Random Small Basic notes about Rathalos

[FeatherFox]

You struggling to kill Rathalos? You and many people have walked this path, and I am here to offer a few tips

First of all, his behavior.
On the ground, he has two patterns
Two slow turns toward you typically means a fireball
Two fast turns towards you means a charge (though depending on distance he may just divebomb at you instead)
Rathalos can never hit you with a divebomb if you are behind a wall from the direction of his divebomb (don't be in an exposed direction)
Rathalos cannot hit you with his fireballs or his poison claws in the air if you are directly underneath him
His two times tail swing spin in a circle thing has no warnings but is fully safe underneath him
And I think that's all? I can't remember anything else about him.

Idk I just wanted to post these somewhere, it's been in my memory for who knows how long. Maybe I'll post about more monsters like this if I feel like it.

[pepesito1]

does anyone know what happens when he starts flying at like a 45 degree angle what causes it

[FeatherFox]

does anyone know what happens when he starts flying at like a 45 degree angle what causes it

Wdym at 45 degrees exactly

[Grender]

That reminded me that I always hated when he lands at out of bounds parts of the map, the scale between him and the background is very weird and it instantly shuts off my immersion.

[Derokuto]

Is there any other window to flash Rathalos while he is flying I only got him down in area 6 of forest and hills from up just outside the nest entrance, I've tried with no success to flash him while he is starting his 1 minute merry go round flying routine

[pepesito1]

sometimes the rathalos flies sideways like he is a little neurodivergent

[Lutyrannus]

That reminded me that I always hated when he lands at out of bounds parts of the map, the scale between him and the background is very weird and it instantly shuts off my immersion.

It depends a lot on the quality of your screen, lol. I think he was intended to look like he's landed on the ground beneath the cliff, lol. Still whack

[Lutyrannus]

One thing I have noticed that many people don't realize is that Rathalos zones in a very predictable fashion. He almost always goes to the same place when leaving from a particular zone.

[FeatherFox]

Is there any other window to flash Rathalos while he is flying I only got him down in area 6 of forest and hills from up just outside the nest entrance, I've tried with no success to flash him while he is starting his 1 minute merry go round flying routine

It's best done more during his kinda hovering in one spot. You can get him as he's taking off/dive-bombing but you really need the timing to be bang on for those

[Lori]

is there a way to stop him from fleeing so much, or any known cause for why? i've noticed he does it more at the start of a hunt, sometimes wasting five minutes, but after enough hits (even if I can only land a few per area) he'll settle down and fight me in just one or two areas for the remainder of the fight.

My suspicions:
Paintballing or otherwise hitting him before he sees you will most likely trigger him to flee
Rage mode MIGHT be what stops him from area swapping so frequently?