The bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, while not a beginner-friendly weapon, offers incredible potential for skilled hunters. Its unique mechanics, however, require a significant learning curve. This guide will help you master this powerful ranged weapon.
Recommended Videos: Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Guide
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Unlike other *Monster Hunter Wilds* weapons, the bow heavily relies on stamina management. Light attacks consume minimal stamina, but charged attacks drain it significantly. Mastering stamina control is key to effective bow combat.
Basic attacks are performed by left-clicking (PC), pressing R2 (PlayStation), or RT (Xbox). More advanced techniques, like Dragon Piercer and Thousand Dragons, open up exciting combat possibilities. Here's a comprehensive control guide:
| Combo | PC | PlayStation | Xbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Attack | Left-click | R2 | RT |
| Charged Attack | Hold left-click | Hold R2 | Hold RT |
| Aim / Focus | Hold right-click | Hold L2 | Hold LT |
| Quick Shot | F | O | B |
| Power Shot | F + F | O + O | B + B |
| Arc Shot | Right-click + Left-click + F | L2 + R2 + O | LT + RT + B |
| Charging Sidestep | Right-click + R | L2 + X | LT + A |
| Dragon Piercer | R + F | Triangle + O | Y + B |
| Thousand Dragons | Right-click + R + F | R2 + Triangle + O | RT + Y + B |
| Select Coating | Ctrl + arrow up/down | L1 + Triangle/X | LB + Y/A |
| Apply Coating | R | Triangle | Y |
| Ready Tracer | Left-click + E | L2 + R2 + Square | LT + RT + X |
| Focus Fire: Hailstorm | Right-click + Shift | L2 + Hold R1 | LT + Hold RB |
For first-time bow users, the training grounds are invaluable. Practice your combos and familiarize yourself with the controls before facing monsters. Jumping into a hunt unprepared is strongly discouraged.
Related: Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List (Best Weapons to Use)
Exploiting Weak Points
The bow excels at targeting monster weak points. Focus Fire: Hailstorm automatically locks onto these vulnerable areas, highlighted in red after aiming. Hold Shift (PC), R1 (PlayStation), or RB (Xbox) to unleash this powerful attack.
Utilizing Coatings
Coatings significantly enhance your arrows. Regular attacks gradually fill the coating gauge (bottom right corner). Once full, press R (PC), Triangle (PlayStation), or Y (Xbox) to apply coatings. Each bow supports two coatings simultaneously. Available coatings include:
- Power Coating: Increased damage.
- Pierce Coating: Enhanced penetration with Dragon Piercer.
- Close-Range Coating: Increased close-range damage.
- Paralysis Coating: Inflicts Paralysis.
- Exhaust Coating: Inflicts Stun and Exhaustion.
- Sleep Coating: Inflicts Sleep.
- Poison Coating: Inflicts Poison.
- Blast Coating: Inflicts Blast.
Mastering Tracer Arrows
Tracer Arrows, which stick to monsters for a limited time, guide subsequent shots. This is especially useful for consistently hitting weak points. However, using Tracer Arrows consumes coating points, so use them strategically.
*Monster Hunter Wilds* is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
