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High Rank Heavy Bowgun Builds | Monster Hunter Rise

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Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise) - High Rank Heavy Bowgun Builds Banner
This is a guide to the best high rank builds for Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise). Learn about the best Heavy Bowguns from Update 3.0, and the best Skills and Armor pieces to use with the Heavy Bowguns for High Rank, and Endgame.

Endgame Build (Update 3.0): HR 100+

Critical Spread Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Sinister Dreadvolley Sinister Dreadvolley
②①ー 220 -
Affinity Element
0%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Armor Slots Skills
Rakna HelmRakna Helm ①①ー
Reload Speed Lv. 1
Spread Up Lv. 1
Rakna MailRakna Mail ②①ー
Reload Speed Lv. 1
Spread Up Lv. 1
Valstrax BracesValstrax Braces ②ーー
Rakna Coil Rakna Coil ②②ー
Spread Up Lv. 1
Golden HakamaGolden Hakama ①①ー
Talisman Skill Weakness Exploit Lv. 1 and at least one ② slot.
Decorations
Skills
Weakness Exploit Lv. 3 | Recoil Down Lv. 3
Maximum Might Lv. 3 | Spread Up Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Critical Boost Lv. 3
Dragonheart Lv. 1 | Flinch Free Lv. 1
Latent Power Lv. 1 | Ballistics Lv. 1
Build Merits The Spread and Slashing Build we've recommended at the start of the HR 8 to 40 climb maintains its place at the current endgame of Monster Hunter Rise. This build revolves around Spread Ammo 3 but improves crit damage from hitting weakpoints as well via Weakness Exploit and Critical Boost.

Critical Piercer Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Araknamortar Araknamortar
②①① 190 -
Affinity Element
40%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Araknamortar retains the top spot among Piercing HBGs due to its great stats across the board. Araknamortar's superior slots and handling can easily aid HBG builds in closing the gap in terms of overall performance.
Armor Slots Skills
Rhenoplos Helm SRhenoplos Helm S ①ーー
Vaik Mail SVaik Mail S ③②①
No Skills
Valstrax BracesValstrax Braces ②ーー
Anjanath Coil S Anjanath Coil S ②①①
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Golden HakamaGolden Hakama ①①ー
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
with two additional ② slots
Decorations
Skills
Attack Boost Lv. 5 | Critical Boost Lv. 3
Weakness Exploit Lv. 3 | Pierce Up Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Recoil Down Lv. 3
Stun Resistance Lv. 3 | Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3
Latent Power Lv. 1 | Dragonheart Lv. 1
Build Merits This build pretty much maintains most of the skills we've had from our previous Piercing HBG build while adding Critical Boost and Weakness Exploit into the mix. It also comes with Slicing Ammo which makes this HBG the more versatile choice. Lastly, Wirebug Whisperer is retained to improve wirebug cooldown, which drastically improves the Heavy Bowgun's mobility and survivability. This change allows us to reach 90% affinity on weak spots, further enhancing the effectiveness of our Pierce and Slicing Ammo.

Heavy Artillery Build (Sticky & Cluster Bombs)

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Rampage H. Bowgun S Rampage H. Bowgun S
ーーー 210 -
Affinity Element
0%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernheart
Rampage Skill Setup
Attack Boost IV Attack Surge Sticky/Cluster Effect II
Paralysis Effect II Special: Wyvernheart -
Rampage H. Bowgun S edges out Teostra's Flames as the best Sticky HBG in Monster Hunter Rise due to modular nature. When modded properly, this Heavy Bowgun can reach 266 attack with a power barrel alone!
Armor Slots Skills
Utsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie SUtsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie S ①ーー
Vaik Mail SVaik Mail S ③②①
No Skills
Anjanath Vambraces SAnjanath Vambraces S ①ーー
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Slugger Lv. 2
Anjanath Coil S Anjanath Coil S ②①①
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Mosgharl Roots SMosgharl Roots S ②①ー
Recoil Down Lv. 2
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
with two additional ② slots
Decorations
Skills
Attack Boost Lv. 5 | Spare Shot Lv. 3
Slugger Lv. 3 | Artillery Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Recoil Down Lv. 3
Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3 | Razor Sharp Lv. 2
Steadiness Lv. 2
Build Merits With our new Sticky HBG in mind, this straightforward build improves Rampage H. Bowgun S' general performance and explosive arsenal! Sticky and Cluster Bomb damage is improved through Attack Boost and Artillery. KO damage is bolstered through Slugger which is extremely useful for multiplayer scaling. Lastly, Wirebug Whisperer included alongside your usual set of HBG skills to improve general performance and mobility.

