Astalos are a species that are from the science fantasy videogame, Monster Hunter Generations. They are a species of hyper-aggressive Flying Wyvern that generate electricity by rapidly moving piezo-electric organs in their bodies, allowing them to store incredible amounts of charge. Their aggression towards basically anything that moves, including their own kin outside of mating season, is the reason why hunters are tasked with stopping them.
Why aren't they heroic or villainous?[]
- Although highly destructive, what they do are animal instincts rather than malice.
Physiology[]
The Astalos is a large, male Flying Wyvern covered predominantly in a chitinous, black-green shell with an electric green belly, making him vaguely resemble an insect. His back is covered in several rows of spines, terminating in a large, long, claw-like tail with four flexible talons. His wings also possess a semi-transparent, green membrane, akin to the wings of insects, possessing numerous spikes on his wing digits as well. The Astalos's most prominent trait is his large, flexible horn, which glows green and has strips of black scutes covering it. His mouth also possesses a beak and numerous sharp teeth, while his eyes are red and resemble compound eyes.
When enraged, an Astalos's horns, eyes and spikes will start to glow green, while his body crackles with electricity. His wing membranes also begin to display iridescence, glowing varying shades of blue, green and yellow.
As all Astalos encountered in-game are male, what female Astalos look like is unknown.
Abilities[]
An apex predator of incredible strength, Astalos is capable of dispatching both prey and rival monsters with relative ease, engaging in dogfights with other apexes like Rathalos. The spikes covering his shell allow him to pierce and rend any foes that he participates in fights in, while his speed and agility allow him to unleash devastating ambushes on unsuspecting victims. Astalos's keratinous shell makes him resistant to attacks from other monsters, while his pincer-like tail can be used to grapple small prey.
Uniquely for a Thunder element monster, Astalos produces his electricity via piezoelectricity: a phenomenon where mechanical stress induced in certain materials generates electric charge. As such, he can be often seen vigorously moving its horn, wing membranes and tail, generating charges to unleash in battle later on. Astalos can coat his own body in this electricity and unleash it in the form of lightning balls. Interestingly, Astalos seems to have little control over the direction his lightning moves in, with his lightning balls moving about erratically after being fired. Thus, Astalos tends to imbue himself with electricity for precise strikes, relegating his ranged attacks to dealing with mobile prey.
Behaviour[]
Incredibly belligerent to everything they see, including their own species, Astalos are known to be extremely dangerous Flying Wyverns. They will frequently attack any "intruders" in their territory, even if they're merely passing monsters like Rathalos. In battle Astalos are incredibly brutal and vicious, rending foes with blasts of electricity and its sharp claws, refusing to relent until their targets are dead. Afterwards, some individuals are known to feast on the bodies of their victims, allowing no meat to go to waste.
As apex predators, Astalos are known to feed on a high variety of monsters, from small monsters such as Aptonoth and Wroggi, to larger creatures like Velocidrome. They seem to be rather fond of Neopterons such as Vespoids and will snack on them frequently. This behaviour, however, makes Astalos unable to care for their young, as they will often forget they birthed them and mistake them for Neopterons. As such, Astalos parents will leave the nest as soon as their eggs hatch, ensuring that they don't accidentally cannibalise their young.
Habitat[]
Astalos often live in areas with lots of vegetation, such as the Ancestral Steppe, Verdant Hills, Marshlands, Shrine Ruins, Flooded Forest and Jungle.
Trivia[]
- While not stated in-game, all Astalos fought are male, as revealed by in a developer tweet.
- Astalos's Japanese name, Raizekusu (ライゼクス), comes from rai (kanji: 雷 / kana: ライ) the Japanese word for "thunder" and the German word for "insect", Insekt, which is then translated into Japanese, becoming insekuto (インセクト).
- Meanwhile the English name, Astalos, was originally Astralos, from astrapi (αστραπή) the Greek word for "lightning" and -los, a common suffix among monster names. However the name didn't roll off the tongue, and therefore the "r" in Astralos was dropped, becoming Astalos.
- Other proposals for the name included Fulgalos and Nitralos.
- Meanwhile the English name, Astalos, was originally Astralos, from astrapi (αστραπή) the Greek word for "lightning" and -los, a common suffix among monster names. However the name didn't roll off the tongue, and therefore the "r" in Astralos was dropped, becoming Astalos.
- The idea for its wings to generate electricity came from crickets, which use their forewings to chirp.
- Astalos's design was partially inspired by pterosaurs.
- Astalos can electrically charge its head, wings or tail when attacking to increase the power of its attacks.
- When it charges its head, its eyes will turn neon green and its horn will get an axe-like shape.
- When it charges its wings, the webbing will turn transparent and the veins and spikes will glow bright green.
- When it charges its tail, the "pincers" at the tip will glow green and change shape. It will also be able to inflict Paralysis with some of its tail-based attacks.
- However, it's also more susceptible to damage and elements on the charged body parts.
- Astalos's horn, back, and both wings can be broken and part of its tail can be severed.
- Breaking a charged body part will make it return to normal and also cause it to drop a shiny.
- Staggering Astalos by hitting a charged body part will also return this body part to normal.
- Astalos recovers stamina by eating from a carcass.
- When exhausted, Astalos will lose all body charges it has at that moment.
- Similar to Zinogre, Astalos can be fully charged by being caught in a Shock Trap. However, Astalos can also lose its charge from Shock Traps if a part is fully charged.
- Astalos's roar requires Earplugs to block.
- Astalos can knock over hunters during its death animation, when it falls down after trying to stand back up. This deals no damage, however. (Even in an incomplete multi-monster quest)
- Astalos was voted 45th place in the Hunters' Choice for Top Monster during Monster Hunter's 20th Anniversary.
