User blog comment:BannedLagiacrus/Monster Appreciation Week: Rathian(4th Gen)/@comment-5020152-20150619221535

RATHIAN

Concept: Do I really have to write a review for Rathian? I’ve fought her so many times, and she’s quite inferior in comparison to her deadly subspecies. Oh well – Rathian is one of the classics, an old-fashioned veteran of combat, a green sky dragon that has never failed to appear in a Monster Hunter game to date. The famous queen to Rathalos’ king, she’s a familiar apex predator that shows no signs of going extinct any time soon. 8/10

Design: Rathian’s iconic design is so similar to her even more famous husband. Her greenish-brown scales are perfect for a fabled Queen of the Land. An oddly dignified spike juts from her chin, while clusters of thick, spiky scales adorn her head. Despite being adapted for terrestrial combat, her wings are enormous and beautifully patterned, while her long and flexible tail sports poisonous barbs that play an important use in Rathian’s signature battling style. All in all, her design is so recognizable and classically dragon-like that she’ll always be at the front of our minds when we hear the word ‘wyvern’. 8/10

Sound: Much like the rest of her, Rathian’s signature range of roars and shrieks is iconic and instantly recognizable. In 4 Ultimate, she can be fought in the Ancestral Steppe, Primal Forest, Sunken Hollow, Heaven’s Mount, and Dunes – and I’m not quite sure which piece of theme music fits her best (or at all). I really miss fighting her in Moga Woods… 7/10

Gameplay: Superficially, Rathian fights in a very similar manner to Rathalos. Unlike Rathalos, though, she stays predominantly on the ground, and thus has a few moves all her own. She’s much more proficient at ‘chaining’ her attacks together, often following up a running charge with two more or a poisonous backflip with another backflip for good measure. She’s got far better firepower as well – yeah, she doesn’t spit nearly as many fireballs as Rathalos does, but she’s still got a nuke-like Cluster Bomb attack. In G-Rank, she can combine a quick charge with a bite with a spinning tail whip, adding something extra unexpected to the table. To an inexperienced player, Rathian can be trouble. Once you learn her patterns and her attack cues, she’s (mostly) Kut-Ku’s play. And then she’ll stay that way throughout the series. In other words, she’s fun and challenging the first few times, and every time after that will be kind of tedious (especially if you’re on the hunt for Plates, Rubies, or Mantles). 7/10

New Stuff: I mentioned above that she has a new combination attack in this game. She's also far more diligent when it comes to protecting her precious eggs. Other than that, she’s the same as she was in 3 Ultimate. 5/10

Equipment: Several of Rathian’s weapons require an equal amount of Rathalos stuff, such as her Dual Blades and Longsword. The weapons themselves either deal Fire-element damage or Poison damage, both of which can be very useful. Her Charge Blade is easy to make (if you’re lucky enough) and a good weapon throughout the game, but other than that, there are better weapons out there, especially if you can’t get her rare items. Rathian’s armor is okay, granting Earplugs and a minor boost to your health. 6/10

Cutscene: Rathian has a grand total of two introductory videos – one when you unlock the Wyvern Eggs quest, and one when you get a formal request to kill her immediately afterward. Both of them are good, showing off both sides of Rathian’s personality – an effective hunter and a caring mother. 7/10

Summary: I don’t have much to say about such a familiar monster. Everyone who plays Monster Hunter knows about Rathian. She’s a classic foe that’s as persistent as they get, chasing egg thieves and wannabe hunters through every single game. In 4 Ultimate, she doesn’t feel like a challenge to me – if anything, she feels easier. Still, though, her design is phenomenal and she’s still one of the most loved monsters in the series. Overall 7/10