Type: Technical Element: Non-Elemental  Tobi-Kadachi Type: Speed Element: Thunder |
Espinas is the Best Status Monstie
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
Espinas
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How to Get: Obtain in Bountiful Dunes or make the Secret Espinas in Azuria retreat ✓ Can inflict both Paralysis and Noxious Poison and Paralysis ✓ High Overall Stats ✓ Low Stamina Use ✕ Low Starting Stamina ✕ Can be difficult to obtain |
Espinas single-handedly is the best Monstie to include if you need inflicting premium Status Ailments: Paralysis and Noxious Poison. Not only does it have high base stats, it effectively whittles down the enemy monster's health while keeping your turn economy positive with paralysis.
Furthermore, all of its skills have low stamina costs to use, which allows you to prioritize building kinship with Solar Cry. However, it can be challenging to obtain him early on in the game, which is its main negative factor.
Namielle is a Versatile Elder Dragon
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
Namielle
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How to Get: Defeat Namielle as a Boss ✓ Can use both Water and Thunder attacks ✓ Strong Buff Application ✓ High Overall Stats, Especially HP ✕ Can be slightly difficult to obtain |
Namielle is the earliest Elder Dragon you can encounter, spawning in Mirror Lake of Azuria. Aside from high stats, it also has access to the Storm Veil skill, which can grant 4 buffs in total: Water Attack Up, Thunder Attack Up, Wyvernfell Up, and Defense Up to the user.
Furthermore, all of its skills have low stamina costs to use, which allows you to prioritize building kinship with Solar Cry. However, it can be challenging to obtain him early on in the game, which is its main negative factor.
Malzeno Provides High Dragon Damage
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
Malzeno
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How to Get: Defeat Malzeno as a Boss ✓ Provides AoE Dragon Damage While Applying Debuff ✓ High Overall Stats ✓ Self-Sustaining Monstie ✕ Central Skill Has Relatively High Level Requirements |
Malzeno is a self-sufficient unit thanks to its Night Parasites skill, which heals itself based on the damage it deals. Its main selling point, Nightmare Cradle, is an AoE Dragon attack that also applies Attack Down to enemies. However, this is unlocked at level 65, well into the endgame.
Since it mainly deals dragon damage, it is very useful against many endgame bosses, inluding the final boss, Aenshin.
Velkhana Deals Very High Ice Damage
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
Velkhana
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How to Get: Defeat Velkhana as a Boss ✓ High Attack Power ✓ Skills Inflict Debuffs ✓ High Power Relative to Stamina Use ✕ Difficult to Obtain |
Velkhana is the Elder Dragon in Serathis, and can take a while to completely defeat. However, it is one of the best ice monsties in the game as it provides high damage relative to its stamina costs.
Additionally, its Icicle Breath and Icicle Storm skills can apply Defense Down and Accuracy Down respectively.
Great Poogie
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
Great Poogie
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How to Get: Collect All Poogies ✓ Boasts one of the Highest Attack Power and Speed ✓ Access to Audacious Tackle ✓ High Power Relative to Stamina Use ✕ Difficult to Obtain ✕ Low defenses |
The Great Poogie, which is obtained through the tedious task of finding all the Poogies, is one of the best Monsties in the game due to one thing: Audacious Tackle. That skill trivializes most of the endgame fights if set up correctly.
Additionally, its highly maxed out Attack and Speed stats is nothing to scoff at!.
Deviljho Depletes Wyvernsoul Fast
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
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Deviljho
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How to Get: Obtain in Old Capital Road or make the Secret Deviljho in Canalta Timberland retreat ✓ High Dragon Damage ✓ High Overall Stats and Wyvernsoul ✓ Low Stamina Use ✕ Effectively weak to the Dragon element ✕ Can be difficult to obtain |
Deviljho is the best Monstie to have if you prefer duking it out with enemy monsties, as its stat distribution on HP, Defense, and Attack allows it to effectively trade blows.
However, the reason for including him is his massive damage to Wyvernsoul with Dragonblast, allowing you to quickly stagger and topple Monsters!
Boltreaver Astalos is worth the Habitat Restoration Effort
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
Boltreaver Astalos
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How to Get: You'll need to fend off an Invasive Seregio at the northwest part of Mirror Lake, which can be accessed by using the updrafts to reach the isolated mountain area. Once you defeat Seregios and obtain the Astalos' Egg, you'll need to mutate it by raising its habitat region to A **in an area with 3 thunder monsters in a region with the lightning element. ✓ Has access to Paralysis and Solar Cry ✓ Strong Kinship skill especially with Solar Cry ✓ High Starting Stamina, Attack and Critical Rate ✕ Low Stamina Recovery and Defense ✕ Weak to Fire |
Boltreaver Astalos requires you to do some side trekking to obtain a base Astalos and complete Habitat Restoration to mutate it into a Boltreaver Astalos. However, the benefits of having a Boltreaver Astalos are more than enough for the effort it takes.
