Ratufalare

Ratufalare is a squirrel-like Fanged Beast notable for its three-toned colour scheme and loud, scolding calls. It primarily deals with foes by chucking objects found on the ground at them and making slanderous statements about them to other monsters, enraging them into attacking their perceived tormentors. It is around the same length as a Kecha Wacha.

Physiology
Ratufalare greatly resembles an cross between a lemur and a Malabar giant squirrel, having long legs and a slender build like the former, and a head and three-toned colour scheme consisting of creams, maroons, and dark purples like the latter. The creams are primarily located on the underside, face, and forelegs while the maroons and dark purples are primarily located on the head, ears, back, hind legs, and tail. A pair of boar tusk-like horns can be found on its head.

Biology
Ratufalare is mainly herbivorous, subsisting on fruit, flowers, nuts, and tree bark, but will feed on insects and eggs if it cannot find another viable food source. It is primarily arboreal, with its main method of travel being jumping from tree to tree, and it uses trees to build its nests as well, but sometimes goes down to the ground to feed. Solitary by nature, the species only meet up with each other to breed, quickly leaving each other once they're finished. Their teeth and horns are designed to break the shell of nuts and tear off tree bark and fruit flesh, but can be used to defend itself from foes if need be. As it is not built for withstanding long, hard battles, it dislikes fighting, preferring to run to other monsters and make slanderous statements about its attackers so they'll fight amongst themselves instead, allowing it to flee. In the event where it is forced to fight, it is prone to using anything it can find as a weapon, such as Scatternuts, eggs, bones, dung, and rocks, and reprimanding its attackers in the hopes of either damaging their morale or blinding them with anger, making it easier for it to get away from them.

Behavior
Ratufalare dislikes fighting, and escapes conflict by badmouthing its attackers to other monsters in the area, getting them to fight amongst themselves while it goes to flee. In the event that it's forced to fight, it deals with attackers by flinging miscellaneous items at them and rebuking them.

Abilities
Ratufalare is a strong climber and jumper, being able to travel from tree to tree in a short amount of time, and is capable of terrestrial movement as well. It can immediately cause other monsters to go into Rage Mode and prioritize the hunter by making false statements about them before running off, and the properties of its fling attack changes depending on the item flung; rocks inflict Earthblight and have a 50% chance of inflicting Stun, dung inflicts Soiled, bones have a 50% chance of inflicting Bleeding, eggs have a 50% chance of inflicting Blind, and Scatternuts inflict Stun. Its rebukes have an effect on hunter morale, reducing their attack power if it succeeds in giving them hell. Its large eyes and long whiskers also provide it with a strong sense of sight and touch, respectively.

Habitat
Ratufalare inhabits forests and jungles.

HP and Damage
HP:


 * Base HP: 3,000 HP


 * Low-Rank (0.55x): 1,650 HP


 * High-Rank (0.70x): 2,100 HP


 * G-Rank (1.30x): 3,900 HP

Physical/Elemental Damage Taken:


 * Head: 60 (Cut), 55 (Impact), 50 (Shot), 25 (Fire), 10 (Water), 15 (Thunder), 15 (Ice), 0 (Dragon), 10 (Earth), 25 (Wind)


 * Body: 42 (Cut), 42 (Impact), 35 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 5 (Water), 10 (Thunder), 10 (Ice), 0 (Dragon), 5 (Earth), 15 (Wind)


 * Arms/Legs: 45 (Cut), 45 (Impact), 35 (Shot), 20 (Fire), 10 (Water), 15 (Thunder), 15 (Ice), 0 (Dragon), 10 (Earth), 20 (Wind)


 * Tail: 50 (Cut), 45 (Impact), 45 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 5 (Water), 10 (Thunder), 10 (Ice), 0 (Dragon), 5 (Earth), 15 (Wind)

Physical Damage Effectiveness
 * Head = ★★★ (cutting) ★★★ (impact) ★★★ (shot)
 * Body = ★★ (cutting) ★★ (impact) ★★ (shot)
 * Arms/Legs = ★★ (cutting) ★★ (impact) ★★ (shot)
 * Tail = ★★★ (cutting) ★★ (impact) ★★ (shot)

1-30 physical damage= ★

31-49 physical damage= ★★

50+ physical damage= ★★★

Element/Status Effectiveness
 * Fire = ★★★
 * Water = ★
 * Thunder = ★★
 * Ice = ★★
 * Dragon = ✖
 * Earth = ★
 * Wind = ★★★
 * Poison = ★★
 * Sleep = ★★
 * Paralysis = ★★
 * Blast = ★★
 * Stun = ★★

Turf Wars
Ratufalare does not engage in Turf Wars.

