Through The Panther's Eyes - Weapon of Choice (Part 2)

When all else fails, sheer tenacity will be the difference between victory and defeat.  After listening to some fellow hunters and some lengthy contemplation, I could see no other way to defeat the Barroth than to upgrade my switch axe.  My colleagues made other suggestions: using a hammer, outfitting myself with a bowgun, etc.  None of them were right for me.  It was the switch axe or nothing.  So, I set out to obtain the materials needed, which proved easier than I first thought, once I knew where to find them.  I traveled to the humid wetlands of the Flooded Forest, fending off giant insects and hordes of savage Ludroth, to reap the bounty of ores from the depths of its marshes.  Once I had enough, the blacksmith in Moga Village worked his alchemical wizardry to give my switch axe the edge it needed.  One question remained: would it be enough to send the Barroth to its death?

I returned to the dry, brutal heat of the Sandy Plains, where the Barroth took refuge in its mudhole.  I soon drew the beast from its sanctuary into a struggle of life and death.  Fortunately, my switch axe was sharp enough to pierce through his hardened armor.  I had to be careful, though.  His head, which is the most hardened part of his body, dulled my blade too quickly.  I had to focus on his lower body, slashing away at its legs, cutting deeply into its flank and its underbelly.  Little by little, I whittled away at its defenses.  I finally found myself on equal footing with the beast.

For those who have never faced one, the Barroth has an impressive array of offensive and defensive capabilities.  At long range, the beast is prone to charging with the speed and force of a train at full steam (hurts like a bitch, too).  The Barroth doesn't charge blindly, either.  If you don't get well out of the way of its path, it will turn toward you to keep you in its sights.  Fortunately, the Barroth can't turn too sharply while charging, so just run away from the line of its projected path as fast as you can.

Even at close range, the Barroth can be dangerous.  Though not as deadly as its charge, it likes to use its head like a hammer and its tail like a flail to keep hunters from getting too close.  Should someone prove too much for it, the Barroth has one last line of defense: it cakes itself in mud, which not only protects the Barroth from some of the damage it takes, but also can be used to hamper an unwary hunter when it shakes off some of the earthen layers.  Only by continuously hacking into it does the mud seem to wear off.

Eventually, the Barroth was severely wounded by my onslaught.  At that point, the hunt became much more deadly.  When it wasn't constantly trying to evade me, either by burrowing in the mud or by facing toward me to keep me from its flank, it was stepping up its aggressiveness.  I may have broken a few ribs while fighting it.  I will give the Barroth credit, it refused to stay down.  Like I said before, this was a battle of tenacity to see who could last longer.

Both of us had taken a lot of punishment in this struggle, but it was my trusty switch axe that helped me deliver the finishing blow to the beast.  It fell in a violent convulsion before death stilled its body.  With a cry of victory and relief, I tore deep into the Barroth's body to claim its bounty.  In the end, I found my weapon of choice and it served me well.

Back in Moga Village, I asked the blacksmith to make a helmet for me out of the Barroth's armored plates.  I now wear the helm proudly as a testament to my victory over the beast and as a tribute to its strength.  I feel as if the soul of the Barroth has bled into me.  His tenacity feeds me as I continue to battle against even mightier foes.  With my deadly switch axe in hand, no beast is safe from my onslaught.

Through The Panther's Eyes - Weapon of Choice

I am slowly beginning to understand the wit and cunning necessary to battle a beast at least five times your size without the aid of my near limitless power.  Though I have already killed a good number of Great Jaggi, capturing one is a completely different story.  I swore that I would take one of them alive or they would die trying (which they did, numerous times).  First, you have to wound it sufficiently without killing it.  Then, you must lay a trap in the area to catch it.  This requires getting into the head of the beast, as you'll have to anticipate where it will retreat to.  You can also lay the trap between you and the monster and use yourself as bait.  After the monster is struggling in the trap, you have to tranquilize it, using bombs of tranquilizer gas, darts, etc.

It took me days to finally capture my first Great Jaggi, but it was worth it.  After taking the beast back, I was given an opportunity to face the last monster I hunted with Ironbeard: the manipulative Quropeco.  The thing looked more like a bird, but was considered a wyvern, just like the others.  It's greatest strength is it's song, which can not only mimic the calls of other monsters to attract the, but can heal itself as well.

