Monster Ecology : Subspecies, rare species, variants and deviants

[@JohnDoe-tt5qc]

25:23 "Fight wise, a lot of lower tier monsters don't feel like they have enough *fire power*" Capcom: "He's right, let's make 60 more fire subspecies!"

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

I've doomed us all...

[@marcgid1174]

What have you done…

[@rylanbrewer3320]

Oh dear what’s exactly your thoughts scorned

[@Ulta_Nagenki]

You know, I'd never considered Bloodbath just an extremely unfortunate female till now but it just clicks into place with that explanation. Very intriguing.

[@unicorntomboy9736]

If you mean Bloodbath Diablos, it's an individual with a disfigurement from an attempted kill from an inexperienced human hunter.

[@Ulta_Nagenki]

@@unicorntomboy9736 Wouldn't disfigurement and cancer be in the same way for it? Why not both and make it one unfortunate gal.

[@TeaCommonShark]

@@unicorntomboy9736 Thank you for establishing what has already been known and established about Bloodbath, we definitely needed to be told about Bloodbath's origins despite the hunter origin thing being literally the one thing that is constantly stressed on about Bloodbath's origins and the fact that this person you believe you are correcting like if they've never known the lore of Bloodbath is seemingly already familiar with who Bloodbath is...

[@unicorntomboy9736]

@@TeaCommonShark From how it was worded it wouldn't have seemed like they already knew that

[@kennethsatria6607]

​@@unicorntomboy9736 Well we never consider how its gender factors into it and now we have a feeling it might.

[@pinkfridge6111]

Its kind of interesting that monster Hunter was the first prominent fictional series to use the Idea of subspecies (that I know of) but If you think about it it kind of makes sense. Subspecies are a perfect way to implement new Fights and only use existing Models, just sprayed over, books or movies didnt need to implement this since books dont have a limited Word count and new creatures are more exciting than "x but slightly different" The Video Game market was the only one that needed to implement subspecies If you think about it (excluding educational Media)

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Good point, and another example of how MH creatures are just a cut different from a lot of other fictional creatures.

[@elijahcafazzo-joyette8226]

Couldn’t agree more. Creativity in overcoming obstacles is often creates some of the strongest media. There are plenty of stories about how soundtracks, mechanics and characters of certain games were transformed by the limits and obstacles of the technology, direction and budget. Of course, the inverse to this are the plethora of projects that die before they ever even see the light of day due to these exact same obstacles. There’s a balance to be struck, I guess, between limits and creativity - you can’t overcome reality by just being clever.

[@biglangley8779]

Wasn't DnD the first? or in video games, Dragon Quest?

[@DanielisAwesome52]

@@biglangley8779 Dragon Quest came to mind, along with Final Fantasy and other similar JRPGs in that they do reuse earlier enemies as recolors or element changes later in the game. Although I'm not sure any of those games actually call the recolors subspecies

[@KatsuhiroHebi]

​@@DanielisAwesome52 also rpgs dont tend to do much with the recolored enemies aside from stat adjustments. MH was just about the first that even COULD do animation changes.

[@the_bohemian4536]

Your ideas for how deviants should work reminds me a lot about a game mechanic called the “Nemesis System” from Shadow of War, it allows certain enemies to adopt and change to your play style and even get stronger resistances or phobias depending on the element you use.

[@nyalan8385]

Too bad the company patented that entire system and anything similar

[@Verdessa1273]

good ol' pushkrimp

[@theoneandonlymichaelmccormick]

@@nyalan8385Yeah, Warner Brothers is too busy doing absolutely nothing with that system to ever let anybody else use it.

[@kennethsatria6607]

That might not work very well against all sorts of monsters cause we generally kill em by the end and they are still animals, any changes in tactics and behavior would be generational unless we face an Elder Dragon with a multiple staged life cycle

[@gatorwarrior7557]

​@@nyalan8385 that's such a pussy move to do

[@LucentMoonlight]

I was in the process of writing a college level research paper about this very topic, and using some of the articles you cite in your videos as sources. Thanks for saving me hours of research.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Glad to have helped! May interest you to check tigrex's video for some similar thoughts too.

[@amadeux5471]

On the off chance you go back to thus comment, is there a digital version of your research? It’d be nice to have a synthesized paper than people can just read to brush up on their knowledge without opening 50 tabs of links on various monsters

[@chasinjason107]

6:00 this makes me think there should he a quest called "Out of Your League" where you have to hunt a normal rathalos and a gold rathian. Kind of like that quest in GU with an astalos and a rathian.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

'Punching above his weight'

[@johncronk8867]

Reku and Ahana.

[@Ajehy]

“Notice Me, Silver-Senpai”, with a normal Rathalos and silver Rathian

[@jacktheomnithere2127]

@@johncronk8867 if that's the case then i say it should be a Capture quest. i'm not ruining that couple.

[@minaashido518]

@@Ajehyrathian can’t be silver so it’d have to be a green rathian and a silver rathalos

[@vulkantheprimarch8905]

Always a big fan of these "comparison" style videos, where you cover a wide range of monsters and contrast their executions. I always look forward to your uploads, keep it up!

[@marcgid1174]

Unrelated, but best Primarch

[@gabbrooh9126]

Vulkan Lives! *stomps *stomps

[@TeaCommonShark]

6:22 I've had my own time dipping my toes into this particular matter, and personally, I'd recon probably could be possible under the perfect blue moon circumstances. I myself recall the fact of Raths and their Subspecies/Rare species counterparts all being extremely intolerant and aggressive to Raths of the other colors, so I imagine it leans more towards the extremely strict mate choosing like 99% of the time even with no other options...

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Personally I'd say it'd make sense - especially with rathalos' breeding habitats - that they'd still interbreed when possible but rathians may still show stricter mate choice, but not to the point of refusing all males unless silver or etc. So Reku is still fairly lucky with Ahana...

[@bavuh1249]

These ecological analyses of Monster Hunter are honestly some of my most anticipated videos. Great work on these.

