How to defeat Malzeno in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

The new Elder Dragon is here (Image via Capcom)
The new Elder Dragon is here (Image via Capcom)

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is the first major expansion to Capcom's latest beloved giant slaying action RPG. There are plenty of unique elements in this update, but the most exciting addition is always the massive new monsters to hunt and defeat in combat.

Arguably the final boss of the Sunbreak expansion is the Silver Duke Dragon Malzeno. This overwhelming threat stands out among new and old ones to become a truly powerful beast in the franchise. With every new monster comes a new hunt, so players have a lot of challenges ahead of them.


Malzeno, The Embodiment of Darkness in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Malzeno is Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak's terrifying answer to Iceborne's Velkhana. This great Elder Dragon drains the life from its foes to become more powerful, making it an incredible challenge to defeat.

Players can find Malzeno in the ruins of the expansion's new Citadel area. It also occasionally appears in the Shrine Ruins and Lava Caverns of the Kamura region.

Malzeno is incredibly fast and strong, making its attacks almost impossible to avoid. Players going in solo will almost certainly require a shield to survive. Blocking its physical attacks is typically a much safer bet than trying to keep an eye on it and dodge.

Riding a beast into the battle is an extremely useful advantage when starting a fight against Malzeno. Players can lure a Tetranadon or a Rathian into the area, ride it into battle, and use it to knock a few thousand points off the beast.

After using the ridable beast, players should attempt to mount Malzeno. Guide it to lava vents as fast and as frequently as possible to deal 1400 damage each time. This will also inflict a blight and knock down Malzeno for extra damage.

Dealing damage to Malzeno is arguably the easiest facet of the match, the hard part is surviving its attacks. Use a Dragon-type weapon to maximize damage.

Don't get underneath Malzeno when it flies, most of its aerial attacks are massive explosions directly beneath it. Similarly, don't engage with Malzeno in a small indoor space. Its massive slow-moving projectiles are unavoidable if they're bouncing off walls in an area that's too small to run around.


Malzeno's Bloodening in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak

Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak players who face Malzeno will discover that it has a unique gimmick. This powered-up form is extremely dangerous, but there is a way around it.

During the fight with Malzeno, it can inflict Bloodblight with a variety of attacks. This will slowly drain the hunter's health while gathering energy for the beast.

After Malzeno has drained enough blood from the player and other monsters, it enters an enraged state called the Bloodening. In this form, the beast glows a brilliant red and its attacks become much more powerful. Coupled with that, it gains the ability to teleport.

When players are afflicted with Bloodblight and Malzeno enters the Bloodening, it is extremely important to be aggressive. They can knock Malzeno out of this empowered state by dealing damage, so rush in and attack as much as possible.

Malzeno is an incredibly dangerous beast in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak. Just be aggressive and use every advantage to take it down.

Quick Links