How to beat Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds
Zoh Shia weak points, strategy, and items
Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds is a large monster who has several different phases when you battle it, each time revealing new deadlier attacks for you to contend with. This guide contains potential spoilers.
Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds is one of the bigger, if not biggest, monsters you'll come face to face with and they definitely put your skills to the test. Bringing this beast down will take all of your knowledge, skills, and monster hunting strategy you've gained so far.
On that note, here's our Monster Hunter Wilds Zoh Shia guide, including Zoh Shia's weak points, attacks and materials.
And for even more help slaying monsters, check out our Monster Hunter Wilds monster list which includes all of the monsters' weaknesses and habitats.
Spoiler Warning: This page contains potential spoilers for Monster Hunter Wilds.
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If you'd like more assistance in your monster slaying, visit our Monster Hunter Wilds walkthrough where all of our guides are listed.
Tips for defeating Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds
- Special Attacks: Strong Roar, Dragon Wind Pressure, Fireblight, Thunderblight.
- Use Dragon elemental attacks - Zoh Shia is weak to Dragon elemental attacks, so using weapons and items of this type will severely damage them.
- Turn auto craft on for Dragon Pods - This means you'll instantly stock up on this item when you collect the right material.
- Stock up on Dragon Ammo - If you're using a compatible weapon, stocking up on and using Dragon Ammo is a solid move.
- Stock up on Dragon Pods for your Slinger - Dragon Pods main element is Dragon, so firing these at Zoh Shia will inflict damage.
- Thunder Resistant and Fire Resistant Armor - Zoh Shia uses these elemental attacks in spades, so equipping your Hunter and Palico with armor that defends you against them is a good move if you can do it.
- Stock up on Nulberry - Consuming a Nulberry can counteract the effects of Fireblight and Thunderblight on your hunter.
- Evade to remove Fireblight - If you don't have any Nulberry then evading repeatedly will remove Fireblight.
- Evade to remove Thunderblight - If you don't have any Nulberry, then evading repeatedly also removes Thunderblight.
- All traps, bombs and pods are useless - None of these items have any impact on Zoh Shia, so don't waste time or put yourself in danger trying to use them.
- Poison, Sleep, Paralysis and Blastblight status effects work - These status effects all work on Zoh Shia, Paralysis is especially useful to stop the monster moving around for a moment and to give yourself time to breathe or heal.
- Collect Wyrmsbane - In the environment you usually see Zoh Shia in there should be an abundance of Wyrmsbane, which is the key ingredient for Dragon Pods. Collect these with your Slinger and, if auto craft is on, you'll instantly get a stack of Dragon Pods.
- Collect Thundercryst - Just like Wyrmsbane, there should be Thundercryst deposits you can collect to create Thunder Pods. Though not as effective as Dragon Pods, they'll still damage Zoh Shia and every little bit helps.
- Fill your pockets with Health Potions - Zoh Shia hits hard, so having your pockets stuffed to the brim with Health Potions to help heal your Hunter will keep you in the fight as long as possible.
- Use your Seikret - Zoh Shia has multiple deadly AOE (area of effect) attacks and dodging them on foot isn't always possible (or easy). Remember to call on your Seikret and use them to dash to safety when needed.
- LISTEN TO YOUR PALICO - At one point, your Palico will tell you that Zoh Shia is doing something to the area. This is your sign to run as far away as you can to the edge of the battle zone or risk getting obliterated in three seconds. Your Palico is full of useful bits of wisdom like this one, so listen to them.
- Be patient - Though there's a timer counting down, you need to be patient when attacking Zoh Shia. Going in weapon-blazing is a sure fire way of getting killed in a matter of minutes. Dodging attacks will help you, not hinder you.
Monster Hunter Wilds Zoh Shia Weak Points
Zoh Shia's Wings, Head, and Forelegs are breakable and their tail is severable.
