Best Light Bowgun Builds

Here are the best Light Bowgun Builds in Monster Hunter Now. Check out the best early game build, the best elemental Light Bowgun builds, and the best Light Bowgun build progression against large monsters in this guide!

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Best Light Bowgun Builds

Light Bowgun Build Selection

Jump to a Light Bowgun Build
Early Game Build
Water Build		Fire Build		Thunder Build
Ice Build			Dragon Build

Early Game Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Jagras Blitz	95	0%	25
Armor	Skills
Leather Headgear (Grade 2)	▸ Critical Eye Lv. 1
Jagras Mail (Grade 2)	▸ Rising Tide Lv.1
Girros Vambraces (Grade 2)	▸ Sneak Attack Lv.1
Leather Belt (Grade 2)	▸ Health Boost Lv.1
Jagras Greaves (Grade 2)	▸ Water Attack Lv.1

As you unlock the Light Bowgun after Chapter 2, a good All-rounder weapon is the Jagras Blitz. Pair this weapon with generally good skills to start farming more difficult Large Monsters.

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Water Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Desolate Mist (at least Grade 5)	335	10%	230
Alternative: Madness Rifle (at least Grade 5)	370	0%	181
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Artful Dodger Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 6)	▸ Recoil Down Lv. 2
Jyura Vambraces (Grade 6)	▸ Water Attack Lv. 2
Pukei Lagoon Coil (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Recoil Down Lv. 1
Jagras Greaves (Grade 6)	▸ Water Attack Lv. 2

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Fire Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Flame Blitz (at least Grade 5)	361	0%	232
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Artful Dodger Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 6)	▸ Recoil Down Lv. 2
Anja Vambraces (Grade 6)	▸ Fire Attack Lv. 2
Basarios Coil (Grade 6)	▸ Fire Attack Lv. 2
Rath Soul Greaves (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 2 ▸ Fire Attack Lv. 1

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Thunder Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Usurper's Crime (at least Grade 5)	361	0%	232
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Artful Dodger Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 6)	▸ Recoil Down Lv. 2
Zinogre Vambraces (Grade 6)	▸ Thunder Attack Lv. 2
Kadachi Coil (Grade 6)	▸ Thunder Attack Lv. 2
Legiana Greaves (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Ice Resistance Lv. 1

This build caters to dealing more damage with 4 points of Thunder Attack, 2 points of Reload Speed, and 2 points of Recoil Down.

You can also choose to swap Zinogre Vambraces with Legiana Vambraces and Legiana Greaves with Barroth Greaves for a maxed out Reload Speed and Recoil Down but only have 2 points of Thunder Attack.

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Ice Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Snow Blitz (at least Grade 5)	361	0%	232
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Artful Dodger Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 6)	▸ Recoil Down Lv. 2
Barioth Vambraces (Grade 6)	▸ Ice Attack Lv. 2
Legiana Coil (Grade 6)	▸ Ice Attack Lv. 2 ▸ Windproof Lv. 1
Legiana Greaves (Grade 6)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1 ▸ Ice Resistance Lv. 1

This build caters to dealing more damage with 4 points of Ice Attack, 2 points of Reload Speed, and 2 points of Recoil Down.

You can also choose to swap Barioth Vambraces with Legiana Vambraces and Legiana Greaves with Barroth Greaves for a maxed out Reload Speed and Recoil Down but only have 2 points of Ice Attack.

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Dragon Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Devil's Grin (at least Grade 5)	368	-30%	292
Armor	Skills
Vangis Helm (Grade 5)	▸ Slugger Lv. 1 ▸ Dragon Attack Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 6)	▸ Recoil Down Lv. 2
Vangis Vambraces (Grade 5)	▸ Dragon Attack Lv. 1 ▸ Peak Performance Lv. 1
Vangis Coil (Grade 6)	▸ Dragon Attack Lv. 2 ▸ Tremor Resistance Lv. 1
Rath Soul Greaves (Grade 5)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 2

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Best Skills for Light Bowgun

Recommended Skills to Equip

Skill	Explanation / Recommended Level
Reload Speed	Reloads are one of the bowgun's biggest weakness. Higher levels of Reload Speed make our reloads faster and make us more mobile. Priority: ★★★
Recoil Down	As this skill lowers recoil, more levels to this skill make us shoot our ammo faster and make us more mobile in the process. Priority: ★★★
Elemental Attack	Extra elemental damage is the best source of damage you can have fighting large monsters. The downside, of course, is having to craft and upgrade multiple weapons and armor for each element. Priority: ★★★
Attack Boost	This skill is recommended simply because it increases your attack power with no conditions. It's always worth having if you can. Priority: ★★☆
Peak Performance	With a ranged weapon, keeping the Peak Performance buff up for extra damage should be easier than other weapon types. Priority: ★★☆
Critical Eye	For the same reason as Attack Boost, Critical Eye would always be a good source of damage for more critical hits. Priority: ★★☆
Health Boost	Increasing your HP pool makes you survive hunts and helps you save on potions. Priority: ★☆☆

