So once you get to Chapter 4 in Monster Hunter Wilds, things get fun, because that’s when new monsters like Rathian start roaming around. You won’t get quests telling you that they are there. There are no notifications. You just have to explore and find them for yourself. Fortunately, Rathian likes to roam around, so you’ll see her show up in a lot of spots.
Where do I find the Rathian in Monster Hunter Wilds?
I like to think that you don’t find Rathian. Rathian finds you. She is everywhere in Monster Hunter Wilds, and will crash your party or start a fight with you if she sees you walking by.
Rathian hangs out in the Plains, Forest, and Basin! Every territory is hers, and she deserves it! I’ve found she’s most often found in the Forest or Basin. In the Forest, she likes to hang out near the lake where all the rivers meet in area 12. She’s often in the upper-most level of the Basin around area 2 and 3. While all information will be obscured the first time you see her icon on the map, her icon is very noticeable and she’s a distinctive-looking dragon.
Here are two screenshots I took to show you where to look for one:
As usual, defeating her unlocks an Optional quest at the Quest Counter. She’ll also show up at Wounded Hollow sometimes.
How do I beat a Rathian?
Rathian is typically a monster that will actually challenge you in Monster Hunter games, and that continues here. She only starts showing up in Chapter 4 and around when you’ve unlocked High Rank hunts and equipment. She’ll likely be at a four-star difficulty.
Approaching her from the front and back is dangerous. This is because of her fiery attacks, charges, kicks, and the fact that she’ll swing at you with her tail. She’ll also charge up for an AOE fire-based Fireblight attack. She’ll take flight and attack from above with tail slashes. She’ll poison you. You’ll also need to take into account her Weak Roar, which can stun you in the middle of a combo, or when she’s using her wings to apply Minor Wind Pressure and halt your assault.
Rathian is very weak against ammo-based, blunt, or slash damage done to her head, so that’s a good place to start. Just be cautious and avoid her spitting fire and her bites. If you’re afraid to attack from the front, attempting to sever the tail to make a rear assault safer is a good idea too. Thunder and Dragon-element weapons and attacks will also be successful. If you have a ranged weapon that can target the wings when she’s in the air, that can be great! Knock her out of the skies and earn yourself some Rathian Webbing in the process.
A Rathian can also succumb to most status effects in this entry. Poison is least likely to take hold, as you’d expect from a being that’s toxic herself. All types of traps and items will work too, except for Sonic Bombs.
One thing I recommend you be cautious about is a possible Rathalos appearance in the Forest. When she retreats and is on her last legs, she’ll head to an area in the canopy where the Rathian and Rathalos nest is. He might be there, and you’ll be in for a bad time trying to deal with both at once. (A large Dung Pod can help with that.)
Take your time. Don’t be afraid to fall back. Also, be ready to heal your possible poison or burns. You can do this.
What are the Rathian drops in Monster Hunter Wilds?
She has quite a few that will come in very handy, and targeting her tail to try and ensure some is a good idea! The Rathian Webbing and Rathian Scale+ are most common. Rathian Carapace and Rathian Spike+ are harder to get, though you’ll get the spike from the tail if you can sever it. The Inferno Sac, Toxin Sac, Rathian Ruby, and Rath Medulla are among the rarest items. However, the Rath Medulla and Rathian Ruby both can come from a severed tail. A Rathian Certificate will also be awarded upon a successful defeat.
Also interesting is you might be able to get an egg from a Rathian nest if you fight one in the Forest! However, you can’t just grab it and immediately get it in your bag. You actually have to carry it back to a camp, so that’s frustrating.
Some of the most difficult pieces of Rathian High Rank armor to make are the Rathian Mail, Rathian Vambrace, and Rathian Coil. The coil needs a certificate, a carapace, and a Rath Medulla. The vambraces need three Scale+ pieces, three carapaces, two Spike+ [arts, and two Toxin Sacs. (I recommend saving the Toxin Sac for forging a weapon with the Poison status effect instead.) Finally, the Rathian Mail needs a certificate, two Scale+ pieces, and a Rathian Ruby.
Monster Hunter Wilds is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
Published: Feb 27, 2025 07:35 am