#7. Gobul
While many monsters seem to be fairly fictional in their nature, Gobul is very obviously influenced by a real-world source. One of only three standard monsters that can fight underwater, this amphibious angler fish-inspired monster has quite an arsenal at its disposal. Whereas other monsters rely on brute force and speed to combat hunters, Gobul has a variety of status-effecting attacks to immobilize and confuse. Using the filament attached to its head, Gobul can emit a blinding flash of light that can temporarily stun hunters. Its backside is just as dangerous, as being hit by Gobul’s tail will leave hunters temporarily paralyzed, leaving them wide open to follow-up attacks. A master of camouflage, Gobul will also burrow into the mud, only to pop out and bite at unsuspecting hunters. While not the strongest or fastest monster, Gobul can be quite dangerous in its own right, and hunters have to stay on their toes to avoid its various tricks.
#6. Barioth
When you think of Monster Hunter, usually big brutish monsters come to mind- monsters that are powerful, but move in such a way that a careful hunter can easily defeat it if they stay aware. Barioth tosses this notion out the window. Easily the most agile creature in the game, Barioth is also quite powerful, and can be a major roadblock for many hunters. Able to jump across a stage in the blink of an eye, Barioth can position itself for attack the way many of the others could only hope. Weapons that cannot block will have the hardest time as, while it is possible to dodge all of Barioth’s attacks, it is much more difficult than other monsters’. Even if you know which attack is coming, Barioth can be fast enough to chase you down anyway. The only saving grace is that all that jumping around can wear Barioth out pretty quickly, so hunters must take advantage of the moments when it decides to take a quick break.
#5. Lagiacrus
Is it any surprise that the flagship monster for Monster Hunter Tri would be on this list? The first time most hunters meet Lagiacrus, they are woefully underequipped for the encounter. During one of the game’s early quests, hunters are tasked with collecting Monster Guts from the indigenous marine herbivores. Not long into your quest, Lagiacrus suddenly appears and decides it wants in on the action too. In their delicate states, hunters have little choice other than to run for the time being. So begins a campaign to finally best the lightning-slinging leviathan. Peppered throughout the single player storyline, hunters will fight, repel and, eventually, slay the Lagiacrus. Meeting this seemingly insurmountable foe early on, then finally working up to defeating it is an incredibly rewarding experience.
