While close-range weapons are great, the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds* is an exceptional choice for those willing to master its intricacies. New players should be aware that the bow comes with a steep learning curve, making it essential to understand its mechanics thoroughly.
Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Guide
Unlike other weapons in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, the bow demands careful attention to your stamina bar. Each attack you execute consumes stamina, with light attacks using less and charged attacks taking a significant toll on your stamina reserves.
To execute a simple attack, you can left-click on your mouse or press the R2/RT button on your controller. The bow also offers various combos, such as Dragon Piercer and Thousand Dragons. Below are the controls for using the bow effectively:
| 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 the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, it's highly recommended to spend time in the training ground. This will allow you to practice combos and familiarize yourself with the controls before engaging in combat with monsters.
Related: Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List (Best Weapons to Use)
Attack Monster's Weak Spots
One of the bow's greatest advantages is its ability to target a monster's weak points with precision. Utilize the Focus Fire: Hailstorm technique to shoot arrows that automatically lock onto these vulnerable areas. After focusing your sight, red spots will appear on the enemy, indicating weak points. Simply hold down Shift or R1/RB to lock onto these targets and maximize your damage output.
Use Coatings
Coatings are a crucial element of the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds*. These special concoctions can be applied to your arrows to enhance their effects. Your character will automatically generate coatings as you hit enemies with regular arrows, so no crafting is required. Keep an eye on the blue bar in the bottom right corner of your screen.
To use coatings effectively, continue performing regular attacks until the gauge is full. Then, press R, Triangle, or Y to apply the coating to 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 the Dragon Piercer ability to pierce through armor.
- Close-Range Coating – Boosts your damage at close range.
- Paralysis Coating – Gradually inflicts Paralysis on the target.
- Exhaust Coating – Slowly inflicts Stun and Exhaustion.
- Sleep Coating – Gradually induces Sleep on the target.
- Poison Coating – Slowly inflicts Poison.
- Blast Coating – Gradually inflicts Blast damage.
Use Tracer Arrow
The Tracer Arrow is another valuable tool in your bow arsenal. This special arrow adheres to a monster for a limited duration, causing subsequent arrows to home in on the tracer. It's particularly effective for creating weak spots on a monster. However, be mindful that using a Tracer Arrow consumes coating points, so use it strategically rather than continuously.
*Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.*