High Rank Build (Update 2.0): HR 40 to 99

Sticky Ammo Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Meteor Cannon Meteor Cannon
②①① 200 -
Affinity Element
0%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Meteor Cannon has 1 more round in its Sticky Ammo capacity. This seemingly minor difference is actually an important one because having three rounds of Sticky Ammo per magazine allows you to fire your explosive salvos at a more consistent rate and better flow than if you had only two.
Armor Slots Skills
Utsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie SUtsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie S ①ーー
Utsushi Chest (H) S / Channeler Robe SUtsushi Chest (H) S / Channeler Robe S ①ーー
Agitator Lv. 1
Evade Window Lv. 1
Razor Sharp Lv. 1
Spare Shot Lv. 1
Rathalos Braces SRathalos Braces S ②ーー
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Anjanath Coil S Anjanath Coil S ②①①
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Rathalos Greaves SRathalos Greaves S ①①ー
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
2 additional ② slots are recommended but not required.
Decorations
Skills
Attack Boost Lv. 5 - 7 | Razor Sharp Lv. 3
Spare Shot Lv. 3 | Artillery Lv. 3
Recoil Down Lv. 3 | Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Flinch Free Lv. 2
Agitator Lv. 1 | Evade Window Lv. 1
Partbreaker Lv. 1
Build Merits Similar to our Spread and Slashing Build above, our Sticky Ammo Build's armor pieces and decorations remain unchanged at HR 40+. This build essentially turns the Meteor Cannon into a ranged Hammer by improving the effectiveness of Sticky Ammo 2 and 3.

Pierce and Slashing Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Araknamortar Araknamortar
②①① 190 -
Affinity Element
40%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Continuing with the Rakna-Kadaki Tree, Araknamortar is a direct upgrade to Fulgent Shot II — Solidfying the tree's place as the best piercing HBGs in Monster Hunter Rise right now.
Armor Slots Skills
Rhenoplos Helm SRhenoplos Helm S ①ーー
Shell-Studded Vest SShell-Studded Vest S ①①ー
Rathalos Braces SRathalos Braces S ②ーー
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Anjanath Coil S Anjanath Coil S ②①①
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Rathalos Greaves SRathalos Greaves S ①①ー
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
2 additional ② slots are recommended but not required.
Decorations
Skills
Attack Boost Lv. 5 - 7 | Pierce Up Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Recoil Down Lv. 3
Stun Resistance Lv. 3 | Partbreaker Lv. 3
Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3 | Normal/Rapid Up Lv. 1
Flinch Free Lv. 1
Build Merits Once again, our Pierce and Slashing Ammo build at the start of HR 8 to 40 remains the same at HR 40+. This build primarily maximizes Pierce Ammo 3's damage through Pierce Up and Partbreaker. Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3 is also added for improved survivability mobility during hunts.

