Shadow Cantios

There is very little the Environmental Master fears as its one of the world's deadliest monsters, but even they have something they fear, its own shadow...-Anonymous

The Shadow Cantios are the dark subspecies of the Cantios.

Appearance
As a subspecies it shares the original Cantioses body type but their are some differences. The differences are a thinner body, longer and thinner claws, a longer tail, bigger wings, and sharper fangs.

Its colour scheme is however completely different. Instead of brown scales it has jet black ones. Dark red horns and chest. Dark blue feet, hands and tail tips. Grey wings. All of its spikes, claws talons, fangs and zigzag patterns purple.

Once enraged its eyes become red and its poison veins glow.

Behaviour
Shadow Cantios have the combat style the Brown Cantios hate, evasive and speed. They will wait in the darkness almost invisible then strike their prey down in a blink of an eye. Their goal at first sight of a deadly enemy is their fear tactic. With their colour scheme they will flash a demonic looking red and blue and make a screaming like roar that bears next to no resemblance to their Brown Cousins. Most will flee in panic upon witnessing this sight, including the original Environmental Masters themselves.

These species are an exclusively nocturnal species, never being seen in the light of day.

Intro Cutscene
Another Master?!: Sherin Peaks (Night): Area 13

Rage and Tired states

 * Enraged: Will begin to use Cursed Undrea exclusively, patterns glow and scales darken and it becomes faster.


 * Tired: Drools from mouth and patterns fade.

Attacks
Shadow Cantios borrows some of Cantioses attacks along with having new unique ones

Ground
(True Flying Wyvern Stance)


 * True Flying Wyvern Charge Rushes forward with its mouth open and finishes it with a bite.
 * Kick: Shadow Cantios pounces at a target and lashes out with both talons. When Enraged this can poison hunters.
 * Undrea Ball: Raises itself up and breathes downward firing a ball of Undrea. There is a chance it will remain skyborne and go into air mode after this. When Enraged it has a much higher chance of remaining airborne and the ball will cause Undrea and Poison.
 * Leaping Tail Swipe: Shadow Cantios will jump forward and swing its tail right next to under its head.
 * Double Leaping Tail Swipe: The attack will be done again, with the tail being swept to its opposite side.
 * Poison Toss: Poison starts dripping from one of its claws as it takes a step back. With a swipe of its wing it flings a small clump of poison that can travel quite far.
 * Backhop Poison Toss: Both wings raise to full size as Shadow Cantios turns suddenly to face a hunter goes airborne in a hop, flinging two poison globs, one from each claw while hovering back a bit before landing. It has the same animation as Pre 3rd Gen Rathaloes backwards fireball attack.
 * Jump And Bite: Two quick bites while stepping backwards are the hunters prime warning of this strike as the Black Cantios jumps with the aid of its wings and punishes those who though they were safe from its fangs.

(Enraged Only)


 * Charge N' Spin: While doing its charge it will have its wings spread open a bit and its mouth tilted slightly. As soon as it nears a hunter Shadow Cantios swings its fangs into a sweeping bite and then follows up with a tail swing.

(Ultimate Rank Only)


 * Slide: Leaps forward, morphs its wings into fin form and does a Plesioth like slide forward. If the attack connects to the border of an underwater area it will jump into the water and go into water mode.
 * Backhop Poison Toss Wind: When it does the attack now, a gust of black wind is sent forward from its wings that blinds hunters.

(Pseudo Flying Wyvern Stance)


 * Recoil: Occasionally if a head flinch is done to Shadow Cantios in this stance it will dash forwards in a short burst and do a ground level bite in an attempt to get revenge for that hit.
 * Pounce: Takes a few steps backwards then jumps into a target.
 * Wide Tail Sweep: Raises its tail up high and bends with it and then swings its whole body right around in a full circle.
 * Slash: With its sharp claws it takes a slash at its enemy.
 * Double Slash: Jumping forward Shadow Cantios swipes with one claw and repeats the movement with the next.
 * Forward Slash: In this variant it will throw itself forward with the slash and can reach far and wide with it.

(Enraged Only)


 * Leap N' Slash: Shadow Cantios will jump to a hunters blind spot and do a Forward Slash to try and get a hit in.

