Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds: Best builds, skills, and combo guide

The Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds is the go-to for hunters who enjoy dealing massive damage and are willing to give up mobility to achieve it. This gun is an artillery platform, allowing you to dump massive volleys of Pierce, Spread, and Cluster shots while hardly even flinching from enemy fire. Sure, that sort of firepower has trade-offs — you won't be zooming around like an Insect Glaive wielder, and dodging is more of a last-ditch effort than a standard thing to do.

Rather, becoming proficient in the Heavy Bowgun is a matter of learning when to block, when to retreat, and when to commit entirely with Ignition Mode, shooting off Wyvernheart or Wyverncounter to tear monsters. If you're interested in carrying one of the strongest ranged weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds, here's the rundown.

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Recommended Heavy Bowgun builds in Monster Hunter Wilds

Greifen build for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Capcom)

Best early-game builds

1) G. Veldian Tormentum I build

Weapon:

• G. Veldian Tormentum I

Armor:

• G. Ebony Helm
• G. Arkveld Mail
• G. Ebony Braces
• G. Ebony Coil
• G. Arkveld Greaves

Charm:

• Chainblade Charm I

This build for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds stacks Burst for insane sustained damage, Flayer to keep monsters wounded, and Decimator for survivability.

2) Bone Shooter II build

Weapon:

• Bone Shooter II

Armor:

• Nerscylla Helm
• Ajarakan Mail
• Nerscylla Vambraces
• Balahara Coil
• Ajarakan Greaves

Charm:

• Fitness Charm I

Built for breaking monster parts with Partbreaker, this setup combines Ambush for extra burst damage and a balance of offensive and defensive tools.

3) Bone Shooter II build

Weapon:

• Bone Shooter II

Armor:

• Alloy Helm
• Balahara Mail
• Balahara Vambraces
• Balahara Coil
• Balahara Greaves

This build for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds is designed for mobility and Spread Ammo users, letting you reposition quickly and stay at optimal range while dishing out solid damage.

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Best mid-game builds

1) Tankmage I build

Weapon:

• Tankmage I

Armor:

• Bulaqchi Specs a
• Conga Mail a
• Talioth Vambraces a
• Balahara Coil a
• Chatacabra Greaves b

Charm:

• Chainblade Charm I

A burst damage-oriented build that leverages Weakness Exploit, Flayer, and Burst to deal insane Affinity-based damage.

2) Artian Sheller I build

Weapon:

• Artian Sheller I

Armor:

• G. Ebony Helm b
• Blango Mail b
• G. Rathalos Vambraces b
• G. Ebony Coil b
• G. Rathalos Greaves b

Charm:

• Chain Charm I

This build for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds centers around Maximum Might, Weakness Exploit, and Agitator for constant critical hits, ensuring max damage output against enraged monsters.

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Best late-game build

1) Greifen build

Weapon:

• Greifen

Armor:

• Dahaad Shardhelm a
• Arkvulcan Mail b
• Dahaad Shardbraces b
• Arkvulcan Coil b
• Dahaad Shardgreaves b

Charm:

• Chain Charm II

Stats:

• Attack: 300
• Affinity: 10
• Defense: 313

Skills:

• Agitator Lv.5
• Weakness Exploit Lv.5
• Constitution Lv.3
• Burst Lv.2
• Maximum Might Lv.2
• Adaptability Lv.1
• Recovery Speed Lv.1

This build for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds focuses on high Affinity and Agitator, making it perfect for fights where the monster stays aggressive. It thrives on exploiting weak points with Pierce and Spread ammo.

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Best skills for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds

Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Wilds (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Capcom)

• Agitator: Increases Affinity and attack power when monsters are enraged, which is most of the time in tougher fights.
• Ballistics: Extends critical distance, letting you deal optimal damage from safer ranges.
• Burst: Gives a stacking damage boost for consecutive hits, making it insanely good for Pierce and Spread Ammo builds.
• Constitution: Reduces stamina consumption, great for Maximum Might builds.
• Critical Boost: Enhances critical damage, making it a staple for Affinity-based builds.
• Critical Element: Buffs Elemental Ammo when landing critical hits, useful if running Elemental HBG builds.
• Divine Blessing: Lowers incoming damage, a solid defensive option.
• Elemental Attack: Increases elemental damage but is only viable for Elemental Bowgun setups.
• Evade Extender: Extends dodging distance, helping repositioning with such a slow weapon.
• Guard: Enhances blocking efficiency — crucial for tanking heavy hits.
• Maximum Might: Provides a solid Affinity boost since the Heavy Bowgun doesn’t consume much stamina.
• Opening Shot: Increases the damage of the first shot after every reload — perfect for low-magazine ammo types.
• Special Ammo Boost: Directly buffs Wyvernheart and Wyverncounter, making them even deadlier.
• Stamina Surge: Boosts stamina regeneration — useful for dodging and repositioning.
• Tetrad Shot: Buffs every fourth shot, making it essential for ammo-heavy builds.
• Weakness Exploit: A must-have, as shooting weak spots increases Affinity, ensuring consistent crits.

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Heavy Bowgun combos in Monster Hunter Wilds

Combo	PC	PS5	Xbox
Wyvernheart (Ignition Mode Active)	LMB	R2	RT
Wyverncounter (Ignition Mode Active)	R	Triangle	Y

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Check out: Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds: Best builds, skills, and combo guide