Variant

Not to be confused with Subspecies, Rare Species, Lone Species, or Deviants.

A variant is a rare individual or anomalous group of a given species of monster. They are often almost identical to a common individual, but possess one or more certain unique traits that set them apart. Variants are often more powerful and aggressive than a normal member of their species, and can sometimes be capable of augmented versions of certain attacks.

"Variant" is not an officially recognized term within the Monster Hunter universe, and, although the prefixes listed below are official, all variants are simply assigned the regular species name in-game. They do, however, feature alternate icons on quest pages to indicate their presence instead of a normal member of the species.

=List of Variants by Game=

Monster Hunter 2

 * Rusted Kushala Daora

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

 * Furious Rajang

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

 * Savage Deviljho

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

 * Raging Brachydios
 * Chaotic Gore Magala

Monster Hunter Frontier

 * Breeding Season Hypnocatrice

Monster Hunter Online

 * Ghost Caeserber
 * Crystal Basarios
 * Swordmaster Shogun Ceanataur
 * One-Eared Yian Garuga
 * Shattered Monoblos
 * Conflagration Rathian

Monster Hunter Explore

 * Flame Rathalos
 * Frozen Barioth
 * Pumpkin Uragaan
 * Aberrant Deviljho
 * Witch Lagombi
 * Witch Gobul
 * Christmas Volvidon
 * Seabream Plesioth
 * Immortal Zinogre
 * Virulent Gigginox
 * Yoga Gigginox
 * FFBE Zinogre

=Comparisons=

Trivia

 * Savage Deviljho is a Deviljho that has lived a very long time and has cannibalized other Deviljho.
 * Furious Rajang is a rare special Rajang individual that is constantly enraged for unknown reasons. Its theorized by the Guild that the Furious Rajang's power is unstable due to the loss of its tail and that its power potentially comes from its heart along with its nerves.
 * Chaotic Gore Magala is a Gore Magala which has failed to molt properly into a Shagaru Magala.
 * Rusted Kushala Daora is a Kushala Daora which has not shed its skin recently.
 * There were no variants in the first generation of Monster Hunter.
 * "One-Horned" Diablos and "One-Eared" Yian Garuga, which appeared in Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, do not count as legitimate variants, as they lack an official name prefix or icon.