Ask a Monster Hunter player to name a beast that evokes equal parts dread and excitement and you’ll get one name: Rajang. The freaky brute-ape is one of the series’ oldest and most difficult monsters, a perfect challenge for a cocky hunter. He arrived in Monster Hunter World today and is already kicking all kinds of ass.
I haven’t had the luxury of fighting Rajang yet since I’ve recently been stalking through Ghost Recon Wildlands, but I know that whenever we do face off, it’s gonna hurt. Rajang was first introduced in 2006’s Monster Hunter 2, with tons of terrifying variants throughout the years including the raging Furious Rajang. Fighting a Rajang and surviving is a rite of passage for players, often one of the toughest tests available. Monster Hunter World’s latest expansion Iceborne is a massive celebration of all things Monster Hunter. Alongside new creatures, it’s brought back fan favorites like the dragon-panther Nargacuga and the sword-tailed Glavenus. Players knew Rajang was coming for some time, and he arrived with a splash.
One of Monster Hunter World’s best mechanics is “turf wars” between monsters. If two beasts cross paths, they battle in incredibly detailed fights. These usually end with both monsters receiving tons of damage. WIth certain monsters, like the dinosaur pickle Deviljho, it’s been a chance to show off how freakishly strong high-tier monsters are. Rajang’s turf wars are absolutely bonkers, to the point that I gasped way too loud in my office today while watching them. There’s the moment where Rajang forced Deviljho’s jaw open and literally punches them inside the mouth. There’s also what might be the most brutal and shocking piece of violence in the entire game: Rajang grabbing the lightning horse Kirin and breaking their damn neck, busting off their horn as well. Oh my god, are you seeing this? Oh, I also haven’t mentioned that Rajang can power up and literally go Super Saiyan to smack hapless hunters around.
If you manage to take Rajang down, there are some great rewards. Rajang’s armor doesn’t just look good; it has some genuinely fantastic bonuses. Among these are the Mind’s Eye skill if you have two pieces, which prevents your weapons from deflecting off tough monster hide. There’s also a four-piece bonus that prevents weapons from losing sharpness for a time after you use your whetstone. There are also tons of attack boosts that increase damage when hitting weak points and boost attack whenever you have red, recoverable damage in your health bar. As a dual blades user who needs high attack and whose weapons run out of sharpness quickly, this set is a godsend. Farming Rajang means I will look fabulous and kick significantly more butt.
Iceborne’s really stepped up and brought new life to Monster Hunter World. While there’s always been new events and new monsters, the pace of updates had slowed down. Rajang offers challenge, old-school nostalgia, and powerful rewards. If all additions are as exciting as this, hunters will have a lot to look forward to as Monster Hunter World continues.