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[Hide] (793.3KB, 1920x1087) Reverse Ascendance Flagship announced from the absolute State of Play: Gundoraja, another Thunderstorm Elder (Shantien shelved forever lol). Seems to be based on the Thai Nagas. Can't tell if it's on the usual Leviathan rig for the Floating Elders, or potentially the return of the Snake Wyvern rig (which would basically confirm Najarala and Dalamadur in the process) (and isn't out of the question, given both Wyveria City and the Eyrie could both have a case that they're not!SpeartipCrag). A case can be made for both rigs, we'll need to see it in motion before then. As a side-note, it's rivalry with Kushala is 1:1 what was described in the cut content story pitch for World, so it's probably the development remnant of the missing 119th Monster, that they've finally got around to (Namielle's finally beaten the allegations).
The new zeppelin fighterjet pack wyverns got confirmed as called Araketa. They've got a Key Art but I'm guessing it's like Doshaguma, where the real key art with Gundoraja is for later on. So far, that's 2/4-5 for the new Monster Roster: the Skybound Eyrie still needs it's 1-2 other natives and then the hidden final boss of the expansion. Though, Iceshard only had one native in Wilds (Hirabami) while the Plains had 5 (Chata / Quem / Bala / Dosha / Rey), so who knows what the distribution is going to be. Total count should be the same either ways.
Small monsters are more interesting, there seems to be some God Eater symbiote style living-coagulated-black-tar-blood parasites associated with the Guardian Variants, who now also roam outside of the Ruins. Seems like it's on the Jagras rig? Wylk pools in most maps too, so at least that's no longer a total gimmick mechanic (which is good, because it's a cool mechanic).
There's a new small monster that rolls up into a chuckable boulder for you, so that means the Konchu rig is in (at least for Kut Ku to eat), possibly flagging Seltas Queen. Between that and the possible Serpent rig, Wilds isn't living down that it's a retake on 4.
I want to say schizosenses, but there's an Endemic that looks like a tiny Malfestio too.
Also Remobra's returning, but that means nothing except leather pants and a belt.
Guardian Rathian also got confirmed, but that's not really a surprise to anyone (Poison doesn't seem to interact with Wylk), no other variants aside from that. Lao's fight looks like it's going to focus way more on the final phase more than the early ones (thank fuck) (and the early phases are going to have it's torso and throat lower to the ground (thank fuck), and the new forward base / not!Village (Madoi) is set next to Lao's arena. There's also no way in high hell that Fortress is back and they're not gonna seize the chance to easily assetflip Shen Gaoren back into existence after being 2 decades on the bench. Right?
All in all, there's still ~5 returners on the lineup that are a total [?]'s (pre-Title Updates, going off of World's 7, and already including Kushala + Lao), so there's that to wait on.
Other mechanics include the Seikret having a new speed-dive / fast-glide for getting around the map, Palicos can Offset now (as if they weren't already broken enough this title), and ongoing daily details about how each weapon is going to interact with the main Boost Driver / not!DevilTrigger gimmick. On one hand, it looks way too Action and damagespam (100% Monster Fighter, 0% Monster Hunter), on the other at least it's not as hunt-shifting as the Claw was and can easily be toned down / healthsponged out.
Sadly, Nata has not fucked off permanently, instead he's 5-year timeskipped into a tiktok aurafarming bollywood jeet teenager, so he's probably going to be even worse. May mods save our souls.
Full thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeMKYURp_A8
Any guesses for the 5 unannounced returners?