Hello, and welcome to Discussion of the Week... Avian Bird Wyverns![]
Greetings, and many great hellos!
As an avid bird fan, I can't help but love hunting those few monsters that put the "bird" in Bird Wyvern. Come, don't duck out! Let's take a look at our favorite feathery monsters... or are you too chicken?
Gargwa[]
Ostriches mixed with ducks, huh? That's the Gargwa in a nutshell - or eggshell, depending on whether or not you want the bird pun. While bigger birds are aggressive, the Gargwa is a peaceful forager that runs for the hills whenever trouble shows up. Chicken, indeed.
Yian Kut-Ku[]
Ah yes, everyone's first true wyvern (unless you started on MH3 like I did). I've heard that he was a pain in the original MH, but Kut-Ku isn't too bad in MHFU, and I bet he isn't that bad in MH4U either. He has a simple moveset of pecking, charging, and breathing fireballs all over the place, telling newbie hunters that playtime is officially over.
And of course, don't forget the subspecies, Blue Yian Kut-Ku! He's very, very blue, but that's really all that sets him apart...
Gypceros[]
If you think Yian Kut-Ku wasn't that tough of a challenge, the gloves come off with Gypceros, the rubber duck wyvern. Honestly, he looks more like a mutant turkey if you ask me, but he's more intimidating than you might think. This putrid poultry rampages all over the place, hacking up poison and swinging that stretchy tail. And let's not forget about that infamous clapper on his beak, producing a blinding flash of light to catch you off guard!
Purple Gypceros is just that - purple. This particular turkey is able to use deadlier poison than his blue brother, making him a tiny bit more unique.
Hypnocatrice[]
So if Yian Kut-Ku is a chicken and Gypceros is a turkey, is Hypnocatrice a pheasant? Well, whatever the bird, Hypnock is significantly tougher than other Bird Wyverns. Her kicking attacks pack a serious punch and are surprisingly hard to avoid, while her terrible sleeping gas must be avoided or else. Some people may not know that Hypnock is originally from Monster Hunter Frontier, and was brought over to MHFU later.
Then we've got the Bright Hypnock and Azure Hypnock, both straight from Frontier. The pink one is a male in heat, apparently, and is capable of dancing and prancing while spraying pheromones capable of knocking a hunter out cold. Meanwhile, Azure Hypnock hides up in the Great Forest Peak, where it is only taken on by hunters skilled enough to avoid its arsenal of kicking and charging attacks.
Yian Garuga[]
While you might be thinking of a jacked-up version of Kut-Ku, this dark raven-like Bird Wyvern is much more than that. He's sly and tricky, avoiding traps whenever possible, and hits harder than a truck. Fireballs, poison backflips, ferocious beak attacks, and more await you should you attempt to slay this horror. It gets worse in MH4, where he'll retaliate if you try to jump on his back.
I've also heard stories about how awful Yian Garuga was in past games, and I don't think I even want to hear more...
Qurupeco[]
Easily my favorite of the Bird Wyverns, the extravagant Qurupeco loves nothing more than strutting his stuff on the dance floors of the Sandy Plains, Moga Woods, and Misty Peaks. This magnificent mockingbird is most well-known for his ability to call in bigger boss monsters for assistance, but I love him purely for his cute and quirky attitude.
You thought green 'Peco was bad when it came to song and dance? Enter Crimson 'Peco, the swamp-loving beak-face that'll sic a Pink Rathian, Duramboros, and more often than not, Deviljho on your sorry ass every five seconds.
Farunokku[]
Farunokku is to Hypnocatrice as Yian Garuga is to Kut-Ku. Personally, I've always been reminded of Big Bird when I look at him, except with big green wings and a rather... shocking personality. This Bird Wyvern utilizes Thunder-element attacks, and tends to use them along with a little dance or a pose. Another unique aspect of Farunokku is his tendency to build up static electricity when enraged, which explodes around him every few seconds to prevent hunters from reaching him!
Forokururu[]
The most bird-like of the Avian Bird Wyverns, Forokururu is a costumed performer living amongst the sweet-smelling stage of the Flower Fields. While beautiful on the surface, though, he's downright ugly in nature. A feathery fashionista, Forokururu has a unique ability that lets him make use of the many flower species growing in his territory, and he sucks up their nectar in order to power some of his attacks. His feathers are actually color-coded, changing every time he samples a new flower - red is napalm, green is healing, black is blinding, and pink is... poop-flavored. How lovely.
Questions[]
- Which is your favorite of the avians?
- Why?
- Least favorite?
- What kinds of Bird Wyverns would you like to see in the future?
- Do you think that the Avian Bird Wyverns deserve their own class? Or is it fine to lump them in with their Raptorial cousins?