Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku

Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku is a Variant of Kulu-ya-Ku that only appears to hunters who have recently grown a year older. It utilizes presents as opposed to rocks in battle, and these presents can inflict all sorts of nasty conditions.

Physiology
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku greatly resembles the standard Kulu-Ya-Ku, but has some differences to set itself apart from the original. Its scales are azure as opposed to bright brown, and its feathers and hands are light grey and dark grey as opposed to yellow and orange. Its eyes are orange instead of green, and the skin around its eyes is tan instead of pink.

Ecology
Like the standard species, Giftbearer Kulu-Ya-Ku primarily feeds on eggs, but will actively hunt if there is no other food source available, with its preferred prey during these hard times being small monsters, such as Barnos, Gastodon, and Vespoid. Its blue skin and grey plumage along with its orange eyes and tan skin are the result of a rare genetic mutation, which makes it stand out more in forested and desert environments, and it got around any disadvantages this mutation might provide by moving to the Elder's Recess, which provides it with camouflage, along with sleeping in caves during the day and going out to hunt at night. Interestingly, it utilizes volatile presents as opposed to rocks, is more active when it senses that a nearby hunter's birthday is currently taking place, and has been known to actively pursue hunters who have just recently turned a year older, handing them the presents before running off. This behaviour is said to be the result of it knowing that hunters will actively pursue any monster they see and are far more dangerous than any of its predators and competitors, and so it acts this way out of a sense of self-preservation. These presents contain highly concentrated amounts of elemental energy that the Bird Wyvern derives from the organs of recently diseased monsters, and it stores the energy in improvised containers designed to explode on impact before placing them in their boxes, which were stolen from human settlements. The colour of the wrapping determines the gift's effects: orange boxes with yellow ribbons inflict Extreme Fireblight, blue boxes with light blue ribbons inflict Extreme Waterblight, purple boxes with white ribbons inflict Extreme Thunderblight, white boxes with pale blue ribbons inflict Extreme Iceblight, and black boxes with red ribbons inflict Extreme Dragonblight. However, on some occasions, it may throw a green box with a light green ribbon by accident, with this box containing a herbal mixture that heals targets on contact. This process is very delicate and often results in unlucky individuals accidentally blowing themselves up, but the few who succeed make for very dangerous couriers. Despite these advantages, it is preyed on by larger monsters, such as Lavasioth, Azure Rathalos, Bazelgeuse, and Nergigante, and the only large monster in the Elder's Recess that could be considered its equal is Dodogama, who can easily injure an unwary individual with its explosive rocks.

Behavior
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku only comes out of hiding when it senses that a hunter whose birthday is the current day arrives in the Elder's Recess, and will attack them without warning by forcing them to hold volatile presents or chucking said presents at them. It can also heal itself by throwing a green present containing a herbal mixture to the ground in front of it.

Abilities
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku has access to volatile presents containing highly concentrated amounts of elemental energy that are released from their containers upon impact.

Habitat
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku is only found in the Elder's Recess.

HP and Damage
HP:


 * Base HP: 3,200 HP


 * Low-Rank (0.55x): 1,760 HP


 * High-Rank (0.70x): 2,240 HP


 * G-Rank (1.30x): 4,160 HP

Physical/Elemental Damage Taken:


 * Head: 70 (Cut), 70 (Impact), 70 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 15 (Water), 15 (Thunder), 15 (Ice), 15 (Dragon), 15 (Earth), 15 (Wind)


 * Forearms: 50 (Cut), 70 (Impact), 50 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 15 (Water), 15 (Thunder), 15 (Ice), 15 (Dragon), 15 (Earth), 15 (Wind)


 * Body/Legs: 40 (Cut), 40 (Impact), 40 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 15 (Water), 15 (Thunder), 15 (Ice), 15 (Dragon), 15 (Earth), 15 (Wind)


 * Tail: 50 (Cut), 40 (Impact), 40 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 15 (Water), 15 (Thunder), 15 (Ice), 15 (Dragon), 15 (Earth), 15 (Wind)


 * Present: 10 (Cut), 10 (Impact), 10 (Shot), 5 (Fire), 15 (Water), 5 (Thunder), 5 (Ice), 5 (Dragon), 5 (Earth), 5 (Wind)

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

Attacks
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku has the same attacks as the standard species, but instead of using rocks, it utilizes presents that inflict either Extreme Fireblight (orange), Extreme Waterblight (blue), Extreme Thunderblight (purple), Extreme Iceblight (white), Extreme Dragonblight (black), or, in rare cases, rapid healing as opposed to damage (green).

