MHW: ICEBORNE | How To Use Bow Guide - Recommended Combos & Tips

Check out this Monster Hunter World: Iceborne guide and walkthrough on how to use the weapon - Bow! Learn recommended combos, skills, play tips, and more!!!

How To Use Bow

【New】Should You Use Bow In Iceborne?
【New】New Bow Moves In Iceborne Weapon Overview & Strengths
Recommended Combo List
Recommended Skills
Gameplay Tips & Tricks
Weapon Damage Per Move
Basic Weapon Move List

Should You Use Bow In Iceborne?

Bow Still Remains Strong

There were few adjustment in Iceborne which decreased the damage dealt by the bow. In spite of this change, bow still remains as one of the most strongest weapons.

High Elemental Attack

Most of the bows you can make in Iceborne have high elemental attack. This advantage goes along very well with Element related skills mentioned below.

Powerful Element Related Skills

Max level of Elemental Attack skill became 6 in Iceborne. Skills related to element such as Critical Element or Element Acceleration will boost this potential.

▲Increases element attack when critical hit

▲Element attack increases when attacked consecutively

Stamina Related Skill

Running out of stamina is one of the bow's weakness but Tentacle Coil & Greaves will solve this problem. With only those two armor equipped, you will gain Stamina Surge Lv3, Constitution Lv2, & also Element Acceleration as well.

New Bow Moves In Iceborne

Charge Step Routine

Looping Charge Step routine still remains a very powerful move for bow user.

Wound Monster When Staggering

There's an alternative move to simply attacking that you can do when the monster staggers. In Iceborne, it's better to damage its hide with Clutch Claw so that attack on the wounded part will increase. This is helpful in early stages of battle.

Drop Slinger If Teammate Uses Slinger Burst

Bow's Clutch Claw tends to drop slinger's ammo more frequently. Drop ammo if your team mate uses Slinger Burst.

Bow - Overview & Strengths

Mid-Range Weapon With High Damage-Per-Second

In Monster Hunter World, the Bow is a mid-ranged weapon that can deal high continuous damage with its shots. Depending on the shots & coatings, hunters using the Bow can dish out both high attack damage & status effects.

Has Unlimited Ammo For Attacks

Unlike the Bowguns in this game, the Bow has an unlimited use of its arrows & doesn't need to reload. This allows hunters to keep their damage up so long as they keep an eye on their stamina.

Very Mobile Weapon, Good For Avoiding Attacks

The Bow allows you to sidestep or dodge even when you're aiming. Doing successful dodges after certain shots charges your next shot, allowing you to hit with a higher damage. This also keeps you safe from incoming monster attacks.

Can Use Variety Of Useful Coatings

One special feature of the Bow is its ability to use special coatings. These are Blast, Close Range, Paralysis, Poison, Power, and Sleep. These can power up shots in close range or inflict a variety of status effects on the targeted monster.

Coating Use Differs Per Bow

The kind of coating that you can use depends on the Bow that your hunter equips. Larger access to more coatings can be opened up depending on your loadout of skills.

Coatings Need Manual Loading & Runs Out

During the hunt, Bow users need to manually load up their coatings in order to use them. Coatings run out over time & need to be manually used again or switched out to refill or change them.

Special Move Dragon Piercer Is Very Powerful

Bows have a special move called Dragon Piercer that can deal very strong damage, even in long-range. However, it has a long animation can leave your susceptible to attacks so use it when the monster is down or paralyzed.

Consumes Stamina & Needs Careful Dodging

Bows have attacks such as Charge Shots that consume stamina when charging. This is why monitoring of stamina is needed. Bows also don't allow guarding, so hunters need to carefully dodge from monster attacks to avoid taking damage.

Bow - Recommended Combo List

Basic Charge Up Combo

1. Aim
2. Charging Sidestep
3. Charged Shot
4. Charging Sidestep
5. Charged Shot

▶

A basic Bow combo move that powers up your Charged Shots to level 3. With the Charging Sidesteps, you can adjust your distance accordingly without losing damage-per-second.

Dragon Piercer Combo

1. Charge
2. Charging Sidestep
3. Dragon Piercer

▶

A Bow combo with the Dragon Piercer as finisher. Build up to Charge Shot 3 and then use Dragon Piercer for a high damage attack.

Charge Shot + Power Shot Combo Loop

1. Charged Shot
2. Power Shot
3. Charging Sidestep
4. Charged Shot
5. Power Shot

▶

A combo that combines quick shots with Charged Shots. Aim for the monster's weak points to dish out heavy damage.

Charge Combo Loop With Stamina Recovery

1. Charging Sidestep
2. Charged Shot
3. Charging Sidestep
4. Charged Shot
5. Charging Sidestep
6. Lunging Melee Attack
7. Charging Sidestep

▶

This combo allows you to move around while inflicting Charged Shot damage. It also incorporates stamina recovery with the one-off melee attack.

Bow - Recommended Skill List

Recommended Skills To Increase Attack Power

Skill	Effect
RECOMMENDED! Weakness Exploit	Increases affinity rate of attacks that land on monster weak spots
RECOMMENDED! Attack Boost	Increases raw attack power plus affinity rate at higher levels
Bow Charge Plus	Adds one more level to Max Bow Charge
Critical Boost	Increases attack power of critical hits
Non-elemental Boost	Increases raw attack power of non-elemental weapons
Agitator	Increases attack and affinity rate when monster is enraged
Special Ammo Boost	Raises attack power of Dragon Piercer move
Piercing Shots	Raises attack power of Dragon Piercer and Piercing Ammo
Spread/Power Shots	Raises attack of spread ammo & power shots
Critical Draw	Raises affinity rate of draw attacks

Recommended Skills To Increase Stamina

Skill	Effect
RECOMMENDED! Constitution	Reduces stamina consumption
RECOMMENDED! Focus	Reduces time needed to charge Bow
Stamina Surge	Makes stamina recovery faster

Bow - Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Be Aware Of Weapon's Effective Range

The Bow is not as long-ranged as the Bowguns in MHW. It has an effective range that can be checked when the reticle turns orange - this is when the Bow can do more powerful shots.

Move Closer When "Out Of Range" Appears

When you're out of range of the monster, a warning on your reticle will appear. Do a Charging Step forward to close the distance then unleash your shorts on the monsters.

Keep Damage Up With Charging Steps & Shots

The key to keeping your DPS up when using the Bow is finding the balance between your Charging Steps and Shots. Combine these with effective coatings and you can bring down the monster with your barrage of shots.

Always Keep Eye On Stamina Gauge

Charging Steps and Shots will always consume stamina. Manage your stamina gauge properly or equip skills that can lessen stamina consumption and increase your stamina recovery rate.

Save Dragon Piercer For When Monster Is Stationary

The Dragon Piercer move has the capacity to do really heavy damage when all shots land but there is a long animation and you're vulnerable to monster attacks. Don't be trigger-happy and save this move for when the monster isn't moving or when you're sure you'll connect all shots.

Be Aware Of Monster Attributes & Weak Spots

Bow users should always be aware of monster elemental weaknesses and their soft spots. If you hit the weak spots with a shot that's opposite their attribute, you'll deal more damage.

Equip Bows That Exploit Enemy Weaknesses

Bows have elemental attributes that can counter the elemental attributes of a monster. Before going off to hunt, make sure you're using a weapon that will exploit that monster's weaknesses.