[@lexrupus4798]

27:22 You make an excellent point about flagships having multiple quests that gradually worsen a monster to the point that it's become so familiar to you that it switches strategies and approaches you differently from each encounter but also physically change into a Deviant. I think the Elder dragon quests in 2nd Gen where you could wound it enough and it'll leave once the timer runs out, and then eventually kill it on the subsequent quest was a nice touch, something I wish they would bring back again in later titles.

[@TheBitingBat]

Babe cancel the brunch with your parents, Unnatural History Channel just uploaded

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Correct course of action

[@astrosapphic]

I just got home from a 10 hour session from working on projects at uni - a new lecture on imaginary monsters from UHC is just what I needed to unwind, thank you Mr UHC your videos always make my day

[@jellohshots1911]

I don’t know why, but it gave me whiplash when you talked about magnomalo without dissing it 😂

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Hurt me to do so

[@reallycantthinkofausername487]

I was very confused

[@austinames9340]

So regarding your discussion on Rathalos inheriting the same nesting places for quite some time, I’m curious if dread king/queen raths are able to keep their nesting sights for even longer consider what you said of them being the cream of the crop for the species. Great video as always!

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Unless hunted, I'd say so for sure.

[@gabouau]

My most wanted video since I discovered this channel, glad to see it was delivered in such high production quality

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Very glad it delivered!

[@JaxDaHax1]

Common Gabo W

[@jaredkubiak3176]

That legendary animal idea with trophies is a fantastic idea. As maybe unrealistic as it would be, it would be super interesting to run into a Tigrex with different patterning or something on it. Great work on the video as always.

[@robertisaacgaw461]

As a biology enthusiast, it is very intriguing to learn of the same species undergoes certain changes when it comes to environment, diet, and behavior. However, as someone who enjoys playing games and the implementation of this mechanic, subspecies to me personally can just add unnecessary numbers in the roster, just having a different color and one unique attack move and call it a day (I personally don't want the first gen subspecies to ever come back). But when the new games show up, I actually enjoy the ongoing subspecies that I fought all because they feel so different So far my favorites is Blood Orange Bishaten by taking away its persimmons with explosive pinecones was kinda cool Tigerstripe Zamtrios takes this approach much better now that without its ice abilities, it mostly relies on its balloon body to expel large amounts of water at you I would like to note the very unique kind of species to me was Radobaan, a brute wyvern thats pretty much an uragaan with a different name but is vastly different with their behaviors. I hope they could do this with pre- existing monsters of the same species but with a different name (not counting deviant titles) So far, I will always be excited of the comes next in the future of the series BTW Unnatural History, your videos have become the best consistent content that I learn a lot when it comes to biology. Know that I always come back to your old videos and listen to them because the lessons you have said in them are so unforgettable to me. I very glad you have your own following.

[@gogglesesm9122]

Hope this video is in honor to the absolute best subspecies Fulgur Anjanath xD.... this comment will totally not be controversial since we all agree.

[@draw2death421]

Yeah, he gets a lot of New attacks, repurposes his Snot Glands that he used previously for making a flame thrower he now uses the snot to help keep electricity and in transportating it a long distance from his body to easier weaponize it. Its really cool.

[@askmeificare5557]

I mean that's not too controversial of an opinion whether I agree or not. A lot of subspecies are pretty boring. Black Gravios, Ruby Basarios, Black Diablos, White Monoblos, Purple Gyperceros, Red Khezu, Green Plesioth. Lots of boring subs.

[@dumithegreat3892]

bruh, Fulgar >>> standard.

[@matthewlee6261]

I highly doubt that to me I like stygian zinogre, Tigerstripe Zamtrios, Desert Seltas Queen, Glacial Agnaktor and Baleful Gigginox.

[@Voc_spooksauce]

I like fulgur, more fun than normal one aside from the extra stuns

[@whatthebeardoin3160]

With Furious Rajang, Deadeye Garuga, and Bloodbath Diablos being some of my favorite variations for both lore and fight, I both want to see them return and also really don't. I like the idea of wounded individuals exhibiting unique behaviors, but I want that concept to be expanded. Show me a Diablos that has lost both it's horns, or a Rajang that can no longer generate thunder, or a Goss Harag with broken braces that prevent them from making ice blades. Honestly Goss Harag is one I'd want to see done in this way the most, since fighting a massive, wounded bear would be much more frightening and dangerous than a palette swap.

[@DJROCKSTAZ]

Rajang without its lightning would just be a horned gorilla. But your idea does merit further exploration!

[@DefinitelyNotEmma]

Goss Harag deserves much more attention. Such a cool monster

[@diveblock2058]

Rajang without lightning is just a young rajang yet to hunt a kiren And bloodbath loses both its horns so there And that's just a dead Goss harg

[@reallycantthinkofausername487]

​@@diveblock2058 you must be fun at parties

[@diveblock2058]

@@reallycantthinkofausername487 atleast I get invited

[@fartoocritical9409]

Hey I know i’m like 2 videos late but naturally, the tier list/Q&A being 5 hours long was difficult to go through in one sitting thanks to my job. But I do really want to say “thank you” for actually getting to all the questions. Despite how exhausting that was for you, I do find it very, very admirable

[@Animortar]

27:21 That is an Interesting Idea, I picture something Akin to the Kulve Taroth Raids where in one Mission we go after the Mantle, the next one the Horns, and on the third one we finally we kill it, with every fight it gets more and more aggressive.

[@BoopaKing]

The idea of Deviant Monsters is one of my favorites in the series, in that they are monsters that have gotten used to fighting hunters through repeatedly repelling them. Things like Dreadking Rathalos being practically immune to flashbombs makes a lot of sense considering how many hunters consider it essential in order to ground the thing. If a Rathalos can repeatedly fight off inexperienced and "overprepared" hunters who stashes loads of flashbombs but fails to capitalize properly it could make sense that it stops being overly affected by it. Also Redhelm Arzuros is one of my favorite deviants solely because it's a Silver Fang reference. In Silver Fang the main villain is the bear Akakabuto (Translates to Red Helmet) who in the beginning is shown to have survived a headshot from a hunter that resulted in nerve damage which over the years made him develop gigantism, stop hibernating, and become _extremely_ aggressive to the point of breaking down remote cabins to hunt humans.

