Heavy Bowgun Guide: Combos, Controls and Moveset | Monster Hunter Rise | MHR (MH Rise)

This is a guide to the Heavy Bowgun (HBG), a weapon in Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise). Read on to learn about new Heavy Bowgun (HBG) controls and combos, how to use Heavy Bowgun ammo and mods, Heavy Bowgun vs Light Bowgun comparisons as well as details on Heavy Bowgun Switch Skills.

All Heavy Bowgun Guides
Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds

Heavy Bowgun Controls

Button	Action
	Crosshairs
	Fire
	Load Special Ammo
	Reload
(Hold) ＋/	Select Ammo
+	Melee Attack
(Hold) +	Free Silkbind Glide
(Hold) +	Counter Shot

Recommended Control Setups

Auto Sheath	Manual Sheathe
Camera Speed	Fast
Gunner Reticle Camera Controls	Type 1
Gunner Reticle Speed	Fast

To easily learn the bowgun, we highly suggest that the player adjust the camera settings first. We suggest changing the camera speed to fast to make the aiming way easier. If the player is not comfortable with this setup, we suggest switching back to default.

Heavy Bowgun Silkbind Attacks

Official Heavy Bowgun Preview Video

Free Silkbind Glide

The Free Silkbind Glide is similar to a tactical slide. It helps close the gap between you and the monster. If you time it right, you can also hit a sneaky attack by the end of your glide.

Input	+

Counter Shot

With Counter Shot, you plant yourself firmly on the ground with the wirebug and block incoming attacks. If you block an attack, you can quickly recover and do a counter shot.

Input	+

Counter Charger NEW

This new Silkbind Attack can be switched out with Counter Shot.

A parry-specific move, Counter Charger can absorb an attack from a monster and nullify its damage. This also has the bonus effect of reducing the amount of time needed to fire a Charged Shot.

Heavy Bowgun Switch Skills and Best Setup

Switch Skills are unlocked as you progress in the game. The very first one is obtained after finishing the ★3 Village Urgent Quest, Feathered Frenzy.

The best Switch Skills we recommend for each slot are marked in red.

Controls	Original Skill	⇔	Switch Skill
X + A	Melee Attack	⇔	Tackle
R + X	Counter Shot	⇔	Counter Charge
A while unsheathed	Mech-Wyvernsnipe	⇔	Healing Mech-Wyvernsnipe

Switch Skills Guide: How to Unlock Switch Skills

Tackle

Switched With	Controls
Melee Attack	+
Description
A shoulder check by the Hunter. Prevents flinching and knockback, but still allow significant damage. Only use this for weak attacks that may knock you back!

We suggest using this more than Melee Attack. As a Heavy Bowgunner, you don't need the Melee Attack because you are always far from the monster but having a Tackle ready for when a monster suddenly pounces on you is a great thing to have.

Counter Charger

Switched With	Controls
Counter Shot	+
Description
A parry skill using Wirebugs. Absorbs an attack from a monster without taking any damage. Will shorten the amount of time for a Charged Shot. Wirebug Gauge Recovery Speed: Medium Wirebug Cost: 1

Though this sounds awesome, we still recommend using Counter Shot than Counter Charger. Unless your build revolves around the Charged Shots of the HBG, there is no reason to sacrifice the quick counter-attack capability of Counter Shot.

Healing Mech-Wyvernsnipe

Switched With	Controls
Mech-Wyvernsnipe	Press to enter Wyvernsnipe. (Press A again to stop.) Press to fire.
Description
Fires a specialized shot, different depending on the weapon. Has its own gauge, and replenishes over time. Regular Wyvernheart and Wyvernsnipe deals less damage but can heal the hunter.

Heavy Bowgun is a DPS-heavy weapon so we don't recommend sacrificing damage for healing yourself. Wyvernsnipe and Wyvernheart Ammos are precious DPS tools for you to opt for decreasing its damage.