At first, Zoh Shia will be completely white as their body is covered in a crystalised substance. Attack the crystals on their wings and heads to break it away, revealing the vulnerable parts underneath. Once the crystal shatters and reveals the head underneath, repeatedly attack it until the crystal grows back again.
Crystals will grow back after a time, but they'll be weaker each time they do so you can easily destroy them again and again until they stop growing back.
Remember, all of Zoh Shia is weak to Dragon elemental attacks so just keep targeting the weak points and chipping away at the beast to bring it down (eventually - it takes a while.)
Monster Hunter Wilds Zoh Shia Attacks
The fight with Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds happens in three distinct phases, thanks to the monster's evolution while you're battling it.
Phase One
Zoh Shia will slam the ground and make crystals around the battle area. If they're hit with an elemental attack then they'll instantly explode - which is something you can use to your advantage. We found that riding on your Seikret to lure Zoh Shia towards a crystal, then firing at one with the Slinger to set it off did a decent amount of damage.
Remember, your focus right now should be to remove the crystals on Zoh Shia's head and wings repeatedly until they don't grow back anymore.
Zoh Shia will reach out and try to grab you with the hands/claws at the end of its wings if you're too close to them. To avoid getting hit with this, dodge out of the way once you see Zoh Shia reaching out to you.
Speaking of the claws on its wings, if you see Zoh Shia holding one or both of them up and they start glowing white you should think about being somewhere else. Shortly after glowing white, the monster will slam them into the ground creating a small AOE (area of effect) attack that results in the formation of crystals.
Another attack to watch out for is for Zoh Shia's claws on their wings to start glowing white again (like the attack above) but this time they'll slam the claw into the ground and send the charge out towards you along the ground. It has quite a long reach, so the easiest thing to do is dodge out of the way once the energy has started to leave Zoh Shia - at this point, it cannot change direction. Whatever the energy charge has touched on the ground will then explode out into crystals, so don't stand too close. This attack is a good moment to attack Zoh Shia as it'll be focused elsewhere until the crystals form.
That's not all (we're just beginning here), watch for Zoh Shia to dig its claw into the ground while its charged. It will then swipe the claw along to the side, charging the ground and then the affected area will explode into crystals. This monster, again, has a surprisingly long reach - so as soon as you see this attack begin, get out of the way and attack either from a distance or from behind Zoh Shia.
Zoh Shia can also stand up on its rear legs and charge both claws attached to its wings for a few seconds. When this happens, call your Seikret and get out of there as fast as you can because Zoh Shia will slam the claws into the ground, then send out a charge in front of (then around) it which will, again, violently explode into crystals.
Also, if you're near Zoh Shia's legs and they start to lift one up you need to dodge out of the way quickly, or they'll crush you.
Try to steer clear of Zoh Shia's tail, though standing behind it while it's in its crystal form is slightly safer than being near it's front the tail can still pack a punch if it hits you.
Now, once you've revealed the dark head underneath Zoh Shia's crystal exterior you're starting to delve into another world of problems and attacks. Sorry.
As soon as the head is revealed, you need to be on guard for Zoh Shia to breath out fire. If you see the monster gathering fire around its mouth for a few seconds, this is a good indication the attack is coming. When ready, Zoh Shia will breathe out fire directly onto the ground in front of it, then the fire will shoot out in a single specific direction. The easiest way to avoid getting hit is to keep a good distance from the monster or for you to try to get behind it while the attack is charging.
Another attack to watch out for now is a fireball. Again, Zoh Shia will draw fire around its mouth area and will unleash it in your (or your Palico's) direction in a large fireball. A good rule of thumb is that if Zoh Shia is drawing in fire, get anywhere that isn't in its line of sight.
Also, watch out for any crystals formed on the ground around you because if Zoh Shia's fire breath hits any of these they'll explode and if they're connected it'll cause a chain reaction.
Phase Two
When you've dealt enough damage to the monster, your Palico will give you a warning you need to heed and they'll say 'It's doing something to the area...Not good!' which is an understatement you need to pay attention to.
