Blackveil Vaal Hazak is such pushover

[RustyRed]

Joined a random SOS battle against Velkhana and it was generally agreed by all people there that Velkhana was one of the worst monsters. One guy however, said "wait till you encounter Vaal Hazak. It's worse.". I responded, "vaal easy" and he said "no way. Vaal is on my most hated list". I thought to myself, Arch-Tempered Vaal Hazak was so easy to solo, he probably meant the one that's in Iceborne, which I haven't fought yet.

When finally encountered Blackveil Vaal Hazak in the Ancient Forest, all I can say is he's barely any different. He does 2 new flashier moves, but he's still a pushover like the original Vaal Hazak. He might actually be easier because those new moves leave him open for attack for a good 30 seconds. I didn't even need waste buffs on him.

Was that guy joking or was he serious? I don't know. All I know is Vaal Hazak is the easiest of the elder dragons. I solo'd Blackveil in 7 minutes on my first try, with a defensive gunlance build. If I used a damage focused build, I reckon I would have driven it down to 4-5 minutes. By comparison, it took me 40 minutes on my first fight against Velkhana and I got carted twice.

[mewlynx]

Velkhana is the best monster they added in Iceborne, wdym?

[Nero1024]

Not that I ma proud of it, but my first win on Blackveil Vaal Hazak was done with cheater in party who one hit killed him

[RustyRed]

Originally posted by maelynx:

Velkhana is the best monster they added in Iceborne, wdym?

I'd rather have Kirin's horn shoved up my butt by Rajang.

[ciel]

Everyone hates velkhana but I actually like it. Lotta unique mechanics and well telegraphed but still challenging attacks. Very dance-y to fight.

But yeah, BV vaal is a squishy mess. It can get you if you're unlucky enough for some of the spore clouds to stack up and make a vast death wall, but otherwise it feels weaker than regular vaal by comparison at the point you meet it in the story to me, but that could also just be experience.

[kampfer91]

Velkhana a hard monster ? What is this pathetic excuse of an elder dragon .

[TormentedSalad]

Originally posted by Junebug:

Everyone hates velkhana but I actually like it. Lotta unique mechanics and well telegraphed but still challenging attacks. Very dance-y to fight.

But yeah, BV vaal is a squishy mess. It can get you if you're unlucky enough for some of the spore clouds to stack up and make a vast death wall, but otherwise it feels weaker than regular vaal by comparison at the point you meet it in the story to me, but that could also just be experience.

See I don't hate Velkhana I love it but theres some gripes it always feels odd that the ice lasers dont get blocked by the ice walls or even interact in anyway and the other issue is more than just a Velkhana issue.

I cannot for the life of me stand forced sliding mechanics when im playing my dual blades or my hammer maybe I just want to chage my hammer I hate that slopes force you to slide it makes me hate any zones with a slope because it ruins my movement to an insane degree same for dual blades and the slingshot attack i like to use it to move around the monster but if i do it down a slope I go flying miles away...

Velkhana just happens to ice the floor and make me put up with that.

[mewlynx]

Originally posted by TormentedSalad (Dan):

Originally posted by Junebug:

Everyone hates velkhana but I actually like it. Lotta unique mechanics and well telegraphed but still challenging attacks. Very dance-y to fight.

But yeah, BV vaal is a squishy mess. It can get you if you're unlucky enough for some of the spore clouds to stack up and make a vast death wall, but otherwise it feels weaker than regular vaal by comparison at the point you meet it in the story to me, but that could also just be experience.

See I don't hate Velkhana I love it but theres some gripes it always feels odd that the ice lasers dont get blocked by the ice walls or even interact in anyway and the other issue is more than just a Velkhana issue.

I cannot for the life of me stand forced sliding mechanics when im playing my dual blades or my hammer maybe I just want to chage my hammer I hate that slopes force you to slide it makes me hate any zones with a slope because it ruins my movement to an insane degree same for dual blades and the slingshot attack i like to use it to move around the monster but if i do it down a slope I go flying miles away...

Velkhana just happens to ice the floor and make me put up with that.

I must be an idiot because I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about when you mean forced sliding. I've farmed tempered Velk way too many times and I don't think I've ever witnessed this, so you can imagine my confusion.

How does this work? I kinda want to see this myself now.

[TormentedSalad]

Originally posted by maelynx:

Originally posted by TormentedSalad (Dan):

See I don't hate Velkhana I love it but theres some gripes it always feels odd that the ice lasers dont get blocked by the ice walls or even interact in anyway and the other issue is more than just a Velkhana issue.

I cannot for the life of me stand forced sliding mechanics when im playing my dual blades or my hammer maybe I just want to chage my hammer I hate that slopes force you to slide it makes me hate any zones with a slope because it ruins my movement to an insane degree same for dual blades and the slingshot attack i like to use it to move around the monster but if i do it down a slope I go flying miles away...

Velkhana just happens to ice the floor and make me put up with that.

I must be an idiot because I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about when you mean forced sliding. I've farmed tempered Velk way too many times and I don't think I've ever witnessed this, so you can imagine my confusion.

How does this work? I kinda want to see this myself now.

All I know is occasionally when I play hammer vs velk I will start sliding while charging while on flat ground I assume it's some kind of floor thing it's less of a direct issue with velk and the choice to make hammer work like that

[Hurricane]

Velk dies in seconds when using IG... specially a blast or fire one

[JHarlequin]

If you are willing to pay attention and learn what the attacks do, then Blackveil has trouble spots but is surprisingly easy because it is very slow.

Velkana is still a pain because it is fast and has ridiculous attacks.

There are other much worse monsters and then you get the ones with strange hit boxes.

I don't like fighting Velkana but I can do it and I get why most gamers have a lot of trouble with Velk.

I do like fighting Blackveil Vaal, but I definitely understand why many gamers find the fight to be difficult.

[Okami]

vaal kit is centered on very specific mechanics that, if you counter them, you trivialize the fight and if you choose to ignore them you make it unecessarly harder. hence thios mixed opinion of "Vaal is my easiest / hated monster"

other monster has a more balance kit, something that is more spread out on different forte. hence you can't completely counter / nullify them.

[Mr Compassionate]

Monsters are difficult for different people and for different builds.

[Fraktal]

Originally posted by JHarlequin:

If you are willing to pay attention and learn what the attacks do, then Blackveil has trouble spots but is surprisingly easy because it is very slow.

Velkana is still a pain because it is fast and has ridiculous attacks.

There are other much worse monsters and then you get the ones with strange hit boxes.

I don't like fighting Velkana but I can do it and I get why most gamers have a lot of trouble with Velk.

I do like fighting Blackveil Vaal, but I definitely understand why many gamers find the fight to be difficult.

Her icey floor, can't move or do ♥♥♥♥ attack is the only thing that gets me. Oh and not being able to see her due to her walls on a slope and getting blasted by her breath, thru said walls, is dumb too.

[Juliane_L]

i find velk easier. she is pretty much a joke. and also more fun.
last time i fought a tempered blackveil vaal he did the little roar before going to another area and mid animation a spore one shotted me.

[RustyRed]

Originally posted by Juliane_L:

i find velk easier. she is pretty much a joke. and also more fun.
last time i fought a tempered blackveil vaal he did the little roar before going to another area and mid animation a spore one shotted me.

Wait, what's with these spores people are talking about? Is it something he does when you take too long to kill him? I've only fought the BVH from the campaign so far.