Kulu-Ya-Ku General Information¶

After your mandatory expedition to the Ancient Forest in search of a new campsite - culminating with you encountering the Kulu-Ya-Ku - you’ll get the assignment Bird-Brained Bandit, tasking you with ridding yourself of the kleptomaniacal egg-thief. Being thus type-cast, it should be no surprise that the Kulu-Ya-Ku makes few appearances later on, primarily being a difficulty jump from the Great Jagras, and an introduction to the fine art of egg plundering. After completing the aforementioned assignment, you can hunt Kulu-Ya-Ku again during the quest Camp Crasher, and it’s also the introductory monster for capturing, being the target of the quest Snatch the Snatcher. Later on, after you complete the mandatory, high rank expedition to hunt a High Rank Pukei-Pukei, you can hunt a High Rank version of Kulu-Ya-Ku in the quest Keep Your Hands to Yourself!.

Kulu-Ya-Ku Strengths and Weaknesses¶

The only weak spot on Kulu-Ya-Ku is the head, which takes heavy damage from all sources. The head and the arms are the only breakable parts.

Kulu-Ya-Ku is weak to Water, and not terribly resistant to any other element.

Like the Great Jagras, the Kulu-Ya-Ku has no ailment resistances, but it’s not as susceptible to any ailments, either. With a two-star rating in everything, you’re free to bring what you wish to the fight, or ignore ailments entirely.

A Water elemental weapon may help deal a bit more damage, but Kulu-Ya-Ku’s lack of distinct strengths or weaknesses - and lack of dynamism as a combatant in general - leads to few preparations worth considering. If you want a sure-fire way to cause it to drop whatever boulders it picks up, bring Flash Pods, otherwise feel free to prepare as you wish.

Kulu-Ya-Ku Attacks¶

The Kulu-Ya-Ku is a strange beast, not being terribly formidable on its own, and honestly somewhat skittish. There are two major things to watch out for when fighting one; first, it’s inclination to run off, which can lure more monsters into the fray, and second for its proclivity to use tools. Don’t expect too much out of this monster, just because it can use tools doesn’t mean it does so elegantly or imaginatively.

In this case, the Kulu-Ya-Ku’s tool use is limited to digging up a boulder and wielding that as a bludgeon… and also as a shield, blocking frontal attacks. For that reason, be sure to get some ammo for your Slinger, as the Kulu-Ya-Ku will drop its boulder if pelted with a few projectiles, or if hit by a strong enough attack. Be wary, though, as it can also chuck the boulder. By far its most dangerous attack, however, is its leaping boulder slam. It’ll perform a similar leap attack without a boulder handy, but it deals less damage without the weight of stone behind it.

It can also peck with its beak (often doing so multiple times in a row, and generally its best to attack from the side or from behind, which can get around its boulder if it’s holding one, but is also safer to attack from. Other than that, there’s not too much to be wary of.

Low Rank Kulu-Ya-Ku has no significant rare drops, with the lowest material rating being the three-star Kulu-Ya-Ku Plume (while the Kulu-Ya-Ku Beak is two stars as a reward, it’s a four-star rarity carve - quite common). The High Rank version, however, can drop Bird Wyvern Gems, which is a one-star rarity (very rare) carve or reward. The Kulu-Ya-Ku, Pukei-Pukie and Tzitzi-Ya-Ku are the only three critters who can drop this item, and it’s equally rare amongst all of them, so just farm whichever of the three annoys you the least.