[@agame4free]

26:30 soulseer Mizutsune fits this quite well and I’m surprised it wasn’t mentioned in this video. However still really enjoyed ❤

[@GunlessSnake]

Some corrections on info you shared: > Furious Rajang's missing tail isn't what causes its mutation, but instead a symptom of it; this is because, when a Rajang becomes too powerful, it can't use its tail to power down anymore; the tail is functionally useless for its original purpose, so it either falls off on its own or is manually ripped off > Scorned Magnamalo was a normal Magnamalo back during the Rampage 50 years prior to MH Rise, and it gained its aberrant traits after being injured by Hamon in the following half-century > Bloodbath Diablos gained that colouration due to blood staining its face and other front-facing body parts, likely Carapaceon blood given its prominent dark blue colouration, so it's not a Black Diablos aberration as far as we can tell > Seething Bazelgeuse comes about due to having lived in an area like the Elder's Recess with a lot of Bioenergy, allowing it to maintain its heated state for much longer and produce more potent Distilled Blast Fluid; while the New World individuals stick to volcanic regions, Old World ones seem to still be nomadic

[@fishyfishyfishy500akabs8]

About furious, couldn't what is essentially a furious still hypothetically form if you chopped its tail off? Since it essentially forces the Rajang to either die or survive as a permanently charged Rajang.

[@GunlessSnake]

@@fishyfishyfishy500akabs8 No, because a Rajang needs to become powerful enough that its body can't regulate that overflowing power any longer. Now, if a Rajang were on the cusp of becoming a Furious Variant? Yeah, that'd probably work. But a normal Rajang? No, that'd just cripple them, hence why targeting the tail works so well against them due to the tail still being necessary to regulate their energy. A normal Rajang doesn't have the level of power necessary to sustain a permanent state of golden excitation, hence why their tails inhibit their power at all; it's dangerous to be powered up for so long, and they need to conserve energy if their enraged state is insufficient for the task.

[@reallycantthinkofausername487]

Wow, bloodbath has just been killing crabs this while time? Kind of a let down

[@DrowsyLemon]

As far as im aware all of these points are either yet more fan theories treated as canon, or half-truths

[@GunlessSnake]

@@DrowsyLemon Pretty much all of them are sourced, with the only potentially contentious one being Bloodbath Diablos. The rest are all entirely factual, particularly Furious Rajang and Seething Bazelgeuse. Their talking points came from the *Dive to Monster Hunter World: Iceborne* specifically. I would know, I did raw translations for all the Large Monster pages last year.

[@scorpiopede]

Really liked this one, a great breakdown on what subspecies mean and the various ways Monster Hunter depicts variations in populations. Your comments regarding variants, tougher individuals, and even a more open world format actually line up well with some thoughts I had if Monster Hunter ever does go open world. In particular the idea of rarer, stronger individuals tying in with higher ranks, and rarer still unique individuals for trophy hunting would be especially relevant, as they'd be genuine threats to locals that need to be taken out. This could even apply to lower tier monsters, perhaps with these special versions appearing earlier in the game rather than just being an end-game thing, just food for thought. The idea of an intelligent Great Jaggi with its own unique assortment of moves would be something else to be sure.

[@DefinitelyNotEmma]

I don't necessarily agree with your assessment about Abyssal Lagiacrus. For example with lions a large and darker colored mane signifies good physical condition and peak health. I would assume that Lagiacrus are blue until a certain age and their color becomes darker and darker. Furthermore they dive deeper and deeper while they become larger and larger to find more big and valuable prey items. Like Narkakos or the theorized whale analog of Monster Hunter. I would also assume that their bioluminescence develops with age, when they become more proficient with their shellshockers. Mostly to lure in smaller prey items, as I would assume that they communicate similarly to whales, although more likely in the form of deep growls and bellowing, like crocodiles. So in essence they're just bulls in prime condition minding their own business separately from younger Lagiacrus. But obviously that's just a theory as well and your suggestion is probably more plausible and based on real world facts. I don't know much about biology myself lol

[@DefinitelyNotEmma]

Something I'd like to add is that the terrestrial lifestyle of Ivory Lagiacrus might also be based on the fact that they have less effective camouflage in the water, meaning that young animals could be grabbed from above by aerial hunters. So they might have developed over time to live a more terrestrial lifestyle where that isn't really and issue. Which would probably make them a genuine subspecies? As they would be a separate population in different habitats with a different lifestyle compared to their cousins? And if it's a continuous population they would develop genetic differences as well I think.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

In lagi's video, I do suggest that abyssal may indeed just be a huge old bull that's become a deep sea hunter due to size and increased bioluminescence. I just put this extra theory in as an alternate explanation that can still fit - I think either can work.

[@DefinitelyNotEmma]

@@unnaturalhistorychannel I can totally see that at one point capcom will just say it's a random mutation lol. And then they introduce Lava-Lagiacrus...

[@deathclawproductions6723]

Right now, the canon explanation is that Abyssal is indeed a very old Lagiacrus that is so large that it can’t move on land as well. Of course the next time it appears the lore could change but I honestly don’t see them doing so.

[@asimovstarling8806]

I love the idea of a monster that was injured by a hunter coming after them later in the game changed. Such as a rathian whose tail is cut off growing a new one, but the new tip isn't exactly a perfect copy of the original, larger and less functional, with an unusual distribution of the venomous barbs, and behavior wise, perhaps she is stealthy in her ground approaches, preferring to not roar at all unless absolutely necessary so as to not risk losing a tail again. another good example idea is for an aptonoth to grow spikes along its spine as a result of surviving multiple encounters with the raths. An aptonoth that has survived dozens of hunter incursions mutating in strange ways because of old age behaving like a predator because of rage would be lovely. and for Reference there is an account of a female elephant whose calf was killed by people with fireworks after she had been harassed for months and after she was killed after her inevitable rampage, she was found to have human remains in her stomach, having eaten pieces of her victims after having gone mad with grief.

