HC Nergigante

The HC Nergigante is a HC Variant of the Nergigante created by BannedLagiacrus.

Explanation
An old Nergigante that has hunted during many Elder Crossings.

Aesthetic Differences
Red eyes, spikes on body always white (Head, arms, tail, and wings), small spikes growing around horns, scorch marks on chest, small tears in wings, and sickle-shaped spikes growing on the tail.

Attacks and Moves
HC Nergigante shares attacks with Nergigante.

Always Youthful: Unlike normal individuals, the HC Nergigante's spikes are almost always white in color meaning they are fragile and weak for hunters to hit, however, from them always being in that grown state, HC Nergigante is able to deal more damage than usual with its attacks. This also means that many of HC Nergigante's attacks always have an AoE.

Fallen Elder: When hunters first encounter the HC Nergigante during a hunt, they'll see it feeding on a random Elder Dragon corpse, which changes depending on the area. If attacked while eating it will turn around and toss the corpse at the hunter that stroke it, dealing damage before the fight even begins, before roaring normally.

Extinction Roar: Similar to Tigrex, HC Nergigante's roar deals damage to hunters that are near it.

Multiple Divebombs: If a Flash Pod is used against HC Nergigante it'll perform this attack instantly. HC Nergigante will stand upright as it roars before flying backward and charging the hunter, destroying everything in its path with its immense strength and its spikes. Unlike the normal Nergigante, it won't land after performing the divebomb instead it'll turn around quickly in midair and perform the attack again. After the second divebomb, it'll perform the third one before landing and roaring. This attack is quite devasting if hunters aren't wary.

Sharp Spikes: Its spikes are able to cause Bleeding now.

Spiked Tail Swipe: Swings tail from left to right to damage hunters behind it, sending multiple spikes at hunters out of its view.

False Claw Slam: HC Nergigante stands upright as it charges as a hunter, seemingly preparing to smash them with its claw before it instead slams its horns into the ground and sends multiple spikes at hunters in front of it. This attack does more damage than its normal Claw Slam.

Delayed Claw Slam: HC Nergigante charges a hunter as it stands upright before quickly hopping into the air and slamming its claw into the ground, causing a massive shockwave around it. Hunters within the vicinity of the powerful slam will be sent flying in the air, as well as take massive damage.

Elder Dragon Interactions
Nergigante's Weapons: Similar to Deviljho (5th Gen), HC Nergigante is able to use other monsters, Elder Dragons specifically, as weapons in combat. Just like Deviljho (5th Gen), it'll roar at the other Elder Dragon before running up towards it, slamming it on the ground with its claw, and holding down the monster via neck or midsection. While holding down the Elder Dragon with one of its claws, HC Nergigante becomes slower and can't use a majority of its attacks, excluding its claws swipes, tail-based attacks, and horn slams. The Elder Dragon it uses takes damage while it fights as well. The Elder Dragons it can use include Kushala Daora, Lunastra, Teostra, Kirin, and Vaal Hazak.

Elder Dragon Toss: Just like with its turf war with Kushala Daora, Teostra, and Lunastra, HC Nergigante will throw the helpless Elder Dragon when it is done using it. It'll toss the Elder Dragon at one of the hunters before fighting normally again. Each Elder Dragon it uses can potentially cause a random status; Kushala Daora = Windblight, Teostra = Blastblight, Lunastra = Fireblight, Kirin = Thunderblight/Paralysis, and Vaal Hazak = Effluvium.

Forced Blast: When HC Nergigante is using an Elder Dragon as a weapon, it may force the Elder to use its unique projectile against hunters. HC Nergigante drags the Elder Dragon by the neck before placing its claw on the Elder Dragon's chest and pushing down on it with immense force. This pain causes the monster to use one of its attacks, damaging any hunters in front of the blast (Kushala Daora = Windblast, Lunastra = Flamethrower, Teostra = Explosive Flamethrower, Kirin = Lines of Lightning Bolts, and Vaal Hazak = Effluvium Beam).

Nergigante's Feast: Sometimes while holding down an Elder Dragon, HC Nergigante will bite into the prey that it has captured three times before chewing what bits of flesh it has gotten to recover some health it has lost. Usually, after biting into the Elder Dragon, HC Nergigante will toss the monster to the side and fight normally.

Nergigante vs. Teostra and Lunastra: A unique turf war that HC Nergigante has with Teostra and Lunastra, only performed when all three are in the same area which is extremely rare. The fire dragon couple roars at HC Nergigante together before charging at it at the same time, causing the devour to take on both. Lunastra and Teostra will hit HC Nergigante in the chest (900-1999 damage, numbers vary) with their horns, pushing Nergigante back, before it recovers and grabs them both by the neck. Once it grabs them, it lifts them both up before slamming them into each other (2000-3999 damage, numbers vary), causing the fire dragons to release their supernovas at the same time. After the slam, Lunastra and Teostra fall to the ground before fleeing, and HC Nergigante roars in victory. Hunters in the area have to be wary when these three fight because of the supernovas which can blow hunters away or cook them alive in near seconds.

Elder Dragon's Escape: Though HC Nergigante is strong, Elder Dragons can still escape its grasp. HC Nergigante can hold down an Elder Dragon for about a minute before they escape and fight normally. Hunters have to be wary because they can easily get caught in the counter attacks of the Elder Dragons. To free themselves from Nergigante, each Elder Dragon has a unique way of escaping from it.

Kushala Daora will breathe a powerful windblast on the ground, creating a massive tornado, to escape HC Nergigante's grasp.

Lunastra will constantly swing her tail, creating blue sparks behind HC Nergigante, before she wildly swings her head and breathes fire to make it let go of her. After HC Nergigante lets go of her, she will jump behind the blue sparks and ignite them for protection before fleeing.

Teostra spreads a large number of scales around it before unleashing a powerful supernova to escape from HC Nergigante's grasp.

Kirin summons multiple lightning bolts to rain down on HC Nergigante to make it let go.

Effluvium slowly surrounds HC Nergigante, covering it in this thick gas, before HC Nergigante begins to cough violently and back off Vaal Hazak. As HC Nergigante backs off, Vaal Hazak slowly gets up and looks back at its predator with an intimidating gaze.

Near Death
When near death, HC Nergigante is able to combo its attacks better than before.

Divebomb-Spike Fling Combo: Now after its divebomb, it'll fling the spikes from wings at foes to finish off its attack.

Ground Plant: Now if hunters are hit by HC Nergigante's claw slam, there is a chance they'll be planted into the ground as if they were in a pitfall trap. Hunters will be left vulnerable in this state for a few seconds before they escape.

Darkened Spikes: Every thirty-five seconds, when HC Nergigante is close to dying, the spikes on two parts of its body (Head and tail, both arms, and both wings) will turn black like normal, becoming harder and able to deal more damage to hunters than usual.