(Both Stances) (The animation is slightly different depending on the mode)


 * Ambush: Hidden in darkness the Shadow Cantios waits until a hunter walks too close. As soon as hunters go near it they have until its glow alights before it does this attack. The Dark Master leaps out with poison spewing from its claws with its jaws wide open and in a split second it strikes with both claws multiple times while delivering two swift bites. The wyvern swings around as it lands, knocking away anything in the way of its tail. Due to the speed at which this is all preformed at it can easily devastate hunters and is easily a jump scare should it happen should Shadow Cantios appear as an unstable monster spawn.
 * Roar Of Horror: Shadow Cantioses scales will darken and its red, blue and purple parts take an ominous glow as its head and wings fall low. In a blink of an eye these parts raise straight up again with a terrifying scream like roar emitting from its mouth. As the roar is emitted its glow intensifies and sends a rippling effect aimed right at the player that will cause them to flinch if they look right at it if their weapon is sheathed. The roar itself requires High Grade Earplugs to successfully block out.
 * Shadow's Undrea Breath: Its chest will turn a slight grey as a mist forms in its mouth. With a head bobbing movement it swings open its jaws at lets loose the Undrea Breath that is signature with the normal Cantios, except not really. This form is a more concentrated looking one with a thinner shape with no clumps along its side.
 * Breath Of Cursed Undrea: The Shadow Cantios will appear to begin to preform its Undrea Breath as normal. However, its chest will be a slight purple and black this time and its poison veins will glow forward to its head as it prepares the breath. With a sharp movement it unleashes the breath, a purplish red and black in colour it will inflict the Cursed Undreablight status.
 * Shadow's Leaps: Unlike normal Cantios when this one wishes to move somewhere fast it will leap in a way like the Nargacuga.
 * Side Bite: A slight bite to the left while swinging its tail up to the right, doing minor damage.
 * Double Side Bite: This time it will take a step forward once it does the first one, then take another in a follow up that is a bite to the right while swing its tail up to the left. It is faster than the single bite and will leave less of an opening.
 * Backhand: Shadow Cantios takes one of its arms up off the ground and moves a small bit away from the direction it is going to aim. Once its arm is right under its head it sweeps the arm right across to the aimed side. The distance covered is wide and Shadow Cantios will turn the rest of its body to where the hand stopped at after it has completed the attack.

(Enraged Only)


 * Wall Jump: If going fast enough in a charge attack it may do this attack. Shadow Cantios will do a hop to get on the wall then do a bigger one to reach a decent height. On the wall it will look at a hunter then launch itself off the wall at him/her and plunge down with its talons and fangs, piercing them right into the ground. To avoid this attack hunters should act as soon as it starts jumping.

Air

 * Skyborne Terror: Its Roar Of Horror isn't limited to the ground, in this version it does basically the same thing, this time with it shining a ominous light below it.
 * Headbutt: Violently turns its head to the side while turning.
 * Wing Slash: Extends its claw to swipe while spinning with the other wing to keep it airborne.
 * Bite: Bites downwards causing minor damage.
 * Double Bite: This attack isn't so minor as it will move forwards with its two bites.
 * Talon Smash: Shadow Cantios springs up with both of its talons and strikes down at the ground.
 * Glide: Moves back and rushes forwards. Borrowed from Rathalos.
 * Surprise Ruined: If any attack Shadow Cantios from behind it will upswing hunters in front of it using its tail.
 * Tail Sweep: It will bring its tail by its side and swing it widely around it to its other side.
 * Rock Throw: Slams both talons in the ground, pulling out a piece of earth. It swings back and then forth tossing the rock. Can cause Iceblight or Fireblight when in environmental areas.
 * Dive Slam: Will suddenly extend its wing talons and slam directly down into the ground.
 * Talon Pin: If low on stamina, it will aim at a hunter. Shadow Cantios glides back, readies its talons and slams into the ground. If successfully done it will proceed pin the hunter and then bite him/her repeatedly. If its not escaped from in time Shadow Cantios will do the Undrea Ball attack on the hunter pinned.
 * Black Wind: Shadow Cantios covers its wings in Undrea and turns it into a black smog from its poison veins. The wings flap forward this smog that will cause Blind should a hunter be hit by it.
 * Talon Scrape: With its toxic talons it scrapes the ground with globs of poison being left behind.
 * Swooper: Evasively it flies up and then dives down forward striking with its fangs and talons and then dives upwards again all in a straight arc.
 * Shadow's Airborne Undrea Breath: Shadow Cantios exhales Undrea around its mouth to ready itself for this. Hawking hunters it swings its head, sweeping the area with thin streams of Undrea with every go. After four swings it breathes forward a full sized stream.

