Monster Hunter World: Iceborne Blackveil Vaal Hazak Guide – How to Defeat Vaal Hazak

This Elder Dragon variant a real pain in the effluvium? Our Monster Hunter World Iceborne Blackveil Vaal Hazak guide will help you take it down in no time.
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If the original Vaal Hazak wasn’t terrifying enough, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne has the Blackveil Vaal Hazak. This beast is a prime example of the fearsome variant enemies that the expansion has introduced, and its a much more weepy version of its effluvial cousin. If you’re having some trouble with this Elder Dragon, our Monster Hunter World Iceborne Blackveil Vaal Hazak guide might be helpful.

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Monster Hunter World Iceborne Blackveil Vaal Hazak Guide: How to Defeat Vaal Hazak

The Blackveil Vaal Hazak is a formidable foe. If you thought that the original Elder Dragon was annoying, this is going to be one step up from that. It doesn’t have any elemental weaknesses either, which means that you’re not going to be able to rely on a lack of defense to a particular element. You’ll want to watch out for its various Effluvium Breath attacks where it spreads that stuff around it or in front of it, so prepare to roll when it stands up or starts scuttling backwards. 

One thing which you’ll notice about the Blackveil Vaal Hazak is that it’s peppered with green segments that ooze effluvium. These things are easy enough to deal with if you keep your wits about you and break them; this will stop it from spitting out the fluid that is otherwise a massive inconvenience. These spore pockets are one of the monster’s weaknesses, alongside the head and the tail. If you’re wanting to cripple it, we’d also recommend going from the legs. 

Some tips and tricks about beating the Blackveil Vaal Hazak include:

  • Bring non-elemental weapons to this Elder Dragon fight
  • Make sure you’ve got Effluvia Resistance
  • Earplugs can help you net valuable attack opportunities
  • Hit the spore pockets, as breaking enough of them will slow the monster down
  • Skirt around the sides and back to avoid as much breath damage as possible

Now with our Monster Hunter World Iceborne Blackveil Vaal Hazak guide, getting the better of this Elder Dragon is just a matter of throwing yourself repeatedly against its effluvium pockets and hoping for the best when you’ve broken them all. If you can’t quite get a handle on Zinogre, check out our guide on that too for a refresher on strategy.


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About the Author

Ginny Woo

Ginny hails from just south of Mordor, and when she's not debating others about the One Ring then she's probably glued to an MMO or a JRPG. With Final Fantasy XIV, Destiny 2, and World of Warcraft on her plate, she's always got something to chat about and a sneaky guide up her sleeve. If writing's not on the cards, then she's probably drinking way too much coffee.