Elements

A comprehensive list of all Elements and Ailments featured in Monster Hunter Verge!

## **Elements**

There are five elemental attributes in the world of Monster Hunter: Fire, Ice, Water, Thunder, and Dragon. These *Elements* imbue every attack with extra damage, though how much varies depending on the elemental weaknesses and resistances of the target. Being struck repeatedly with elemental attacks (or just once by a particularly potent one) can inflict temporary yet dangerous status effects called *blights*. These blights all have their own effects but can be cured the same way: by consuming a Nulberry.

### **Fire**

The embodiment of life essence and primordial chaos, Fire is an important element to both humans and dragons. Hunters and monsters afflicted by *Fireblight* literally catch fire and take heavy damage over time while affected. Worse still Fireblight is the only communicable blight, meaning it can be spread from one victim to another through prolonged contact! Luckily there are multiple ways to cure it besides Nulberries, like rolling on the ground or through a puddle. Water is Fire's natural counter and submerging in it can negate Fireblight entirely. Rain can also reduce the duration of Fireblight and so can attacks that have Water element. Hunters can thus extinguish each other by Water element weapons, though they should be careful not to douse their enemies too!

### **Ice**

Cold is merely the absence of heat... and at least potentially, life. Hunters afflicted with *Iceblight* consume stamina several times faster than normal, tiring themselves out abnormally fast and finding themselves vulnerable at inopportune moments. This ailment is connected to the temperature, meaning that contracting Iceblight in Very Cold biomes actually makes the effect worse, speeding up stamina consumption even more and slightly reducing movement speed! Monsters can also contract Iceblight, though it does not affect their stamina, instead drastically reducing their movement speed for a short amount of time. Both monsters and hunters take extra damage from Ice and Water attacks while afflicted.

### **Water**

Water is essential to all known forms of life. Some say it's even where life itself began! Still, it is possible to have too much of a good thing... and when that happens, you get *Waterblight*. It's a stamina-effecting ailment similar to Iceblight, but in this case it's the recovery of stamina that's affected, slowed down so severely that hunters have a hard time moving. Waterblight also makes targets both human and monster take extra damage from Ice and Thunder attacks and can be suffered at the same time as Iceblight. Most monsters do not suffer movement penalties from Waterblight, though some (especially those with thick feathers or fur) do.

### **Thunder**

Electricity is just as natural and timeless as Fire, Ice, and Water but humans have only recently begun to understand its properties. Targets struck with it experience *Thunderblight*, a seemingly harmless status with deadly potential. It dramatically increases damage taken from Thunder attacks, increases the likelihood of Dizzy, and in some cases may even cause Paralysis to boot!

### **Dragon**

The red and black energy called "Dragon Element" is poorly understood. Scholars have argued for centuries over what exactly it is, why it exists, and what its effect on living tissue truly is. Victims of *Dragonblight* have described its effects many different ways over the years, but only one thing seems to be certain: it affects gear more than flesh. Hunters who contract Dragonblight see their weapons rendered largely impotent, temporarily increasing sharpness loss and losing the ability to inflict elemental damage and induce status effects. The effects on monsters are even less clear, but it's said the Elder Dragons are loathe of it...

## **Status Effects**

In addition to the five elemental blights there are also several other ailments that can be inflicted, often times intsantaneously if they're used by a monster. Hunters can inflict them on enemies with repeated hits just like blights, but since these status effects are non-elemental in nature they don't deal any extra damage per hit and can't be cured by Nulberries.

### **Blast**

*Blastblight* has no obvious or immediate effects but can foretell terrible destruction. If it's not cured by rolling around then it can trigger a violent Blast, an explosion that ignores armor defense and deals massive damage. More importantly it can be triggered early at any time if the victim's hit again while afflicted. It doesn't matter if the attack is slight or severe, or if the hunter is blocking: any impact will set it off.

### **Poison**

Similar to Fireblight the Poison status deals damage over time, however it deals its damage less quickly and can last far longer. As a non-elemental ailment it can also stack on top of any other status effect. The only reliable ways to cure Poison are with Antidotes or Herbal Medicines, but eating a Bitterbug might work... sometimes.

### **Paralysis**

Targets hit by Paralysis seize in place, unable to move, use items, or attack. There is no cure for this effect and the only way to escape it early is to be hit again by an especially strong attack.

### **Sleep**

Some attacks have special tranquilizing effects that can force a target to Sleep. This status is similar to Paralysis in the sense that it renders the target immobile and unable to act, but hunters have a brief window of opportunity to cure it early on by smacking each other or drinking an Energy Drink. The most important distinction however is that any hunter or monster who's fallen asleep will take 2X damage from the first hit that wakes them up!

### **Dizzy**

The Dizzy status is unique it that it can not only be inflicted by special attacks that deal it, but by *any* kind of attack, from *any* monster, given the target is struck often or hard enough! Hunters affected by Dizzy wobble and stand in place, left vulnerable and immobile the same way they would be if Paralyzed or Sleeping. Monsters experience Dizziness differently depending on how it is applied: blunt force blows to the head can cause them to topple over and experience the Dizzy (or "KO") status on the ground, but they can also be Dizzied standing up with the use of a Flash Bomb; this version of Dizzy does not immobilize monsters, but it does greatly restrict their attack options and makes their movement clumsy and erratic.

### **Stink**

The Stink status effect is inflicted when crossing paths with particularly offensive odors. Some smells are so bad that hunters can't even stomach consumables like Potions and Steaks around them! Using Deodorant clears the status, but the only way to turn it against your enemy is to throw a Dung Bomb. Monsters afflicted with Stink flee from the area where they were bombed and may even repel other monsters nearby.

### **Bleed**

Bleed is a damage over time effect caused by especially heinous cutting and stabbing attacks. The amount of damage it saps is trivial compared to Fireblight and Poison but also stops natural health recovery and spikes whenever the victim exerts themselves. Major movements like sprinting, rolling, climbing, jumping off ledges and even certain attacks can temporarily worsen bloodloss and cause sudden bursts of damage. The fastest way to cure Bleeding is to apply Gauze Wraps, though crouching can eventually do the same without the use of an item.

### **Sunder**

A status most commonly inflicted by acid or extra powerful armor-cracking blows, Sundered leaves hunters with significantly lowered defense. The best way to counter it is to consume an item that raises defense, like Armor Seeds or Armorskin. Allies with Hunting Horns or the Wide Range skill can also be helpful!

### **Hinder**

The Hindered status drastically reduces movement speed and can be caused many ways. It can be inflicted as a proper status by debilitating monster attacks, such as those using slime of webbing, or situationally by environmental hazards like deep snow, mud, and quicksand. The former can be cured by using a Cleanser and the latter by simply exiting the hazard. Special armor skills can also reduce or negate the effect of environmental hindrances.