Light Bowgun Builds Against Monsters

Best Jyuratodus Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Thunder Blitz	128	0%	47
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 2)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1
Jagras Mail (Grade 2)	▸ Rising Tide Lv.1
Kadachi Vambraces (Grade 2)	▸ Evade Extender Lv.1
Kadachi Coil (Grade 2)	▸ Thunder Attack Lv.1
Kulu Greaves (Grade 4)	▸ Critical Eye Lv.1

Use a thunder weapon to exploit Jyuratodus' thunder weakness. A point in the Reload Speed skill will decrease the reload time for Light Bowguns, increasing your total damage output.

Best Anjanath Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Jagras Blitz	95	0%	25
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 2)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 3)	▸ Recoil Down Lv.1
Jyura Vambraces (Grade 3)	▸ Water Attack Lv.1
Lumu Coil (Grade 3)	▸ Divine Blessing Lv.1
Jagras Greaves (Grade 2)	▸ Water Attack Lv.1

For the Anjanath fight, we are fortunate enough to have a good selection of armor pieces with the Water Attack skill. Reload Speed and Recoil Down make us fire and reload the Light Bowgun faster to increase our damage output.

Best Rathian Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Thunder Blitz	128	0%	47
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 2)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 4)	▸ Recoil Down Lv.1
Kadachi Vambraces (Grade 3)	▸ Evade Extender Lv.1
Kadachi Coil (Grade 3)	▸ Thunder Attack Lv.1
Anja Greaves (Grade 3)	▸ Peak Performance Lv.1

For the Rathian hunt, use the Thunder Blitz and a Kadachi Coil for Thunder elemental damage. Reload Speed and Recoil Down are added to increase damage output by making our shots and reloads faster.

Peak Performance will give us a big damage boost as long as our health is full. Ensure your health is filled up before engaging the hunt with Rathian. As we are using a ranged weapon, it shouldn't be an issue keeping the buff up, especially with Evade Extender.

Best Legiana Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Blazing Rifle	260	0%	117
Armor	Skills
Anja Helm (Grade 4)	▸ Fire Attack Lv. 2
Lumu Mail (Grade 4)	▸ Recoil Down Lv.1
Anja Vambraces (Grade 4)	▸ Fire Attack Lv.1
Lumu Coil (Grade 3)	▸ Divine Blessing Lv.1
Anja Greaves (Grade 4)	▸ Peak Performance Lv.1

With the Anja armor pieces providing Fire Attack Lv.3, we can deal much fire damage with the Blazing Rifle.

Peak Performance will give us a big damage boost as long as our health is full. Ensure your health is filled up before engaging in the hunt with Legiana.

Best Diablos Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Snow Blitz	361	0%	232
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 2)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 4)	▸ Recoil Down Lv.1
Legiana Vambraces (Grade 4)	▸ Reload Speed Lv.1
Legiana Coil (Grade 5)	▸ Ice Attack Lv.2
Legiana Greaves (Grade 4)	▸ Reload Speed Lv.1

After defeating Legiana, crafting the vambraces and greaves would give us more Reload Speed, which is the most recommended skill bowgun users should have along with Recoil Down.

Along with our recoil and reload skills, the Legiana Coil should add some extra ice attack to boost our bowgun's elemental damage.

Best Rathalos Light Bowgun Build

Weapon	ATK	AFF	ELE
Thunder Blitz (at least Grade 4)	370	0%	181
Armor	Skills
Kadachi Helm (Grade 2)	▸ Reload Speed Lv. 1
Lumu Mail (Grade 4)	▸ Recoil Down Lv.1
Legiana Vambraces (Grade 4)	▸ Reload Speed Lv.1
Kadachi Coil (Grade 5)	▸ Thunder Attack Lv.2
Legiana Greaves (Grade 4)	▸ Reload Speed Lv.1

With our armor pieces that provide the reload speed and recoil down skills, we'll pair them with the Kadachi Coil for some extra Thunder damage, as Thunder is one of Rathalos' weaknesses.

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Hammer		Light Bowgun		Bow
Lance		Dual Blades		Charge Blade
Gunlance			Heavy Bowgun