Quick Links
The peak of the food chain just went a few notches higher with the return of a legendary elder dragon in Monster Hunter World. Fatalis is back and is the perfect choice for the last monster to be added to the Iceborne expansion, having first appeared as the final boss in the original PS2 Monster Hunter.
Its return may have initially brought excitement to fans of the series, but said excitement likely took a sharp turn to despair after encountering this ferocious beast. And that's assuming you were able to figure out how to unlock Fatalis in the first place. A sharp weapon will only take you so far, so it's best to study up with our guide on unlocking and beating the toughest hunt yet.
Updated On October 18, 2021, by William Quick: The Legendary Dragon Fatalis has been a part of Monster Hunter lore since its first appearance on the PS2 title as the end boss. Following that, it returned as the final boss to the Monster Hunter World DLC "Iceborne" where it's easier for players to team up to try and take it down. Now, it returns once again as a challenging encounter in Monster Hunter Stories 2, so you'll want to make sure you're as prepared as you can possibly be when you face it in World.
How To Unlock Fatalis
Unlocking the Fatalis fight will require you to accomplish several parts of endgame content found in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The first of these steps is probably the most obvious and straightforward — finish the Iceborne main campaign. Once you've done that, you'll unlock the Guiding Lands. At this stage, you should also make sure you're at least Master Rank 24.
Your next step will be to visit Seliana and speak to the Seeker when you notice the purple exclamation point above him, which will allow you to receive the Special Assignment Across The Lost Path. This assignment will send you out on a hunt for a Stygian Zinogre. Completing this mission will unlock the Tundra and another new mission.
Following that, you need to speak to the Pub Lass in the Gathering Hub to get the Point Of No Return special recon assignment, which will also unlock Safi'Jiiva. Beating this mission will reveal yet another new Special Assignment called Blazing Black Twilight. All you need to do is make it through the cutscene for this, and then either complete or abandon the assignment - either way, you will unlock the mission we've been looking for: The Black Dragon
Recommended Skills, Gear, And Items
If you're going up against the biggest and meanest monster in Monster Hunter World, then you should already know preparation is half the battle. Your kit is going to make the difference between a tough fight and one that feels impossible.
Before you even think about taking this hunt on, you should probably be at least Master Rank 100 and have a full set of endgame equipment you're completely familiar with. Here are the best skills, items, mantels, and Palico gadgets to take on the hunt.
The Best Skills For Fatalis
- Health Boost: This one shouldn't need much explanation. Boost your health as high as it can go, you won't regret it.
- Partbreaker: Fatalis has a nasty attack that can basically one-shot any character in the final phase of the fight, but if you're able to break its head once or twice you can squash that damage into something much more survivable. Plus you might as well break as many other body parts as possible for Fatalis materials.
- Fire and Stun Resistance: As a dragon, Fatalis' flame attacks are going to be some of the most common ones sent your way. The higher you can get this, the better. Getting it to +20 will even negate fire blight altogether. Stun, meanwhile, is essential to staying alive. If you get stunned, you might as well restart because Fatalis isn't going to give you time to recover.
- Blight Resistance: Fatalis can inflict Fireblight by attacking and that's more damage that you shouldn't have to worry about. Take this skill to mitigate it.
- Agitator: Monsters are always more dangerous when Enraged and Fatalis will have prolonged periods in this state. This skill will let you capitalize on that and deal some extra damage.
- Divine Blessing: Once again, survivability is going to be a major concern in this fight. If you can get it to level five you'll reduce incoming damage by a massive 60 percent, but even level three is worth having for a 50 percent reduction.
- Heavy Artillery: You're going to be manning plenty of siege weapons during this hunt and giving all your ballista and cannon shots double damage will be a major boon.
The Best Items For Fatalis
- Max Potions: You're going to be sucking down Max Potions like water during this fight, so not only should you be packed full of them — you should also be carrying Mega Nutrients, Mandragora, Nutrients, and Honey to make more potions on the fly. Have the recipe ready to mix them up at a moment's notice.
- Astra Jerky: Whip out this snack to recover all the red damage on your HP bar. Fatalis hits like a wrecking ball, so you're bound to need this.
- Mega Demondrug: It doesn't have to necessarily be this specific item — Demon Powder and Might Seed fit the bill too. You just need something you can use for damage over time, which will pay off massively in the long run.
- Smoke Bomb: If you're feeling overwhelmed — or should we say when you're feeling overwhelmed — toss one of these down to give yourself a second or two to recompose yourself. You can also use them to open up a safe chance to use the siege weapons.
- Dragon Pods: These are handy to have as two shots with them can interrupt Fatalis during attacks and cause it to flinch. Don't worry about running out as Fatalis will drop them during the fight.
The Best Mantles For Fatalis
- Ghillie Mantle: If you're planning on using the siege weapons as much as you can, and you should be, then this mantle will give you a massive head start in the early stages of the fight. You will want to swap out once they become less viable, though.
- Rockstead Mantle: If you can remember to pay attention to your HP, the ability to stay firm on your feet through attacks will help you connect with as many of your own strikes as possible.
- Assassin's Hood: If you're not the tanking type of hunter, this mantle will allow you to dodge Fatalis' fire attacks a bit easier.
The Best Palico Gadgets For Fatalis
- Visporwasp: Getting those heals in is paramount, but this one free resurrection is your safety net.
- Coral Orchestra: If you think you're fine taking care of yourself, then this gadget's buffs will just make the job a bit easier.
Battle Tips For Fighting Fatalis
It is hard to give a detailed guide for how you should approach the fight specifically since you will have your own unique build, plus whatever your fellow hunters bring to the table if you go in as a group. In general, though, there are some universal tips that will help just about any hunter with Fatalis.
Before you head in, try to tailor your equipment to dish out Dragon or Fire damage since those are its prime weaknesses. In terms of weapons, those that deal Cutting or Blunt damage are the most recommended.
- Start off by firing off both cannons to knock Fatalis down, then leap down to attack the head immediately while it's down. Keep in mind that when fighting in a team, Fatalis is more likely to target hunters trying to use siege weapons.
- Fatalis has a signature breath attack called Nova and you can drastically reduce its power by breaking its horns. Focus on Fatalis' head to break it, followed by the chest.
- At 75 percent HP Fatalis will use its nova attack to signal phase two. Get behind a shroud in the northeast to avoid damage.
- Grab the ballista ammo and fire the guns for an easy chance to knock Fatalis down again.
-
Continue focusing on the head and chest until it is down to half health, triggering another nova. This time head for the gate and activate the switch to slam it shut.
- Utilize the ballista again, watching out for when Fatalis charges up its fire breath attack.
-
Fight until you get the message that the Dragonator is ready, and land both hits. Fight a bit more until the machine gun ballista is ready. Mount up and finish off the fight.
Breathe a deep sigh of relief, but don't get too comfortable. If you want to craft all the weapons and armor associated with Fatalis, you'll be diving back into this fight quite a few times, so be sure to keep this guide handy for quick referencing.