Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has an impressively large roster of monsters and Elder Dragons, but there are still several that were missing. To be precise, not including subspecies or anything from Monster Hunter Frontier or Monster Hunter Online, there are thirteen kinds of Elder Dragons which have appeared in previous games but have not yet made an appearance in the most recent expansion. For some of these monsters, it is pretty clear why they are not present, but others would be a wonderful treat if they were included. These missing Elder Dragons span all four previous generations of Monster Hunter and are all very unique and worthy of the title Elder Dragon.
For those unaware, an Elder Dragon is any monster which cannot be classified into one of the major types of wyverns (ie. brute, flying, fanged, piscine, etc.), usually because they possess some kind of mythical power or influence beyond that which can be considered normal for a Monster Hunter game. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has done a fantastic job of adding several new Elder Dragons, but didn't bring back any more old ones than what were already in Monster Hunter World. These are all the Elder Dragons not yet in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, some of which would make great additions to the game.
Lao Shan Lung
Lao Shan Lung was the first every siege monster, and the largest monster for quite some time. This massive Elder Dragon is the size of a mountain, and though it rarely shows its face, it goes on a monstrous rampage whenever it does. Lao Shan Lung is known to destroy anything in its path, but seems to care little for hunters as they pose little threat to it. There is also a sub-species, the Ashen Lao Shan Lung, which are the same as regular Lao Shan Lung except that years subjected to volcanic debris has changed the color of their scales. It would be nice to see either of these variations make an appearance in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne as a new siege monster.
Fatalis (And Dire Miralis)
Fatalis is the bringer of the end times, a mythical black dragon of legend wreathed in mystery. It is said that any who challenge it never return alive, and that stories of the beast date back to antiquity. Fatalis debuted in the original Monster Hunter, and has made appearances as a sort of secret boss in subsequent games. His exclusion from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is admittedly quite disappointing, as his classic design would fit in exceptionally well with the style of Monster Hunter World.
There are two Fatalis subspecies as well, the Crimson Fatalis and the White Fatalis. Each is stronger than the last, with the White Fatalis being the strongest. The Crimson Fatalis not only breathes fire, but controls magma and lava itself. This form of the Elder Dragon is also consumed by a nearly everlasting rage. White Fatalis, on the other hand, controls lightning instead, and is capable of producing a deadly red lightning from its mouth and in the sky. Dire Miralis is another Elder Dragon that is thought to be closely related to the Fatalis family, but its reliance on underwater mechanics make it unlikely as a candidate. Any of these monsters would be a great final challenge for hunters, but maybe they are being saved for a future expansion.
Chameleos
Chameleos was introduced alongside two Elder Dragons which most fans should recognize, Teostra and Kushala Daora. This trio made up a very unique set of Elder Dragons with interesting powers. Chameleos was a lizard like creature with the potent ability to turn itself invisible. This made hunting it extremely challenging, especially when paired with its deadly poison and the long reach of its tongue attacks. Of course, there were ways to circumvent this, namely through the use of smoke bombs, which would make the Chameleos visible again. Monster Hunter World: Iceborne introduces many interesting new mechanics, and this would fit right in.
Yama Tsukami
Yama Tsukami is an interesting Elder Dragon as it somewhat combines the concept of a siege monster like Lao Shan Lung with more typical combat. The Yama Tsukami is a floating mass of flesh and moss with several tentacles. The creature remains stationary during the duration of the fight, instead using its massive tentacles to smash hunters or pulling them in with gusts of wind. This beast can be killed, though, should the hunter come prepared. The likelihood of a monster like this making its way into Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is slim to none, though, and that may be for the best.
Alatreon
Alatreon is an Elder Dragon in appearance just as much as power. This beast looks visually impressive and has some cool mechanics to boot, so there is no reason it would not fit well in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Alatreon is one of few monsters in Monster Hunter's history to have control over numerous elements, having mastery over fire, thunder, ice, and dragon. Depending on how wounded Alatreon is at the time, he will fight with different tactics, either taking to the air to bombard the player with thunder and ice or sticking to the ground and overwhelming hunters with dragon and fire damage.
Amatsu
Amatsu's fight is one of the most visually satisfying in the entire Monster Hunter franchise, and it is truly a shame that such a thing has not yet been recreated with Monster Hunter World's beautiful graphics. Amatsu is an Elder Dragon which controls storms and the weather, an ability which it uses to create tornadoes or harness the power of water into highly pressurized beams. This beast hovers above the ground, seemingly swimming through the air, and while present the sky is covered in dark clouds. Only after killing the Elder Dragon do the clouds part, leaving behind a beautifully sunny sky and a rainbow. This moment is one of the most triumphant in any Monster Hunter's career.