Heavy Bowgun Attacks and Moves

Charge Shot

Input	(Hold)

You can now do charge shots by holding zR. While charging, your Heavy Bowgun will glow like that in Hammer, Great Sword, and Bow charge attacks. Release at the right time for maximum damage!

Load Special Ammo

Input	While unsheathed,

The Heavy Bowgun has a different mode that allows it to fire a special set of ammo. It has a long animation so only switch ammo when there are no enemies nearby or the monster is currently downed/unable to act.

Ammo Types and Mods Guide

Ammo Guide

Heavy Bowgun relies on the proper use of ammo types in certain situations. Knowing how to use them is half the work! Here is a quick guide on how each ammo works:

Normal Ammo 1	Normal ammo for general use; infinite number
Pierce Ammo 1	Penetrates armor and, depending on the monster, will hit multiple times
Spread Ammo 1	Ammo that specializes on short range. When close, it will hit multiple times.
Shrapnel Ammo 1	Explodes after landing on a monster
Sticky Ammo 1	Powerful pierce and burst ammo. Headshots may stun.
Cluster Bomb 1	Detonates 3 bombs on impact. Can also hit your allies.
Flaming Ammo	Ammo imbued with Fire Element. Good against monsters weak to Fire.
Water Ammo	Ammo imbued with Water Element. Good against monsters weak to Water.
Thunder Ammo	Ammo imbued with Thunder Element. Good against monsters weak to Thunder.
Freeze Ammo	Ammo imbued with Ice Element. Good against monsters weak to Ice.
Piercing Fire Ammo	Pierce ammo imbued with Fire Element. Good against monsters weak to Fire.
Piercing Water Ammo	Pierce ammo imbued with Water Element. Good against monsters weak to Water.
Piercing Thunder Ammo	Pierce ammo imbued with Thunder Element. Good against monsters weak to Thunder.
Piercing Ice Ammo	Pierce ammo imbued with Ice Element. Good against monsters weak to Ice.
Poison Ammo 1	Ammo imbued with Poison. Poisons the monster after a number of hits.
Paralysis Ammo 1	Ammo imbued with Paralysis. Paralyzes monsters after a number of hits.
Sleep Ammo 1	Ammo imbued with Sleep status. Makes the monsters doze off after a certain number of hits.
Exhaust Ammo 1	Decreases the monster's stamina so it can be stunned more easily.
Recover Ammo 1	Reovers health to allies when shot.
Demon Ammo	Provides increased attack on allies when shot.
Armor Ammo	Provides increased defense on allies when shot.
Slicing Ammo	Ammo that has cutting damage. Can cut tails.
Dragon Ammo	Ammo imbued with the Dragon Element. Useful against monsters with a weakness to dragon.

Special Ammo

Wyvernsnipe Cooldown	Wyvernheart Cooldown
Enlarge	Enlarge

Using the Heavy Bowgun gives you the option to use Ammo that is unique to the HBG. Both ammo types are different from each other, which takes a bit of practice to use.

These Special Ammo types are also included with the HBG and differ from weapon to weapon. They can be used anytime but has cooldowns between uses.

Wyvernheart (Close to Mid-Range)

Input	(HBG unsheathed)

The Wyvernheart is the closest you get to a hand-held minigun in the game. It has a charge meter but you can choose to use it even if it is not fully charged. Make sure to keep your rapid-fire on the target since straying off from the target decreases your damage but staying on point increases it.

Wyvernsnipe (Long Range)

Input	(HBG unsheathed)

True to its name, the Wyvernsnipe grants an HBG user the ability to pop shots that deal high amounts of damage. Once the shot connects, it hits a monster a few times before finally ending in a big explosion.