[@migueljose5161]

I wasn't expecting a video like this but was a surprise to be sure but a welcome one

[@elijahcafazzo-joyette8226]

Meant to ask this for the anniversary vid. As they crop up in nature in our own world occasionally, how would you feel about two-headed deviants cropping up amongst monsters? Do you think Capcom could handle it well or would it just make the monster a breath-attack AOE spam machine? And what monster do you think would be the best choice to receive a multi-headed deviant if any?

[@oddishvoltsy7146]

Maybe A Najarala Deviant? Polycephaly Is Most Common In Snakes Afterall

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

If it was made clear it was a freak, one-time mutation I'd be fine with it, happens in real life after all. And maybe something like a leviathan; something with a long neck so they can actually fit the second head in.

[@elijahcafazzo-joyette8226]

@@oddishvoltsy7146would love to see snakes return (especially since I’ve never got to actually fight one).

[@oddishvoltsy7146]

@@elijahcafazzo-joyette8226 would love to See Them Again Aswell

[@migueljose5161]

Now i can only imagine Agnaktor spamming double beams like a madman

[@captaint.tearex9279]

Always a good day when UHC puts up a video.

[@wildcatxpert676]

26:44 of course this video gets uploaded the same day we talk about bushbucks😂. This was very well made, and I think much needed for the community to understand that the differences between subspecies, rare species, variants and deviants aren’t that well defined. I really like the idea of bloodbath having either an ovarian tumor or being gynadromorphic in addition to being injured. I know that in parts of the Okavango, maned lionesses can be quite effective at deterring hyena conflict when the males are out patrolling and away from the pride. Keep up the great work!

[@kelambrown4033]

Do you believe that bloodbath diablos would have successfully reproduced? If it was male it likely would have been able to hold its own against an aggressive female in heat but if bloodbath was female its unlikely a male would have been able to survive the aggressive courtship ritual but these are just my thoughts.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Yeah, I think if bloodbath was female she ultimately wouldn't have let a male near her to reproduce. If gynandromorphic they may have been barren too.

[@The_Omega_Dragon]

I would give anything to constantly fight a Glavenus into a bunch of fleeting deadlocks, and then later encounter him again as something possibly even more dangerous and formidable than even a Hellblade.

[@Clockwork_Enby]

great video as always. I also agree that having a deviant created by (or at least in part) by the players actions has massive narrative potential *if* the monster is handled well on the design / gameplay side of things

[@johngrace1312]

To kind of put a pin on your ending thoughts, specifically on the point of “some monsters touch on the idea that hunters can change the individual, but it’s only in text and isn’t represented well in game” in Monster Hunter’s hyper over the top, mega-anime competitor, God Eater, there’s a monster called the Hannibal, and one unique part about the Hannibal and all the monsters based on it, is that breaking parts actually makes the fight harder, as the breakable parts act like seals on it’s more outlandish abilities. Culminating in if you break it’s back, the hardest part to break because it’s a relatively tall creature and it has the 2nd highest part HP value of all monsters, it becomes worth of its moniker of “God”. And breaking that part and completing the mission all but guarantees a rare drop, so you’re actively encouraged to do this. Later on in the game, you’re informed that a group of NPCs encountered one of this guys but were forced to retreat, and you are asked to go deal with the beast, so it’s like “ok, yeah, that’s fine.” You load into the mission, travel on area over, and this thing already has its back broken. It’s honestly a really cool “oh shit” moment, and they also turned up that particular Hannibal’s aggression just a tad bit further than normal aswell. It’s a fun touch, and while this exact scenario wouldn’t make much sense in monster Hunter, I thought I’d bring attention to GE since it’s often overlooked and forgotten, despite being just as good a game as the older monhuns

[@squirrel_killer-]

You could actually do a quest with a Rathian with reduced tail HP and a cutscene trigger at the capture threshold. Cutting the tail would trigger a cutscene of it escaping, but getting it low would instead play a cutscene of an NPC cutting the tail before continuing to the escape cutscene. This would lead to a second quest where it starts tailless, and if given its MHW implementation where it loses its envenomating attacks after losing its tail you can then crank its aggression to the limit while making it a double hunt with the Rathalos mate also on heightened aggression while granting dung immunity to it while making it aggressively follow Rathan around the map. This could let you first hand see the increased aggression sloppy hunting that doesn't finish the job causes while letting you include Rathan in a hunt early and having a quest that specifically is more difficult due to previous hunting effects.

[@pelikanvernichter]

So hyped for another masterpiece

[@joseal8319]

It's as good as I hoped, this will for sure be helpful to many people.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Very pleased to hear, and thanks again!

[@joseal8319]

Thank you as well.

[@DefinitelyNotEmma]

Great video request on your part

[@joseal8319]

Thanks, I figured it was something with much needed exploration.

[@NickRex-po8ob]

This was a great video, and I enjoyed it immensely. I do actually have one Subspecies I actually really liked from the 3rd Gen, and it was Jade Barroth. Sure much like Sand Barioth its basically just a element swap Barroth, yet I feel like they at least put more effort into it. The beautiful color scheme of the animal makes it stand out and the crest it has. In the Wii U version of 3U it actually shines slightly due to the ice on it, making the crest have more presence without it just being bigger. I actually kinda wanted Jade Barroth to return in Iceborne, cause damn the graphic overhaul would make it shine even more. However that didn't happen and we got Banbaro, which I really like as well. Plus we got Fulgur Anjanath as the resident Brute Wyvern Subspecies, so I don't have anything to really complain about.

[@magicmaster9769]

Fun fact: Jade Barroth's crest is actually slightly larger than normal Barroth's

[@NickRex-po8ob]

@@magicmaster9769 This is true, and I do know this. However I probably didn't mention it fully so yeah.

