- Class
- Elder Dragon
- Size
- Large monster
- Habitat
- Wildspire Waste, Elder's Recess
- Weak to
- Thunder★★★ Dragon★★★
- Traps
- Immune to traps
- Inflicts
- Roar (large), Wind (small)
Quests23
Drop items16
Weapons89
Armor sets2
A terrible elder dragon that appears when other elders are in the vicinity. Its penchant for destruction is well-documented.In-game description
Nergigante is the Elder Dragon that defines World for a lot of players. No fancy elements, no poison clouds, just spikes, fists and a dive that can wipe out a full health bar. It is pure aggression with horns.
Out in the wild
Nergigante is an Elder Dragon that shows up wherever other elders gather, and its appetite for destruction is well known in the New World. You find it in the Wildspire Waste and the Elder’s Recess. Its body is covered in spikes that grow back after you break them. They start out white and soft, then harden and turn black.
Where you meet it
Nergigante is part of the High Rank story. The 8-star assignment A Wound and a Thirst sends you after it in the Elder’s Recess, and finishing it unlocks the optional quest The Eater of Elders. A tempered version exists too. In Iceborne, the Master Rank version is Ruiner Nergigante.
How the fight goes
It never lets up. Nergigante swipes, headbutts and slams, and once its spikes have turned black, those hits get stronger and can fire spikes around it. Hard black spikes also bounce your attacks if your sharpness is low. The one to fear is the dive: it rears up on its hind legs and roars, flies up and crashes down on you. Sprint to the side as soon as you see the roar.
Hunter’s tips
- Break the spikes while they are still white. Once they turn black, they get much harder to deal with.
- Traps don’t work on Nergigante at all, so don’t bother packing them.
- A well-timed Flash Pod can stop it mid-combo or interrupt the dive.
- Thunder is its biggest weakness, with Dragon behind it. Break the horns and cut the tail.
Weaknesses
Elements
Fire★★★Best hitzone: 15 (Tail Tip)
Water★★★Best hitzone: 15 (Horn)
Thunder★★★Best hitzone: 20 (Horn)
Ice★★★Best hitzone: 15 (Head)
Dragon★★★Best hitzone: 20 (Wings (Black))
Status & stun
Poison★★★
Sleep★★★
Paralysis★★★
Blast★★★
Stun★★★
Stars are the game’s own Hunter’s Notes rating: 3 = most effective, ✕ = no effect. "Best hitzone" is the highest value for that element on any body part.
Hitzones
| Part | Sever | Blunt | Shot | Fire | Water | Thndr | Ice | Drgn | Stun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horn | 20 | 25 | 35 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 100 |
| Horn (Wounded) | 35 | 40 | 45 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 100 |
| Head | 45 | 60 | 40 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 100 |
| Head (White) | 75 | 90 | 70 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 100 |
| Head (Black) | 20 | 25 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 100 |
| Head (Gloss Black) | 20 | 25 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 100 |
| Body | 35 | 30 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Back | 30 | 35 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Forearms | 50 | 45 | 40 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Forearms (White) | 70 | 60 | 55 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Forearms (Black) | 10 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Forearms (Gloss Black) | 10 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Hindlegs | 35 | 30 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Wings | 40 | 30 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| Wings (White) | 55 | 45 | 45 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 0 |
| Wings (Black) | 28 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 0 |
| Wings (Gloss Black) | 28 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 0 |
| Tail | 60 | 45 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Tail Tip | 45 | 35 | 25 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| Tail Tip (White) | 65 | 55 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| Tail Tip (Black) | 25 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 |
| Tail Tip (Gloss Black) | 25 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 |
Higher numbers take more damage. Highlighted: 45+ for physical and 20+ for elemental damage, the usual weak-spot thresholds.
Breakable parts
| Part | Flinch | Break | Sever | Extract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horns | 130 | 280 | – | Orange |
| Head | 190 | – | – | Red |
| Body | 450 | – | – | Orange |
| Left Foreleg | 280 | – | – | Red |
| Right Foreleg | 280 | – | – | Red |
| Left Hindleg | 350 | – | – | Orange |
| Right Hindleg | 350 | – | – | Orange |
| Left Wing | 180 | – | – | White |
| Right Wing | 180 | – | – | White |
| Tail | 220 | – | 450 | Green |
Damage needed to flinch, break or sever the part (Hunter’s Notes values). Extract is the Kinsect extract colour for Insect Glaive users.
