While close-range weapons shine in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, the bow stands out as an exceptional choice, though it comes with a steep learning curve that new players must master. Understanding the mechanics of the bow is crucial for effective gameplay.

Recommended Videos Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Guide

Screenshot via The Escapist

Unlike other weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds, the bow demands that you closely monitor your stamina bar. Each attack depletes your stamina, with light attacks consuming less and charged attacks taking a significant toll. To execute a simple attack, press the left mouse button or the R2/RT button on your controller. Experiment with various combos like the Dragon Piercer or Thousand Dragons to enhance your combat effectiveness. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the controls for using a bow:

For beginners, it's advisable to spend time in the training ground to familiarize yourself with the bow's controls and practice different combos. Avoid engaging in monster battles until you feel confident with the weapon's mechanics.

Related: Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List (Best Weapons to Use)

Attack Monster’s Weak Spots

One of the advantages of wielding the bow is the ability to target a monster's weak points more easily. Utilize the Focus Fire: Hailstorm technique to shoot arrows that automatically lock onto these vulnerabilities. Once you've focused your aim, red spots will appear on the enemy, indicating their weak spots. Hold down Shift or R1/RB to lock onto these targets and maximize your damage output.

Use Coatings

Screenshot via The Escapist

Coatings play a vital role in enhancing your bow's capabilities in Monster Hunter Wilds. These special concoctions can be applied to your arrows, and they regenerate as you hit enemies with regular shots. Keep an eye on the blue gauge in the bottom right corner of your screen. Once the gauge is full, press R, Triangle, or Y to apply coatings. 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 damage when firing at close range.
• Paralysis Coating – Gradually inflicts Paralysis.
• 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 at your disposal when using the bow in Monster Hunter Wilds. This arrow adheres to a monster for a limited time, causing subsequent arrows to home in on the tracer. It's particularly useful for targeting and creating weak spots on a monster. However, remember that deploying a Tracer Arrow consumes coating points, so use it strategically.

Monster Hunter Wilds is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.