Gypceros Monster Guide for Monster Hunter Wilds

Gypceros is a monster that will be introduced as one of the first monsters that you fight in high rank in the Oilwell Basin locale. He is a classified as a bird wyvern and is a returning monster who was originally from the very first game in Monster Hunter in 2004 for the PS2. He is quite a unique monster who is able to trick players into making them think his actually dead by utilizing his feign death ability. He is also know for his annoying flash attacks that stun hunters, elastic tail and obnoxious charging attacks combined with a poison spit.

Crown Sizes

• Small Crown - 867.7
• Silver Crown - 1108.7
• Large Crown - 1185.8

Let’s go over Gypceros’s strengths, weaknesses, attack patterns, and the best strategies for fighting him. If you want optimal damage and the fastest kill time, it is recommended to bring a Fire or Ice elemental weapon. Gypceros is equally vulnerable to all status ailments, including Sleep, Paralysis, Blast, and Stun, so you have multiple options for applying debuffs. However, Poison is not effective, so it is best to avoid using poison-based strategies. Flash Pods and Sonic Bombs do not work against Gypceros and are completely ineffective. The only utility item that works is a Pitfall Trap, so be sure to bring those if you plan on immobilizing him.

Gypceros’s moveset is fairly simple, but he can be annoying due to his constant flashing attacks and stretchy tail whips. You can tell when Gypceros is about to use his flash attack because he will start making noise as he charges his crest. His flash attack follows a distinct pattern—he will bop his head three times, with each bop producing a noise, and on the third bop, he will flash. You can avoid this by staying far away or countering it with a Long Sword, which grants free easy damage if you time it correctly. Surprisingly, you can block the flash attack, but the timing is very strict. If you master countering his flash, he becomes one of the easiest monsters to defeat quickly.

One important note is that when Gypceros is in a fatigued state, he cannot flash you, as his charges won’t be strong enough. Another way to prevent his flash attacks is to attack his head and break his crest. If you manage to do this, he will still attempt to bop his head, but nothing will happen, giving you a free damage window.

If you are fighting Gypceros up close, be mindful of his 180-degree tail spin, which he executes twice in a row. This move is difficult to predict, so always be ready to counter, dodge, or block. If you are positioned behind him, he may also attempt a sideways tail whip to knock you back.

Another annoying tail-based attack happens when he knocks you down—he will turn around and slam his tail down on you, even from a distance. His tail is highly elastic and has a long reach, making this attack surprisingly difficult to avoid. Additionally, his tail cannot be severed, so you will have to deal with it for the entire fight.

As with most Bird Wyverns, Gypceros has several lunging attacks. He may step forward while pecking with his beak, or he may lunge forward to bite you. Additionally, he can spit poison in front of him, making it dangerous to stay too close. One of his more dangerous moves is his charge attack, where he will charge three times in a row while flailing his head and spitting poison everywhere. When this happens, it is best to create distance and avoid engaging until he finishes charging.

Finally, Gypceros’s most iconic move is his feign death ability. When he gets close to dying, he will perform a dramatic death animation and collapse onto the ground. During this phase, you can actually carve him once, as he allows hunters to believe he is truly dead. You will also have a few extra seconds to deal additional damage, but if you stay too long, he will suddenly spring back to life and unleash a powerful attack.

The exact amount of time he stays "dead" is uncertain, so it is best to use your intuition and retreat once you’ve dealt enough damage. By keeping these strategies in mind, you will have no trouble dealing with Gypceros and can take him down quickly.

The enraged state of Gypceros is nothing special. It starts to attack more rapidly and chains attacks quicker and there is less of a break in between. What that means is that you will simply have a harder time getting your damage in. So like always, you need to be more reactive and faster yourself as well. If you can knock it or stagger it during the enraged state then that is probably the best case scenario that you can get

In conclusion, that is how you hunt and fight Gypceros. He is a fairly easy monster, and his flash attacks can be easily countered if you are familiar with your weapon and have good timing with blocks and counters. Always prioritize attacking his head to break the crest, as this will disable his flash ability, making the fight significantly faster and easier. These same strategies apply when facing a Tempered Gypceros. Rinse and repeat, and you will have him defeated in no time.