Espinas is one of the most distinctive Flying Wyverns you can add to your monstie roster in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. With its signature green carapace covered in red-violet thorns and blood that poisons and paralyzes enemies, this creature is as dangerous as it looks. Whether you want to fight it as a hidden boss or farm its eggs, this guide covers everything you need to know.
How to Get Espinas in MHS3
There are two separate methods for recruiting Espinas as a monstie. You can either defeat it in a specific hidden boss encounter or hunt down its eggs in the wild. Both paths are valid, and knowing both gives you flexibility depending on where you are in the story.
Broadleaf Basin boss location
Method 1: Defeat the Hidden Espinas in Broadleaf Basin
The first way to encounter Espinas is by tracking down the hidden boss version located in Broadleaf Basin within the Azuria region. This is not a standard roaming monster encounter. You will need to actively seek it out in this specific area.
Before heading in, make sure your team is well-prepared:
- Bring your strongest monsties to handle the boss fight.
- You will need a swimming-capable monstie in your party to navigate the area and reach the encounter point.
- Treat this like any other hidden boss fight and stock up on healing items beforehand.
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Do not attempt the Broadleaf Basin hidden boss fight without a swimming monstie in your party. You will not be able to reach the Espinas encounter without one.
Once you defeat the hidden Espinas, you unlock it as a monstie you can bond with and use in battle.
Method 2: Obtain Espinas Eggs in Tarkuan
The second method involves egg hunting rather than boss combat. Espinas eggs can be found inside Monster Dens scattered across the Bountiful Dunes area of Tarkuan. This is a great option if you want to get an Espinas with specific egg skills or if you prefer farming multiple copies for gene optimization.
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Monster Den layouts and egg availability can vary per run. If you do not find an Espinas egg on your first visit to a den, exit and re-enter to refresh the contents.
What Kind of Monstie Is It?
Espinas is classified as a 6-star rank Flying Wyvern, placing it firmly in the upper tier of monstie difficulty and power. Its lore describes it as a fierce creature whose blood carries both poison and paralysis properties, which is reflected directly in its skill set.
Riding Actions
When you ride Espinas, you gain access to the following field actions:
- Fly
- Jump
- Melee Attack
- Roar
- Breath
This makes Espinas a flexible ride option for exploration, particularly in areas that require aerial traversal.
Espinas Transformations
Espinas has three transformation states during combat: Normal, Sleep, and Enraged. Each transformation affects its attack type and elemental properties, though the specific elemental values were not fully detailed in available sources at the time of writing. Monitor official patch notes for any updates to transformation data.
What Skills Does Espinas Have?
Innate Skills
These are the skills Espinas will always have, regardless of how you obtain it:
What makes Espinas particularly interesting is the interaction between Omni Chaser P and its own status-inflicting moves. If you apply Noxious Poison or Paralysis to an enemy first using Infernal Flames or Venom Flame, Omni Chaser P deals increased damage to that target. This creates a natural offensive loop within the kit.
danger
Unlocking Infernal Flames at level 50 is a long-term investment, but the combination of fire damage plus dual status effects makes it one of the stronger AoE tools available at that stage of the game.Skill Pool
In addition to its innate skills, Espinas can potentially roll the following skills:
Venom Flame acts as a single-target version of Infernal Flames, making it useful for focused status application before following up with Omni Chaser P.
Espinas Stat Trends
Stat trends in MHS3 indicate how a monstie's attributes develop as it levels up. Here is how Espinas trends across its core stats:
The standout number here is the Attack trend of 8, which aligns well with Espinas's offensive skill set. Its HP, Speed, and Defense are all balanced at 7, making it a well-rounded monstie that leans toward offense without sacrificing survivability.
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Stat trends are not final values. They represent growth trajectories, so an Espinas with strong genes can exceed these baseline projections over time.Espinas Variants
Espinas has a direct variant available in Monster Hunter Stories 3: Feral Espinas. While this guide focuses on the standard version, keep in mind that the Feral Espinas is a separate monstie with its own encounter conditions and skill profile.
Tips for Using Espinas Effectively
- Prioritize reaching level 35 to unlock Omni Chaser P, which pairs naturally with the status-inflicting moves already in the kit.
- In multi-enemy encounters, open with Burn It Down or Infernal Flames to spread fire damage and apply statuses before switching to single-target follow-ups.
- Blightproof (M) from the skill pool is a useful defensive option in areas where Blastblight is common.
- When farming eggs in Bountiful Dunes, focus on dens that appear frequently in your exploration rotation to maximize the chance of finding high-quality Espinas eggs with desirable genes.