Attacks
Bite

Ratufalare bites at the hunter while standing in place. This attack deals low-medium damage.

Lunge

Ratufalare lunges at the hunter with its horns pointed at them. This attack deals medium damage.

Scratch

Ratufalare scratches at the hunter twice in a row, once with its right paw, then with its left paw, while moving forward. Both scratches deal low damage.

Jump

Ratufalare jumps at the hunter, striking out at them with its teeth and claws. This attack deals medium damage.

Gore

Ratufalare rears its head back, then does an uppercut with its horns. This attack deals medium damage.

Tree Jump

Ratufalare jumps off a tree in an attempt to land on the hunter, striking out with its teeth and claws as it does so and doing a roll once it lands on the ground. This attack deals medium-high damage. It will only use this attack in an area with trees.

Fling

Ratufalare runs towards an item-gathering spot, gathers an item, then flings it at the hunter. This attack deals medium damage. The effects of the attack depend on what gets thrown; rocks inflict Earthblight and have a 50% chance of inflicting Stun, dung inflicts Soiled, bones have a 50% chance of inflicting Bleeding, eggs have a 50% chance of inflicting Blind, and Scatternuts inflict Stun. It will only use this attack in areas with gathering spots.

Rebuke

Ratufalare points at the hunter while making scolding noises. If it succeeds, the hunter will suffer a loss of morale, which causes Attack Down. The hunter can prevent it from finishing its taunt by making it flinch, which is done through either attacking it or using a Sonic Bomb. The taunt takes 8 seconds to complete.

Slanderous Gossip

If another large monster is in the area, Ratufalare will immediately run up to them, then point at the hunter while saying slanderous things about them in the form of loud, scolding noises. This causes the monster to immediately go into Rage Mode and prioritize the hunter, using its strongest attacks against them. Ratufalare will then flee as the monster attacks the hunter.

Dual Blades
Calumnious Swords --> Ratatoskr's Malice

Hunting Horn
Slanderous Horn --> Ratatoskr's Manipulation

Insect Glaive
Besmirching Polearm --> Ratatoskr's Castigation

Light Bowgun
Traducing Bowgun --> Ratatoskr's Deception

Bow
Vilifying Bow --> Ratatoskr's Contempt

Low-Rank
Defense: 80-590

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -15
 * Water +5
 * Thunder -5
 * Ice -5
 * Dragon +10
 * Earth +5
 * Wind -15

Skills: Gathering +1, Movement Speed +1, Throwing Distance Up, Atk Down (S)

High-Rank
Defense: 215-590

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -15
 * Water +5
 * Thunder -5
 * Ice -5
 * Dragon +10
 * Earth +5
 * Wind -15

Skills: Gathering +2, Movement Speed +1, Throwing Distance Up, Atk Down (S)

G-Rank
Defense: 370-655

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -15
 * Water +5
 * Thunder -5
 * Ice -5
 * Dragon +10
 * Earth +5
 * Wind -15

Skills: Gathering God, Movement Speed +2, Throwing Distance Up, Atk Down (S)

Low-Rank
Defense: 40-370

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -10
 * Water +10
 * Thunder 0
 * Ice 0
 * Dragon +15
 * Earth +10
 * Wind -10

Skills: Gathering +1, Movement Speed +1, Throwing Distance Up, Atk Down (S)

High-Rank
Defense: 105-390

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -10
 * Water +10
 * Thunder 0
 * Ice 0
 * Dragon +15
 * Earth +10
 * Wind -10

Skills: Gathering +2, Movement Speed +1, Throwing Distance Up, Atk Down (S)

G-Rank
Defense: 200-430

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -10
 * Water +10
 * Thunder 0
 * Ice 0
 * Dragon +15
 * Earth +10
 * Wind -10

Skills: Gathering God, Movement Speed +2, Throwing Distance Up, Atk Down (S)

Breakable Parts
Head- The horns will break off.

Tail- The tail will become bristled.

Trivia

 * Ratufalare's name is a portmanteau of Ratufa, a genus of cat-sized tree squirrels, and baktalare, which is Swedish for "slanderer".
 * Ratufalare is based on Malabar giant squirrels and Ratatoskr, a squirrel from Norse mythology that runs up and down the World Tree, bringing slanderous messages to the unnamed eagle and the wyrm named Nidhogg that respectively inhabit the top and bottom, provoking conflicts between them.
 * When exhausted, Ratufalare will fall over when using some attacks, take longer to throw miscellaneous items, and will fail to finish its taunts. It can recover stamina by eating fruit and seeds.