Present Scatter

Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku runs away in a straight line while leaving multiple presents behind it, which explode upon contact. This attack deals high damage and inflicts either Extreme Fireblight (orange present), Extreme Waterblight (blue present), Extreme Thunderblight (purple present), Extreme Iceblight (white present), Extreme Dragonblight (black present), or rapid healing as opposed to damage (green present).

Happy Birthday!

Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku shoves a large present into the hunter's arms, then runs away before the present explodes. The explosion deals high damage and inflicts either Extreme Fireblight (orange present), Extreme Waterblight (blue present), Extreme Thunderblight (purple present), Extreme Iceblight (white present), Extreme Dragonblight (black present), or rapid healing as opposed to damage (green present). This attack is only used at point-blank range, and acts like a pin attack, requiring the hunter to lower a meter in order to throw away the present in time.

Healing Gift

Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku throws a green box to the ground, healing itself instantly. It only uses this move when its health is at 50% or lower, and it will hold still after using it for four seconds, giving the hunter some time to dish out enough damage to counter the amount of health regained.

'''Argh! It was a Dud!'''

Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku quickly rushes towards the hunter in an attempt to tackle them. If it succeeds, the hunter will take low damage and become pinned down. It will then pull out a large present and hit the hunter with it, dealing low. Shocked that the present turned out to be a dud, it will then furiously bash the hunter with it repeatedly, dealing low damage with each strike. If the hunter doesn't escape soon enough, the dud will explode, and the explosion deals high damage and inflicts either Extreme Fireblight (orange present), Extreme Waterblight (blue present), Extreme Thunderblight (purple present), Extreme Iceblight (white present), Extreme Dragonblight (black present), or rapid healing as opposed to damage (green present). Escaping the attack in time causes the dud to fly in a random direction, exploding once it hits the ground.

Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW6_nVV0Tgc&t=538s

Weapons
N/A

Low-Rank
Defense: 80-590

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

Skills: Birthday Hunter, Pro Transporter, Miraculous Luck, Recovery Down, Demonic Blessing

High-Rank
Defense: 240-605

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

Skills: Birthday Hunter, Pro Transporter, Miraculous Luck, Recovery Down, Demonic Blessing

G-Rank
Defense: 390-675

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

Skills: Birthday Hunter, Pro Transporter, Miraculous Luck, Recovery Down, Demonic Blessing

Low-Rank
Defense: 40-370

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire 0
 * Water 0
 * Thunder 0
 * Ice 0
 * Dragon 0
 * Earth 0
 * Wind 0

Skills: Birthday Hunter, Pro Transporter, Miraculous Luck, Recovery Down, Demonic Blessing

High-Rank
Defense: 120-390

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire 0
 * Water 0
 * Thunder 0
 * Ice 0
 * Dragon 0
 * Earth 0
 * Wind 0

Skills: Birthday Hunter, Pro Transporter, Miraculous Luck, Recovery Down, Demonic Blessing

G-Rank
Defense: 210-440

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire 0
 * Water 0
 * Thunder 0
 * Ice 0
 * Dragon 0
 * Earth 0
 * Wind 0

Skills: Birthday Hunter, Pro Transporter, Miraculous Luck, Recovery Down, Demonic Blessing

Carves
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku has the same carves as the standard species, but defeating it grants the player a unique item that can be used to craft a birthday-themed set of armour.

Breakable Parts
Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku has the same breakable parts as the standard species.

Quests
WIP.

Trivia

 * Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku was originally going to be based on phoenixes, having access to the Fire element and reviving itself when killed, but this was changed, as it makes no sense for such a weak, low-level monster to have access to an ability seen only in Solstice Conquest War monsters like Disufiroa.
 * Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku's Present Scatter attack was inspired by an attack utilized by Paul Carson, a boss from Dead Rising. The attack involves him throwing multiple pipe bombs to the floor while running in a straight line, similar to the monster.
 * Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku can only be fought on the birthday of the hunter who started the quest, and it will prioritize them over other hunters.
 * Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku has a 5% chance of using green boxes by accident, while its other boxes have an equal chance of being used at a 19% occurrence rate.
 * Hitting Giftbearer Kulu-ya-Ku's hands with the slinger will cause it to drop any presents it is holding, either healing it (the green boxes) or doing minor damage to it (the non-green boxes).