How to Use Bow in Monster Hunter Wilds: Moves and Combos

If you're diving into *Monster Hunter Wilds* and looking to master the bow, be prepared for a challenging yet rewarding experience. The bow stands out with its unique mechanics, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy precision and strategy. However, its learning curve can be steep, so let's break down how to wield it effectively.

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Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon

Screenshot via The Escapist

Unlike other weapons in *Monster Hunter Wilds*, mastering the bow requires careful attention to your stamina bar. Every attack you execute consumes stamina, with light attacks using less and charged attacks consuming a significant portion. To perform a basic attack, simply left-click on your mouse or press the R2/RT button on your controller. You can also experiment with various combos, such as Dragon Piercer or Thousand Dragons. Here's a detailed breakdown of the controls for using a bow:

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 the bow, it's highly recommended to spend time in the training ground. Here, you can experiment with different combos and familiarize yourself with the controls. Jumping straight into a battle without understanding the bow's mechanics can lead to frustration and defeat.

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

Attack Monster's Weak Spots

One of the bow's major advantages is its ability to target a monster's weak points with precision. Utilizing the Focus Fire: Hailstorm technique allows your arrows to automatically lock onto these vulnerable areas. Once you've focused your sight, red spots will appear on the monster, 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 another crucial element of bow mastery in *Monster Hunter Wilds*. These special concoctions enhance your arrows, providing various effects without the need for crafting. Your character will automatically generate coatings as you hit enemies with regular arrows, which you can monitor through the blue bar in the bottom right corner of your screen.

To use coatings, continue performing regular attacks until the gauge is full. Then, press R, Triangle, or Y to apply the coatings to your arrows. Each bow in the game can only use two types of coatings, and here's a list of the available 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 when engaging at close range.
Paralysis Coating – Gradually inflicts Paralysis on the target.
Exhaust Coating – Slowly causes Stun and Exhaustion.
Sleep Coating – Gradually induces Sleep.
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. This special arrow sticks to a monster for a limited time, causing any subsequent arrows to home in on it. It's particularly useful for creating and exploiting weak spots. However, keep in mind that using a Tracer Arrow consumes some coating points, so use it strategically to avoid running out of coatings prematurely.

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