Caedus
Monster Hunter Tri introduced underwater combat to Monster Hunter, a trait which was not favored by most and did not last long in the series. That said, Capcom would have been remiss if it did not include a deep-sea dwelling Elder Dragon, and that's exactly what Caedus is. Essentially the Lao Shan Lung of the ocean, Caedus slowly makes its way through the water while hunters attempt to kill it, ending in a final showdown. There is a Caedus sub-species as well, the Goldbeard Caedus, but not much is known about how they relate to the regular Caedus. This monster is almost guaranteed to never come to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, unless developers see fit to add underwater combat again in the near future.
Jhen Mohran and Dah'ren Mohran
Jhen Mohran, on the other hand, would make a very interesting fight in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. This giant, whale-like creature swims through not water, but sand at a rapid pace, and is faced by hunters while on a moving sand skiffer. Although this siege battle is certainly enjoyable and rewarding, there are some aspects of it that make little sense. For example, if Jhen Mohran is capable of swimming so fast in the sand, why does it move so slowly during the final showdown. Also, it should be incredibly easy for the beast to capsize the ship the hunters are on, but it instead chooses to swim beside it.
Dah'ren Mohran is functionally and visually very similar to Jhen Mohran, the main difference being the number of horns the beasts have. Jhen Mohran has two very large horns while Dah'ren Mohran has one, central horn. There is also a subspecies of the Jhen Mohran, dubbed the Hallowed Jhen Mohran, which is bigger and more brightly colored than its counterparts. Not much is known regarding how these Hallowed Jhen Mohran come to be, however. Given the unrealistic aspects of this fight and the oddity of having two nearly identical monsters, it is unlikely (but not impossible) that either will appear as Elder Dragons in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, especially since the use of sand skiffers has not yet been established on the New World.
Dalamadur
To say that Dalamadur is not in Monster Hunter World would be something of a lie, as the skeleton of one can actually be found in the Rotten Vale. If players look closely, they will realize that the entirety of the Rotten Vale is actually one giant skeleton of a fully grown Dalamadur, something which is unheard of. Dalamadur are massive, snake-like monsters which continue to eat and grow indefinitely. The one encountered in Monster Hunter 4 is insinuated to be very young given the size of the remains in the Rotten Vale. It is assumed that the Dalamadur seen in Monster Hunter World participated in an Elder Crossing as well, but grew so large that it could not find enough food to sustain itself and starved, giving birth to the life that is the Coral Highlands.
Gogmazios
Gogmazios is a brute of an Elder Dragon whose diet consists mainly of gunpowder. Predictably, this monster is very explosive and easily angered, and is even capable of firing a beam of superheated oil from its mouth. It is clear that there is gunpowder in the new world, meaning the arrival of a Gogmazios isn't completely outlandish, but given this thing's fighting style and nature, it seems unlikely that it would arrive for players to hunt in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.
Shagaru Magala
Shagaru Magala is very unique, so much so that the entire story of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate revolves around this Elder Dragon. Shagaru Magala come into existence when a Gore Magala sheds its skin, revealing the golden form underneath. This creature is deadly, having control over a special virus which can enrage monsters and severely weaken humans. Because of this virus mechanic, it is improbable that Shagaru Magala or Gore Magala will make their way to the New World, as if they did, the virus would take over the story to a degree. Shagaru Magala has a particularly interesting variant in which a Gore Magala's molting process was interrupted. This results in a half black, half golden Shagaru Magala that is particularly angry.
Nakarkos
Nakarkos is particularly interesting, as what sets it apart from others is its tendency to cover itself in a protective layer of bone. Hunters will be familiar with monsters that do such things with mud, ice, or even hardened magma, but bones are an entirely different story. In reality, this creature is a cephalopod, but the way it covers its two main appendages makes it seem like a two headed bone dragon. While this monster is certainly pretty cool, it is a little outlandish perhaps for Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. That said, seeing something like this in the Rotten Vale on that pile of bones that Vaal Hazaak rises out of would be pretty darn cool.
Valstrax
Valstrax is an absolutely insane monster due to his incredible capabilities and awesome design. If Bazelgeuse is the B-52 of the Monster Hunter world, then Valstrax is like some kind of fighter jet. Valstrax is capable of propelling energy out of the tips of his wings in order to fly through the air at incredible speeds. He is also capable of using this ability to deal damage to hunters at close range, and his wings are even sharp and strong enough to be used as a piercing weapon. The sleek look of this Elder Dragon and high tech feel of his mechanics could admittedly feel a little out of place in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, but that doesn't stop anyone from wanting him there.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has no shortage of awesome monsters and Elder Dragons, and the returning Elder Dragons introduced in the base game (like Kushala Daora, Teostra, Lunastra, and Kirin) help to fill out the roster and add a bit of nostalgia, but some of these Elder Dragons would make fantastic additions to the cast. Obviously certain monsters like Caedus and Yama Tsukami would simply not translate well into Monster Hunter World: Iceborne's system, but others like Chameleos and Amatsu would be so great that it is almost a crime they aren't there in the first place. Time will tell if any new Elder Dragons are on the way in the future.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.