Wylk
Many of Zoh Shia’s attacks come with physical, wylk, and fire variations. These wylk attacks, characterized by glowing white energy and white crystals emerging after use, are the most important to be mindful of as the crystals can either be used by Zoh Shia to amplify its attacks or used by the hunter to damage the guardian depending on how they’re dealt with.
When Zoh Shia damages a crystal with an elemental fire or thunder attack, the crystal will quickly explode and do damage in a small AOE.
With an arena filled with crystals, this can quickly trigger chain reactions and make attacks far more difficult to dodge. However, hunters can also detonate the crystals by hitting them with the dragon and thunder pods to deal large damage to Zoh Shia as long as they are mindful to keep their distance from the detonating crystals. Crystals can also be destroyed by physical attacks from both parties, which will prevent them from dealing any damage to either target.
Fissure
Zoh Shia uses one or more of its four arms to slam into the ground. After a timed delay, wylk or fire may deal AOE damage around the attack.
If using one arm, this AOE may appear as a small explosion in front of the hand, a wide arc covering the area where the hand traveled, or as a line traveling towards the hunter.
If using two arms, Zoh Shia will attack with a powerful AOE in front of its head before pausing briefly and exposing its head as a weak spot to be focus struck.
Charge
Indicated by two hands glowing with white energy, Zoh Shia charges directly at its target dealing physical damage, breaking any wylk crystal in its way harmlessly, and creating clusters of new crystals behind it.
Inferno Breath
This attack will always trigger after Zoh Shia has taken enough damage. After roaring and stunning the player, Zoh Shia takes to the sky and returns to the location it spawns in. The arena is covered in wylk crystal, after which the player is given a moment as the guardian charges up its breath attack.
If a crystal between the player and Zoh Shia is not destroyed via elemental or physical attacks, this attack will kill the player regardless of where in the arena they are. After using this attack, Zoh Shia may use a miniature version of the attack that can be dealt with using the same method or by running far enough away in any direction from the attack.
Fire Breath
Standing up on its hind legs, Zoh Shia breaths fire straight down beneath it. This attack is easy to avoid by quickly making distance, but can detonate any wylk crystals beneath. Be mindful of your positioning, or the damage will be punishing.
Fireball
Indicated by a mouth glowing orange and red, Zoh Shia spews fireballs indiscriminately. While on all fours, the guardian will quickly fire a burst of three fireballs straight ahead.
While on hind legs, Zoh Shia will shoot between one and three fireballs in various directions in front of it. These attacks do not aim at the player.
Fire Barrage
Zoh Shia’s upper two arms glow with orange energy before the guardian slams them into the ground. While creating a small damaging AOE in front of the monster, fire bounces in a pattern in front of the original impact.
The easiest way to avoid this attack is by moving to the side during the lengthy charge and attack animation, but orange energy on the ground indicates where the attack will emerge from for hunters looking to run through.
Lightning Arc
After a short windup where the area around Zoh Shia lights up with red sparks, the guardian appears to shake its head and a red line of lightning appears. After a brief moment, the line detonates and deals thunder damage. This is one of the few attacks that Zoh Shia possesses that can detonate its wylk crystals into an explosion of thunder damage.
Shrine Fragments
After Zoh Shia performs Inferno Breath, the arena will set on fire and change. Most notably, two new shrine fragments will appear above the player. Both of these can be dropped on Zoh Shia while it is underneath to do significant damage and stun it for a brief respite.