Name: Rathalos
Class: Flying Wyvern; Armor Shell Wyvern; Wyvern Feet; Saurischia
Title: Fire Wyvern, King of the Skies
Strength: Fireblight(3Gen+), Stun, Poison
Weakness: Ice(2Gen), Water(2Gen), Dragon(2Gen+), Thunder(3Gen)
Habitats: Forest and Hills, Old Swamp, Old Volcano, Volcano, Tower, Tower 3, Deserted Island, Volcano (3rd), Ancestral Steppe, Volcanic Hollow, Heaven's Mount, Tower Summit, Everwood, Jurassic Frontier, Verdant Hills, Ruined Pinnacle,
Ancient Forest, Elder's Recess, Guiding Lands, Shrine Ruins, Lava Caverns, Red Stronghold, Infernal Springs, Citadel, Forlorn Arena (MHRS), Gorge, Highland, Interceptor's Base, Fortress Ruins, Esther Lake, Moonlands, Ghost Rune Volcanoes, Firefly Mountain Stream, Pondry Hills
Appearance
Large bipedal Flying Wyverns with spiny armor that cover their body. They are more vibrant than their female counterpart Rathian and have less plumage. This shell is red with black markings. Both Raths possess a flame sac which allows them to spit fire. Rathalos does not possess poison in its tail like Rathian, but instead in its talons. Their tail is thick and spiked. The wing membranes of Rathalos have ornate patterns that can likely be used for attracting mates.
Habitat Range
Rathalos can be found in many locations across the Old World and in the Ancient Forest and Elder's Recess in the New World, making Rathalos one of the most versatile monsters. Their mastery of the skies is most definitely a factor to why they can be found from temperate forests and hills to the swelteringly hot volcanoes.
Abilities
Expert flyers who remain airborne for a majority of their life. Launching aerial attacks is their speciality, poisoning opponents with their talons and burning them with flaming projectiles. Even when grounded Rathalos is dangerous, as its powerful legs can send it into charges and slam opponents with its tail. They are also prone to biting. However, if its female counterpart is in the area, Rathalos will send out a cry for help and the Rathian will join the fight as a duo.
Behavior & Ecology
The Kings of the Skies and apex in the Ancient Forest alongside Nargacuga. Like most Flying Wyverns, Rathalos is a cunning, fast, strong predator that can fend against any threat and catch any prey. They will rarely challenge anything larger than them outside their territory. Rathalos are very aggressive and territorial, escpecially after mating season. Rathalos will patrol their territory, which is centered around their nests, from the skies. They will either chase away or kill anything that poses a threat to its territory. They will attack prey from above and take it somewhere private to eat so no scavengers or large monsters can take it. Rathalos fear almost nothing and will fight any monster that dares enter its territory with exceptions to some large monsters and Elder Dragons. They prey on small monsters and large monsters on the smaller side like Velocidrome. Only some large monsters can fight back against a Rathalos attacking. Such monsters include Lagiacrus, Deviljho, Stygian Zinogre, Seregios, Brachydios, Tigrex, Agnaktor, Astalos, Rajang, and Gore Magala, but even though these monsters can fight and even kill a Rathalos, it won't go down without a fight. However, Magnamalo and its varient pose a much bigger threat as it can fight in the air and then drag it down. Despite its difficulties in the Old World, it lands itself as the apex in the New World, but there are still monsters that will compete with Rathalos. Rathalos is smart enough though to avoid confrontation with these monsters and wait for hunters to deal with the threat. However, even though a Rathalos will stand against any monster, it actively avoids Oltura as it exclusively feeds on Raths. Rathalos actively avoids the rage-rays hole as well since that is where Oltura dwell and that the rage-rays have a hypnotic effect on the monster that will lure them to their death. The ability to produce fire comes from their multiple flame sacs, which allow them to spit fireballs and even streams of fire like a flamethrower. They possess a powerful roar that can intimidate threats and stun prey. While they stick out in green areas, they are better camouflaged in volcanic areas. Some specimens in the New World have shown incredible strength as they can pick up large monsters like Anjanath and slam them into the ground. The body structure of Rathalos and Rathians differ between those found in the Old World, Vaal Harbor, and New World. In the New World, Rathalos are much bigger and more heavily plated with larger wingspans compared to those in the Old World. Furthermore, Old World and New World Rathalos differ in their elemental weaknesses. Some rare individuals in the Old World appear to be older, with darker coloring, more developed and longer tail and back spikes, large leg muscles, and better flying. It has yet to be determined if this is caused by aging or mutation. Some members have been observed with azure blue armor or even silver. When it comes to mating, Rathalos is one of the few monsters to mate for life. Once a Rathalos and Rathian have mated, they are paired together indefinitely. Both live and sometimes hunt together. They are also known to team up in order to fight off invaders and ensure the survival of both of them. Rathalos patrols their territory from above as Rathian patrols from below. After the death of one, the other will mourn them. Both take turns hunting and watching the nest, and they are devoted parents. How a pair forms is by a Rathalos growing its head spikes to be larger and building a nest, then multiple Rathians will arrive and the strongest Rathian will mate with the Rathalos.