Heavy Bowgun Mods

If you talk to Hamon the Blacksmith, he can offer you several ways to Mod your Heavy Bowgun. Just talk to him, choose Customize Bowgun, and choose the Bowgun you want to customize. The options are as follows:

Shield	Makes it possible to Auto-Guard
Power Barrel	Improves Firepower

Block Using Auto-Guard

When your Heavy Bowgun is equipped with the shield, you can automatically block attacks! If a monster is too quick for you to react, think about equipping a Shield mod for your Heavy Bowgun!

Use Mods Depending on Your Playstyle!

We recommend using mods depending on your playstyle. If you prefer to stay beside monsters and use Spread Shots, use the Shield mod because of auto-guard.

Tips on How to Use the Heavy Bowgun

Maintain Critical Distance Use the right ammo type for the right monster Don't forget to use status ammo Use Special ammo when a monster is down Know the behavior of ammo in the Weapon Details Know how to shield and counterattack

Maintain Critical Range

Non-Critical Range Damage
Critical Range Damage

Critical Range is achieved by positioning certain distance away from a monster. This is indicated by an orange reticle with an inner circle. Shots within Critical Range deal maximum damage and each ammo type has their own critical range thresholds.

Maintaining Critical Range is the key for efficient hunts with a Heavy Bowgun and maintaining it for as much as possible is paramount. You can check the Critical Ranges of all ammo types in the Training Area!

Use The Right Ammo Type for the Right Monster

Physical Ammo Types
Normal Ammo 1	Ammo types that are effective against Fanged Beasts and other enemy types with weakness to ammo. Aim properly on the head whenever the monster is down for maximum damage.
Pierce Ammo 1	These are effective against Flying Wyverns and Leviathans. The larger or longer the body, the more hits a Pierce Ammo can do! Use these against large monsters like Tetranadon or Basarios.
Spread Ammo 1	Most difficult one to utilize but is also the most devastating, Spread Ammo is used when next to a monster and is effective for all Monster types. Just be sure to avoid hits because you are technically in close-range.
Shrapnel Ammo 1	Arguably the most difficult ammo type to utilize due to its weird spread pattern, Shrapnel Ammo is best used for extremely large monsters such as a bloated Tetranadon or Diablos
Slicing Ammo	Slicing Ammo is one of the most effective ammo against any hunt due to its ability to focus all of its damage on a single spot. As the name implies, this particular ammo type has the ability to sever monster tails as well, allowing you to get that extra carve on certain monsters.
Cluster Bomb 1	Be careful when using Cluster Bombs since you can only carry a few of these into your item pouch. This ammo type is essentially a mortar shell so timing and positioning are key to using this efficiently. After firing, it leaves you exposed as well since the reload time is longer than other ammo types. Cluster Bombs can also knock your allies back.

Elemental Ammo Types

Elemental Ammo Types
Flaming Ammo	Water Ammo	Thunder Ammo
Freeze Ammo	Dragon Ammo	-

Each of these ammo types correspond to a specific element and have very generous Critical Range thresholds. Check your Hunter's Notes to learn the elemental weaknesses of every monster!

Don't Forget to Use Status Ammo

If your Heavy Bowgun can use Status Ammo, do not forget to use them. They may not have high firepower but they can create openings for you and your allies!

Use Special Ammo (Wyvernheart / Wyvernsnipe) When a Monster is Down

Using Wyvernheart and Wyvernsnipe when a monster is downed is ideal since using special ammo leaves you exposed to attacks.

Know the Behavior of Ammo in the Weapon Details

Moving Shot Enabled	You can shoot while moving.
Moving Reload Enabled	You can reload while moving.
Single Fire Auto Reload	If you shoot a single shot, it will reload automatically.
For Rapid Fire	Shots can be fired quickly.

In Monster Hunter Rise, the shot type behavior of certain ammos changes per weapon. You can check these out in Equipment Info from the Start Menu then pressing Y to check the Ammo details. This will help you better understand how every ammo will behave based on your current Bowgun!

