Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is an epic turn-based RPG adventure in the world of Monster Hunter. Fans of the series will encounter familiar monsters over the course of a long narrative journey. After clearing the main campaign of Monster Hunter Stories 2, players can test their mettle against challenges that far outweigh any that came before. Conquering legendary Elder Dragons in the post-game will even create opportunities to recruit them as Monsties. This guide will explain how to beat Velkhana in Monster Hunter Stories 2 and where exactly the boss fight takes place.
Velkhana made its first appearance in the series as the flagship monster of Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. The Elder Dragon of ice returns in Monster Hunter Stories 2 alongside many other iconic creatures from Monster Hunter World. While Velkhana is certainly a popular Elder Dragon that fans will want to hunt, players will actually encounter their first Elder Dragon when they come across the Nergigante location in Monster Hunter Stories 2. It won't be until much later that Riders can face off against threats as vicious as Velkhana.
Where To Find Velkhana in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
Players who are eager to battle Velkhana will have to progress to the Monster Hunter Stories 2 post-game. After defeating the final boss of the main story, Riders will gain access to the Elder's Lair. Many unique and difficult challenges await the player within the various zones of the lair. It is in Zone 5 of the Elder's Lair that players will be able to encounter Velkhana, but it would be wise to first search the area for Red's Notes that contain hints on how to defeat the zone's boss.
How to Beat Velkhana in Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
There are nine of Red's Notes hidden within chests across Elder's Lair - Z6. Together, the notes will reveal all of Velkhana's weaknesses and attack patterns. Without this knowledge, trying to defeat Velkhana would be nearly futile. Attacks will be entirely ineffective without exploiting the monster's specific weaknesses. Furthermore, the Velkhana's attacks are unpredictable and will almost certainly take out the player's entire HP bar in a single hit if they aren't countered properly.
Preparing to Fight Velkhana
Triumphing over Velkhana will require some thorough preparation before the battle. Velkhana uses the ice element, so armor with the Ice Def Boost skill such as the Gammoth Armor+ would be a great choice. As for weapons and Monsties, players should prepare to bring options that inflict fire damage such as the Anjanath Power-type Monstie. It's also important to be aware that each body part is vulnerable to different weapon types, as listed below:
- Head - Blunt
- Body - Slash
- Tail - Pierce
Velkhana Fight Step by Step
Velkhana will mercilessly decimate any gamer that has not consulted Red's Notes to know what to expect from the fight. However, victory can be achieved easily and reliably by following the step-by-step guide below. Players should keep in mind that Velkhana will always target the main Rider. This makes it easy to use Double Attacks to counter and nullify Velkhana's actions.
- Velkhana will start with a Power -> Power -> Speed pattern. Counter accordingly with Speed -> Speed -> Technical
- Velkhana will use Tail Sting -> Technical -> Technical. Block or Dodge the Tail Sting, then counter with Power -> Power.
- Velkhana will use Hyperfreeze(Power) -> Speed -> Speed. Counter with Speed -> Technical -> Technical.
- Velkhana will create a Freezing Fog, during which it will randomly use Technical or Power attacks. The Fog must be destroyed within six turns. Since Velkhana’s attack types cannot be predicted in this phase, it’s best to use Kinship Skills to quickly break the Fog.
- Velkhana will repeat previous mechanics until it is defeated.
Defeating Velkhana will allow players to progress deeper into the Elder's Lair. For any Riders who struggle to survive Velkhana's attacks despite knowing its patterns, the best solution is to do some quick leveling in Monster Hunter Stories 2 and then return to get swift revenge on the Elder Dragon.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is now available for the Nintendo Switch and PC.