Monster Hunter World: Here's how to hunt Vaal Hazak, the king of the Putrefied Valley

The main adventure is winding down, and the monsters you have met so far have done nothing but complicate your life more and more. It's time to talk about another elder dragon, one of the most tedious to hunt, as well as a new entry in the Monster Hunter World bestiary: we are talking about the Vaal Hazak, the giant zombie dragon that reigns supreme in the Rotten Valley and generates the deadly scent that pervades every corner of this play area. It is a lethal enemy if faced without the right precautions, and we are here to help you prepare for it.

Preparations

Make sure you have strong enough armor, possibly with a high or non-negative resistance to the Dragon element, and remember to stock up on Nulbacche: this consumable will save your life several times in the course of the fight, because it will neutralize all the altered statuses that will be inflicted on you. Unlock, if possible, the camp in area 12, so you will already find yourself near the monster's lair: the Vaal Hazak, in fact, will roam the areas adjacent to area 16, where it will then take refuge when weakened. It is also advisable to stock up on potions and equip the Healing Bengal, you will often suffer continuous damage and always having care available will certainly come in handy. Once ready, head to the camp and sharpen your weapons.

Weaknesses and strategy

This elder dragon is extremely vulnerable to Fire and Dragon, invulnerable to Water and resistant to Lightning. The statuses, unfortunately, will not be an effective choice: Poison, Sleep and Paralysis will be inefficient, while Burst and Stun will still be able to do their part.

The movements of the Vaal Hazak are predictable, it is a really big and heavy enemy, but not for this to be underestimated. Its distinctive feature is the effluvium, that white cloud that you have often encountered in the Putrefact Valley, and which will do exactly the same effect: halve your health bar. It is an extremely annoying penalty that, if underestimated, will make every attack of your opponent lethal, so remove it with the Nullbacche whenever the opportunity arises. Most of the Vaal Hazak's attacks will be made of scent, the monster is perpetually surrounded by it, so get used to keeping far enough away from your target and noticing its moves: each hit will be preceded by an animation and a roar, so try to anticipate the dragon's moves and dodge with the right timing.

Like a real necromancer, Vaal Hazak will revive small dead monsters nearby: eliminate them as soon as possible to avoid being surrounded by hordes of zombies. Avoid the jets of scent that your prey will use to hit you from a distance, move away from him when he will attract the poisonous cloud to him and pay close attention to the blows of the tail: with the right rhythm you will be out of any danger and you will be able to take down the dragon in no time. If you are looking for rare materials, aim, as always, for the tail and the head: if you are lucky enough, it is from these parts of the body that you will get the Gem of Vaal Hazak, essential for building weapons and armor dedicated to this fearsome monster.