▲ Can also be seen from the Ammo Type HUD

Shield and Counter Shot

Evading while using a Heavy Bowgun is a slow feat, so it's best to invest in a Shield mod and some Guard or Guard Up. It's better to attempt a block than evade plus with the new counter silkbind attack Counter Shot / Counter Charger, you can give back whatever damage is done to you.

Take note that you can block shots with Counter Shot / Counter Charger without a shield mod as well.

How Good is the Heavy Bowgun?

Tier List Ranking

Ranking

Heavy Bowguns or the HBG can exert high amounts of firepower but with fairly low mobility. It is still the DPS powerhouse we know and love but with the Light Bowgun having access to previously HBG-exclusive Cluster Bomb ammo, Heavy Bowgun became a second choice.

Weapon Tier List

Heavy Bowgun Strengths

High damage Special Scope Can guard

High Damage

Loyal to its name, the Heavy Bowgun boasts high damage output per bullet and can punish, but at the cost of less mobility.

Special Scope

You can add a Special Scope to your Heavy Bowgun and its damage will improve by 30% when you hit a monster at supercritical range. Though using it is another thing, as many players find it difficult to use the HBG with a Special scope thus you should practice with it and choose specific weak points when firing.

Can Guard

You can add a shield mod for your Heavy Bowgun. This allows your Heavy Bowgun to better block incoming attacks and reduce damage taken from them. Partner this with Guard and Guard Up for maximum survivability.

Heavy Bowgun Weaknesses

Low mobility Distance Problems

Low Mobility

With the Heavy Bowgun being a powerhouse given the right build, it suffers from low mobility. As an HBG user, you are usually anchored to one spot and dish out damage. If a monster charges at you, it will take some time for you to sheathe the HBG and dodge - which usually gives the monster a clear shot at you.

To mitigate this use the mobility Silkbind attack Free Silkbind Glide or counter using Counter Shot / Counter Charger.

Distance Problems

There is a specific set distance for bullets and arrows to hit an enemy monster. You can't be far away and still hit your shots, essentially avoiding a fight and becoming a sniper. That's why for most players it is difficult to figure out the Goldilocks spot, the place just right to hit your shots and keep a safe distance from an enemy monster.

Heavy Bowgun vs. Light Bowgun

The Heavy Bowgun and the Light Bowgun plays almost alike but with a few minor differences. If you are trying to decide on which one to try out, here are some comparisons that we observed:

	Light Bowgun	Heavy Bowgun
Mobility	High	Low
Access to All Ammo	Yes	No
Wyvernblast	Yes	No
Elemental Reload	Yes	No
Charged Shots	No	Yes
Guarding	No	Yes
Wyvernheart / Wyvernsnipe	No	Yes

Changes from MHW: Iceborne

Elemental and Pierce Elemental Ammo are now separate. Wyvern Ammo has increased range Charging shots are now possible

Elemental and Elemental Pierce Ammo are now Separate

In Monster Hunter World, Elemental Ammo can penetrate monsters and hit multiple times. In Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise), Elemental Ammo now hits one time and the ''piercing'' characteristic is now passed to the Pierce Elemental Ammos.

Heavy Bowgun Can Charge Shots

In Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise), Heavy Bowguns can now charge their shots like Great Swords and Bows by holding down zR.

Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise) Related Links

Weapon Type Guides
Weapons and Weapon Types	Weapon Type Tier List	Builds for Each Weapon Type

Melee Weapon Guides

Melee Weapons
Great Sword	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Long Sword	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Sword and Shield	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Dual Blades	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Lance	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Gunlance	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Hammer	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Hunting Horn	Trees & Full List	How to Use (Melodies and Effects)	Best Builds
Switch Axe	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Charge Blade	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Insect Glaive	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Kinsects	Kinsect Tree and Complete Kinsect List

Ranged Weapon Guides

Ranged Weapons
Light Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Heavy Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds
Bows	Trees & Full List	How to Use	Best Builds