Home News Master Bow Techniques in Monster Hunter Wilds: Essential Moves and Combos

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

Author: Camila May 01,2025

The bow in *Monster Hunter Wilds* is a fantastic weapon choice, particularly for those who enjoy the thrill of precision and strategy. However, mastering it comes with a steep learning curve, so it's essential for new players to grasp its mechanics thoroughly.

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Monster Hunter Wilds Bow Weapon Screenshot via The Escapist

Unlike other weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds, the bow demands careful management of your stamina bar. Every attack you make drains some stamina, with light attacks using less and charged attacks taking a more significant toll.

To execute a basic attack, simply left-click on your mouse or press the R2/RT button on your controller. You can also explore various combos like Dragon Piercer or Thousand Dragons. Here are the controls for using the 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

For beginners, it's advisable to spend time in the training ground to familiarize yourself with the bow's controls and combos. Venturing into combat without understanding the mechanics can be challenging.

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

Attack Monster’s Weak Spots

One of the bow's significant advantages is the ability to target a monster's weak points with ease. Utilize the Focus Fire: Hailstorm feature to fire arrows that automatically lock onto these vulnerabilities. After aiming, red spots will highlight the weak points on the monster. Simply hold down Shift or R1/RB to lock onto and hit these targets accurately.

Use Coatings

Coating gauge. Screenshot via The Escapist

Coatings are another crucial element of using the bow effectively in Monster Hunter Wilds. These special coatings enhance your arrows without the need for crafting. 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 to track your coating gauge.

To maximize effectiveness, continue performing regular attacks until the gauge is full. Then, press R, Triangle, or Y to apply coatings to your arrows. While there are various coatings available, each bow can only equip two types at a time. Here's a list of coatings you can use:

Power Coating – Boosts the overall damage of your arrows.
Pierce Coating – Allows you to pierce through armor with the Dragon Piercer ability.
Close-Range Coating – Enhances your damage 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 in your arsenal when using the bow in Monster Hunter Wilds. This unique arrow attaches to a monster for a short duration, causing subsequent arrows to home in on it. It's particularly effective for exposing weak spots. 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.