Boltreaver Astalos can be specced into Critical Damage while also being tanky and speedy! Furthermore, Ray Blade+ is a strong Lightning skill that consistently inflicts Paralysis!
How to Get Astalos and Weaknesses
Brute Tigrex is an Upgrade for Disables
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
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Brute Tigrex
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How to Get: Reach Rank A with Tigrex on any Habitat ✓ Has access to Stuns and Composure ✓ High Stats Across the Board ✕ Extremely Weak to Water |
Brute Tigrex is the direct upgrade to the Purple Gypceros, which was the king of Stun. Reverberating Roar is essentially an AoE Tail Stun, which stops enemies from using their moves. This skill only needs 5 more stamina to use while also having more power!
Furthermore, its stat spread allows it to consistently go first in the turn order while being able to dish out high amounts of damage. You would think this comes at the cost of survivability, but they also have pretty decent health and stamina to boot! Its only weakness so far is its high weakness to the Water Element.
Magnamalo is the Best for Burst
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
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Magnamalo
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How to Get: Reach Rank A with Tigrex on any Habitat ✓ Quickly detonates Blastblight ✓ High Starting Stamina ✓ Highly Balanced Stats ✕ Extremely Weak to Water |
Out of all the Blastblight inflicters, Magnamalo is the best one to use since its Hellfire Retribution allows it to pop it earlier, which translates to massive burst damage in subsequent terms. Furthermore, its stat spread is so positively balanced that it can fit into any team, either being a tank or a full on attacker!
Dreadqueen Rathian Carries Until the Endgame
| Monstie | Details |
|---|---|
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Dreadqueen Rathian
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How to Get: Rathian or Pink Rathian's Ecosystem Rank S and requires at least 3 Poison Monsters in the habitat ✓ Has access to Severe Poison ✓ High Starting Stamina, HP and Attack stats ✓ Easily Obtained ✕ Low Stamina Recovery |
Dreadqueen Rathian has a strong AoE attack that can also inflict severe poison while dealing decent damage. Couple that with its high base stats and the ability to inflict burn as well and its an extremely strong status ailment DoT Monstie with just its base genes.
It's also automatically unlocked after progressing the main mission and releasing a rathian via Habitat Restoration which makes it easy to get as a Monstie.
Habitat Restoration Guide: How to Restore Habitats
Monstie Tier List Explanation
SS Tier
| Jump to a Tier! | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Monsties | Explanation |
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Espinas
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・ Access to Venom Flame, which has a chance to inflict two of the best status ailments ・ High HP and Attack ・ Resistant to the most common elements. |
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Namielle
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・ High Overall Stats, especially HP ・ Can grant 4 Buffs to the user. ・ Can use both Water and Thunder damage. |
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Malzeno
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・ High Overall Stats ・ Heals itself while dealing damage ・ Applies Attack Down to enemies. |
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Velkhana
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・ One of the Highest ice damage in the game ・ Overall high damage relative to stamina use ・ High HP and Attack |
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Deviljho
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・Has one of the highest attack and HP in the game. ・Strong counter to Elder Dragons ・Sustains already high HP with Dragon Eater |
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Boltreaver Astalos
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・DPS oriented due to high Attack, Speed, and Critical Chance ・High survivability stats across the board ・Access to Paralysis and Blue Plasma |
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Brute Tigrex
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・Better offensive and defensive stat distribution than Grimclaw Tigrex ・Access to Defense Down ・Can apply Stun at Lv. 50, an upgraded version of Purple Gypceros |
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Magnamalo
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・Both offensively and defensively sound stat-wise ・Access to Blastblight while having the means to quickly detonate it |
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Dreadqueen Rathian
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・Best Early Game Monstie ・Access to Severe Poison ・Resistance to Dragon, which is the endgame |
S Tier
| Jump to a Tier! | |||
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| Monsties | Explanation |
|---|---|
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Dreadking Rathalos
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・All stats are above average, with its attack being one of the highest. ・Held back by its Dragon weakness |
 Arkveld
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・Deals high dragon damage ・Can boost its own attack and inflict Wyvernsoul Defense Down to enemies |
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Brachydios
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・Both offensively and defensively sound stat-wise ・Access to Blastblight ・Unlike Dreadking Rathian, it has no means of accelerating Blastblight |
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Green Nargacuga
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・More defensively oriented Nargacuga ・Has access to an AoE Stun |
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Lunagaron
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・Currently the best Ice Monstie due to its Crescent Strike ・Can self-buff its Ice Attack damage |
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Purple Gypceros
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・Earliest access to Stun ・Consistent Poison procs ・Its stats do not hold a candle to the other monsters on the list. |
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Silverwind Nargacuga
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・Boasts the highest speed alongside its subspecies ・20% base Critical Hit ・Has a two-turn free dodge with White Shadow. |
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Thunderlord Zinogre
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・Highest Lightning damage due to Thundercall ・Access to a Lightning damage buff |
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Ivory Lagiacrus
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・Most positively balanced, stat-wise ・Focuses on AoE Lightning attacks that can paralyze ・Has access to an Attack (L) debuff with Royal Decree |
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Red Khezu
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・One of the best setup monsters with Thunder Trap ・Focuses on AoE Lightning attacks that can paralyze |
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Bloodbath Diablos
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・Takes Diablos already high offense through the charts ・Non-Elem AoE coverage, allowing for general use ・Abysmal survivability as you also receive recoil damage |
A Tier
| Jump to a Tier! | |||