[@dianslabbert504]

On the topic on a variation for Seregios. The most popular suggestions I will often see on the internet are for its variation to have Dragon element or to have a Thunder element one whose blade scales can act as lighting rods and typically describe other arguably over the top moves. I think they can do something more unique for Seregios. Besides my long-time personal desire for them to make mangrove swamp map I would also love it if they could make an area based on the Galapagos Islands. It could consist of 3 or 4 islands and each island is its own unique quest local map. Each island would have its own unique monster roster and to show off an example of adaptive radiation they could use Seregios. Some ideas I have thought of are: 1.One island can have a wide array of Fanged and Snake Wyverns monsters. This island could have a Seregios that has adapted a lifestyle similar to the Secretary Bird hunting these Fanged and Snake Wyverns by developing longer legs. It would specialise in kicking attacks. 2. Another island could have an abundance of Carapaceons and has a Seregios that has adapted to breaking their shells. It could be larger and slower but would have devastating, hard hitting attacks. Its blade scales could be heavier causing stun damage. Instead of launching them in a straight line like a normal Seregios it can launch them in an arc raining down on you. 3. Then another island would have a Seregios which specialise in fishing and/or hunting coastal Bird Wyverns which nest on coastal cliffs. This one would be more aerial and specialise in blade scale launching attacks. It can maybe use water element in some minor capacity, and I can imagine them reworking some of the attacks Seregios has in Frontier with this version.

[@unicorntomboy9736]

I actually came up with a devient version for a hypothetical MH fan novel called Bladestorm Seregios

[@maxkalikster5399]

As cool as a Lighting element seregios subspecies/variant sounds isn't that what astalos already is maybe something similar to acidic glavenus would be more accurate like polish/hone/shiny seregios a subspecies that secretes a fluid that sharpens it's scales as swivels or rattles them, ooor you could go with the bazel route where it's scales could be combined with the blast element essentially being the equivalent of a machine gun using explosive bullets.

[@coopyrbrown3031]

What you described in the last bit of the video is pretty darn close to what happened with Gore Magala in 4u

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Yup, one of the reasons why 4U's story is generally regarded as the best - interactions with that individual Gore and it becoming shagaru helped a lot.

[@coopyrbrown3031]

@@unnaturalhistorychannel the rivalry that the hunter has with Gore is honestly why 4u is still my favorite game in the series

[@shellknight1323]

A flagship turned Deviant is a wild idea and I am all about it

[@Cooperblu]

Babe wake up, new Unnatural History Channel just dropped

[@Master_E444]

At least with Bloodbath Diablos, its a case similar to Deadeye Yian Garuga wherein it was a younger individual who was injured by hunters but lived to make them regret it. The discoloration is meant to be dried on blood. However the factors you mentioned could definitely play into it. Perhaps a hormone imbalance brought on by long term stress due to the loss of a horn as well as needing to fight to survive with such a handicap. Similar to PTSD which could also help explain the heightened aggression especially towards Hunters for causing this in the first place

[@elijahcafazzo-joyette8226]

27:26 Honestly, reminds me of the Nemesis system from the Shadow of Mordor games. Monsters being able to remember you from survived encounters, learning new tricks and such would be really cool to see in gameplay. I think to implement it well it would need to be put into play in a game with a very limited roster and more emphasis on a short but branching story fed by optional content and player choice. I’d love to see it happen but I’m not really sure theres a market for it as it’d be hard for Capcom to sell a game with a limited roster. Whats more, Warner Bros patented the system so its even less likely to happen.

[@genericcatgirl]

The Nemesis system could work well with a repel quest. Perhaps they have a repel quest for a diablos at the point in the game where you aren't ready for it, but then comes back as a bloodbath diablos later on.

[@DanielisAwesome52]

Mainline games vaguely hint that you're hunting the same flagship throughout. Rise seems to want you to view Magnamalo that way although Scorned I believe is one that attacked Kamura before. Tri I think (biasedly as my first game) did this the best with Lagiacrus appearing in a gathering quest early on, being a forced repel afterwards, and ending with a slaying quest into the reveal of Ceadeus. I've heard that Freedom did this with Tigrex as well, the one in the intro that throws you off the cliff is the same you hunt later (and maybe appears in a Popo Tongue quest as well?) Having a game end on a new Deviant of that Flagship you're chasing would be amazing. I would hope they keep that a secret through and only advertise the base form.

[@_Tzer]

I wonder if that permanently armored hornless kirin in world you fight before rajang could technically be considered a deviant. And i ponder if hazard's are ones with potential to become deviants or variants. Though some old advanced quests sometimes changed mechanics rarely regardless this is fascinating.

[@user-yw9mw9hv8o]

love the different theories on bloodbath, great research as always really thorough, just awesome. you also really nailed the overall structuring for this one. Deviants are either kinda bad and in gameplay are more annoying or they are the absolute peak of gameplay in mhgu.

[@thewyvernshunter]

I cant believe how much zoology, biology and ecology you fed me because it's monster hunter flavoured

[@matteolucarelli4615]

Top content as usual! Regarding abyssal Lagi, could it be that its colouration actually benefits it? If they truly get pushed away from coastal habitats by regular Lagi or just because they get too large for it to be a profitable habitat, being dark could not only help camouflaging, but also absorbing heat when the animal is near the surface, which seems pretty handy when you live in potentially cold open ocean waters (especially if combined with gigantothermy). A lot of pelagic fishes have developed adaptations that "keep them warmer" and thus more active in oceanic waters (tunas, billfish, some sharks ...)

[@ratatouilledrinksclorax9897]

Back in his Lagi/Peaksioth video he made a good point where Abyssal could just be a far older individual more adapted to killing the funky squid at the bottom, but as what you mean? I mean probably tbh since its dark coloration with bioluminesince would really benefit it to hunt in a damn near no light area, luring easy prey in with light and all, plus being able to retain heat more from the dark coloration ig. But i mever majored in animals, so i may be spouting out my ass, sutdying up to be a nurse so yeah.

[@draochvar9646]

Thing is: I doubt any Lagi could "push out" an Abyssal. They'd simply get fucking ripped apart. It's probably more likely older Lagis develop the traits you mentioned percisely BECAUSE they are beneficial. Because Abyssal developes so many specific adaptations for open- and deep-water life, that it is probably "deliberate" a type of niche-partitioning, where the older individuals leave the "easy" regions to the younger Lagis, whilst they become one of the dominant species in a different environment, thus preventing unneccessary competition.

