Monster Hunter Generations is bringing Rajang back, so be ready

In a few weeks, we will be able to immerse ourselves in Monster Hunter Generations. There will be new creatures to face and tactics to employ. But, that doesn’t mean we’re safe. We’re never safe, because Rajang will never leave us. Rajang is going to be back for Monster Hunter Generations and we need to be ready.

If you have the fortune of never having faced a Rajang, I envy you. This abomination has been part of Monster Hunter since Monster Hunter 2 on the PlayStation 2. He has never been a flagship monster, but he’s certainly changed our lives forever. It’s a great, furred beast that’s some sort of unholy gorilla, lion and ram hybrid. A Rajang is fast, aggressive, deadly and ready to leap around areas with a spinning triple jump, tremor attack and near-lethal headbutt. In short, this guy can ruin your day.

Did I mention Monster Hunter Rajangs spit lightning? Because they do. Electrical beams and balls fly straight out of their mouths. Because, you know, they weren’t a nightmare already.

Essentially, it’s the worst sort of chimera and, ever since the star threat system was introduced, it’s been assigned six stars. I know, six stars may not exactly sound scary, but think of it this way. This is a creature that could just show up during a G1 or G2 quest in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Meanwhile, another six star monster from that very game is the flagship Gogmazios Elder Dragon; it only shows up for the Guild “Quagmire Quarrel” and “Act of Gog” quests. The Rajang is the brutal party crasher ready to muck up hunts, whether he’s the star of them or not.

And, as I mentioned earlier, he’s crashing the party in Monster Hunter Generations. This means you need to respect his power and remember how to handle him. To start, you need to go in prepared. Have potions at the ready, as well as some whetstones. When enraged, armor mode can take effect. Only a purple sharpness weapon can damage his arms at this point and they’re one of the best and easiest places to hit. Equipping armor with thunder resistance is a must, due to its electrical attacks, taking along earplugs will protect you from his roar and an ice element weapon will exploit one of his weaknesses. He’s also susceptible to poison, so exploit that if you can with at least 10 poison daggers in your inventory. Finally, have some Flash Bombs and Pitfall Traps, because both work against him.

The Monster Hunter Rajang is the sort of diabolical being where you always need to be on guard. He’ll telegraph his lightning attack, rock throws and bounding maneuvers with movements and sounds, like a whistle. Your best bet is to be ready to dodge and stay at his sides constantly, running in and out to chip away at his health whenever an opportunity arises. Facing him head-on is asking for him to ram or blast you; you don’t want that.

You might actually want a Rajang to get enraged. Sure, he’ll be stronger, but a he’ll be slightly slower when it’s mad. It’s also the only time he’ll fall for Pitfall Traps. Stay at his sides and, if you’re really afraid, break his tail when he’s enraged. It’ll keep him from flying into further rages. But really, it may be better to leave him be, because you can sometimes get longer windows to beat down on this bugger when he’s mad.

You’ll also want to keep certain areas of Monster Hunter‘s Rajang in mind for parts. You have to break both of its horns for a Rajang Hardhorn and tail for Rajang Tail. There’s also a very good chance of getting a Large Beast Tear as a shiny drop. As for items like a Rajang Hardclaw, Hardfang or Wildpelt, all three have varying drop rates from standard body carves after a battle. (They can also be acquired as a capture reward.) Going for a horn or tail will prove most difficult, but at least you’re guaranteed either item for managing to break the respective body parts.

There’s one final thing to remember. The Rajang is a monster that can contract the Frenzy Virus and enter an Apex State upon overcoming it. You may want to have Wystones on hand, in case this happens, because the Rajang is even more terrifying in this form. You can only inflict damage to its head, arms and tail at this point, and traps won’t be effective against it. Breaking its tail won’t keep it from getting enraged. Also, it can enter into armor mode without being enraged. You’ll need your sharpest wits and weapons to defeat an Apex State Rajang; it can be a long, wild ride.

We won’t know exactly how or when Rajangs will appear in Monster Hunter Generations. All we know is that they’ll be there when the game comes to the Nintendo 3DS on July 15, 2016. If you keep all of these facts and hints in mind, you might have a chance at surviving an encounter with one and coming away with some rather handy materials for your trouble. Now might be the perfect time to go back to Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, take on some of the Rajang quests there and be sure you’re in top form for our most fearsome opponent’s reappearance.