Hellish Fiend Vaal Hazak - Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Guide - IGN (2024)

Welcome to IGN's Walkthrough for Monster Hunter World. This page contains information on the Assigned Quest - Hellish Fiend Vaal Hazak.

Video Walkthrough

• Vaal Hazak Starting Zone: 16
• Main Means of Attack: Effluvium

With the eater of elders out of the way, elder dragons have once again begun to pop up within the New World. You’ll need to track them down in the habitats and environments you’ve come to know.

The three quests:Kushala Daora, Dragon of Steel, Teostra the Infernal, and Hellish Fiend Vaal Hazak can be taken in whichever order you choose, as after tracking the various clues they leave behind, a quest will appear from talking to the Ecologist.

After tracking down the tracks of the strange monster in the Rotten Vale and reporting to both the Research center as well as the Third Fleet leader, you'll be able to undertake the quest, Hellish Fiend Vaal Hazaak.

Before leaving, equip your best fire or dragon weapon, the cleanser booster if you've unlocked it, and load up on nulberries, max potions, and mega potions.

We'll be taking on Vaal Hazak, an Elder Dragon that stems from and thrives in the disgusting mists of the Rotten Vale. Covered in a rotting veil (no pun intended, move along), with two jaws each lined with sharp teeth, and Effluvium seeping from its body into the environment, Vaal Hazak is a sight to behold.

Head to area 16 to begin the fight. After a brief cutscene, it's go time. While not having the brute force or power of Nergigante or Teostra, Vaal Hazak has an ability that if not fully prepared, can make quick work of any hunter.

The Effluvium it seeps out of its body can cut whatever health pool you have in half until its effects go away. So that great meal you had before the fight, poof! You're as vulnerable as a baby Kestodon.

Fear not my dear hunter, for the effects of its Effluvium can be easily nullified with (no pun intended I swear) a nulberry. Bring 10 of these on the hunt and restock when you can at camp if necessary. This will elevate the hardest challenge of Vaal Hazak.

Lay down a cleanser booster near where you're fighting to eleviate Effluvium without taking the time to eat a Nulberry.

In terms of attacks, he has several swipes, charges, and tail swings to learn just as any other monster. However the attacks you'll really want to avoid are his Effluvium blasts, of which there are two variety. The first is a jet stream of it with incredible range. Basically, if you're in front of him at almost any distance within the map when he engages this, get that mulberry and mega potion ready, because you're going to get hit.

Avoid this by standing behind him whenever you hear the audio prompt that the attack is coming. Secondly, he can use the same attack, but fire it directly beneath him, creating an expanding cloud that if caught in, will do less damage but still land you with the blight. Thankfully this one gives you some time to run away from it as you can see the cloud expand outward.

When enraged, it will carry a cloud of Effluvium around its body that will slowly drain your health should you already be tainted with the blight, so consume that nulberry ASAP. Keep all this in mind, and you'll be ready to battle with this harbinger of death.

With the three biggest baddies you've fought so far out of the way, you have one final test ahead of you in Land of Convergence. Onward Hunter!

How to Beat Vaal Hazak

If you're having trouble, check out the chart below to make sure you're using efficient equipment compared to its resistances.

Until you start to build a Vaal Hazak Armor set, his Effluvium is going to be something you need to prepare for. Nulberries are your best friend, along with completing side quests to get the Cleanser Booster. Farming Nergigante to create a weapon with Dragon attack would also be ideal.

Vaal Hazak Weaknesses

For more information on the Vaal Hazak, including the materials you can carve from it, see the Vaal Hazak page.