Espinas is a Flying Wyvern in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak that Hunters will first encounter during the Urgent Hunting Hub Quest, "A Slumbering Jungle Espinas." This Flying Wyvern is considered to be a Threat Level 7 with Fire as its Element, making it capable of inflicting Fireblight on combatants. Accordingly, Espinas is immune to Fire damage and highly resistant to the Thunder Element in Monster Hunter Rise. However, its characteristics make it weak to Blast and Ice-type weaponry. The parts that take the most damage from Hunter attacks are the Wyvern's Legs, Abdomen, and Head.
With these weaknesses of the Espinas in mind, it is recommended that Hunters use weapons such as the Frostmoon Paleblade+, Mighty Soulromancer, or Amber Snapfrost+ to take it down. Slaying or capturing this Flying Wyvern will reward players with the Espinas Shard, Espinas Cortex, Espinas Toxic Blood, Espinas Lash, Espinas Surspike, Espinas Mantle, and Espinas Hardhorn. Parts such as the Shard and Cortex can also be acquired from Dropped Materials broken off from the monster's body during combat.
Before embarking on an Espinas Hunt, Hunters are advised to equip gear with resistance to the Fire Element for defense. Similar to Tigrex or Rathian in Monster Hunter Rise, Espinas can move incredibly fast despite its large size and deal significant damage to unprepared combatants. Therefore, having a general understanding of the Wyvern's moveset and mechanics can be a great help in taking down this beast.
Defeating Espinas In Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak
Here is a brief breakdown of the unique mechanics that Hunters should be aware of when hunting Espinas in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak:
- Fireball Spit: Sparks will shoot out from Espinas's maw before spewing one or more fireball projectiles at Hunters. These fireballs can inflict players with Fireblight, Poison, and even Paralysis.
- Horn Charge: Espinas will charge with its poison-tipped horn homing on a distant target. It can perform a similar attack at close range by burrowing its horn into the ground while dragging the sharp point towards a Hunter.
- Chomp: Espinas will move towards a Hunter, swerving its neck in a zig-zag motion before unleashing a devastating bite on its target in Monster Hunter Rise.
- Tail Swipe: Espinas will turn around, swiping its spiked tail in a broad motion to attack any unsuspecting Hunters nearby. Those struck will be inflicted with Poison.
- Body Slam: Espinas will leap into the air, which might seemingly indicate to Hunters that the Wyvern is about to fly. Instead, it will quickly slam back down to the earth, smashing any unfortunate prey behind its talons.
Of course, these are not the only abilities Espinas has, but they are the most notable. Furthermore, Hunters should keep in mind that these attacks can have their own variations, which the Wyvern will execute in combat. Therefore, be sure to always keep a close eye for key visual indications of what the monster in Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is about to do next.
Monster Hunter Rise is available on PC and Nintendo Switch.