Alpha Epioth

Alpha Epioth are leaders of certain Epioth which are rarely seen in the world. They appear in Monster Hunter Tri Frenzy.

Behavior
The Alpha Epioth will not flee from foes on first sight and can actually fight them. However this goes to predators that are around the same size as it. If anything bigger than it or a fight goes badly it goes into a constant panic like a normal Epioth.

Intro
A herd of Epioth are seen moving across the area, the camera pans towards a Sharq. One small Epioth is attacked and swallowed whole, alerting the others and making them flee. This attracts the attention of the Alpha Epioth who dashes forward and does its spinning hip check just before the Sharq takes another. The Sharq leaves as the hunter is brought into the scene as the Sharq moves towards him/her.
 * Underwater ruins area 2

The Sharq itself only goes down in as short a time as a regular one.

Appearance
Red stripes on head, body and tail, longer head fringe, body fringe and tail fin. Double size than regular Epioth and is more fatter.

Attacks

 * Bite The standard leviathan bite.
 * Tail lash Shakes about then does the tail whip of leviathan's
 * Water shot Fires a single glob of water causing water blight.
 * Charge Swims backwards before dashing forwards.
 * Hip check A hip check that propels itself forward.
 * Spinning hipcheck Rushes back and charges ending it in a spinning hip check.

(High rank added) More coming very soon
 * Distractions It will call on Epioth in the area to swim around the hunters and tackle them.
 * Back hand: Puts one hand in a claw position to the opposite side the hand is on and slashes it to the side the hands on, knocking back anything near it. Done rather quickly.
 * Double bite: Chomps twice in a row.

(G rank added)
 * Back flip: Taunting it raises its tail, after which will swing it causing its entire body to flip along side it. Causes waterblight.
 * Epioth meat shield: Calls to an individual Epioth, which upon preparing a charge attack or wyvern fire on alpha will dart at high speeds to take the blow itself, resulting in its death. Used rarely.
 * Water ball: An advanced form of the water shot, uses the same animation as it.
 * Double water ball: Done when enraged
 * Double hipcheck: Done when enraged

(Ultimate rank only)
 * Charge back flip: In the middle of a charge it does a back flip combo. Noticed by the tail waggling beforehand.
 * Back flip into charge: In the middle of a backflip it turns towards a hunter and does its dash into him/her.
 * Back crush: Will turn to the surface, dash upwards towards it, then plummet downward on its back.
 * Calling second of command: Turns head up ands yells, about 20 secs later a low or high rank alpha is spawned in. Only done once

Rage and tired states

 * Enraged: Head frill and back and tail fins become more red, huffs bubbles from mouth.


 * Tired: Head fill droops, back fin colour dulls and drools.

Mount
Alpha Epioth is mounted in the same way to Leviathans on the back in water. It spins four times and tries to bite the hunter off

Breaks

 * Head frill: AE head break.jpg
 * Back fin (G rank onwards):

In the food chain
They eat mainly algae, sea weed and other ocean plant life, no different than their younger ones.

Despite its deep sea living environment the Alpha Epioth is often preyed upon by lagiacrus and its abyssal rare, Gobul and even the ocean tyrant Wiyska.

Interactions with The Frenzy/Apex
It can become infected by The Frenzy Virus, its skin becomes a violet tint and its screeches become quite distorted. It can preform its spinning hipcheck twice.

There is no way an alpha epioth can become Apex as they are too physically weak to fight it off.

Ecology on different ranked Alpha Epioth
The Alpha Epioth have several differences in all four ranks other than attacks.


 * Low Rank: The lowest ranked Alpha Epioth have a unique appearance than the rest, a much shorter back fin, shorter frills and tail fin. These ones are new alphas only beginning their changes. As such they are weak and easily lose their group. Alpha epioth.jpg
 * High Rank: Ones like this gain respect and can command others to distract their opponent. Their fins have significantly grown.
 * G Rank: Appearance is that of the render seen in the above infobox. These ones process a grown water sac to hold more water. They are so honored, its group is willing to even die for its life.
 * Ultimate Rank: Grand Epioth that have survived and defeated at least one encounter with a predator. Ones that grown this strong are only found in deep oceans. These have a very unique feature to call in a Low or High Rank Alpha to aid it.

Trivia

 * The Alpha Epioth is indeed a large monster and can be fought in its own quests.
 * It mostly shows up as a unstable monster in Low Rank and High Rank quests in the deserted isle, after which it becomes lesser likely to appear as Cantios holds a bigger percentage chance to appear.
 * It can only be fought in water, it never travels out to land even when tired.

Credits

 * Rathalosaurus, for the render that made it look majestic.