Monster Hunter World: What are Elder Dragons?
Where did they come from, where do they go?
The newest Monster Hunter World trailer showcases two returning monsters new to the upcoming game, but they're in a league of their own. The Teostra and Kushala Daora are Elder Dragons, an ultra-powerful sub-category of monsters that have existed since ancient times and are sometimes revered as gods.
Two Elder Dragons have been introduced to us previously, the giant Zorah Magdaros and diabolic Nergigante, the latter of which we'll have an opportunity to fight during Monster Hunter World's final open beta.
An unnamed monster from the new Elder Dragons trailer, originally teased at the end of the Rotten Vale trailer, also appears to be an Elder Dragon, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Many Elder Dragons are recognizable by their traditional draconic makeup: a pair of wings, plus arms and legs, the same composition of the new unnamed monster. However, some take on unique shapes--like the first Monster Hunter's Kirin--or are simply colossal, like the Zorah Magdaros.
Click through this slideshow to see details on the four Elder Dragons confirmed to appear in Monster Hunter World, plus a few others, like Teostra's female counterpart, to get a feel for how creative these creature's designs and battles can get.
So, if they don't share much in shape or physiology, what exactly makes these Elder Dragons related? For one, they are all powerful enough to alter or destroy entire ecosystems and landscapes solo, are rumored to live to ancient ages if allowed, and many are masters of an element or weather.
They make for incredibly formidable foes, nearly impossible to defeat in just one encounter. Usually, Elder Dragons are driven away multiple times across different quests before they're defeated for good. Each time an Elder Dragon is driven away, they retain the damage received, and so ultimate victory becomes more within reach with each round.
Because Elder Dragons can be so unpredictable and difficult to drive away, the Guild in the Monster Hunter world keeps track of each of them. This is the main premise of Monster Hunter World: many Elder Dragons migrate to the "New World" once every decade for reasons unknown.
To uncover the mysteries of this great migration, the Guild formed the Research Committee and began sending fleets of elite hunters to investigate. Monster Hunter World begins with the arrival of the Fifth Fleet with the protagonist aboard, ready to possibly finally uncover the Elder Dragons' origins and purpose. So far, they have been shrouded in mystery with nothing but ancient folklore to reference.
We definitely expect more Elder Dragons to appear in Monster Hunter World, including an assumedly yet-to-be-seen ultimate big-bad that will serve as a final boss.
For more on Monster Hunter World, don't miss our Monster Hunter World preview, 47 Changes Only Fans Will Notice, and a complete list of every big monster confirmed in Monster Hunter World.
Casey DeFreitas is an Associate Editor at IGN and tears up with joy every time she watches a new Monster Hunter World trailer. Catch her on Twitter @ShinyCaseyD.