Killing it was no problem, since I was able to finally acquire the coveted switch axe, which I tend to prefer.  Wielding that weapon was like second nature to me.  After that and some other monsters, I got the chance to capture another Qurupeco.  Despite the hunt being treacherous, as it called the fierce Rathian, one of the largest monsters I've seen so far, I was able to use my new weapon and the knowledge I gained from trapping Great Jaggis to make short work of this hunt.  The Qurupeco barely got a chance to escape me.

Then, I came across something that made me rethink my strategy on weapons.  The mighty Barroth is a tower of mud and armor.  While hunting them, the kill has, so far, eluded me.  Its large size belies its speed and its armored carapace has proven to deflect all but the sharpest of weapons.  My switch axe was too dull to pierce its armor.  Only two weapons in my possession are sharp enough to slash the beast: one of my sword and shield combinations and my greatsword.

While the greatsword has plenty of power behind each swing, I found myself too slow to effectively attack the Barroth.  The sword and shield is much faster, but doesn't do a lot of damage, leaving me to constantly hack at the beast before doing any real damage.  With the sword and shield, I did have the Barroth weakened significantly, but it wasn't enough.  He has proven too powerful for me, at this time.

If only I could have the blacksmith improve my switch axe, but I don't have the right materials for it.  Even if I did, it still wouldn't be sharp enough to wound the creature.  I find myself frustrated, as he is the first monster I have failed to kill.  Despite this, I am not dissuaded by defeat.  By the blade in my hand and every muscle in my body, I will see the Barroth's blood taint the mud hole that is its home.  I will carve deep into its impenetrable flesh.  I will tear the spoils of battle from its bone.

This, I swear.

Through The Panther's Eyes - The Hunt Begins

My journey began on the uncharted  island where Moga Village rested  There, the locals heartily welcomed me, unaware of my true greatness.  I kept my identity a secret, only going by my alter ego: Pantera.  I didn't want any special treatment and I am not using any of my superior demigod powers.  Only sinew and steel are my weapons.  Out here, the Kaiser doesn't exist.  I am reinventing myself.

My beginnings are modest.  I don't have the kick-ass weapons and armor that I borrowed when Ironbeard took me monster hunting before.  With a simple sword and shield and some leather armor I bought on the island, I heeded my first call of the wild.

The village chief asked me to hunt some of the local herbivores for steaks while I looked for his son, who was surveying the damage of the hunter base camp after an earthquake shook the island.  I came across a small herd of the beasts enjoying the waters of a nearby stream.  They seemed so gentle, so placid.  Slaying one would be easy, but I must be respectful to them and their kind.  They are a part of nature.  They mean no harm to anyone do not lust for the kill, like some of the beasts on this island.  There was a baby in the herd, so I didn't want to kill all the adults and leave it to die.  One adult would suffice.  I strode quickly up to one of them before it could notice me and let my sword bite deep into its flesh.  The tearing of muscle, the cries of anguish, the blood; these things are as natural to a hunter as the feel of air under wing is to a bird.  The remainder of the herd ran to safety while I said a silent blessing to the dead (a true hunter always pays his respects to the fallen).  I tore the meat from bone, taking as much as I could, and wrapped it safely in my pack.  The kill was done.  I ran to the base camp to meet the elder's son, who had some bad news for me.

The base camp had taken severe damage and would need to be repaired.  The village could provide the labor, but needed resources to build with.  Wood was relatively easy to come by, but they needed skins, bone, and tendons to fasten and seal their buildings.  The job of securing such things fell to me.  The chief's son told me that the fierce Jaggi had the best skins for the job, so I made my way to their typical hunting grounds.  The son warned me of the danger of hunting them, but I had dealt with them before.  I may have walked away with a few scratches, but they were no real trouble.  As I hunted them down, I noticed that the village had managed to clear out some of the rockfall that blocked the roads when the earthquake hit.  I took a look at my surroundings.  The night sky shone brilliantly; streaks of meteors cut through the black.  Under the cover of darkness, I made quick work of my grisly trade.  Blood, mine and my prey's, stained the grass.  I took from them what I needed and quietly left.

As the moon lit my path back to the village, I contemplated my new surroundings.  I was surrounded by the mountains that crowned this isle.  The late night breeze carried the sea to my nostrils.  For a while, I would call this place my second home, where Kaiser lies dormant, and a new creature, a fierce panther, stalked the island.

(If you want to know more about my impressions of Monster Hunter Tri, check out my "review" on Infinite Worlds.)