Bow Guide - How To Use & Attacks

Bow guide for Monster Hunter Wilds. MHW Bow Guide includes how to use bow, attacks, moves, combos, and balance adjustments.

Bow - How To Use

Fire Within The Recommended Distance

Too Close Or Far	Perfect Distance	Out of Range

The most important thing to remember when using the Bow in Monster Hunter Wilds is to fire from the recommended distance. The damage increases when firing from the recommended distance, and decreases significantly when fired outside the recommended distance. You can gauge the recommended distance by the aiming icon when holding the Bow.

Loading A Tracer/Coating Shortens Recommended Firing Range

Bows can be loaded with Coatings and Traces that increase damage or inflict status ailments. Note that if you load one of these, the recommended firing distance will decrease.

Gain Charge Levels Then Attack

Bows have three charge levels when firing an arrow and increases the damage for each charge before firing. Additionally, continuously firing will increase charge level by one.

Maintain Charge Levels With Charging Sidestep

If you perform a charge step after firing, you can move to the next charge level while maintaining the previous charge level. Maintain charge levels with the following sequence: charge shot → Charging Sidestep → charge shot → Charging Sidestep

You Can Use Charging Sidestep To Dodge Attacks

Dodging an attack at the right time with Charging Sidestep triggers a Discerning Dodge. This makes you immune to damage while also recovering stamina and restoring Trick Arrow Gauge.

Use Trick Arrow Gauge To Maximize Damage

By consuming the Trick Arrow Gauge, you can fire Tracer Arrows and load coatings that provide additional effects to your arrows. The gauge fills up when you land attacks or successfully dodge enemy attacks.

Always Fight With Tracer Arrows Active

Tracer Arrows last for 10 seconds, during which any arrows you shoot will automatically home in on the marked area. Additionally, all arrows will be treated as critical hits and will have maximum charge regardless of your current charge level. This effect is essential for playing Bow effectively, so always keep track of whether a Tracer Arrow is active

Load Coatings To Add Effects To Your Arrows

Bows can be loaded with Coatings, and the available Coatings vary depending on the weapon. These Coatings offer a range of effects, from increasing damage to inflicting abnormal statuses like Poison or Sleep. You can load Coatings repeatedly by consuming the Trick Arrow Gauge.

▼ Coating Types & Effects

Bow - Attacks & Moves

Basic Controls

Apply Coating

Hold ＋ or

Select Coating

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Backstep

＋

Dodge

---

＋

Dragon Piercer

During combo ＋

Instant Dragon Piercer

＋ ＋

Thousand Dragons

---

During Combo

➡

Power Shot ➡ Power Volley

---

Hold and release

Charge/Shoot

Hold ＋

Load Tracer Arrows

---

Hold

Aim/Focus Mode

Hold ＋

Quick Shot

Hold ＋

Charging Sidestep

➡

Flying Swallow Shot

---

Hold ＋

Focus Fire: Hailstorm

Hold ＋ Hold ＋

Arc Shot

Discerning Dodge

A Discerning Dodge is triggered when you perfectly evade an enemy attack using Charge Sidestep. When successfully triggered, it restores stamina and the Trick Arrow Gauge while also maintaining or increasing your charge level.

Flying Swallow Shot

Allows you to jump sidewards and shoot arrows in the air. A flexible attack that allows you to attack while repositioning to a safer location.

Arc Shot

Arc Shot is an attack that fires multiple regular and Fuse Arrows. You can charge this attack up to three times, increasing both its range and the number of arrows fired. Fuse Arrows can be triggered by hitting an enemy with Dragon Piercer, Instant Dragon Piercer, or Thousand Dragons.

Dragon Piercer

Instant Dragon Piercer is an attack that can be used during a combo. It can be used to trigger Fuse Arrows by hitting the monster.

Load Tracer

You can load Tracer Arrows by consuming the Trick Arrow Gauge. While active, arrows will automatically home in on the enemy for 10 seconds and explode when it expires. Additionally, all arrows will be critical hits and fired at maximum charge level.

