Mastering Bow Techniques in Monster Hunter Wilds: Essential Moves and Combos

Author : Savannah Apr 07,2025

While close-range weapons are great, the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds* is an exceptional choice for players looking to master a more strategic approach. However, it comes with a steep learning curve, making it essential for new players to grasp its mechanics thoroughly.

Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Guide

Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon

Screenshot via The Escapist

Unlike other weapons in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, the bow demands careful attention to your stamina bar. Each attack you execute consumes 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. The bow also offers various combos, such as Dragon Piercer and Thousand Dragons. Here are the controls for using the bow effectively:

ComboPCPlayStationXbox
Regular AttackLeft-clickR2RT
ChargedHold left-clickHold R2Hold RT
Aim / FocusHold right-clickHold L2Hold LT
Quick ShotFOB
Power ShotF + FO + OB + B
Arc ShotRight-click + Left-click + FL2 + R2 + OLT + RT + B
Charging SidestepRight-click + RL2 + XLT + A
Dragon PiercerR + FTriangle + OB + Y
Thousand DragonsRight-click + R + FR2 + Triangle + ORT + Y + B
Select CoatingCtrl + arrow up or downL1 + Triangle or XLB + Y or A
Apply CoatingRTriangleY
Ready TracerLeft-click + EL2 + R2 + SquareLT + RT + X
Focus Fire: HailstormRight-click + ShiftL2 + Hold R1LT + Hold RB

If you're new to handling the bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, it's highly recommended to visit the training ground. This allows you to practice combos and familiarize yourself with the controls before engaging in combat with monsters.

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

Attack Monster's Weak Spots

One of the bow's greatest advantages is its ability to target a monster's weak points with precision. Utilize the Focus Fire: Hailstorm technique to shoot arrows that automatically lock onto these vulnerable areas. After focusing your sight, red spots will appear on the enemy, indicating weak points. Simply hold down Shift or R1/RB to lock onto these targets and maximize your damage output.

Use Coatings

Coating gauge.

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. Your character will automatically generate coatings as you hit enemies with regular arrows, so no crafting is required. Keep an eye on the blue bar in the bottom right corner to monitor your coating gauge.

To use coatings effectively, continue performing regular attacks until the gauge is full. Then, press R, Triangle, or Y to apply the coating to your arrows. Each bow can utilize two types of coatings, and here's a list of available options:

  • Power Coating – Increases the overall damage of your arrows.
  • Pierce Coating – Enhances the Dragon Piercer ability to pierce through armor.
  • Close-Range Coating – Boosts your damage at close range.
  • Paralysis Coating – Gradually inflicts Paralysis on the target.
  • Exhaust Coating – Slowly inflicts Stun and Exhaustion.
  • Sleep Coating – Gradually induces Sleep on the target.
  • Poison Coating – Slowly inflicts Poison.
  • Blast Coating – Gradually inflicts Blast damage.

Use Tracer Arrow

The Tracer Arrow is another valuable tool in your bow arsenal. When fired, it sticks to a monster for a limited time, causing subsequent arrows to home in on the tracer. This is particularly useful for creating and exploiting weak spots on a monster. However, be mindful that using a Tracer Arrow consumes coating points, so use it strategically rather than continuously.

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