DexertoThe Light Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds is a nimble, high-speed ranged weapon that excels at sustained damage and evasive maneuvering.
This is the perfect weapon for hunters who want to attack from a distance while staying light on their feet. That said, it’s easy to get stuck with low damage stats if you don’t build it properly. I know I’ve done my fair share of 1 damage on spread ammo every now and then.
That said, you don’t have to suffer the same fate my teammates did because of my ignorance. In this guide, I’ll show you how to build the best Light Bowgun wieldier in lower and higher ranks.
Best Light Bowgun build in Monster Hunter Wilds
Best low rank Light Bowgun build
The best armor for the Light Bowgun at lower ranks is the Arajakan armor set. This whole set is what works best, since it gives you steady resistance with Blast Resistance, boosts your damage with Bombardier, and then helps you sever monster parts with Partbreaker.
HEAD | TORSO | ARMS | Waist | LEGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arajakan Helm 1 Blast Resistance 1 Partbreaker | Arajakan Mail 1 Partbreaker | Arajakan Vambraces 1 Bombardier 1 Cliffhanger | Arajakan Coil 1 Blast Resistance 1 Bombardier | Arajakan Greaves 1 Blast Resistance 1 Partbreaker |
The best weapon for the Light Bowgun build is the Dosha Gigasbreaker. This weapon has a nice attack power for a Light Bowgun and it comes with a Level 2 Stun skill without any upgrades.
I would also recommend the Marathon Charm, which makes sure your stamina depletes lower with the Marathon Runner skill.
Best high rank Light Bowgun build
The best high rank armor for the Light Bowgun builds is still the Arajakan set, but in beta form.
HEAD | TORSO | ARMS | Waist | LEGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arajakan Helm β 1 Bombardier 1 Resentment | Arajakan Mail β 2 Resentment | Arajakan Vambraces β 1 Bombardier 1 Partbreaker | Arajakan Coil β 1 Blast Resistance 2 Partbreaker | Arajakan Greaves β 1 Blast Resistance 2 Partbreaker |
This evolved gear set comes with more or less the same skills, but ditches Cliffhanger to focus on Resentment instead. Resentment makes your attacks stronger as long as you have recoverable damage, which is already probably happening more often than you’d like.
As for best weapon, I’ve found decent success with the Hunter’s Rifle IV, which comes with a Level 3 Opening Shot skill and a level 1 Attack Boost.
Best Light Bowgun skills
The best Light Bowgun skills on the defense side of things are Marathon Runner and Tool Specialist. These two will help you recharge faster and reduce stamina depletion, which a feeble Light Bowgun wielder does a lot of while dodging.
On the offensive, however, Opening Shot and Slugger are a must. Opening shot also increases reload speed – as well as giving you a nice power boost – and Slugger grants a higher stun chance, which can leave enemies open while you shoot at them freely.
- Opening Shot
- Slugger
- Marathon Runner
- Tool Specialist
- Bombardier
- Evade Extender
Light Bowgun skills explained
Opening Shot
Opening Shot is a must-have skill for Light Bowgun wielders, as it increases reload speed and bullet power when fully loaded. This synergizes well with the weapon’s high fire rate and the need for frequent reloading, which means you’ll have a higher damage output.
Evade Extender
Evade Extender amplifies the distance of dashes. The Light Bowgun has a huge emphasis on mobility, but also makes you way more feeble than other classes, so quick fire and evade is your go-to strategy.
Marathon Runner
Every time you dash – which is often – you deplete stamina. This would be a pain if it were not for the Marathon Runner skill, which slows down stamina depletion.
Tool Specialist
Tool Specialist reduces the recharge time for specialized tools, which can be valuable for Light Bowgun users who rely on various gadgets to supplement their ranged attacks.
Bombardier
Bombardier increases the damage of explosive items, which can be useful for Light Bowgun users who incorporate explosive ammo types or items into their strategy.
Slugger
Slugger is a great choice, since it helps you stun enemies, rendering them immobile while you shoot away.
How to play Light Bowgun
A unique mechanic of the LBG is the Rapid Fire Gauge, which fills as you land shots.
In Standard Mode, the gauge replenishes over time, but in Rapid Fire Mode, it recharges with every hit. Once full, activating Rapid Fire Mode (Circle/B) allows you to unleash rapid successive shots.
LBG users have access to multiple ammo types, each suited for different situations.
- Normal, Spread, and Pierce ammo are unlimited.
- Elemental and status ammo require crafting or restocking.
Positioning is crucial: Normal ammo performs best at mid-range, Spread ammo excels up close, and Pierce ammo shines at long distances. Keep an eye on your reticle color in Focus Mode – an orange reticle indicates you’re at the ideal range for maximum damage.
The LBG has many powerful moves to control the battlefield, too:
- Chaser Shot is a follow-up attack that quickly fills the Rapid Fire Gauge, allowing you to stay in Rapid Fire Mode longer
- Wyvernblast plants explosive mines on the ground, perfect for setting traps and punishing monster movements.
- Focus Blast lets you fire grenades directly at weak points, even while mounted.
- Burst Step lets you dodge while continuing to fire, keeping you mobile and aggressive.
To deal constant damage as a LBG wielder, use Chaser Shots to keep your Rapid Fire Gauge filled and take advantage of a monster’s toppled state by quickly reloading after a Chaser attack.
The LBG’s mobility is one of its greatest strengths, so stay on the move to avoid danger while maintaining optimal range. Targeting hard-to-reach areas like wings or tails ensures you do your part during the hunt.
Check out how the Hunting Horn ranks in the Monster Hunter Wilds weapon tier list.