At this point, Zoh Shia will position itself upright on its hind legs and start drawing energy into itself. At this point, call your Seikret and dash to the far edge of the battle area, as far away from Zoh Shia as you can get. You'll know you're safe when you're in an area that's not being distorted.
Zoh Shia will then cover the effected area in crystals and instantly use their flame breath to ignite them all. Also, at this point they'll usually breathe a long stream of fire into the air and rain down fireballs in the battle area. Just keep an eye on the sky and dodge out of the way of anything heading towards you. Also, the ground where any will hit will become orange - so don't stand there.
Stay at the very edge of the battle area because Zoh Shia will then suddenly explode fire all around it in a far reaching AOE attack. There are no attacks to do at this point, just focus on staying safe and not barbequed.
The best thing to do at this point is take a potion if you need it, set up your next ammo for your Slinger all while being mindful of flaming debris falling from the ceiling too.
Another new attack to watch out for is that Zoh Shia will dig its wing claws into the ground and fire will start to bubble up from them in front of the monster. Then, for a good distance in front of them, parts of the ground will start to bubble up orange too. Do not stand in any of these areas because Zoh Shia will then release more fire and the orange areas will be hit with the incoming flames. A toasted Hunter is a useless Hunter.
Like its charged crystal attack earlier on, Zoh Shia will charge its wing claws with fire and smash them into the ground to try to grab you with them. Once they touch the ground, the immediate area around the claw will erupt into flames.
Phase Three
When you've dealt enough damage again, Zoh Shia will evolve one last time by shedding the rest of the crystal coating on its body, turning it completely black, and you'll now also have Thunder elemental attacks to watch out for. Straight after this phase begins get to the very edge of the battle area again as far away from Zoh Shia as possible because it'll slam into the ground and send out a devastating charged AOE attack that creates multiple crystals across the effected area.
Zoh Shia can also let out a roar that gets lightning bolts to rain down from the ceiling and, if they hit the crystals, they'll explode. Also, if the bolts hit you it'll also hurt, so just try to stay away from them please.
Another attack Zoh Shia has now will be to draw lightning into itself then launch it out in front of them. You'll, again, know where the bolts are going to form because the ground begins sparking before they're fully there - giving you just enough time to get out of the way.
At this point just keep attacking Zoh Shia, eventually you'll defeat them.
Monster Hunter Wilds Zoh Shia Harvest Materials and Items
Here are the items and materials you can get from Zoh Shia:
Low Rank Materials
- Guardian Scale
- Guardian Pelt
- Guardian Blood
- Nourishing Extract
- Tough Guardian Bone
We'll add High Rank materials as we find them.
Monster Hunter Wilds Zoh Shia Locations
You first meet Zoh Shia in Wyveria. You won't encounter them until the very end of Chapter Three of the main story in Monster Hunter Wilds, giving you plenty of time to get strong armor and weaponry to bring this beast down. When you're fighting them in the main story, Zoh Shia doesn't actually move from its spawn location - which is great news in one way because you don't have to track it down, but in another way you're stuck fighting in a single area.
After defeating them once it's as of yet unclear whether Zoh Shia will respawn again. If it does, then you can create a quest around hunting it so that your scoutflies will track its location for you - making it easier for you to find and fight again.
Should you capture or kill Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds?
At the time of writing it's unclear as to whether you can actually capture Zoh Shia in Monster Hunter Wilds. As part of facing it in the main story, you will need to kill Zoh Shia and you don't have a choice there. This is quite useful in a way, because the materials Zoh Shia gives you (if you harvest its carcass) will help you get stronger armor and weapons for the next part of the story.
If it does become possible to capture Zoh Shia, we'll update this section.
That's all for now! If you're looking for more Monster Hunter Wilds help, check out our other monster guides for Lala Barina, Quematrice, Rey Dau and Xu Wu.