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When Gore Magala was announced to return to Monster Hunter Rise with the release of the Sunbreak DLC, players knew its Elder Dragon counterpart, Shagaru Magala, was all but confirmed to return as well. Lo and behold, the glittering king of the Frenzy virus indeed made its way into Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak.
In some cases, unlocking the ability to fight this foul Elder Dragon must be clarified. This guide will help Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak players unlock and beat a Shagaru Magala.
How To Unlock Shagaru Magala
To unlock the option to fight a Shagaru Magala, hunters must first defeat the Elder Dragon, Malzeno, in the "Witness by Moonlight" quest. Afterward, they must complete two 5-Star Key quests, from which the Urgent quest, "Dark Citadel, White Wheel," will become available. From there, players can then hunt a Shagaru Magala at the Citadel. Shagaru Magala is the Elder Dragon evolution of a Gore Magala, from which players would have fought at least once. However, the evolved form is one of the strongest monsters in the game and the franchise. Before fighting the newly evolved Frenzy dragon, players must first understand its newfound powers and weaknesses.
How To Defeat Shagaru Magala
As mentioned, Shagaru Magala is the Elder Dragon evolution of a Gore Magala. Therefore, it retains most of its original moveset but with new tricks and weaknesses. For starters, instead of being weak to the Fire element, Shagaru Magala is now vulnerable to the Dragon element, like other Elder Dragons. However, the Frenzy virus, the main gimmick for which the Magala monsters are known, is still very much in play. Nullberries will be a crucial factor in helping players suppress the effects of the virus.
If a Shagaru Magala damages a player, they will be afflicted by the Frenzy virus. When that happens, a new gauge will appear over the player's health bar, signaling their affliction of the virus. If the meter fills, the hunter's natural health regeneration will cease, and they will take twice the amount of damage from attacks as before.
There is only one way to cleanse the virus, going on the offensive against Shagaru Magala. Dealing enough damage to the beast will eventually remove the virus unless the player is damaged again, from which they'll have to repeat the process all over again. As mentioned earlier, Nullberries will be crucial in aiding hunters with the virus. Using a Nullberry will temporarily suppress and halt the meter on the virus gauge from filling, but the berry will not remove it. Only by dealing enough damage to Shagaru Magala will cleanse the virus entirely.
Shagaru Magala Ultra Frenzy Mode
Finally, one key difference between a Gore and Shagaru Magala is the addition of a secondary rage mode. Previously, Gore Magala had a unique enraged state known as the Frenzied mode, from which the Frenzy virus will be in full force, and Gore Magala will become hyper-aggressive. However, not only does Shagaru Magala have the Frenzied mode, but now, it gains access to the Ultra Frenzied mode. Shagaru Magala will roar and fly into the sky, releasing an explosion of the Frenzy virus while also summoning pillars of it all around the area. Most of its attacks will now summon Frenzy pillars and will now have access to two new attacks, the Frenzy Beams.
There are two variations of the Frenzy Beam. First, a standard beam that goes in a straight line. However, the attack has enough power to nearly one shot a player, and if hit by it, it will guarantee affliction of the virus. On the other hand, the second variation is a sweeping version of the Frenzy Beam, where Shagaru Magala will stand on its hind legs and fire the attack across the arena. Only standing behind the beast or a well-timed dolphin dive will allow players to dodge the blast. This second variation of the attack is considered its Ultimate move, and in most cases, will one-shot hunters. This will not be an easy fight, but if players can overcome the virus, they'll eventually defeat the foul Elder Dragon.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is now available for the Nintendo Switch and PC.