While close-range weapons are great, the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds* offers an exceptional alternative. Mastering the bow, however, comes with a steep learning curve that new players must navigate to fully appreciate its potential.
Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Guide
Unlike other weapons in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, the bow demands careful management of your stamina bar. Each attack you execute will drain some stamina, with light attacks consuming less and charged attacks taking a significant toll.
To execute a basic attack, simply left-click on your mouse or press the R2/RT button on your controller. The bow also allows for various combos such as Dragon Piercer or Thousand Dragons. Below is a detailed breakdown of the controls for using the bow:
| Combo | PC | PlayStation | Xbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Attack | Left-click | R2 | RT |
| Charged | 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 | B + Y |
| Thousand Dragons | Right-click + R + F | R2 + Triangle + O | RT + Y + B |
| Select Coating | Ctrl + arrow up or down | L1 + Triangle or X | LB + Y or 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 |
If you're new to wielding the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, it's highly recommended to spend some time in the training ground. Here, you can experiment with different combos and become accustomed to the controls before facing off against monsters in actual combat.
Related: Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List (Best Weapons to Use)
Attack Monster’s Weak Spots
One of the key advantages of the bow is its ability to target a monster’s weak points with precision. Using the Focus Fire: Hailstorm technique, your arrows will automatically lock onto these vulnerable areas. Once you've focused your sight, red spots will appear on the monster, signaling the weak points. Simply hold down Shift or R1/RB to hone in on these targets and maximize your damage output.
Use Coatings
Coatings are a crucial element of bow mastery in *Monster Hunter Wilds*. These special concoctions can be applied to your arrows to enhance their effects. Fortunately, you don't need to craft them manually; your character will generate coatings as you hit enemies with regular arrows. Keep an eye on the blue gauge in the bottom right corner of your screen.
To apply coatings, continue using regular attacks until the gauge fills up. Once full, press R, Triangle, or Y to coat your arrows. Each bow can utilize two types of coatings from the following list:
- Power Coating – Increases the overall damage of your arrows.
- Pierce Coating – Enhances your ability to pierce through armor with Dragon Piercer.
- Close-Range Coating – Boosts your damage at close range.
- Paralysis Coating – Gradually inflicts Paralysis on the target.
- Exhaust Coating – Gradually inflicts Stun and Exhaustion.
- Sleep Coating – Gradually inflicts Sleep.
- Poison Coating – Gradually inflicts Poison.
- Blast Coating – Gradually inflicts Blast.
Use Tracer Arrow
The Tracer Arrow is another valuable tool in your bow arsenal in *Monster Hunter Wilds*. When fired, this arrow adheres to the monster for a short duration, guiding subsequent arrows to home in on it. It's particularly effective for creating and targeting weak spots. Be mindful, though, as using a Tracer Arrow will consume coating points, so use it strategically rather than continuously.
Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