Focus Fire: Hailstorm (Focus Strike)

Focus Fire: Hailstorm is a Focus Strike attack that targets all wounds within the circular area of effect displayed on the screen. Once the animation begins, you will be unable to move, leaving you vulnerable to attacks.

Bow - Recommended Combos

Tracer Arrow's Homing Attack Combo

A simple but powerful combo where you load Tracer Arrows and fire the arrow with R2. If you hit the Tracer Arrow, all follow-up attacks will be critical hits and fired at maximum charge level. This effect lasts for 10 seconds, so be sure to reapply Tracer Arrows consistently.

Charging Sidestep → Firing loop

This combo follows a specific attack sequence: Shoot → Quick Shot → Charging Sidestep → repeat. If you successfully evade an enemy's attack during Charging Sidestep, you will trigger a Discerning Dodge, enabling you to continue the combo while avoiding attacks and recovering stamina.

Arc Shot → Dragon Piercer

This combo utilizes Arc Shot to apply a Fuse Arrow on the monster, followed by a Dragon Piercer to trigger it. Due to the long animation lock of Dragon Piercer, it is best used when the enemy is downed.

Bow - New Attacks

Discerning Dodge

A Discerning Dodge is triggered when you evade an enemy attack using Charge Sidestep. When successfully triggered, it restores stamina and the Trick Arrow Gauge while also maintaining or increasing your charge level.

Flying Swallow Shot

A flexible attack that allows you to attack while repositioning to a safer location. This is great when you cannot trigger Discerning Dodge and need to create distance from the monster.

Arc Shot

Arc Shot is an attack that fires multiple regular and Fuse Arrows. You can charge this attack up to three times, increasing both its range and the number of arrows fired. Fuse Arrows can be triggered by hitting an enemy with Dragon Piercer, Instant Dragon Piercer, or Thousand Dragons.

Instant Dragon Piercer

Instant Dragon Piercer is an attack that can be used during a combo. It can be used to trigger Fuse Arrows by hitting the monster.

Load Tracer

You can load Tracer Arrows by consuming the Trick Arrow Gauge. While active, arrows will automatically home in on the enemy for 10 seconds and explode when it expires. Additionally, all arrows will be critical hits and fired at maximum charge level.

Focus Fire: Hailstorm (Focus Strike)

Focus Fire: Hailstorm is a Focus Strike attack that targets all wounds within the circular area of effect displayed on the screen. Once the animation begins, you will be unable to move, leaving you vulnerable to attacks.

Bow - Balance Adjustments

Adjustments Have Been Made To The Bow's Damage In The Final Versio

In the Monster Hunter Wilds community update, it was revealed that the balance adjustments listed above will be made to the Bow.

Tracer Arrows Has Been Nerfed, While Other Attacks Have Received Buffs

Adjustments have been made to reduce the power of Tracer Arrows while enhancing the overall strength and responsiveness of other moves, such as normal attacks and Arc Shots. Rather than relying solely on Tracer Arrows, the Bow’s other attacks now deal more consistent damage.

Focus Strike Now Targets Monster's Wounds Individually

Previously, the bow's Focus Strike attack could lock onto multiple wounds simultaneously. However, it has been changed to target each wound individually. As a result, overall DPS is reduced since arrows take longer to hit wounds, and there is now a higher risk of being attacked during the animation.

Related Links

Weapon Recommendation Guides

Weapon Type List

Weapon Tier List

Weapon Guide

Great Sword	Long Sword	Sword & Shield	Dual Blades
Hammer	Hunting Horn	Lance	Gunlance
Switch Axe	Charged Blade	Insect Glaive	Bow
Light Bowgun		Heavy Bowgun

There are 14 types of weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds. They are all familiar weapon types from the series, but new actions have been added, so you can enjoy an experience you've never had before.