(Enraged Only)


 * Triple Undrea Ball: It will take a large breath and fire three Undrea balls in succession.
 * Poisonous Scrape: It begins its talon scrape attack but will move downwards a second and claw into the ground then spring up, kicking forward poison at hunters.
 * Break Neck Dash: Shadow Cantios dives up high and backflips, tucking in its wings as it does so. Within a split second it bolts right at hunters at extreme speeds in several ways before landing and doing a taunt. Although it looks scary at first there is a pattern to how it moves throughout this attack.

Water

 * An Ambush In Water: In the darkest waters of the night Shadow Cantios will wait for its prey, in this case a hunter unaware. It will remain here until a hunter swims too close, and with a seconds notice with its glowing eyes, it strikes. Shadow Cantios dashes out with a roar, striking with jaws, foot talons, and tail in one lethal and quick strike. It will then turn to face what it had attacked to see if it killed its target or not.
 * Underwater Fear: Not even underwater hunters are safe as in this version of its Roar Of Horror the water around it will distort with the glow in effect.
 * Bite: A simple bite forwards.
 * Double Bite: Will bite forward twice.
 * Wing Flap: Takes its wings out of fin form and pushes forward a current of water. The wings causes modorate damage while the current inflicts Waterblight.
 * Claw: Will extend one of its claws and slash. A very quick attack.
 * Tail Flip: Raises its tail and back flips, if the tail isn't cut off it can inflict Waterblight.
 * Talon Kick Down: If hunters are underneath Shadow Cantios it will preform this attack. It moves up slightly while raising up its foot talons and then dives down and delivers a kick from both talons. Once Enraged the attack will poison hunters.
 * Dash: Swims backwards and charges into a faraway opponent.
 * Tail Swipe: Will swing itself around to hit hunters with its tail.
 * Flinged Undrea Ball: If hunters attack from land from a considerable distance it will fire an Undrea Ball in an arc like way not unlike the Lagiacruses (3rd Gen) attack.
 * Sweeping Undrea Breath: If hunters are on land and are close Shadow Cantios will arise out the waters surface and exhale out Undrea Breath that moves left to right/right to left very quickly two times and then submerge.
 * Turning Bite: Shadow Cantios will make a 180 degree bite that extends right around to where its tail was while the tail itself is also swung in the opposite direction. This attack replaces the Curling Tail Swipe attack of the normal Cantios.
 * Underwater Undrea Breath: Shadow Cantios opens its mouth as a small bunch of Undrea emits. Suddenly it a forceful blast erupts from its mouth, causing Waterblight to those affected by it. Then following from the left or right is a stream of Undrea Breath that travels to the opposite direction. This attack is almost identical to the Flamethrower attack by the 4th Gen Fatalis, with differences being that this attack is done faster and the initial burst doesn't do the full damage of the stream.

(Enraged Only)


 * Quintuple Sweeping Undrea Breath: In its rage its raises up more faster than usual and looks sky high, gathering a large amount of Cursed Undrea and then it shall do its Sweeping Undrea Breath four times even faster than the original one.

(Ultimate Rank Only)
 * Freeze Flap: An unexpected attack as it uses its wings not as fins. It repeatedly flaps them quickly and drains the heat from and exhales into the cloud formed. It bursts to hit anything in its range with Iceblight.
 * Black Flap: Similar to the Freeze Flap it uses its wings in flying form and emits a black smog around them then launching it at hunters, blinding them. It is a much more dangerous one than the other "Flap" attack as it is done in much less time.

