Although Zoh Shia is the thematic boss of Monster Hunter Wilds, other beasts can put up a tougher fight. Gore Magala (and especially its Tempered version) are easily in contention for being the most deadly enemies in the game. Not much is more threatening than their high mobility, powerful attacks, and unique Frenzy ailment that forms the basis for your Corrupted Mantle.
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That doesn’t mean these fights are impossible! Gore Magala can be defeated if you go in with the right gear and preparation. Let’s go over how to beat this aggressive monster.
How to find Gore Magala
Screenshot: Capcom / Samuel Moreno / Kotaku
Your first Gore Magala hunt will take place during chapter five of the main quest. The monster will spawn in the Iceshard Cliffs and Wounded Hollow after you’ve defeated it. Keep leveling up your Hunter Rank, and you’ll soon find its tempered version in the same locations as well as the Ruins of Wyveria.
The strongest monsters always have the most distinctive gimmicks, and that’s certainly the case here, too
Saving Gore Magala investigations is ideal if you’re looking to farm the monster’s parts. This will cost fewer Guild Points than repeatedly resting in your tent to force a spawn. More importantly, you’ll end up with multiple chances in case you fail an attempt.
How Gore Magala’s Frenzy Virus works
Screenshot: Capcom / Samuel Moreno / Kotaku
The strongest monsters always have the most distinctive gimmicks, and that’s certainly the case here. Many of Gore Magala’s attacks will disperse purple clouds that can afflict your hunter with the two-phased Frenzy Virus. Phase one is all about battling your exposure to it, while the second phase is dependent on whether you cured it or not. Here’s a handy breakdown:
- Phase 1 (Exposure): Presented as a tiny purple gauge among the other status icons above your health bar. It slowly fills up on its own, although taking more Frenzy attacks will accelerate the progress. Eating a Nulberry can lower the gauge, but the only way to cure it is to land multiple hits on a monster.
- Phase 2 (Infected): Presented as a swirling red cloud among your status icons. Failing to stop the exposure gauge from filling up results in a temporary halt to your natural health recovery and an increase in damage taken.
- Phase 2 (Cured): Presented as a swirling blue cloud among your status icons. Landing enough attacks will cure you of the Frenzy Virus and provide a temporary increase to your Affinity.
Antivirus is a fantastic skill to bring to this fight. It makes curing the virus a lot easier and provides an increased Affinity bonus for doing so. The one catch is that aside from the Sane Jewel decoration and Sanity Charm talismans, this skill is only available with some of the Gore Magala forged armor pieces. Said armor also has a Set Bonus Skill to self-inflict the Frenzy Virus while fighting any monster, so more confident hunters can use it to their advantage. I’d suggest avoiding the virus altogether if you have trouble dealing with it.
Gore Magala’s weaknesses
Screenshot: Capcom / Samuel Moreno / Kotaku
There is a lot to keep track of when hunting Gore Magala, and that’s made much harder when it dictates the pacing of the hunt. Utilize the following weaknesses against it to slow the fight down and provide the openings you need:
- Elemental Weaknesses: Fire
- Weapon Type Weaknesses: Cut, Blunt
- Breakable Parts: Antenna, Tail (can also be severed), Wings x2
- Susceptible Status Ailments: Blastblight (most effective), Exhaust (most effective), Paralysis, Poison, Sleep, Stun
- Items and Traps: Shock Trap, Pitfall Trap
How to beat Gore Magala
It’s time to put everything into practice. Gore Magala’s biggest blind spot is right underneath it. The big monster will likely need to reposition or use an attack with a sizable wind-up to reach you. This is the best place to be without worrying about any long combos locking you into a dangerous situation.
The camera, of course, will present an issue. Monster Hunter Wilds will prioritize visibility for your character, so the giant Gore Magala might turn invisible when you’re under it. Do your best not to lose track of your target. Trust me that you do not want to randomly get hit by an air dive or any Frenzy-related attack.
Speaking of, you may notice the wings begin to glow purple throughout the hunt. This is a sign that Gore Magala is about to enter the unique Frenzy State. You’ll know this state is fully active once two horn-like antennas emerge from its head. Expect a lot more movement and much more aggressive attacks when this happens. Dealing enough damage to the head is the best way to end this state, but you might need to use some traps to keep it in place. Saving your opportunity to mount will also come in handy at this moment.
I’d be remiss not to highlight the importance of your environment. Both the Ice Shard Cliffs and Ruins of Wyveria have narrow areas that can make this an even bigger pain. Lure the monster to larger areas, or better yet, towards other monsters. Let them fight while you recover and sharpen your weapons. Don’t forget about triggering falling debris whenever possible as well. Any knockdown is a welcome knockdown.
There honestly isn’t much more to this hunt. Gore Magala simply hits hard and then hits a lot harder while in the Frenzy State and when you’re infected with the Frenzy Virus. Always prioritize not getting infected and ending the Frenzy State as soon as possible. If you’re struggling and not aiming for a particular carving reward, remember that you can always capture the monster once it’s weak enough. That’s a lot easier than finishing the hunt by slaying it.
Everything above will also apply to its tempered version, but you should expect a much more difficult fight. Tempered Gore Magala is relentless in its attacks and will enter the Frenzy State a lot faster. Seeing huge chunks of your health disappear is a common occurrence. Be prepared with high defense and preferably a level-three Antivirus skill. If you typically use a weapon that can guard, consider switching out to something different. I’ve found dodging is overall more helpful than guarding due to the high amount of chip damage you can take.
Gore Magala’s drops
Screenshot: Capcom / Samuel Moreno / Kotaku
After victory comes the hard-earned spoils. The armor and weapons you can forge from this monster’s parts are incredibly powerful and well worth using. You can find a list of every Gore Magala drop below, sorted from most to least frequent.
- Gore Magala Wing+ (100% chance for breaking either Wing)
- Gore Magala Feeler+ (100% chance for breaking the Antenna)
- Gore Magala Tail
- Gore Magala Scale+
- Gore Magala Carapace
- Gore Magala Ripclaw+
- Frenzy Crystal
- Gore Magala Certificate S
Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows PCs.