Drops & rewards
High Rank
| Item | Method | Qty | Chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lustrous Scale | Bandit Mantle | 1 | 70% |
| Glimmering Scale | Bandit Mantle | 1 | 30% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Body Carve | 1 | 32% |
| Nergigante Carapace | Body Carve | 1 | 24% |
| Nergigante Talon | Body Carve | 1 | 19% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Body Carve | 1 | 15% |
| Nergigante Horn+ | Body Carve | 1 | 8% |
| Nergigante Gem | Body Carve | 1 | 2% |
| Nergigante Horn+ | Break Horn | 1 | 66% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Break Horn | 2 | 34% |
| Nergigante Horn+ | Break Horns | 1 | 97% |
| Nergigante Gem | Break Horns | 1 | 3% |
| Nergigante Carapace | Hunt (Bronze) | 1 | 27% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Hunt (Bronze) | 1 | 22% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Hunt (Bronze) | 1 | 18% |
| Nergigante Talon | Hunt (Bronze) | 1 | 13% |
| Elder Dragon Bone | Hunt (Bronze) | 1 | 12% |
| Elder Dragon Blood | Hunt (Bronze) | 1 | 8% |
| Nergigante Talon | Investigation (Gold) | 1 | 20% |
| Nergigante Horn+ | Investigation (Gold) | 1 | 17% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Investigation (Gold) | 1 | 16% |
| Nergigante Tail | Investigation (Gold) | 1 | 16% |
| Nergigante Gem | Investigation (Gold) | 1 | 13% |
| Nergigante Carapace | Investigation (Gold) | 3 | 10% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Investigation (Gold) | 3 | 8% |
| Worn Feystone | Investigation (Purple) | 1 | 70% |
| Warped Feystone | Investigation (Purple) | 1 | 13% |
| Sullied Streamstone | Investigation (Purple) | 1 | 12% |
| Shining Streamstone | Investigation (Purple) | 1 | 5% |
| Nergigante Talon | Investigation (Silver) | 1 | 20% |
| Nergigante Tail | Investigation (Silver) | 1 | 18% |
| Nergigante Horn+ | Investigation (Silver) | 1 | 18% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Investigation (Silver) | 1 | 16% |
| Nergigante Carapace | Investigation (Silver) | 2 | 12% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Investigation (Silver) | 2 | 10% |
| Nergigante Gem | Investigation (Silver) | 1 | 6% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Palico Bonus | 1 | 50% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Palico Bonus | 1 | 28% |
| Dragon Treasure | Palico Bonus | 1 | 22% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Plunderblade | 1 | 41% |
| Nergigante Carapace | Plunderblade | 1 | 33% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Plunderblade | 1 | 25% |
| Nergigante Gem | Plunderblade | 1 | 1% |
| Nergigante Regrowth Plate | Shiny Drop | 1 | 50% |
| Nergigante Talon | Shiny Drop | 1 | 28% |
| Dragon Treasure | Shiny Drop | 1 | 22% |
| Nergigante Tail | Tail Carve | 1 | 70% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Tail Carve | 1 | 27% |
| Nergigante Gem | Tail Carve | 1 | 3% |
| Immortal Dragonscale | Track | 1 | 100% |
Nergigante weapons & armor
Weapons
Archer’s Dance IIIBow · Rarity 6Defender Powerbow VBow · Rarity 7Nergal WhisperBow · Rarity 7Flying Kadachi StrikebowBow · Rarity 7Icesteel BowBow · Rarity 7Doom’s ShaftBow · Rarity 8Empress Arrow “Ruin”Bow · Rarity 8Kadachi Kaina IIICharge Blade · Rarity 6Defender Shield VCharge Blade · Rarity 7Nergal LaceratorCharge Blade · Rarity 7Diablos Tyrannis IICharge Blade · Rarity 7Daora’s CascaCharge Blade · Rarity 7Devastation’s ThornsCharge Blade · Rarity 8Empress Alma “Ruin”Charge Blade · Rarity 8Arcanaria IIIDual Blades · Rarity 6Kadachi Claws IIIDual Blades · Rarity 6Defender Chainsaws VDual Blades · Rarity 7Nergal GougeDual Blades · Rarity 7Diablos Clubs IIDual Blades · Rarity 7Decimation ClawsDual Blades · Rarity 8Empress Daggers “Ruin”Dual Blades · Rarity 8Barroth Shredder IIIGreat Sword · Rarity 6Defender Great Sword VGreat Sword · Rarity 7Nergal JudicatorGreat Sword · Rarity 7Icesteel EdgeGreat Sword · Rarity 7Purgation’s AtrocityGreat Sword · Rarity 8Empress Galea “Ruin”Great Sword · Rarity 8Barroth Blaster IIIGunlance · Rarity 6Defender Gunlance VGunlance · Rarity 7Nergal RamGunlance · Rarity 7Mythic Kadachi StrikerGunlance · Rarity 7Icesteel GunlanceGunlance · Rarity 7Eradication FlameGunlance · Rarity 8Empress Howl “Ruin”Gunlance · Rarity 8Crushing Beak IIIHammer · Rarity 6Barroth Breaker IIIHammer · Rarity 6Defender Warhammer VHammer · Rarity 7Nergal CrusherHammer · Rarity 7Diablos Shatterer IIHammer · Rarity 7Icesteel HammerHammer · Rarity 7Obliteration’s FootfallHammer · Rarity 8Empress Mace “Ruin”Hammer · Rarity 8Kadachi Lion IIIHeavy Bowgun · Rarity 6Defender Heavy Bowgun VHeavy Bowgun · Rarity 7Nergal RoarHeavy Bowgun · Rarity 7Destruction’s FusilladeHeavy Bowgun · Rarity 8Empress Cannon “Ruin”Heavy Bowgun · Rarity 8Dancing Davul IIIHunting Horn · Rarity 6Defender Rally Horn VHunting Horn · Rarity 7Nergal GrooveHunting Horn · Rarity 7Desolation’s OvertureHunting Horn · Rarity 8Empress Roar “Ruin”Hunting Horn · Rarity 8Ya-Ku Wrath IIIInsect Glaive · Rarity 6Kadachi Pillar IIIInsect Glaive · Rarity 6Defender Glaive VInsect Glaive · Rarity 7Nergal ReaperInsect Glaive · Rarity 7Tyrannis Glaive IIInsect Glaive · Rarity 7Daora’s EntomInsect Glaive · Rarity 7Catastrophe’s LightInsect Glaive · Rarity 8Empress Cane “Ruin”Insect Glaive · Rarity 8Kulu Hasta IIILance · Rarity 6Barroth Stinger IIILance · Rarity 6Defender Lance VLance · Rarity 7Nergal ImpalerLance · Rarity 7Icesteel SpearLance · Rarity 7Perdition’s HandLance · Rarity 8Empress Lance “Ruin”Lance · Rarity 8Barroth Shot IIILight Bowgun · Rarity 6Defender Light Bowgun VLight Bowgun · Rarity 7Nergal SpitterLight Bowgun · Rarity 7Icesteel WaspLight Bowgun · Rarity 7Cataclysm’s TriggerLight Bowgun · Rarity 8Empress Shell “Ruin”Light Bowgun · Rarity 8Last Dance IIILong Sword · Rarity 6Kadachi Fang IIILong Sword · Rarity 6Defender Katana VLong Sword · Rarity 7Nergal ReaverLong Sword · Rarity 7Extermination’s EdgeLong Sword · Rarity 8Empress Sword “Ruin”Long Sword · Rarity 8Barroth Grinder IIISwitch Axe · Rarity 6Defender Switch Axe VSwitch Axe · Rarity 7Nergal GashSwitch Axe · Rarity 7Dying LightSwitch Axe · Rarity 8Empress Axe “Ruin”Switch Axe · Rarity 8Barroth Club IIISword & Shield · Rarity 6Defender Warhatchet VSword & Shield · Rarity 7Nergal JackSword & Shield · Rarity 7Eradication VanguardSword & Shield · Rarity 8Empress Edge “Ruin”Sword & Shield · Rarity 8
Armor sets
Gear that needs a material only Nergigante drops.
Strongest Thunder weapons
Sorted by element value. Nergigante takes extra thunder damage.
Emperor ThunderswordGreat Sword · 720 ThunderThunderwail FeyhornHunting Horn · 660 ThunderNaar ThunderlanceLance · 600 ThunderArchbeast KirinSwitch Axe · 540 ThunderEphemeral FulminatorSword & Shield · 510 ThunderSevering Bolt IIGreat Sword · 510 ThunderKadachi Daito IILong Sword · 510 ThunderBlinding Blaze IILong Sword · 480 Thunder (hidden)
Quests
Low Rank
One for the History Books4★ · Also appearsA Colossal Task6★ · Also appearsGaze Upon the Dawn6★ · Also appearsLeft Quite the Impression6★ · Also appears
High Rank
A Wound and a Thirst8★ · TargetBlue Prominence8★ · Also appearsNergigante Slay Event 18★ · TargetNergigante Slay Event 28★ · TargetNergigante Slay Event 38★ · TargetNergigante Slay Event 48★ · TargetThe Awakened Satsui No Hado I8★ · TargetThe Awakened Satsui No Hado II8★ · TargetThe Awakened Satsui No Hado III8★ · TargetThe Best of the Best8★ · TargetThe Eater of Elders8★ · TargetThe Eater of Elders8★ · TargetThe Fires of Hell Bite Deep8★ · Also appearsThe Winds of Wrath Bite Deep8★ · Also appearsChallenge Quest 2: Expert9★ · TargetThe Heralds of Destruction Cry9★ · TargetThe Sapphire Star's Guidance9★ · TargetThe Thronetaker9★ · TargetUndying Alpenglow9★ · Also appears
Other monsters in the same areas
AnjanathBrute WyvernAzure RathalosFlying WyvernBarnosSmall monsterBarrothBrute WyvernBazelgeuseFlying WyvernBlack DiablosFlying WyvernDiablosFlying WyvernDodogamaFanged WyvernGajauSmall monsterGastodonSmall monsterJyuratodusPiscine WyvernKelbiSmall monsterKestodonSmall monsterKulu-Ya-KuBird WyvernKushala DaoraElder DragonLavasiothPiscine WyvernNoiosSmall monsterPink RathianFlying WyvernPukei-PukeiBird WyvernRathalosFlying WyvernRathianFlying WyvernTeostraElder DragonUragaanBrute WyvernVespoidSmall monster
Data: Monster Hunter World: Iceborne game files (final version 15.11).