Mudbomber Dodogama

Mudbomber Dodogama is a relative of Dodogama that thrives in wet, muddy regions as opposed to volcanic ones. It uses thick mud instead of molten rock in battle, and is more defensively oriented than its blue counterpart, stalling hunters with its mud traps and sturdier hide.

Physiology
Mudbomber Dodogama is very similar in structure to the original species, but has some visual differences to set itself apart from them. Its hide is now dark brown with brown banded patterns instead of blue with orange banded patterns, and its underbelly is tan instead of cream. Its eyes are a bright blue, and its fangs and spines are dark gray instead of black. Oddly, its tail is bright orange, which contrasts with its overall dull colouration. It is also larger in size than the standard Dodogama.

Ecology
Mudbomber Dodogamas are Dodogamas that fled the Elder's Recess after competition and predation became immensely rampant there, leaving the monsters at a severe disadvantage, and made their way to the Wildspire Waste, Templux Swamp, and Olivine Archipelago as these areas had more plentiful resources available and less Elder Dragons and Elder Dragon-Level Monsters to contend with. These individuals adapted to the new environments they emigrated to, developing brown and tan skin and gray jaws and spines that granted them camouflage within the sandy and muddy areas found within these regions, allowing them to avoid detection from prey and predator alike. Interestingly, their tails are a bright orange, contrasting with the dull colouration found on the rest of its body, and it is believed to use its vivid tail to lure in prey items, hiding within the mud found within its homes and wiggling it around to trick them into thinking that it's food. Adding credence to this theory is that unlike the standard Dodogama, it has been observed eating smaller monsters like Gajau, Kestodon, and Apceros in addition to mud, suggesting that, unlike its rock-eating cousin, it has a less specialized diet, allowing it to thrive on more than just rocks and minerals. This less specialized diet can also explain why it is larger than its volcanic cousin. It has been known to swallow large quantities of mud while hiding, and has learned to weaponize it, developing a specialized sac designed to store and release mud while spewing it at foes to immobilize them, giving it time to flee or make another attack. This mud, however, lacks the firepower of the standard Dodogama's molten rock, so it uses it in a more defensive manner, leaving large patches of it on the ground to reduce foes' mobility and hiding it within its mouth to boost its soft head and neck's defenses, as it will not explode when struck, also unlike the standard Dodogama's rocks. However, despite its advantages, it faces competition for territory from a wide array of monsters, such as Great Delex, Barroth, Jyuratodus, Anjanath, Duramboros, Diablos, and Pedurnderen, and is vulnerable to predation from larger, more powerful monsters, such as Nargacuga, Lagiacrus, Astalos, Bazelgeuse, Minhocadaver, Lunastra, and Teostra.

Behavior
Mudbomber Dodogama is fairly passive, only attacking when approached or attacked first. When threatened, it will spew large quantities of mud at foes and the area around them, giving them less mobility and space to maneuver around.

Abilities
While it lacks the firepower of the original species and is slower to boot, Mudbomber Dodogama makes up for it with its higher durability, allowing it to take blows that would easily damage a standard Dodogama. Its mud, due to it being thick and damp instead of volatile, will actually decrease the damage its head and neck take, and it will lay multiple area traps by spewing globs of mud all over the area, giving hunters less open space to maneuver around. Its dull colouration grants it stealth in muddy and sandy areas, and its vivid tail can be used as a lure to send smaller monsters to their doom.

Habitat
Mudbomber Dodogama can be found in the bogs of the Wildspire Waste, the mid-upper regions of the Templux Swamp, and the more forested areas of the Olivine Archipelago.

HP and Damage
HP:


 * Base HP: 4,100 HP


 * High-Rank (0.7x): 2,870 HP


 * G-Rank (1.3x): 5,330 HP

Physical/Elemental Damage Taken:


 * Head: 55 (Cut), 55 (Impact), 45 (Shot), 30 (Fire), 0 (Water), 20 (Thunder), 20 (Ice), 10 (Dragon), 0 (Earth), 20 (Wind), 30 (Nature), 10 (Aether)


 * Head (Mud): 25 (Cut), 25 (Impact), 15 (Shot), 30 (Fire), 0 (Water), 20 (Thunder), 20 (Ice), 10 (Dragon), 0 (Earth), 20 (Wind), 30 (Nature), 10 (Aether)


 * Neck: 50 (Cut), 50 (Impact), 40 (Shot), 25 (Fire), 0 (Water), 10 (Thunder), 10 (Ice), 5 (Dragon), 0 (Earth), 10 (Wind), 25 (Nature), 5 (Aether)


 * Neck (Mud): 20 (Cut), 20 (Impact), 10 (Shot), 25 (Fire), 0 (Water), 10 (Thunder), 10 (Ice), 5 (Dragon), 0 (Earth), 10 (Wind), 25 (Nature), 5 (Aether)


 * Body/Legs: 40 (Cut), 40 (Impact), 35 (Shot), 10 (Fire), 0 (Water), 5 (Thunder), 5 (Ice), 5 (Dragon), 0 (Earth), 5 (Wind), 10 (Nature), 5 (Aether)


 * Tail: 45 (Cut), 45 (Impact), 40 (Shot), 15 (Fire), 0 (Water), 10 (Thunder), 10 (Ice), 5 (Dragon), 5 (Earth), 10 (Wind), 15 (Nature), 5 (Aether)

