Monster Hunter: 8 Strongest Elder Dragon Variants, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Elder Dragons have powerful variants with unique abilities.
• Chaotic Gore Magala is a strong but incomplete Elder Dragon.
• Narwa, the Allmother, is the strongest variant in
  Monster Hunter.

The Elder Dragons are Monster Hunter’s strongest monsters. They are an elite subclass of beasts that are both feared and revered by hunters due to their exceptional abilities and power. The Elder Dragons vary in number, size, and abilities. These creatures are also rare, with most hunters only seeing a handful in their lifetime.

While Elder Dragons are at the top of the food chain in terms of raw strength in their base forms, some of these monsters have even stronger variants. Variants are unique interpretations of monsters that enhance the powers of their normal counterparts, sometimes differing in appearance, abilities, and move combinations.

8 Chaotic Gore Magala

Destructive Force In Turmoil

Chaotic Gore Magala is a unique form of Gore Magala that the Elder Dragon adopts if its transformation into Shagaru Magala is disturbed. Chaotic Gore Magala is far stronger and more violent than the basic form of Gore Magala, with stronger virus powers and greater unpredictability due to being in a rage state.

While Chaotic Gore Magala is strong and far more destructive than its counterpart, it will perish if the beast is left to its own devices due to not undergoing proper transformation. A sad occurrence for the mighty Elder Dragon, Chaotic Gore Magala is a Gore Magala variant that has not reached its full evolution, making it the weakest Elder Dragon variant.

7 Rusted Kushala Daora

Enhanced Strength In Rusted Form

The steel dragon Kushala Daora is a powerful Elder Dragon that uses its mastery of the wind to create tornadoes and shatter hunters. Rusted Kushala Daora is a stronger version with a rusted coloration. The creature has powerful biting attacks and is more assertive than the regular Kushala Dora, displaying increased aggression.

However, besides this, Rusted Kushala Daora is much the same, making it one of the weaker Elder Dragon variants. Despite this, it still comes ahead of Chaotic Gore Magala because of the general strength of the Elder Dragon.

6 Ruiner Nergigante

Impenetrable Armor And Ferocity

Imagine the original Nergigante but on steroids, with tougher armor and an even crazier temperament. Enter: Ruiner Nergigante. Ruiner Nergigante is the second-to-last monster players must defeat to complete Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The creature is far more aggressive and intelligent than a standard Nergigante, donning a black suit of near-impenetrable armor and wielding metal spikes during the heat of battle to pin down hunters.

As hunters fight the beast, it gets fiercer with more punishing attacks, intelligently working out how to strike, unlike its bullish standard counterpart. This Elder Dragon is stronger in nearly every way compared to the common Nergigante and much mightier than the other Elder Dragons before it on this list.

5 Blackveil Vaal Hazak

Effluvium-Infused Menace

Blackveil Vaal Hazak is the tougher variant of the Elder Dragon Vaal Hazak, and one of the last bosses of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The standard Vaal Hazak uses a spore known as Effluvium to defeat enemies, draining life from creatures. This dangerous substance is even stronger when used by a Blackveil Vaal Hazak, which uses the toxin unfailingly, with better control in its attacks to weaken the state of hunters.

The sheer amount of Effluvium emitted by this Elder Dragon often overwhelms hunters, quickly degrading their health with the substance covering their bodies. Evading these toxic attacks while dealing with the speed and sheer strength of Blackveil Vaal Hazak makes this monster a pain to defeat, requiring multiple attempts.

4 Primordial Malzeno

Ancient Guardian Turned Predator

A strong variant of the Elder Dragon Malzeno, Primordial Malzeno is the creature that originated before it was consumed by the parasites known as Qurio. This form boasts far stronger physical abilities and defense than the regular Malzeno and is friendly to hunters living beside them.

Primordial Malzeno fiercely tries to resist Qurio but is often consumed by the vermin when in a weak state—leading to a bloodlust form of tremendous power. Its remarkable abilities, combined with slips into darkness that increase its power, make it a force to be reckoned with.

3 Crimson Glow Valstrax

Descends From Space To Wreak Havoc

Valstrax, or the sky comet Elder Dragon, has the power to land ships and air machines from contact alone. The Crimson Glow variation takes its already superior Elder Dragon status and turns it up a notch, ditching the recursive nature of its normal counterpart for pure aggression, going as far as descending from outer space to take down rival Elder Dragons and enemies like an explosive comet.

The creature’s enhanced power makes it fierce and unstable, with the beast continually emitting dragon energy through stronger attacks, and fireballs when flying. This Elder Dragon is also fearless, crushing the likes of Deviljho and other Elder Dragons for breakfast.

2 Elemental Merphistophelin

Elemental Might And Mastery

Introduced in Monster Hunter Online, Elemental Merphistophelin is simply a bigger and stronger version of the ordinary Merphistophelin, able to wield elements such as thunder and water. This beast is notably stronger than normal variants, using these elements to harm hunters and destroy everything in its path.

Elemental Merphistophelin is one of the strongest Elder Dragons in the games. A monster who can master and use nearly all the elements is an easy contender for the top of this list, putting the likes of Crimson Glow Valstrax in its place.

1 Narwa The Allmother

The Strongest Variant

Narwa the Allmother is the strongest Elder Dragon variant on this list. The creature, first introduced in Monster Hunter Rise, is a variant of the Thunder Serpent Narwa and an amalgamation of Wind Serpent Ibushi after it is consumed during breeding.

Narwa the Allmother is essentially two Elder Dragons in one, controlling both the wind and thunder in a terrifying combination that makes the beast far stronger than most Elder Dragons. Narwa the Allmother is at the peak of power, making it effortlessly the strongest Elder Dragon variant on this list.