High Rank Build (2.0 Update): HR 8 to 40

Pierce and Slicing Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Fulgent Shot II Fulgent Shot II
②①① 180 -
Affinity Element
40%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Rakna-Kadaki's Fulgent Shot II offers an insane 40% affinity rating and surprisingly manageable recoil and reload speeds for all of its Pierce Ammo. This Heavy Bowgun also has Slicing Ammo, allowing you to sever tails!
Armor Slots Skills
Rhenoplos Helm SRhenoplos Helm S ①ーー
Shell-Studded Vest SShell-Studded Vest S ①①ー
Rathalos Braces SRathalos Braces S ②ーー
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Anjanath Coil S Anjanath Coil S ②①①
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Rathalos Greaves SRathalos Greaves S ①①ー
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
2 additional ② slots are recommended but not required.
Decorations
Skills
Attack Boost Lv. 5 - 7 | Pierce Up Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Recoil Down Lv. 3
Stun Resistance Lv. 3 | Partbreaker Lv. 3
Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3 | Normal/Rapid Up Lv. 1
Flinch Free Lv. 1
Build Merits Built around Pierce Ammo 3, Slicing Ammo, and Fulgent Shot II, this build maximizes damage via Attack Boost, Partbreaker, and Pierce Up. The Heavy Bowgun's general performance is improved via Recoil Down and Reload Speed. Lastly, Lv. 3 Wirebug Whisperer is added to improve Counter Shot and Silk Dash usage. You can even opt for a Power Barrel instead of the standard Shield Mod due to the significant increase in survivability and mobility provided by this particular skill.

Spread and Slicing Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Sinister Dreadvolley Sinister Dreadvolley
②①ー 220 -
Affinity Element
0%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
This particular Heavy Bowgun has a great base attack rating (220) and a generous clip size for Spread Ammo 3. Like Fulgent Shot III, Sinister Dreadvolley also comes with Slicing Ammo which allows you to sever monster tails.
Armor Slots Skills
Utsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie SUtsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie S ①ーー
Rakna MailRakna Mail ②①ー
Reload Speed Lv. 1
Spread Up Lv. 1
S. Studded Gloves SS. Studded Gloves S ①①ー
Rakna Coil Rakna Coil ②②ー
Spread Up Lv. 1
Rathalos Greaves SRathalos Greaves S ①①ー
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
2 additional ② slots are recommended but not required.
Decorations
Skills
Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3 | Spare Shot Lv. 3
Ballistics Lv. 3 | Spread Up Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Recoil Down Lv. 3
Partbreaker Lv. 1 -3 | Razor Sharp Lv. 2
Attack Boost Lv. 1 | Normal/Rapid Up Lv. 1
Steadiness Lv. 1 | Flinch Free Lv. 1
Build Merits Built around Spread Ammo 3, Slicing Ammo, and Sinister Dreadvolley, DPS is improved Spread Up and Spare Shot. General HBG performance is improved through Reload Speed and Recoil Down as usual while Ballistics is added to increase the critical distance of Spread Ammo 3. Wirebug Whisperer is once again added to improve the usage rate of Counter Shot and Silk Dashes during hunts, allowing you to maneuver around attacks or block them without using a Shield Mod at a more consistent and reliable rate.

Sticky Ammo Build

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Meteor Cannon Meteor Cannon
②①① 200 -
Affinity Element
0%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Meteor Cannon Heavy Bowgun offers 200 attack rating and great clip sizes for Sticky Ammo 2 and 3, making it the perfect partner for our recommended Sticky Ammo Build below!
Armor Slots Skills
Utsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie SUtsushi Mask (H) S / Channeler Hair-tie S ①ーー
Utsushi Chest (H) S / Channeler Robe SUtsushi Chest (H) S / Channeler Robe S ①ーー
Agitator Lv. 1
Evade Window Lv. 1
Razor Sharp Lv. 1
Spare Shot Lv. 1
Rathalos Braces SRathalos Braces S ②ーー
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Anjanath Coil S Anjanath Coil S ②①①
Attack Boost Lv. 2
Rathalos Greaves SRathalos Greaves S ①①ー
Talisman Skill Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 2
2 additional ② slots are recommended but not required.
Decorations
Skills
Attack Boost Lv. 5 - 7 | Razor Sharp Lv. 3
Spare Shot Lv. 3 | Artillery Lv. 3
Recoil Down Lv. 3 | Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3
Reload Speed Lv. 3 | Flinch Free Lv. 2
Agitator Lv. 1 | Evade Window Lv. 1
Partbreaker Lv. 1
Build Merits Built around Sticky Ammo 3 and the Meteor Cannon, this build essentially turns your Heavy Bowgun into a ranged Hammer. Damage is increased through Attack Boost and Artillery. Spare Shot offers much needed improvements to ammo economy, allowing you fire additional Sticky Ammo 2 or 3 for free! Like all of our builds, general HBG performance is improved via Recoil Down and Reload Speed. Lv. 3 Wirebug Whisperer is once again added to improve Counter Shot and Silk Dash usage, allowing you to opt for a Power Barrel for more damage instead of the standard Shield Mod.

