Summary
Now thatMonster Hunter Riseis available on PC, new players will be testing their hunting skills against the most vicious monsters in the series yet. The newest installment of the beloved franchise sticks to the series' roots as players endlessly battle large monsters, carve them for materials, and craft new armor and weapons.
For new players on PC or those who have sunk in hundreds of hours on the Nintendo Switch version, there’s always a hunger for a challenge. Luckily,Monster Hunter Risehas no shortage of boss fights that will leave players scurrying for your health items. These monsters are some of the toughest the franchise has ever had to offer.
Updated June 04, 2025, by Blaise Santi:Fans of the Monster Hunter franchise are excited about the series' next installment,Monster Hunter Wilds. In preparation for the new title, longtime fans of the series may be returning to the most recent game, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, while new fans might also be downloading it for the first time to see what the series has to offer. However, some monsters that appear in the game through DLC and free updates were exclusive to various entries in the series, like Monster Hunter World or Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. These additional monsters may be unfamiliar, and therefore harder, for hunters who aren’t as familiar with the series' history, but these tips will help players take them down.
First Game Appearance
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
The Seregios first appeared back in the 3DS titleMonster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and brought with it a new ailment to throw hunters off: Bleeding. Since the dragon possesses incredibly sharp scales that it can fire like darts, players who get stabbed with them will slowly lose health. They can only prevent it by eating a Well-Done Steak or by crouching for a certain amount of time.
Bleeding aside, the Seregios still proves to be one of the toughest, albeit most entertaining, fights of the franchise. It reprises this role inMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, adding to the mayhem by appearing in maps like Sandy Plains, where hunters are already at risk of losing health due to heat.
Monster Hunter 2
Although the Shogun Ceanataur has been around for quite a while in theMonster Hunterseries, its return in the fourth generation games saw it becoming capable of the Bleeding blight as well. As if that wasn’t enough to make things difficult, the Ceanataur is also the hardest of the Carapaceon species, with a tougher shell than its cousin, the Hermitaur.
Eagle-eyed hunters would be smart to pay attention to the Ceanataur’s shell, which will expose its weak spots unique to every battle. But players must be wary of their surroundings. Unlike the Daimyo Hermitaur, the Ceanataur has much longer arms it can use to hit hunters from far away, but it will have weaker defenses if players manage to break the shell on its back.
Monster Hunter Freedom 2
Tigrex is one of the most iconic monsters in theMonster Hunterfranchise, making its debut back in the second generation. Uniquely, it is one of few monsters that does not inflict any status effects. Instead, it proves itself to be a fearsome foe with its overbearing roars and incredible speed, especially once it gets agitated in the heat of the hunt.
For less experienced hunters, fighting the Tigrex will be quite a challenge if they don’tcome prepared with the Earplugs skillor proper defenses. It can be an especially difficult hunt depending on the map. Tigrex hunts in snowy locales, allowing the monster to use its terrain to its advantage by throwing chunks of ice against hunters with weakened stamina.
Monster Hunter Frontier 2.0
Espinas is fairly uncommon in theMonster Hunterseries,originally appearing in the PC titlesMonster Hunter Frontier 2.0andMonster Hunter Online. It didn’t make its debut in the mainline series until theMonster Hunter Rise: SunbreakDLC. It’s a surprisingly difficult fight thanks to its scales, which are more impenetrable than other Flying Wyverns.
While some hunters may think Espinas proves easier due to its frequent sleeping, the monster’s invulnerability makes it difficult to do any meaningful damage against it. Once it is awake, however, the Espinas will deliver an onslaught of attacks, including paralysis-laden fireballs, poisonous thorns, and a horn that does not shy away from hurting hunters.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
Velkhana makes its debut on a Nintendo console inMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, after its introduction inMonster Hunter World’s DLC expansion. In line with the theme of that expansion, Velkhana is a terrifying Elder Dragon capable of Iceblight. It is even tougher to hit due to its ice-cold armor, which will take some work from hunters to pierce through.
Velkhana is also capable of summoning icicles from the ground, which can be a real OHKO for hunters who aren’t paying attention to where they’re going. Overall, this fight is much easier for hunters using weapons that allow them to move around with ease. Hopefully, the veterans ofMonster Hunter Worldcan help theirMonster Hunter Risefriends out here.
The Gore Magala is notably the less-strong version of the Shagaru Magala, but it has other forms that make for a threatening fight. The Chaotic Gore Magala is a variant introduced inMonster Hunter 4 Ultimate.It is much angrier than the standard version due to the monster being denied the power of the Shagaru Magala.
Although some cocky hunters might think they can handle this fight after defeating plenty of Gore Magala, that isn’t the case. The Chaotic Gore Magala is capable of explosive attacks that will inflict players with the detrimental Frenzy Virus, which will prevent natural healing. Stay vigilant, hunters, as the Chaotic Gore Magala earns its title.
Monster Hunter 4
Shagaru Magala made its debut in the Japanese-exclusiveMonster Hunter 4, as one of the final monsters players encounter in the game. It’s an evolved form of the Gore Magala, an Elder Dragon which inflicts hunters with the Frenzy Virus. This virus has a deadly effect on players, removing their ability to recover health over time and leaving them vulnerable.
Although the Gore Magala is a terrifying enough battle, the Shagaru Magala is even more intimidating. It’s much stronger than its previous form, with its own set of advanced attacks. What makes this battle even harder inSunbreakis that the Shagaru Magala is no longer encounter in a singular area, meaning players will have to chase it down to defeat it.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
The mascot ofMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreakis Malzeno, which is also one of the few brand-new monsters to appear in the expansion pack. This vampiric Elder Dragon is shown through cutscenes to be vicious towards other monsters, even strong ones like Rathalos. However, players have even more to worry about when facing this dreaded final boss.
Malzeno is capable of inflicting a brand-new status ailment known as Bloodblight, which will not only remove natural health recovery, but also slowly drain players of their health. To make matter worse, the Malzeno is capable of a powered-up state known as the “Bloodening,” making it even more fearsome to battle. For this fight, brings lots of extra health items.
As if Malzeno wasn’t tough enough, there’s a secret final boss waiting for players after they defeat the Elder Dragon. Gaismagorm, a massive dragon clawing its way out of an abyss, is notable for being the rival to Malzeno. At the same time, it is capable of inflicting players with the dangerous Bloodblight as well, as well as having access to Blastblight, too.
To defeat Gaismagorm, hunters will need to work extremely hard as a team, utilizing nearby Dragonators for the perfect moment to strike. It’s one of the most Lovecraftian monsters in the entirety of theMonster Hunterfranchise, making it a true menace to hunters of all strength levels. That being said, defeating it will cause one hell of an adrenaline rush.
Monster Hunter
At this point in the franchise, fighting the Khezu is like a rite of passage. Early in the game, it’s certain to be a brick wall forplayers expecting an easy journey to become an expert hunter. With its long-reaching neck and lack of theme music, the challenge of fighting Khezu is unmistakable.
Thankfully, after enough fights, Khezu can become an easy-to-predict monster. If players can expertly time their evasions of Khezu’s most-used attacks, such as its leaping electric shock, they might be safe. Nevertheless, Khezu might take the crown as one of the most annoying monsters in the game.
