Plenty of monsters have already been revealed forMonster Hunter Wilds, although Capcom is still keeping a lot of them close to its chest ahead of the full release. There are new additions, from the living rail gun, the Rey Dau, to the flaming octopus, Nu Urda, and returning monsters, like the mascot, Rathalos. Still, the current roster announced won’t hold a candle to all the monsters seen in the full game if previous titles are anything to go by, and it is good to see that Capcom is making plenty of additions forMonster Hunters' sixth generation.
Anyone who knows aboutMonster Hunter’s late game knows that it mainly revolves around hunting Elder Dragons, rather than the more common Wyverns. Even these Elder Dragons have further sub-categories, with the most dangerous of their kind (like the Fatalis and Alatreon) being known as the Black Dragons. None of these Black Dragons have been announced forMH Wildsprior to release and only one regular Elder Dragon has been mentioned thus far, the Gore Magala, butone addition feels perfect for the directionMH Wildsis going: the Kirin.
The Kirin Would Be The Perfect Addition to MH Wilds
The Storms Of The Windward Plains Would Be Perfect For It
The Kirin has been around since the firstMonster Hunterand is one of the more iconic Elder Dragons in the series. It is based on the mythical, horse-like creature in Japanese myth, which was brought to the country by China, who knew the creature as the qilin. The monster has appeared in a ridiculous number of games in the series and has been popular enough to earn two variants,the Hardcore (HC) Kirin and the Thunder Emperor Kirin, although its popularity isn’t the only reason why it would be perfect forMH Wildsspecifically.
Both the Hardcore and Thunder Emperor Kirin can teleport a short distance using a lightning charge.
Through the twoMH Wildsopen beta tests, Capcom has given players a good look at the Windward Plains environment, and while it doesn’t seem too different to the Wildspire Wastes fromMH Worldon the surface, it’s lightning-filled sand storms make it unique.These storms herald the arrival of the ecosystem’s alpha monster, the Rey Dau, which uses powerful lightning attacks to keep hunters on their toes. This seems like the perfect environment to introduce the Kirin to, since it is also based around electricity attacks and could benefit from a sand storm hitting the environment.
Introducing the Kirin by having it usurp the Rey Dau’s ecosystem would be a great way to establish its power, and with its horn,it could even summon lightning from the storms of the Windward Plains to power itself upfor dramatic effect. Having such a direct comparison in power between the Kirin and Rey Dau would help establish how powerful the Elder Dragons as a whole are to new players. With all the work done to make the Windward Plains' lightning storms as dramatic as they are, it feels like it is begging for the Kirin’s return.
Capcom Hasn’t Revealed Any Elder Dragons Besides The Gore Magala
But The Kirin’s Return Is Quite Likely
The Kirin has been in most of the games in theMonster Hunterseries, so its return is more likely than one-offs like the Shara Ishvalda and Velkhana from theIceborneexpansion forMH World. Compared to the Gore Magala, the Kirin seems ancient, and it would be easier to count the games it hasn’t been in, so announcing its inclusion likely wouldn’t have got as many people talking as the Gore Magala. Still,the Kirin offers something unique to many Elder Dragons thanks to its size, andMH Wildsis in the position to take advantage of it.
The Shara Ishvalda uses an illusion to make it seem like it is always looking at the camera, rather than the Hunter.
The Kirin tends to be the size of a horse, although this does vary somewhat. It is much smaller than most monsters and is notoriously hard to hit when it buffs itself with its lightning armor, but thanks toimprovements withMH Wilds' hitboxes, these issues would be alleviated. It would also be an opportunity to show how far hitboxes have come, and with such large environments to run around in,it feels right for a horse-like creature, especially since the Seikret mountsgive players an edge when it comes to mobility.
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Capcom could see adding the Kirin as a way to rectify some mistakes too, since the Kirin is probably a little too tough to hit inWorldthanks to its size and buffed armor mode. This is fine when using something like the Longsword with its wide sweeps and fast attacks,butit can be significantly tougher with a slower weapon that isn’t as precise, and the changes toWilds' hitboxes could alleviate this. The Kirin also contrasts withMonster Hunter’s Gore Magala, having almost opposite color schemes and being completely different sizes/types of creatures.
The Kirin Is An Iconic Elder Dragon In Monster Hunter
It Would Be Surprising Not To See It Included
While the relatively commonRathalos serves asMonster Hunter’s mascotand has to be in every game as a result, theKirin is probably one of the most popular Elder Dragons in the series. Confusingly, it doesn’t look much like a dragon and might not have the reputation of the mighty Fatalis, especially because that monster was essentially the final fight ofIceborne, but it is one of the longest serving Elder Dragons in the series. It has been in every mainline title besidesMonster Hunter 3and has been in even more ecosystems.
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One problem with adding the Kirin in the Windward Plains would be that the monster isn’t usually seen in desert environments, but other desert ecosystems from past titles didn’t have raging thunderstorms.This could be what attracts the Kirin to the location in the first placeand some tweaks could make the monster more fun to fight. The Kirin could be a special hunt inMH Wilds, and with its popular armor design, which hasn’t really changed since its first appearance, it almost has to be included in the game.
It will be interesting to see what Elder Dragons make it intoMonster Hunter Wilds, especially since the late game is where these titles usually shine. There will be some new Elder Dragons. That much is guaranteed, but with the Gore Magala getting an announcement, plenty of returning Elder Dragons will likely be featured too. Even if the Kirin doesn’t make it intoWilds' base game, an expansion will probably add it there, but it’s just one of those monsters that almost has to appear in a mainMonster Huntertitle, thanks to its longevity and how iconic it is.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds is the highly anticipated follow-up to Capcom’s multi-million seller, Monster Hunter World. Announced at The Game Awards 2023, Monster Hunter Wilds will put players into a sprawling world where they’ll hunt monsters to create new weapons and armor while protecting their home base and uncovering the secrets of unexplored lands with friends or alone.