High Rank Build: Hub HR 6 and 7

Critical Pierce Ammo

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Baleful Night Baleful Night
②ーー 190 -
Affinity Element
30%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Nargacuga's Baleful Night offers great stats and good magazine sizes for its ammo types, in addition to manageable recoil and reload speeds. These factors make it a great choice to reach the very end of 7★ Hub Quests with!
Armor Slots Skills
Rhenoplos Helm SRhenoplos Helm S ①ーー
Shell-Studded Vest SShell-Studded Vest S ①①ー
Basarios Vambraces SBasarios Vambraces S ①①ー
Guard Lv. 2
Golden Obi Golden Obi ①ーー
Golden HakamaGolden Hakama ①①ー
Skills
Pierce Up Lv. 3 | Critical Boost Lv. 3
Guard Lv. 2 | Normal/Rapid Up Lv. 1
Stun Resistance Lv. 1 | Heroics Lv. 1
Maximum Might Lv. 1 | Speed Sharpening Lv. 1
Build Merits A damage-oriented build utilizing the affinity from the Narga Heavy Bowgun for the critical hits. It also makes use of Pierce Up and Critical Boost to improve overall damage. Guard 2 is slotted for the aggressive monsters so you can block their attacks (Requires Shield Mod).

High Rank Build: Hub HR 4 and 5

High Rank Starter

Weapon Slots ATK DEF
Gale Crossbow Gale Crossbow
②①ー 180 -
Affinity Element
10%
-
Special Ammo Wyvernsnipe
Gale Crossbow offers a good variety of ammo types and great stats across the board, making it the perfect starting Heavy Bowgun in High Rank.
Armor Slots Skills
Rhenoplos Helm SRhenoplos Helm S ①ーー
Izuchi Mail SIzuchi Mail S ①ーー
Lagombi Vambraces SLagombi Vambraces S ②①ー
Critical Eye Lv. 2
Ice Attack Lv. 1
Izuchi Coil S Izuchi Coil S ①①ー
Critical Eye Lv. 2
Rhenoplos Greaves SRhenoplos Greaves S ①①ー
Skills
Critical Eye Lv. 6 | Pierce Up Lv. 3
Stun Resistance Lv. 1 | Recovery Speed Lv. 1
Ice Attack Lv. 1 | Tremor Resistance Lv. 1
Build Merits An affinity pierce build that's enough to get you through the early stages of Rise's high rank. You get a flat 40% affinity from this build (50 with a Critical Eye Talisman) which can allow you to dish out decent amounts of damage with ease.

Best Heavy Bowgun Skills

Best Skills
Pierce Up
★★★
Get one of the three ammo type skills depending on the ammo type you're going to use!
Normal/Rapid Up
★★★
Get one of the three ammo type skills depending on the ammo type you're going to use!
Spread Up
★★★
Get one of the three ammo type skills depending on the ammo type you're going to use!
Wirebug Whisperer
★★★
Greatly improves Counter Shot and Silk Dash usage at level three.
Mobility and defense capabilities are improved so much that shield mods aren't mandatory anymore.
Recoil Down
★★★
Makes aiming way easier.
Reload Speed
★★★
Makes aiming way easier.
Attack Boost
★★★
Increases DPS for all ammo types.
Spare Shot
★★★
Increased DPS by giving you a chance to shoot ammo for free.
Maximum Might
★★
Increases affinity when Stamina is at maximum. As a non-stamina heavy weapon, this is an ideal skill to have.
Partbreaker
★★
Partbreaker increases damage on breakable parts by as much as 30% at level three, allowing you to break monsters down easier!
Guard
Lessens the burden of guarding.
Guard Up
For those monsters that have normally unblockable moves.

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