User blog comment:Lord Loss/Monster Appreciation Week: Duramboros/@comment-1758220-20130525165039

 DURAMBOROS 

 Concept:  Going into the second half of the generation, something we needed was new monsters in each class that had been introduced in Tri. The Leviathans got Nibelsnarf, and the Brutes got Duramboros. Honestly, I think the Brutes made off with the better deal. Duramboros does so much more to bring newness to his class than Nibelsnarf, which was quite commendable in its own right. A docile, herbivorous giant that wouldn't hesitate to pound an attacker into oblivion is something we see all the time in nature and up until now, Diablos had been our only example. Capcom would go on to utilize this concept to its advantage when designing the monster and its movesets. Every great monster comes from a great idea! 9/10

 Design:  As I mentioned above, Duramboros is given a thoughtful and inspired appearance to match his description. Taking hints from Buffalo, Rhinoceros, Elephants, Ankylosaurs, and Camels, Duramboros combines the traits of creatures we already identify as badass herbivores into a realistic and wholly believable work of fiction. In addition, the inclusion of a mossy covering and the utilization of the surrounding material to strengthen its tail club was a genius idea, as it not only shows the earthen, docile nature of the beast, but its combative consciousness as well.This is pretty much one of my favourite designs of the 3rd generation, actually. It does a whole lot to separate itself from the carnivorous beasts which actively prey on the hunter, and this makes him a breath of fresh air both visually, and, as we will discuss further, from a gameplay perspective. 9.5/10

 Sound:  Appropriately, Duramboros vocalizes with various low, rumbling bellows. You can pretty much imagine the bass reverberating through the body of the hunter. This is a very powerful monster, and although it does not pose an immediate threat to hunters, it is more than capable of losing its temper. That territorial bellow it gives at the start of combat just sells the entire thing. You can feel it in your ribs, and that's amazing. Very nice sound design overall. Not to mention, the Misty Peaks theme is an absolutely perfect match for this guy, and it makes fighting him there so much better than at the Flooded Forest for sure. 9/10

 Gameplay:  Like most Brute Wyverns, Duramboros brings an almost entirely unique fight to the table. Like I mentioned earlier, Capcom has thoughtfully designed its combat style around its nature as a herbivore trying to defend itself. Whereas carnivorous monsters such as Deviljho and most wyverns use attacks which seek to kill the hunter so that they can eat him/her, Duramboros' moves appear much more repellatory in nature, almost like its just trying to get the hunter to go away rather than kill it. For instance, it will run forward from the hunter and slam down with the tail, which always struck me as a "get away from me" type of move. In addition, it will charge with its horns like many species of bovine or Rhinoceros, again remeniscet of its herbivorous inspirations. There are a few things I'm not fond of however. I always found its centrifuge spin went on way too long and was a pain to wait for. One thing that also annoyed me was the fact that it recycles the until-then signature moves of other monsters and uses it for itself. The Barroth charge, Deviljho jaw swipes, and Uragaan tail sweep are all on display here, and it kind of takes away from the uniqueness of both itself and the other Brutes. A minor nitpick however, as the rest of the fight is wonderful. Only other major flaw is the magnitude of health tan this thing is. The HP pool is ridiculous, often resulting in 30-40 minute solo runs of continuous hits, which becomes monotonous after a while. Overall, a great fight with a few easily overlooked flaws. 8/10

 Equipment:  The weapons offer up some decent water-types, but honestly I would just skip them and go for the Plesioth stuff. Points for an amazingly awesome looking Switch Axe though. Equipment is pretty strong with some good skills, could be a worthy investment for mid-range gameplay. Nothing to jump at overall, but there may be a few gems in there if you have the extra resources and money. 7/10

 Overall:  Duramboros is one of the finest additions to third gen. With a refreshingly unique concept and expertly implemented design, he is a thrill visually. Throw in a hell of a fight, some awesome sound design, and some worthy equipment, and you've got yourself a great monster. 9/10