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| Monsties | Explanation |
|---|---|
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Stygian Zinogre
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・Has one of the best high single-target Dragon skills ・Held back by poor resistance. |
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Rey Dau
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・Solid overall stats. ・Access to Stamina Surge. ・High skill costs. |
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Deadeye Yian Garuga
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・Has access to Severe Poison, but at a higher level ・Can inflict Wyvernsoul Defense Down ・Slightly frail |
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Aurora Somnacanth
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・One of the stronger mid-game Monsties ・Most monsters are weak to Ice during that stage of the game |
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Azure Rathalos
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・Highest attack in the game, but[ lowest defense in the game ・Pretty solid HP, but shines in staggering and skipping turns ・Needs investment to properly utilize |
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Hellblade Glavenus
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・Highest attack in the game, but[ lowest defense in the game ・Pretty solid HP, but shines in staggering and skipping turns ・Needs investment to properly utilize |
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Grimclaw Tigrex
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・Better stats than Hellblade Glavenus ・It being Non-Elemental makes it useful in most scenarios. ・High-damage skills, but low accuracy. |
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Lagiacrus
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・More defense-oriented than its variant ・Focuses on AoE Lightning attacks that can paralyze |
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Soulseer Mizutsune
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・Great as an offensitve tank ・Able to cover Water weakness while inflicting burn. |
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Astalos
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・A little bit more defense-oriented than Boltreaver Astalos ・Focuses on AoE Lightning attacks that can paralyze |
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Ajarakan
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・Earliest access to Blastblight ・Stats are on the lower side apart from its balanced Health and Attack |
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Diablos
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・Stats are highly balanced ・Skills are centered around sacrificing health |
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Black Diablos
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・A little bit more offense-oriented than Diablos ・Lower in spot than its base form since its lower survivability weakens its sacrifice health mechanic |
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Nargacuga
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・Has a skill that increases Critical ・Better to instead move its skill to its mutations due to stat spread. |
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Barioth
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・Focuses on AoE Ice Damage and tanky ・Outshone by Lunagaron as the best Ice Monstie in Serathis for both stats and skills |
B Tier
| Jump to a Tier! | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Monsties | Explanation |
|---|---|
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Canyne
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・Great for Overworld Exploration ・High Speed and Defense Stats ・Has access to secret areas through Ground Dive. |
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Zinogre
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・High single-target Lightning damage with access to paralysis ・Low stamina usage ・Above average stats, but there are better Lightning monsters stat-wise. |
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Glavenus
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・Less risk than Hellblade Glavenus, but no means of boosting Critical ・Stats are inclined for offense, but survivability is nothing to scoff at |
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Legiana
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・Safe in terms of stats, consistent Ice Monster ・Skills are lacking in bonuses and flavor. |
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Tigrex
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・Non-Elemental Jack-of-all-Trades ・Very low accuracy on the most damaging skill |
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Sand Barioth
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・Mostly the same as Barioth with strong Non-Elemental Coverage instead of Ice ・Beefy and tanky ・Outclassed by the other Non-Elemental Monsters above. |
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Mizutsune
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・Has access to a massive self-buff skill. ・Is outshined by Soulseer Mizutsune's offensive stats, but is more defensively inclined. |
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Pink Rathian
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・While strong early, it is overshadowed by better Fire monsters stat-wise ・Focuses on AoE Fire attacks that can burn. |
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Seregios
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・Stats are balanced, but slightly leaning towards offense. ・Access to Bleed and Critical Hits, but stats hold it back. |
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Almudron
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・Only means of applying Mudblight, which deals continuous Water damage per turn ・Balanced stats across the board |
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Ratha
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・The same as Rathalos, solid Fire coverage and balanced stats ・Weaker than both its subspecies |
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Bishaten
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・Can inflict a series of Status Ailments with Fruit Frenzy, which makes it a strong disabler ・Okay stats, but poor resistances |
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Tobi-Kadachi
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・Solid Lightning-based Monstie that can last until mid-game ・Falls off stat-wise, but can apply Paralysis |
Monstie Tier List Criteria
| Tier | Criteria |
|---|---|
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Boasts the highest stats and innately has access to moves that deal both damage and apply strong status ailments. Furthermore, they do not need as much preparation with the Rite of Chanelling to strengthen. |
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Has high stats and skills that can be built around. However, they require a little bit of effort in terms of channeling the right genes. |
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Holds decent stats, often fully favoring either offense or defense. However, their skills, while strong, can be better when channeled with the right genes or monsters. |
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The ones included here are strong due to unique skill niches and okay stats, but are clearly outclassed by the higher tiers. They require significant effort to be effective in the endgame! |
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Why is Arkveld not on here?