Place 3 – Nargacuga
Now let’s talk about Nargacuga, the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. This seemingly cute opponent has a lot of depth and is often underestimated due to his appearance. Like a mix between a bat and a panther, he has fur that can easily mislead you.
However, beneath the fluff, there are dangerous spikes on his tail that he can shed. He also has sharp teeth and claws with which he can quickly inflict high damage. This setup allows him to attack from virtually any direction, making it difficult to find good windows for a counterattack.
Due to his unassuming demeanor and initially calm nature, hunters can quickly underestimate the threat he poses and then be overwhelmed by his lightning-fast attacks.
Place 2 – Gore Magala
At first glance, Gore Magala appears relatively unremarkable. He is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter 4 and has quite a lot going for him. Not only is he the only monster to transmit the Frenzy virus so far, but he is also the first juvenile form of a monster that serves as a flagship monster.
He has no eyes and is covered in pitch-black scales. His wings are covered in fur, which is a crucial factor in the transmission of the virus. He spreads it like a kind of cloud, infecting everything and everyone that comes into contact with it.
Hunters can also become infected. They will be slowed down, and if an infected person does not take a Nullberry before the virus gauge is full, they cannot heal completely. Monsters infected with the virus show no changes at first. Only when they are defeated do they rise again in altered form – similar to a zombie.
The virus makes Gore Magala one of the most threatening flagship monsters, even if he doesn’t seem to be at first, forcing hunters to think outside the box.
Place 1 – Lagiacrus
Equally hated and loved is my number 1: Lagiacrus. He is the flagship monster of Monster Hunter Tri and also brought along the controversial underwater battles. Admittedly, the controls on the Wii were also not exactly the easiest. Also, the speed with which the leviathan confronted his hunters from all directions led to quite a few frustrating hunts.
Nonetheless: The hunt for him has occupied me more than any other monster so far, and the feeling of finally having taken him down is something I have never experienced to such an extent with any other monster. His design also captivated me from the very first moment: A menacing dragon that is a danger both on land and in water? That provides you with two different types of combat, depending on where he is? Mega!
For many years, he was also not seen again in any other Monster Hunter game for this reason among others. This is partly because the development of underwater combat is almost like a standalone game and simply takes too much work compared to other features.
However, it could finally be time again in Monster Hunter Wilds, and we might face my beloved Lagiacrus once more. There are several fan theories (via Reddit) that would support this, and also dataminers have already found clues of his appearance.
