Mastering Bow in Monster Hunter Wilds: Essential Moves and Combos
- By Grace
- May 25,2025
While close-range weapons certainly shine in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, the bow stands out as an exceptional choice for those willing to master its intricacies. Newcomers should be aware that the bow comes with a steep learning curve, demanding a thorough understanding of its mechanics.
Recommended Videos Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Guide
Screenshot via The Escapist
Unlike other weapons in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, the bow demands careful attention to your stamina bar. Each attack you execute will consume some stamina, with light attacks using less and charged attacks taking a significant toll on your stamina reserves.
To perform a simple attack, you can left-click on your mouse or press the R2/RT button on your controller. For more advanced maneuvers, try combos like Dragon Piercer or Thousand Dragons. Here are the controls for using a bow across different platforms:
| 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*, a visit to the training ground is highly recommended. It's the perfect place to practice combos and familiarize yourself with the controls. Avoid jumping into monster battles unprepared.
Related: Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List (Best Weapons to Use)
Attack Monster’s Weak Spots
A significant advantage of the bow is its ability to target a monster's weak points with precision. Utilize Focus Fire: Hailstorm to shoot arrows that automatically hone in on these vulnerabilities. Once you've focused your sight, red spots will appear on the enemy. Simply hold down Shift or R1/RB to lock onto these targets.
Use Coatings
Screenshot via The Escapist
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. No crafting is required; your character will automatically generate coatings as you hit enemies with regular arrows. Keep an eye on the blue bar in the bottom right corner of your screen.
Your goal should be to perform regular attacks until the gauge is full. Then, press R, Triangle, or Y to apply the coating to your arrows. Each bow can utilize up to two types of coatings from the following options:
- Power Coating – Boosts the overall damage of your arrows.
- Pierce Coating – Enhances the Dragon Piercer ability to pierce through armor.
- Close-Range Coating – Increases 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
Another valuable tool at your disposal with the bow is the Tracer Arrow. This special arrow adheres to a monster for a limited time, causing any subsequent arrows you fire to home in on the tracer. It's particularly useful for exposing weak spots on a monster. Keep in mind, however, that creating a Tracer Arrow will consume some of your coating points, so use it strategically.
*Monster Hunter Wilds* is now available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