[@matteolucarelli4615]

@@draochvar9646 the thing is, I assume these lagi would NOT be abyssal when they are kicked out. Most old lagis likely are forced into the more hostile oceanic habitat t some point in their life either by being pushed out by fitter individuals or simply because at a larger size they just spend more time in the water like older crocodiles. Melanistic individuals, getting all the benefits from such traits, have more success living in there and thus manage to keep growing til they get to the point we describe as abyssal lagiacus (seemingly at the cost of non breeding). It's sorta like how melanistic leopards are favored in some habitats more than others due to better camouflage (and apparently better immune system?), except now that I think about it camouflage might not be an issue for abyssal lagi if it indeed hunts in deep waters where ligth barely penetrates and colours are't seen anyway (unless it also hunts near the surface in the open ocean too, in which case black helps because countershading, but then we'd need to know more about what lives in the oceans of MH).

[@drakenzahn9149]

25:35 for a while I've considered the best way to do a twist on Steve would be a slower or "weaker" version with certain brittle scales that do chip damage over time and inflict defense down depending of how and what it hit, thus compensating for the disadvantages in has in comparison to normal Seregios. It still makes use of its main gimmick without disowning the ecology of the base monster.

[@minaashido518]

Steve?

[@minaashido518]

Nvm I forgot about Seregios’ nickname

[@theelementalstation947]

This might be controversial, but I really like the color swaps. Maybe is because I’m from Costa Rica and almost every animal here have multiple colorations, but it just scratches an itch in my brain that makes me happy.

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

I think having them at random and not as set subspecies like in the very early games would be really nice

[@theelementalstation947]

@@unnaturalhistorychannel Yeah I agree, maybe having them be all part of the same species without any mayor changes and incorporate the different materials more as a cosmetic armor change could work. With the exception of lore important color swaps like the gold and silver raths of course, those I still believe that they serve well as a kind of “direct upgrade” from their species in both fight and gear.

[@m.s.e.advanced2842]

Variants and deviants(Variants but cooler) are my favorites, love the idea of specific events making cool new individuals or subsets of monsters without necessarily making an entirely new species. These groups also contain a lot of my favorite monsters and fights, Raging Brachy (Iceborne), Rustrazor Ceanataur, Bloodbath Diablos, and Chaotic Gore Magala (Sunbreak)

[@_Tzer]

chaotic gore is always good so much fun.

[@KatsuhiroHebi]

Chaotic doesnt originate from sunbreak, but rather 4G/4U

[@_Tzer]

@@KatsuhiroHebi coorrect same with reg gore(just basic 4 tho)

[@DrowsyLemon]

@@KatsuhiroHebi neither does raging from iceborne, i'm pretty sure they're just referring to the iteration in that game rather than implying they came from there.

[@Nintaboy]

fantastic video, well worth the wait. A game with a normal monster that turns into a deviant is an amazing idea.

[@rylanbrewer3320]

My heart of ways races and skips when a new uhc Video is uploaded 😊

[@rylanbrewer3320]

Never expected this video

[@KhezuOnYourScreen]

Technically, Gore did turn into a deviant(subspecies?) After a few encounters. So the building blocks are there.

[@gearguts7259]

I was just binding your content while waiting for the bus! Fantastic fucking content as always man!

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Cheers, always appreciated!

[@souperion2509]

I suppose a past me might have been been bored with the idea of monster ecosystem services, but now I am looking forward to it. Great work.

[@Goji-Moji]

The mercurial and inexplicable aggression in normal Kushala is already supposedly connected to its molting cycles, so I think Rusted Kushala is defined against normal Kushala in that they’ve reached a point in their life where they can no longer shed, as their armor is too thick. This defines them against normal Kushala, in that for most individuals this means death; the old Kushalas in World have not reached such a point; though the Arch-Tempered Kushala managed to enhance its lifespan with a boost of energy resulting in the Arch-Tempered status to begin with. This would explain why Rusted Kushala both have much harder armor/Hitzones despite what should probably be compromised metal (though one might argue that Glavenus’s rusted tail being harder is a counter example), and seems to be categorically more powerful than normal individuals. The thickness of a Kushala’s armor is correlated with its age, and its ability to function with thicker armor is directly correlated to its power. Thus Rusted Kushala are “unique individuals” in that they are unusually old, and by necessity unusually powerful individuals. We see in MH4U that the Rusted Kushala from the story both bears old scars, suggesting no molt in that extremely long time, and that it is considered a much larger threat than the series typically portrays the species. Of course, it could be that Kushala just don’t molt more than once every few decades and it was just a strong individual-but it seems unlikely to me that Capcom will ever portray Rusted Kushala as equal in power to the normal species, so something has to be going on there. Other hints at unusually long periods of time since the last molt is the damage seen on Rusted’s wings, They’re just cracked with pieces missing from the edges, with no clear fresh layer underneath just poking out.

[@VashimuXIV]

I think the concept of turning a flagship into a deviant or variant via the story and with multiple encounters or repels is an excellent idea, much like what Gore Magala was in 4 Ultimate. And I admit I’m quite biased towards Magma Almudron, but I understand it really is encroaching on territory other monsters have done before, though it’s purely just my take. Generally a sub species feels like a solid novelty, or just the base monster and taken further, like Pyre Rakna Kadaki. Lovely video though mate.

[@nicolaezenoaga9756]

Thank you for your work, it's truly wonderful!

[@kingkamina4953]

Saying that 3rd gen subspecies are worse than 2nd gen ones are insane to me because so many of my favorite subspecies are from that era :( I always liked the subspecies as a concept and hope to see more of the good ones return, but with improved ecologies and fights of course.

[@truesoupplay]

i am LOVING the Magmudron shade xD

[@heyitskae]

Despite having *literally* all of your MH videos downloaded and having been an active viewer for well over a year I apparently forgot to hit the subscribe button. My bad!

[@NexusDerp]

My excitement is immeasurable and my morning is bolstered! Always love watching this channel!