Physical Damage Effectiveness
 * Head = ★★★ (cutting) ★★★ (impact) ★★ (shot)
 * Head (Mud) = ★ (cutting) ★ (impact) ★ (shot)
 * Neck = ★★★ (cutting) ★★★ (impact) ★★ (shot)
 * Neck (Mud) = ★ (cutting) ★ (impact) ★ (shot)
 * Body/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 = ★★
 * Nature = ★★★
 * Aether = ★
 * Poison = ★★★
 * Sleep = ★★
 * Paralysis = ★★
 * Blast = ★
 * Stun = ★★

Turf Wars

 * vs. Kulu-ya-Ku - Wins.
 * vs. Great Kestodon - Wins.
 * vs. Great Delex - Wins.
 * vs. Daimyo Hermitaur/Plum Daimyo Hermitaur - Wins.
 * vs. Tobi-Kadachi/Sandglider Tobi-Kadachi - Wins, but takes some damage in the process(normal)/Draw (Sandglider).
 * vs. Chipoake/Maestro Chipoake - Wins, but takes some damage in the process (normal)/Draw (Maestro)
 * vs. Barroth - Draw.
 * vs. Jyuratodus - Draw.
 * vs. Namekavar - Draw.
 * vs. Rathian/Pink Rathian - Draw.
 * vs. Anjanath/Diver Anjanath - Loses, but deals some damage in the process.
 * vs. Gajalaka Chieftain - Loses.
 * vs. Diablos/Black Diablos - Loses.
 * vs. Duramboros - Loses.
 * vs. Pedrunderen - Loses.
 * vs. Zurkorataan - Loses.
 * vs. Nargacuga/Green Nargacuga - Loses.
 * vs. Lagiacrus/Ivory Lagiacrus - Loses.
 * vs. Astalos - Loses.
 * vs. Mizutsune - Loses.

Attacks
Mudbomber Dodogama has the same attacks as the standard species, except that its projectiles deal less damage, inflict Mud damage, and cause the Muddy condition if directly hit by them. That said, it has some attacks of its own.

Mud Traps

Mudbomber Dodogama's mud-based attacks all leave piles of mud behind that last for 60 seconds before disappearing. Making contact with these mud piles deals no damage, but inflicts Muk. If the hunter gets caught in these mud piles, Mudbomber Dodogama will either prioritize them, using its stronger attacks against them, or run away from them so it can prepare a ranged attack.

Head Swing

If carrying mud in its mouth, Mudbomber Dodogama will swing its head in a diagonal matter three times in a row, letting out small balls of mud with each swing. The head swings deals medium damage, while the mud balls either inflict low-medium damage and Muddy (if directly hit by them), or no damage and Muk (if caught in the mud piles they leave behind).

Charged Head Swing

If carrying mud in its mouth, Mudbomber Dodogama will rear its head back, storing up energy, then let out a strong diagonal head swing that sends small balls of mud flying in front of it. The head swing deals high damage and sends the hunter flying, while the mud balls either inflict low-medium damage and Muddy (if directly hit by them), or no damage and Muk (if caught in the mud piles they leave behind).

Head Shield

If carrying mud in its mouth, Mudbomber Dodogama will use its head and neck like a shield, maneuvering them around its body to prevent hunters from taking advantage of its blind spots and new weak points. Attacking its head and neck during this period of time will deflect attacks from weapons with Sharpness levels below blue (in High-Rank) or white (in G-Rank), and getting bumped by the head as it maneuvers it deals low damage. If its head is struck during this time, it will counterattack by spitting a cluster of mud balls at the hunter, which deal low-medium and inflict Muddy.

Hunting Horn
Adobe Horn --> Summoner of Landslides

Lance
Lahar Pilebunker --> Pinabuto's Ire

Charge Blade
Leda Silt --> Champlain Cataclysm

Insect Glaive
Geomancer's Cane --> Grand Geomancer's Sceptre

Heavy Bowgun
Mudflow Cannon --> Ravenous Mudflow

High-Rank
Defense: 275-620

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

Skills: Mud Puppy, Negate Bind, Constitution, Attack Down (S)

G-Rank
Defense: 430-685

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

Skills: Mud Puppy, Negate Bind, Constitution, Attack Down (S)

High-Rank
Defense: 140-400

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -10
 * Water +20
 * Thunder +5
 * Ice +5
 * Dragon +15
 * Earth +20
 * Wind +5
 * Nature -10
 * Aether +15

Skills: Mud Puppy, Negate Bind, Constitution, Attack Down (S)

G-Rank
Defense: 230-445

Elemental Resistances:
 * Fire -10
 * Water +20
 * Thunder +5
 * Ice +5
 * Dragon +15
 * Earth +20
 * Wind +5
 * Nature -10
 * Aether +15

Skills: Mud Puppy, Negate Bind, Constitution, Attack Down (S)

Trivia

 * Mudbomber Dodogama's name was meant to reference its habit of spewing large balls of mud at foes that leave muddy "craters" behind.
 * Mudbomber Dodogama was designed to be the Stone Wall to the original species' Glass Cannon, having lower attack power and movement speed coupled with higher health and a more defensive moveset.
 * Credit for the improved icon goes to Rathalosaurus rioreurensis.
 * Mudbomber Dodogama's mud mechanic acts in opposition to Dodogama's molten rock mechanic; the subspecies has a soft head and neck that become notably tougher when it swallows mud, while the original species has a somewhat durable head and neck that become considerably more fragile when it swallows rocks.
 * Dealing sufficient damage to Mudbomber Dodogama's head and neck while they're holding mud will force it to upchuck it, bringing its head back to its fragile state and leaving it temporarily immobile, leaving it open to attack.