All

 * Those Who Are Blind Shall Die!: Shadow Cantios will waste no time finishing off hunters who are blinded by its black wind by targeting them the most out of all others.
 * No Clusters Needed!: Shadow Cantios doesn't have any Undrea Blast attacks like the regular Cantios, so it uses something completely different. Its eyes glow as if where about to do its Roar Of Horror, with a sinister glow. It travels backwards as it prepares a large wind like version of Cursed Undrea with its wings emitting the black smog they have around into it. This intensifies the cloud, with Shadow Cantios drawing its head back upon this happening and prepares its own special attack, the Undrea Tornado. Drawing its head forward it does its screaming roar along with it spreads its wings and unleashes a large tornado like Undrea Breath that has a wide and long reach to it. Close to the attack the vision becomes nightmarish as all colours except the ones from Shadow Cantios completely drain, with its red glow striking out the most. While in effect a intense black wing blows behind it that will quickly sap the health in its reach and also blind hunters. After this attack finishes Shadow Cantios will taunt.

(Enraged Only)


 * Poisonous Undrea: When enraged Shadow Cantios will now begin combining its poison with Undrea, meaning hunters will be poisoned and have Undrea at the same time. When it uses those attacks, the poison veins will glow and travel to its head.
 * More Potent Poison: Now its all its poison has a chance of being Noxious.
 * Taking Aim For The Big Attack: Shadow Cantios will snarl before beginning the Undrea Tornado attack but a twist occurs. Shadow Cantios opens its mouth as it was about to unleash the tornado but will do another snarl and then suddenly turn towards the nearest hunter and fire the tornado much faster than the normal version. This can easily catch players off guard.
 * Dark Environmental Master Undrea Tornado: The ultimate attack of Shadow Cantios, which can start being used once it loses 40% of its health. It will breath in and absorb the air around it with a coloured air effect. If in hot environments it will breathe in red/orange air, if it cold locations it will breathe in light blue/white air, and in water it will breathe in exactly that. Shadow Cantios will then do the Undrea Tornado charge up to power the already enhanced Undrea cloud in its mouth. It then moves towards a player in a movement that knocks attackers away then stops and prepares itself as the cloud reaches its full power. Using all the substances in its body it has, the Shadow Cantios unleashes it all! The terror wyvern will arise and unleash a black tornado that looks like it could rival that of an Amatsu. This time the wind will surround its entire body and give the sight effect to everyone in the entire area. The wind will also send out solid looking pieces of whatever environmental wind it collected along with the main blast that inflict blights depending on the environment it is in. The worst part is that this version can even turn slowly towards hunters unlike the normal one. After the attack is done the whole area will be darkened in a black fog like the Solstice Unknown's and Shadow Cantios will exit rage mode and be vulnerable for a few seconds plus be unable to do this attack for five minutes. If attacked enough during this attack Shadow Cantios will be sent flying upwards screaming and plummet straight down to earth and remain motionless for several seconds with all its body parts vulnerable to attack. If hunters are not one shot by this attack they will be upswung by the wind around its body or by sent flying far by the main blast itself.

Carves

 * S.Cantios Masterscale
 * S.Cantios Cortex
 * S.Cantios Bludgeon
 * S.Cantios Stronghorn
 * S.Cantios Greyfang
 * S.Cantios Skinner
 * S.Cantios Transwing
 * S.Cantios Poisonvessel
 * S.Cantios Lung

Breaks

 * Head (2x): Horns then scar up the middle of head along with its fangs damaged
 * Chest: Spines broken and weak point revealed
 * Tail Wounded: Tips of blades chipped and tail base wounded
 * Tail Sever: Tail must have been wounded first
 * Left Wing
 * Right Wing
 * Left Wing Claw: Reduces poison ablities from that part
 * Right Wing Claw: Reduces poison ablities from that part
 * Back Spines
 * Foot Talons: Reduces poison ablities from that part

Mount

 * Shadow Cantios is attacked on the back in the land and sea. The land shake off animation is that of a Nargacuga's in its Pseudo Wyvern Stance or the standard Flying Wyvern one in its True Flying Wyvern Stance. The sea mount involves it darting in circles.
 * Shadow Cantios is attacked on its chest in the sky. The animation for it shaking off the hunter is it dashing around the area quickly.

Trivia

 * The Special locations are the only places Shadow Cantios can be fought in sunlight.

Credits

 * BannedLagiacrus: Helping suggest attacks for Shadow Cantios.