Monster Hunter Stories 2 Ratha Abilities And Best Builds
Razewing Ratha serves as the central Monstie companion throughout the narrative journey of Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. As a unique Power-type Rathalos, he possesses extraordinary elemental potential that makes him a standout choice for high-tier combat encounters. Understanding his innate skills and optimizing his gene board allows Riders to transform Ratha into a devastating offensive powerhouse.
Core Skillset and Natural Abilities of Ratha
Ratha begins his journey with a robust kit focused primarily on Fire element damage and burning status effects. His signature skill, Savage Fireball, inflicts significant single-target damage alongside a high chance to ignite opponents. As Ratha levels up, he unlocks additional Power and Speed attacks that enhance his adaptability during tactical turn-based battles.
Beyond offensive strikes, Ratha retains key utility traits like Fly and Savage Roar for field navigation and tactical disruptions. These innate capabilities establish a strong foundation, but replacing weaker default genes through Rite of Channeling is essential for endgame content. Customizing his skills ensures he remains competitive against top-tier Elder Dragons and Deviant monsters.
Optimizing Gene Board Layout for Fire Damage
To maximize Ratha's combat efficiency, Riders should focus on forming Fire and Power bingo lines across his nine-slot gene grid. Matching three Fire-element genes in a row grants a substantial percentage boost to all his elemental attacks. Combining Fire bingos with Power type bingos creates a synergistic setup that amplifies his baseline damage output significantly.
Placing critical genes in strategic positions ensures maximum bingo coverage without sacrificing skill variety. Riders can inherit powerful active skills from monsters like Teostra or Glavenus to grant Ratha potent area-of-effect Fire capabilities. A balanced layout keeps his Kinship cost manageable while maintaining constant pressure on enemy monster parts.
Best Passive Genes to Enhance Performance
Passive genes play an indispensable role in refining Ratha's resilience and damage scaling during tough boss encounters. Fire Boost Gene XL is a mandatory addition, as it directly increases all outgoing Fire damage by a massive margin. Pairing this with Critical Eye or Might Gene XL ensures Ratha lands devastating critical strikes more frequently.
Defensive utility shouldn't be neglected when building an optimal gene board for high-difficulty co-op quests. Integrating genes like Inflict Rate Up increases the success chance of his burn status, opening up synergies with bonus damage modifiers. Additionally, Kinship Charge genes help build the gauge faster for frequent special attacks.
Mastering Kinship Attacks and Battle Strategy
Ratha's Kinship Attack, Ground Flare, delivers incredible single-target burst damage that can turn the tide of difficult fights. Utilizing this attack at crucial moments allows Riders to cancel dangerous enemy charge states and prevent incoming wipe mechanics. Timing Kinship releases right before an enemy unleashes an ultimate move provides both offensive pressure and defensive safety.
Sustaining a high Kinship gain loop requires matching Ratha's attack type against the enemy's predicted pattern. Switching Ratha's active skill type using inherited Speed or Technical fire attacks ensures he wins every Head-to-Head duel. With a tailored build and smart tactical execution, Ratha remains one of the most reliable allies in the entire game.