Arstais

**Arstais** is an **Elder Dragon** first introduced in Monster Hunter: Echoing Roars.

## Physiology

It's body is similar in shape to a Fatalis, however it is noticeably smaller. But still larger than most other large monsters. It's body is covered in dark green spine-like scales and seems to have black claws. It's arms are somewhat bulkier and the hands are made for striking opponents and are covered in much more hard and spiny orange colored scales. It's fists have one blade-like spine on the middle finger's knuckle and around it's wrist is a weirder spine that seems to be leaking some sort of gas that illuminates around it. The tips of the fists have bone-like purple structures that seem to be very reflective, or have something inside them. it has large wings with dark purple webbing and red markings on them. It's tail is a lot shorter than a Fatalis', however it is equipped with some blunt spikes on the sides of the tail all the way. At the tip of the tail, it has three long spikes on both sides of the tail, similar to a Stegosaurus tail. It has a long serpentine neck like of a Fatalis, but it seems a bit more shorter in general. It's snout also is a bit more broader. It's head overall seems similar, but different enough. The top of it's head and back of it's head seem to be covered in these green scales, but it's face in general is more covered in the orange scales. It has horns made of the same purple structures and it's eyes glow yellow much like the illuminating "aura" it produces.

## Behavior

A mighty dragon that sees most visitors as challengers. It will not back down from a fight usually and seems to enjoy combat a lot. This behavior can explain why Arstais are fans of combat and as such will be willing to take on challengers who wish to test their meddle. Unlike it's relatives, Arstais seem to have no hatred towards humanity whatsoever. Rather, it has more dislike towards other Elder Dragons. With lore describing that they challenge other powerful Elder Dragons to fights. They are thought to be some of the smarter Elder Dragons as well.

## Ecology

The description was made with the mainline games in mind.

An Elder Dragon of high power. They are quite difficult to find due to their nesting habits and how they tend to roam a lot. Their ecology is still being studied. But they have lots of lore written of them.

### Habitat Range

Commonly found nesting in deep caverns, but sometimes in abandoned forts or castles. They however roam where ever they please.

### Ecological Niche

They are beyond the throne of the food chain and sit outside of any natural food chain. As such, they can easily make a meal out of most monsters. However they do have to compete with monsters such as Fatalis, Alatreon and Shantien. Their preferred meal are monsters that use the Dragon element, but they have to be careful not to take too many injuries as they are weak to Dragon in a way. Even so, they are quite tough creatures and are not fazed by the element so much.

### Biological Adaptations

Arstais are brawlers. Despite being some of the smallest high level Elders, they are able to give a heavy wallop. Their arms have intense power and toughness to them making them incredible weapons that allow for offense and defense alike. These arms look similar to Brachydios pounders, even having fingers under the arms. These pounders have a special organ that releases a mysterious gas that also acts as it's aura. It can also infuse them with the Dragon element which the gas can easily capture and hold inside themselves. Interestingly, this gas also makes the dragon much more stronger. But any other lifeform that gets hit by this gas suffer from a weakened body. It's tail while shorter, is a lot more muscly and spiky which allows the Arstais to use it more effectively for combat. They cannot walk on all fours, so the closest they can do is run similar to a theropod dinosaur. Even then, their powerful legs, wings and tail keep them from tripping. This stance alone separates it from it's distant cousins. It also allows the beast to deliver it's punches easier, as it can aim them better with this stance.

## Moves and other states (Mainline)

If Arstais were to be in a mainline type game here are many of the moves Arstais can perform during battle. It cannot be Frenzied or Hyper, but it can become Arch Tempered. When enraged, the area will glow orange while the monster huffs angrily, and more gases flow from the monster's mouth and arms. It cannot become exhausted.

