Rey Dau Monster Guide for Monster Hunter Wilds

Rey Dau is one of the apex predators you will face during your hunting career in Monster Hunter Wilds, specifically in the Windward Plains locale. He is likely to be one of the first monsters that will present a real challenge, especially for those new to the Monster Hunter series. However, I am here to help you prepare for this battle.

Crown Sizes

• Small Crown - 1851.3
• Silver Crown - 2356.6
• Large Crown - 2530.2

Let’s go over Rey Dau’s strengths, weaknesses, attack patterns, and the best strategies for fighting him. Rey Dau is a Flying Wyvern that wields the Thunder element, using it both defensively and offensively. His greatest weakness is Ice, followed by Water as his second weakest element. He is completely immune to Thunder, making thunder-based weapons ineffective, and paralysis has no effect on him either. However, Poison, Sleep, and Blast are all quite effective status ailments. When it comes to traps, Pitfall Traps are the better choice over Shock Traps, as he is naturally resistant to electricity. Rey Dau also has a turf war with Doshaguma and Arkveld. He wins against the Doshaguma but losses against Arkveld.

Now that we’ve covered the basics about Rey Dau, let’s go over his attack patterns and when it is best to go on the offensive. Opening the fight with a sneak attack is ideal for dealing initial burst damage. However, be mindful that Rey Dau’s roar will stun you unless you counter it with a Long Sword’s Special Sheath, Foresight Slash, or block it using a shielded weapon such as a Great Sword, Lance, or Sword and Shield.

Fortunately, Rey Dau does not have an overly complex moveset, making his attacks easy to recognize and remember. The real challenge comes from consistently avoiding them while maintaining enough damage output. As an apex predator, he is considerably more threatening than monsters like Doshaguma or Balahara. After his initial roar, he may attempt to slash at you with his bladed wings, scraping them across the ground in either a left or right swipe.

This is an excellent opportunity to counterattack if you are using a Long Sword, as you can punish him with Special Sheath or Foresight Slash. Alternatively, blocking with a shielded weapon is also an option. Keep in mind that the Great Sword can block attacks as well due to its sheer size. If you are using Dual Blades, you can time your dodge correctly to avoid damage while gaining a passive attack buff, which is exclusive to Dual Blades. Rey Dau has another variation of this attack where he raises his bladed wing and slams it down instead of dragging it across the floor, so be prepared for that as well.

Another frequent attack in his arsenal involves him taking flight and executing a backflip motion, followed by a bladed wing slam into the ground. This attack can sometimes be the very first move he makes after engaging the hunter. The best way to deal with this is to either dodge, block, or counter with your Long Sword if you have good timing. If you are proficient with your weapon’s offset moves, you can use them as well. There are plenty of ways to avoid or mitigate these attacks, allowing you to turn the tide of battle in your favor.

After performing this move, Rey Dau will pause for a brief moment, giving you an opportunity to deal heavy damage. Prioritize hitting his face or tail whenever possible. Cutting the tail is not particularly necessary since it is not as dangerous as other monsters, but if you need tail carves for crafting weapons or armor, then you should aim for it. Otherwise, it should not be your main priority. Long Sword users will find it easier and faster to sever the tail, as they can stay behind him and counter his tail slam and side-to-side tail swipes, both of which are not particularly difficult to deal with.

Rey Dau’s most iconic and deadly attack is his railgun tesla cannon blast, as I like to call it. He can perform this attack while grounded, but if enraged, he will fire it from mid-air. When preparing for this move, he will pause for a few seconds, allowing electricity to surge through his entire body, signalling that he is about to unleash a deadly thunder blast in front of him. Blocking or countering is not recommended unless you are confident that you cannot dodge in time. Instead, run to the side or move directly underneath him, positioning yourself toward the middle of his body or the back of his head. Never stand directly in front of Rey Dau, as the blast may still hit you even if you are slightly off-center.

Once the attack is finished, Rey Dau will remain idle for a few seconds, revealing his most vulnerable weak spot: his face. At this moment, immediately press L2 to enter Focus Mode, then hit R1 to perform a Focus Strike on his face, dealing massive damage. However, keep in mind that this weak spot has an internal cooldown, meaning you cannot perform a second Focus Strike immediately after the first. Even if he repeats his signature attack, you will need to wait for the third time before you can land another Focus Strike.

When standing close to Rey Dau, he may occasionally attempt to zap you with small electric shocks. These attacks do not deal much damage, but they can be useful for building up a Long Sword gauge quickly when countered. He may also attempt to stab you into the ground with his head, so remain cautious.

Upon mounting Rey Dau, you will notice that he only has two woundable areas: his head and his back. Despite having a longer body than Chatacabra, he lacks a third wound spot like Doshaguma or Balahara. Ensure that you create wounds on both areas, then pop the one on his back first, leaving the head wound untouched until after you are dismounted for maximum damage potential.

One important factor to consider is that if you are fighting Rey Dau at his nest, where the fulgurite rocks are present, be prepared for extra hazards. Rey Dau thrives in this environment, as the rocks around his nest are filled with static electricity. Whenever he slams the ground, these rocks will emit small electric shocks, dealing additional damage to the hunter. This makes it dangerous to remain stationary, requiring constant movement while still maintaining damage output.

Due to these environmental hazards, this is the ideal location to use a Pitfall Trap. By trapping Rey Dau, you can either capture him or finish him off using explosive barrels without having to worry about the fulgurite hazards.

There is not really a big difference between enraged state versus normal state for Rey Dau. When he is enraged the one that is noticably different is that he will start using his railgun tesla cannon blast ability in the air instead of on the ground. So you just have to adjust yourself accordingly as he lands to be ready to hit the head for the focus strike weak spot. Obviously, Rey Dau is stronger and more aggressive while enraged.

In conclusion, that is how you fight and counter Rey Dau. With this knowledge, you should now have a much easier time dealing with him. If you are struggling, make sure to bring the weapon you are most comfortable with and imbue it with the Ice element for maximum damage output. Also, take advantage of sneak attacks whenever Rey Dau moves to a new area and use your traps and explosive kegs wisely if needed.