Monster Hunter World – How to Beat Fatalis in Return to World Event

This guide will show you some of the most valuable tips and tricks that you can use to beat Fatalis in Monster Hunter: World. It’s a bit late to the party, but since the “Return to World” event is still in full swing and the player count remains robust, I thought I’d jot down some insights from my experience with over 300 Fatalis takedowns. I’ve tackled some solo and some in co-op. This write-up won’t be super elaborate, but I might spruce it up later with some visuals like pictures and perhaps gifs to enhance the explanations. If you want a more detailed Fatalis guide, feel free to check this Fatalis strategy and survival guide.

General Tips

Here are some tips and tricks for tackling Fatalis in Monster Hunter:

1. Felyne Acrobat for Recovery: If you’ve got gourmet vouchers, prioritize eating for Felyne Acrobat. It significantly speeds up your recovery from being knocked to the ground, a crucial move in surviving against Fatalis.
2. Divine Blessing for Defense: Fatalis deals primarily raw damage, so stacking fire resistance might not be as effective as you think. Instead, invest in Divine Blessing to make the fight more manageable overall.
3. Stay Close and Avoid Artillery: Don’t constantly run from Fatalis; sticking close to him can actually be safer. Also, avoid sitting on or constantly running for artillery pieces, as Fatalis tends to target those areas, putting you at risk.
4. Skip the Cannon Opening: The cannon opening phase can be a waste of time unless you’re really struggling. Save the knockdown for the start of phase 2 to maximize damage potential.
5. Utilize Smoke Bombs: Smoke can be a powerful tool. Stand in smoke at the start of phase 2, and use it strategically during the fight to create openings.
6. Optimize Hotbar and Crafting: Set up your hotbar for quick access to vital items like max potions and bring crafting materials to make more during the fight.
7. Use Dragon Pods Wisely: Don’t spam dragon pods; only use them when necessary to prevent disruption. Save them for crucial moments or to interrupt specific attacks.
8. Master the Superman Dive: The Superman dive offers massive i-frames and can save you from Fatalis’s deadliest attacks. Learn when to use it to evade powerful moves effectively.
9. Keep a Farcaster Ready: Consider keeping a farcaster ready on your hotbar for emergencies. It’s a handy tool to escape dire situations, but use it sparingly as it costs time.

By incorporating these strategies into your approach, you’ll be better equipped to take down Fatalis and emerge victorious in Monster Hunter.

Fatalis’ attacks

Phase 1

Let’s start with the ‘Nova’ attack during phase transitions. The first two cannot be survived out of cover. You have to take cover behind the rubble for the first transition and behind the barricade at the back of the fort for the second transition.

The barricade can be held open longer than you might think is safe. With practice, you can close it right as the flames would’ve made it through and still survive. This is essential to master, as people tend to get caught by the takeoff wind pressure on the far sides of the arena.

Now, onto phase 3 Novas. These can be survived (any after the barricade nova) if you have broken the head twice and are at full HP when the final, big tick of damage hits you.

Moving on to the charged fireball. There are three ways to survive this, depending on how much time you have: sheathing your weapon and diving, rolling/running into his hind legs (this window is tight, you need to be all the way under him), or just getting out of the way if you’re far enough to start with.

Next up is the downwards breath attack. If you get caught out by this one, there are two things you can do: sheathe and dive twice, or clutch claw onto his head or torso. You do not need to sheathe your weapon before you can use the claw.

Now, onto the wide cone breath & the backwards/forwards sweeping breath attacks. Both of these are prime damage opportunities as long as you are in position when they start. If you get caught out by either, just dive and you should be fine.

The bodyslam attack comes out when either a damage threshold is hit while he is on his hind legs, or a player stays clutch clawed onto him too long. Not much to say about this one; it’s one of the few attacks I think is actually poorly designed. Depending on the angle and how quick you are, sometimes letting go of the claw will send you far enough to avoid it. There are also ‘safespots’ under him near the hind legs, but I wouldn’t chance it and just get out of the way if possible. The hitbox for this attack is deceptively big, so always make distance. You can even be hit from his backside if you’re too close.

All of these attacks are still present in the other two phases, and the same methods can be used to survive them. Take note that they will do far more damage as you progress, however, unless you achieve both head breaks.

Phase 2

The strategy is pretty much the same as Phase 1. What makes it a bit harder is during the 3rd phase.

Phase 3

Now, let’s delve into the more perilous aspects. Particularly if you haven’t broken the head at least once. Full power attacks are almost always going to one-shot regardless of your skills, armor, or defense rating. Breaking Fatalis’ head twice will reset his flame attack values back to phase 1 levels.

Firstly, the 360 breath attack. Position yourself underneath him on the opposite side of the head. This attack offers a significant damage opening, but be cautious as the sweeping flame can easily hit you if you’re even slightly too far out. Dive right before the sweep hits you if you’re caught out. If he drags you underneath his head during this attack, you *can* quickly run to the other side if you have enough time. If not, sheathe and dive.

Next up, the triple charged fireball. This one requires some finesse but is manageable. The hitbox is surprisingly large, so standing directly underneath him will keep you safe. Note that the third shot comes out much faster than the first two, making diving all three difficult or sometimes impossible.

Moving on to the chest pin. This attack cannot be blocked in any way. If targeted, simply move out of the way; you have plenty of time to do so. If a teammate gets pinned, either flinch Fatalis with dragon pods to free them, or activate whatever AoE healing you have when Fatalis begins the chewing/throwing animation. If they have enough HP, they should survive, albeit barely.

Weapon Specific Tips

Certainly, there’s a wealth of strategies tailored to each weapon for this fight. If you’re eager to learn all the nuances and tactics for your weapon of choice, watching speedruns and closely observing their techniques is highly recommended. Here are some general pointers:

Longsword: Most of Fatalis’ attacks (with a few exceptions) can be Foresight Slash’d. Some require you to maneuver in specific directions to avoid follow-up damage, and some have lingering hitboxes that can catch you (like the 360 breath). The Iai counter works against most attacks too, but the timing is very tight. With practice, the Longsword can be extremely aggressive, depending on the attack pattern RNG.

Greatsword: Considered the best weapon for breaking the head if you can master all the openings (and there are many for this weapon). Numerous guides on YouTube showcase how to utilize this weapon effectively. One particularly helpful resource is a guide by mirabxreas.

Lance, Gunlance: With Guard 5+Guard Up, both the Lance and Gunlance can block every attack from Fatalis except for the Nova transitions and the phase 3 chest pin. This includes blocking attacks for teammates, such as during the wide cone breath. However, even with Divine Blessing 5, you can still take a lot of chip damage, especially towards phase 3. This setup (DB5+Guard5+Guard Up) can serve as a crutch for those struggling with the fight, but it’s important to note that it can lead to being chipped to death.

Switchaxe: The popular strategy of ZSD spam is somewhat of a trap. Only the final explosion deals respectable part damage; if you spam this, especially in SOS where the break thresholds are much higher, you might end up pushing to phase 3 too quickly and getting everyone killed. While the damage output is significant, prioritizing head breaks is crucial.

Conclusion

I’ve mentioned this several times, but just to clarify, this guide isn’t meant to cover every aspect of facing Fatalis comprehensively. Instead, it focuses on addressing the primary challenges and common sources of confusion that I’ve observed among players using the SoS (Sword of Sword) approach. Over time, I’ll continue to revise and expand it to include any additional points I may have overlooked. However, feel free to ask any questions you have, and I’ll do my best to provide answers as promptly as possible.