[@fissilereptile]

i'd love for the franchise to lay out, rework, and officially reclassify the various sub-species, rare species, variants, and deviants into more accurate ecological categories

[@RustyhairedAlp9575]

At least magmadron doesn't suffer from the lagiacrus pathfinding issues also found in agnaktor

[@HunterSteven1997]

I agree a lot with the potential of the deviants with my favourite being rustrazor since it really is just a normal cranataur using different tactics.

[@juansuarez0126]

It's curious how most subspecies in monster hunter work like species in the real world, since the subspecies in our world don't change their appearance and ecology that much compared to their base species (like for example tiger subspecies, almost all of them don't look and behave that different from each other), compared to MH subspecies, where their appearance and ecology it's different (in most cases) to the main species. I think the closest to "real" subspecies in MH are the regional variants, like the Raths from old and new world.

[@_Tzer]

27:21 closest we got is gore magala in 4 and what you did to it was make it molt effectlively.

[@TheNervousMedic]

While the video's visuals leave something to desire the script itself feels very well laid out and the way you talk has a nice easy to follow cadence.

[@totozhu4543]

Several things to note: Variants are referred to as monsters that are more in tune with their unique abilities. Ruiner Nergigante for example has learned how to create harder spikes, so several sections on them have much harder spikes. Savage Deviljho have cannibalized other deviljho due to hunger, and thus gain the ability to release more dragon element. Finally, a Raging Brachydios is simply a brachydios that has their slime grow uncontrollably, allowing it produce much more powerful and numerous explosions. Deviants in general are simply monsters that have either mutated or faced conditions that molded them into far more powerful enemies. They are called devients because even among other subspecies and rare species they "deviate" from any normal trend in their own species, meaning they are rare to the point that they are singled out. They are not "natural" persay, the traits they exhibit do not appear for any other monsters except under the most rare circumstances. Monsters like furious Rajang or scorned Magnamalo are not considered part of this because Furious Rajang is just a permanently pissed off Rajang, and Scorned Magnamalo are common enough that this is considered a regular attitude for the species.

[@RWNetworkEX]

That would actually be a really cool mechanic gameplay-wise. Some monsters may have a chance to retreat or you were unable to complete a quest and left the hunt incomplete or failed outright, leaving a wounded animal. Kind of like a nemesis system but tailored to monster hunter. Sometime in the future you get an urgent quest to hunt a deviant or wounded version of the same monster. It’s moveset is different due to a crippling injury or damaged organ resulting in a unique fight to change things up. This is just an idea but the depending on how it’s executed it could be really cool and certainly add to the world building and immersion in a future game. Nice vid

[@seirramoon388]

the one monster hunter "subspecies" i truly love is chaotic gore magala wich is basicly a normal gore magala stuck between molting into a shagaru magala since one (a shagaru magala) already exists in the area

[@Katharoni]

This one was a particularly fascinating one. Thank you for the great video, and thank you to Big Al for the amazing idea in the first place!

[@notsae66]

You know, it's a little funny; the more I watch the more I solidfy both my respect for your research ethic and my disagreement with most if not all of your personal opinions. I really like how in depth you go and admire that degree of thought on these creatures potential anatomy and ecological niche, and I disagree greatly with your desires for the series going forward. Meh, no accounting for taste I suppose. Regardless, great work!

[@dudotolivier6363]

What you said about the idea that the hunter fight the same monster specimen several times, that both have several encounters, was already did in MH4 and MH Iceborne with the Gore/Shagaru Magala and the Velkhna, as well for the Ruiner Nergigante. Monster Hunter Rise did this too with the Magnamalo. But the fights in every encounters still play the same, and the monsters can only see their parts be broken only at the last encounter. Also, a deviant monster who have a part broken, a scar of something like that, like the Yian Garuga variant, got his injuries most of the time, from a fight between another monsters rather than from a previous encouter with a hunter.

[@The_PokeSaurus]

I remember in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate you could hunt the Ceadeus and it would retain the damage from the previous hunt. I think that could work as the stepping stone for future deviant gameplay.

[@Se05239]

Man, I love these videos.

[@MaahesForsaken]

Molten tigrex would be an interesting explanation if it ever gets covered

[@S.I.L.]

I guess the only examples of a monster changing over multiple encounters with the same individual are Gore Magala and Narwa. Although I think there was some flawor text that Fatalis played possum and turned crimson. About your idea it could be a subversion of the "hunt the flagship early before you can actually do it" trope as a lesson in reclessness as the main antagonist is a monster that went maneater because the protagonist wounded it in a way that made its usual hunts more difficult.

[@skrilllfury2120]

Unsure if it’s in this video yet, but how do you feel about the “subspecies” explanation that they gave for the change in Rathalos models from Gen 3 to 4 (I think)?

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

An interesting and pretty creative explanation, but I doubt they're true subspecies. But if it's official lore then it's official lore.

[@ultraspinalki11]

​@@unnaturalhistorychannel what was the explanation?

[@alternanzafatemonogatari4868]

​@@ultraspinalki11 the raths have a sort of regional subspecies, that may results in small changes in the appearance and way of fighting. It was an explanation to the design changes from the older games

[@minaashido518]

W

[@SylvesterAshcroft88]

I absolutely love Acidic Glavenus in world, probably one of my favourite subspecies introduced in world, it's so incredibly fun to fight!

[@kennethsatria6607]

I would really like an animated series with monster hunter that tells like a hunter vs maneater conflict in our history. It also feels right that the guild finally have a definite purpose as hunters to cull the variants that have a threat to their population and others like Raging Brachy and Savage Jho. It might be normal in the grand scheme of nature, but with hunters it could mean a slower transition with less collateral damage and a chance for certain species to rebound or adapt to a change in the predatory monsters. Also with some individuals being born of hunting I guess its only fair we clean up our own mess as a species even if it might have been unintended or done by groups outside of the guild like poachers.

