User blog comment:Mckrongs/Monster Hunter 4 for the Nintendo 3DS/@comment-23230538-20130925001938/@comment-21371438-20130925113956

the fact is that basarios IS actually stronger

every section of it bounces my weapons away, while Gravios's skin is way softer (for example its tail, not being hard, face not being hard... the only part i remember bouncing away is legs... or the chest in mh1... if my memory isn't tricking me)

Plus, sleep powder should be made for more "splash damage" monsters, like Uragaan smashing head around cousing damage if you are nearby, while gravios... well... i remember the hip sweep doing... not that much damage, and it was so slow most of times my felynes kicked me away, or my mates

basarios poison makes a way more annoying threath to me... despite using always full antipoison gems)

in my opinion they should make 2 things for him:

-giving a more scary ailment, poison might be a better choice than the sleep powder, OR stinking like Uragaan, it's more annoying to not be able to heal if you don't clean yourself, or slime! afterall he does produce explosive powder!

-relying more on the lava breath weapon, we all know gravios is easy until it gets you with its laser (and will likely oneshot you... well, from my memories of old times at least), giving him more easy way to get you

-his damn armor... why is it softer than basarios??? harder!

but yeah, just hypotesis based on the old gravioses and the complaining of lots of hunters being disappointed for how easy a gravios seemed... i'd probably say these should be the reasons