'Monster Hunter Rise': Bowgun Guide For Beginners

Bowguns may not have the mechanical depth of most melee weapons in "Monster Hunter Rise," but they still have a few things that are worth going over before taking them out for a hunt.

Like traditional bows, these weapons favor ranged attacks from relatively safe distances. Instead of combos, bowguns rely on proper aim and positioning in order to deal the most damage to monsters. However, not all bowguns are built the same, and these tiny differences can define how each of them is used.

Here's a short guide on how to use this weapon archetype effectively.

Ammo Types

Damage dealt by both light and heavy bowguns relies heavily on the ammunition they use. Not all bowguns have access to the same types of ammo, which makes this one of the key factors to consider when choosing which weapon to use.

Normal, Spread and Pierce are the three primary ammo types that deal physical damage. Spread shoots pellets in a shotgun-like cone, Pierce deals multiple instances of damage the longer it stays inside a hitbox, and Normal simply deals damage on-hit.

Specialized ammunition like elemental rounds, cluster bombs, sticky bombs and slicing ammo all have their respective purposes, and it is up to the player to determine when to best use them.

Reload, Recoil and Aim Deviation

Ammunition also affects how quickly a bowgun reloads and how badly the user's aim is affected, though this does vary per weapon model. When selecting a bowgun, pay attention to the icons on the ammunition info screen. These indicate how the gun handles the three stats mentioned here.

Keep in mind that recoil and aim deviation are different. The former only affects how quickly the weapon can shoot, while the latter causes bullets to swerve left or right.

Bowgun Mods

In "Monster Hunter Rise," however, bowgun mods have been limited to just Suppressor, Long Barrel, Power Barrel and Shield (for heavy variants). Players who want to increase the damage from certain ammo types or manipulate any of the three stats from above will need to use armor skills instead.

Suppressor reduces recoil, Long Barrel increases range, Power Barrel boosts damage, and Shield blocks a portion of incoming frontal damage. Use each according to what the situation demands.