[@juiceart9199]

A wonderful video! I agree that a flagship being increasingly a tougher fight after every time it flees, perhaps expanding or changing the moveset with each encounter, would be a great gimmick for a game! Maybe a single flagship could be built up into the early-game wall, major conflict at the midpoint through the story, and then the final boss, becoming more haggard and wounded and desperate with each fight

[@paz8723]

my first thought of Deviants was that they're individual monsters that adapted better than others. thus not being true subspecies's but rather the apex of the original species

[@jepr91]

The best variant lore-wise is Chaotic Gore Magala. My boi was literally like: "Puberty was 'spose to make me beautiful, but I ended up a FREAK!" Relatable. By the way, I thought of a similar idea to that mentioned at 27:09 about fighting a monster multiple times changes it as the game progresses (which is while Gore Magala was so loved, you fight it twice in 4/4U story before seemingly dealing the fell blow only to get a cutscene a quest or two afterwards showing it molting to Shagaru). Except my idea was more only the lines of me REALLY liking the concept of Deviants mixed with the way 4U's Guild Quest system would occasionally change a particular quest into a Rare version of the quest (which really only added a special gathering area for the endgame equipment to be found). Basically, if you wanted to fight a special version of a monster (be it Deviants, Rare Species, special variants [e.g. Raging Brachy], etc) you had to fight the base monster a certain number of times and occasionally you would either, 1) get the opportunity to hunt the special version of that monster for a limited time (1-3 quests) or 2) have a chance that the special version of the monster happens to be on the map as an invading monster OR 3) bring back that "Warning" System that was in a past game where an extra challenge was available after completing the objective (which functioned better in past games where you could not restock, but recent games removed failed crafting so players could simply run around the map briefly to craft what they need)

[@KlariskraysEli]

An idea I had about a Brachydios variant/deviant was a specimen that simply doesn't have any slime on it. Since it's primary ways of attack is now nonexistent, it forced to rely on its own brute strength to gather substance and defend itself, so it uses every part of its body to attack: punching with its arms, a hipcheck, swinging its mace-like tail, or even crushing smaller beings with its body weight.

[@thechameleos6334]

I think a video on examples of symbiosis in the monster hunter world would be good, using seltas as the shining example of how monsters form symbiotic relationships to become more effective at what they do. Zinogre with the fulger bugs, and Malzeno with the curios (as much as I hate the curios as a concept)

[@smol-man]

I'd say 3rd and 4th gen and Sunbreak's are either alright or really good. 3rd gen was some of the best with a few being meh like green nargacuga or steel. Sunbreak's are also pretty good. Blood Orange was an interesting idea, pyra was not bad, and Magma is NOT a Agnaktor clone nor 'steals' his what he is as a monster. Magma uses his special mud made from volcanic rock and melting it into a more liquid state rather then just straight up lava. And he uses it differently too. Using it offensively rather then defensively. I feel people just hate on him because its alum and the fact he does seem similar but is quite different. Deviants I found to be fine and some spectacular. Saying that they could ruin gameplay is false. Henry's vid seems to be pointing to things such as wirebugs that are the issue. Not things like deviants. Not sure where you got the idea that he was pointing to deviants but ok. Deviants as a whole are quite interesting and they do feel like their special abilities do actually work with the monster and it's abilities rather then just feeling like abilities were slapped on

[@onionsgame37]

Thank god that man donated to you 💜😭

[@ASpaceOstrich]

A story that revolves around repeated clashes with the same deviant individual as they become more and more unusual through your repeated fights would be very interesting for MH. Maybe they started as a normal individual, but after your first fight with them, injury caused a behavioural change that made them more dangerous. After the second, they flee to a new territory and something in that environment changes them further. Think things like the the massive repositories of bio-energy in the Elders Recess. You could end up with an extremely powerful deviant version of a normally low level monster (like Anjanath tier) as the final boss of the campaign.

[@ratatouilledrinksclorax9897]

Adoring your videos ever since the Goss Harag video a over a year ago, really helped me start to appreciate this unique series alot more, hell, even your Jurassic park/world stuff is fun. Looking forward to the in-world businesses youre doing next! Little confused on what you mean there tho.

[@victory8928]

27:01 so what you are saying is that soulseer is peak deviant as the mizu’s main gimmick is its blindness which forces mizu to adapt its bubbles more in order for it to survive and protect young.

[@gloomyallo1830]

You should try discussing sexual dimorphism in Monster Hunter, it's created some of the most unique monsters in the whole series and always has explanation behind the differences between male and female, and is overall a common zoological trait that is vastly overlooked in other works of fiction.

[@Elehk99]

I will die on the hill that Rustrazor is the single best monster variant. It used only pre established things from both Ceanataur and Glavenus to create a perfectly reasonable deviant

[@mamaylegaspi9597]

This just shows how diverse the ecosystem of Monster Hunter is.

[@qgameracep5009]

Another great video, thank you for producing consistent high quality content.

[@Kingman524]

after seeing tea common sharks videos about the fanmade skins he made and your ending comments i think a cool system would be to have like a 10 to 25% chance of a monster having a special skin and once you kill it you unlock a special palette/slightly altered model for its armor set that looks like it would be a nice replacement for the huge loss of hunter fashion that was the removal of gunner armor i wouldnt even mind of some of the less interesting subspecies like blue kutku, black gravios, purple gypceros, and other stuff like that got axed and integrated into this system and it would also be a good chance to put in some cool new ones like blonde/blue nargacuga or a siberian tiger tigrex without having to make a whole new fight and a bunch of quests for them

[@RenoKyrie]

Not lore related but more gameplay incosistencies What i hate about "Apex" in Rise are just them being basically low budget Deviants, just to show you how god damn awful the decision making Generations/Rise Team can be when making something that isnt a Elder Dragon or Final Boss Especially "Apex" Diablos, thats just a insult to the most hardest but fairest fight in the entire series other than Iceborne Fatalis Litteraly become a crybaby of a fight Didnt even bothered fixing their problem of not rewarding in Sunbreak Anomaly quests

[@FenrrixV1]

Great work as always mate :D. Do you have any other media like twitter or something to post materials and stuff?

[@unnaturalhistorychannel]

Discord and that's about it!