Now that everyone has seen the entirety of Monster Hunter Wilds’ roster of monsters, people are already wondering where the Elder Dragons are, as they lack presence in this game. However, their absence does not imply Wilds has an underwhelming set of monsters.
In fact, it’s great that no Elder Dragons are present yet, as they would undoubtedly disrupt the balance established by the four regional Apexes: Rey Dau, Uth Duna, Nu Udra, and Jin Dahaad.
Although I did miss them in Wilds, they are not as crucial to the game's storyline.
The Lore Implications
Spoiler: We’re not seeing Elder Dragons in the game because of the Ancient Civilization of Wyveria. They created a weapon to surpass all Elder Dragons, ultimately leading to their downfall. Hunters who completed the game’s Low Rank are aware of this through the mere existence of Zoh Shia, a construct born from random Elder Dragon DNA, capable of fending off world-ending monsters like the Elder Dragons.
It’s implied that these Elders fear Zoh Shia. However, since we’ve already slain Zoh Shia in Low Rank, there’s a possibility that we may see more Elder Dragons in the future. That said, Capcom doesn’t need to introduce them immediately.
Why It’s a Good Thing
As mentioned, adding Elder Dragons like Teostra, Kushala Daora, and even Chameleos would disrupt the game’s balance of nature. These extinction-level monsters can manipulate the weather, which already plays a prominent role in Monster Hunter Wilds through the Inclemencies.
Adding Kushala Daora into the mix could destroy the natural order of the game’s cycling weather system, as that dragon can control storms. Imagine it pairing up with Rey Dau—that would be an honest-to-God nightmare.
Potential Elder Dragons?
Of course, Capcom wouldn’t just ignore their massive Elder Dragon roster, so we can expect more in future Title Updates. With Mizutsune, a leviathan, kicking off Title Update 1, it’s clear we won’t be seeing Elders arriving early next month.
Leaked data suggests the return of dangerous foes, with data miners uncovering information about a monster that uses oil as its power. Veteran Monster Hunter fans will recognize this as none other than Gogmazios, a tar-covered dragon capable of catastrophic destruction. With the Oilwell Basin as a main hub where oil is abundant, Gogmazios would undoubtedly shake up Wilds’ world order.
Other Elder Dragons, such as Lunastra and Teostra, could appear, but fans (myself included) are tired of fighting them in Risebreak and Worldborne. And please, let’s not bring back Kushala Daora.
Title Updates
While waiting for the Elder Dragons, the best course of action is to hunt Tempered Apexes and Arkveld for the 100th time. This gives us ample time to master Monster Hunter Wilds’ new gameplay mechanics and build solid armor and weapons.
With Title Update 1 arriving in early April, we shouldn’t expect Elder Dragons just yet. Capcom has promised to prioritize adding a Gathering Hub and more powerful variants of existing monsters. If Arch-Tempered Monsters are included in this update, we might regret hoping for the arrival of Elders. For those hunters who’ve complained that the game is too easy, perhaps this will be the challenge they’ve been seeking.
The absence of Elder Dragons is ultimately a good thing for Monster Hunter Wilds, as they’ve been a constant presence in previous entries and have overstayed their welcome. If Capcom adds one, it better be an original Elder Dragon, similar to Safi’Jiva and Kulve Taroth.
Besides, Low-Rank Zoh Shia is still a tutorial boss fight. Who’s to say Capcom isn’t already cooking up a powered-up version of this Equal Dragon Weapon?