* Pound - Pounds something infront of it with a fist. Deals moderate damage. It can do this with either hand.
* Shovel Hook - Punches the ground, and grinds it along the ground quickly. Ends with an uppercut. Deals major damage and flings hunters if hit by the punch or grind. Launches if hit by the uppercut. It can do this either left or right.
* Pounder Step - Quickly moves forward while punching the ground twice. Deals major damage, being hit by the monster's movement trips and deals minor damage.
* Combat Fist - Charges up for a short moment, and then performs an attack with it's Attack boosted for the next attack.
	+ Combat Lunge - A fierce lunging attack involving the monster's fist, wings and tail. Deals major damage and knocks the target far back. Done if the target is far away from the Arstais.
	+ Combat Uppercut - A fierce uppercut attack that destroys the earth. Flings the target high and deals loads of damage. Done if the target is close to the Arstais.
	+ Combat Hook - Swings it's fists in a fierce hook-like manner. Moves forward a bit during this, and also flings forward some of the gas. The hooks themselves deal major damage, and the gas inflicts Defense and Resistance Down.
	+ Combat Roar - Stomps forward and lets loose a mighty roar that requires Earplugs to block. Being close inflicts Technique Down and deals major damage.
* Gliding Hook - Jumps at a target, glides if necesary, and uppercuts the target. Then lands. The uppercut deals major damage.
* Momentum Uppercut - Turns with one foot and then uppercuts whatever was behind it. Deals major damage and flings targets up.
* Evasive Punch - Sidesteps towards the side or to the side of the target and performs a punch attack.
* Hammer Punch - Leans back and lunges forward while punching at the ground where a target would be. If hit, the hunter will be flung back and gains major damage.
* Double Hammer Punch - Much like the original, but it does another one, quicker, but with less damage.
* Hammer Fist - Charges up and moves around while turning and moving towards a target. Then it either slams it's fist down with tremendous force, breaking away earth, or steps forward and does the move. The earth breaking away counts as a hitbox, and flings the targets up, dealing major damage. Being hit by the fist itself deals massive damage.
* Thunderclap - Punches it's fists together creating a wave of sound that requires Earplugs to block. Usually follows up with Pound, Shovel Hook, Hammer Punch or Pounder Step.
* Concealing Energy - Whips gases forward on a target infront of it. If hit, the target is pinned. The Arstais then forces more gases on them and then proceeds to rapidly punch the target. Finishing with a powerful punch attack that flings the target off the gas cloud. Deals major damage overall, with the finisher making this an especially lethal attack. Can inflict Suppression.
* Enraged only: Raging Attack - The Arstais quickly uppercuts while jumping and then performs rapid punches, ending with either a tail slam, powerful punch, a rough bite or an elemental blast from it's mouth. Deals massive damage overall.
* Bullet Punch - Strafes or flaps to a target and then delivers rapid punches that it then ends with an explosive punch attack.
* Tail Swipe - Slams it's tail down and spins 360 degrees using the tail as a weapon. Somewhat similar to the Fatalis tail swipe, but this is done in a more aggressive manner.
* Tail Smash - Smashes it's tail down either behind it or whips it forward with a slamming motion. Deals major damage.
* Tail Combo - Swipes it's tail and then does rapid whips. Ends the attack with a powerful tail slam. Overall it deals massive damage.
* Flying Tail Whip - Flaps it's wings to get good air, then whips it's tail forward and lands. The tail whip deals major damage and flings away targets. It may follow up with any punch or bite attack.
* Down Snap - Bites at any target infront of it. Deals major damage.
* Swooping Fangs - Lowers it's neck to the monster's side and then performs a lunging bite attack. Flings targets and deals major damage. Can be done from either side. Moves the monster forward a little bit. It may repeat this from another side and do it faster.
* Horn Swing - The monster swings it's horns forward. Deals major damage and the monster moves forward a bit. This attack covers the monster's sides and the forward side.
* Gas Fists - The monster's fists start releasing the mysterious gas. Being hit by this gas inflicts Defense Down and Resistance Down. Being hit too many times can inflict Suppression.
* Gas Breath - The monster fires a stream of the mysterious gas. Deals major damage, and inflicts Defense and Resistance Down. Can inflict Suppression. Cab do this while flying.
* Gas Blast - Fires an explosive ball of the mysterious gas. Deals major damage and inflicts Defense and Resistance Down. Can inflict Suppression. Can do this while flying.
* Break Roar - A mighty roar that requires Earplugs to block if in range. Being too close will fling and deal major damage, and inflict Technique Broken.
* Break Shout - Fires a sonic beam of sound from it's maw. Deals Technique Broken when hit by it. Requires Earplugs to block if close, but the time the Hunter is stunned is very small.

## Moves (Echoing Roars)

Arstais fights much like a fighting game boss, as this is a fighting game.

Arstais has a lot of moves in Echoing Roars, so here's some that you should keep mind of especially.

* Combat Fist - The user performs a powerful punch that boosts the user's attack if it hits. This does not buff the user if the attack is successfully blocked.
* Hammer Fist - The user performs a slow starting yet almighty slam attack, has a 100 % chance of inflicting Stun and breaks blocks and counters. The user can slowly move and turn before the move is excecuted.
* Breath - The user is able to breathe out Dragon elemental energy and it's unusual gas. Getting hit by the gas inflicts Defense and Resistance down.
* Concealing Energy - A command grab. The user conceals the target with the gasses, and chucks them away, causing an explosion of the gas as well. Inflicts Defense and Resistance down, but can also inflict Suppression.
* Break Roar - The user does a special roar that if the target is in it for too long, will get affected with Technique Broken.
* Aura Armor - The user conceals their body with their own aura. Arstais' aura will weaken the target's elemental attacks that it receives. Being near it for more than 45 seconds will inflict Defense and Resistance Down.

It will become enraged when it's health drops halfway, or if it's Round 3. When enraged, Arstais will gain the Dragon element in most of it's attacks, and most of it's attacks (especially the gas ones) start inflicting Suppression. It will also start this state with a Break Roar.

Arstais is a heavy monster, meaning they are very hard to launch. It does not help that it is capable of flight to some extent in battle. The best way with dealing with this monster is to depleting it's HP to 0.

## Body Breaks and Effectiveness

### Breaks

* Horns - The horns will appear broken. If the head is already broken, the horns can be broken by attaacking the head.
* Head - The head becomes scarred. If the horns are already broken, the head can be broken by attacking the horns.
* Pounders - The pounders appear cracked and are missing some shell. Broken independently.
* Wings - The webbing appears more torn.
* Tail - The tail's spikes appear more broken.

### Part Effectiveness

* Green sharpness penetrates the body mostly with blue sharpness penetrating the horns, tail spikes and gas releasing organs.

## Interactions

Arstais has no specific interactions with the locale or monsters as of now. Other than it causing the locale to gain an orange glow when it is enraged.

## Notes

* Arstais was going to be a monster that can mimic other monsters. It was very intelligent, being able to trick people and monsters alike to cause havoc and get what it wishes.
* Other potential classes for this monster were Bypaldian, Bird Wyvern, Brute Wyvern and Celloid.
* Credit to GoldenDragonIlo for helping me with Elements, Ailments, and the monster's title!