Best Bows | Recommended Bows

This is a guide to Game8's recommended Bows in Monster Hunter World (MHW) and MHW Iceborne! Read on to find out which Bows we think are the best and our explanations as to why!

Best Bow: Monster Hunter World

Kulve Taroth Bows

Bows excel at taking advantage of a monster's elemental weaknesses. With this in mind, the Kulve Taroth Bows dominated in every element in Monster Hunter World. Kjarr Bows, in particular, had the Critical Element Skill which increased critical damage via elemental attacks.

Below is a list of all the Kulve Taroth Bows that were considered the best before the arrival of the Iceborne Expansion:

Kulve Taroth Bows

Kjarr Bow "King"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		8	234	15	Fire 270
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		-	①ーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	◯	✕	✕
Weapon Skill	Critical Element

Taroth Arrow "Thunder"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		8	228	10	Thunder 360
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		20	③ーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	✕	✕	✕

Kjarr Bow "Stream"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		8	204	10	Ice 330
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		-	ーーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	◯	◯	✕
Weapon Skill	Critical Element

Kjarr Bow "Water"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		8	240	10	Water 300
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		-	ーーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	✕	◯	◯	✕	✕
Weapon Skill	Critical Element

Kjarr Bow "Decay"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		8	240	10	Dragon 240
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		-	①ーー		Average
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	✕	◯	✕
Weapon Skill	Critical Element

Anja Arch III

Anja Arch III
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		6	240	-20	Fire 390
		Def.	Elderseal	Augment	Slots
		-	-	3 times	ーーー
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	✕	✕	◯

The Anja Arch III deserves its place on this list for being the only Pre-Iceborne Bow that could rival a Kjarr Bow in a specific element.

Hosting great stats in Attack and Elemental ratings, hunters who could offset its -20% affinity with skills and augments can go pound-for-pound with the Kjarr Bow King.

Best Bow: MHW Iceborne

As previously stated, Bows excel at taking advantage of a monster's elemental weakness.

The following Bows are considered the best in MHW: Iceborne for their superiority over specific elemental matchups:

Kulve Taroth Bows

Kjarr Bow "King"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		12	318	15	Fire 390
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		20	①ーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	◯	✕	✕
Weapon Skill	Critical Element

Kjarr Bow "Stream"
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		12	288	10	Ice 450
		Def.	Slots		Elderseal
		20	ーーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	◯	◯	✕
Weapon Skill	Critical Element

Kjarr Bows King and Stream are the kings of Fire and Ice elemental bows. Their amazing stats, coupled with their inherent Critical Element Skill, allow hunters to easily build around them and maximize their damage to their fullest potential.

Click the link below to know how to upgrade existing Kulve Taroth Weapons:
Kulve Taroth Weapons

Safi'jiiva Bows

Safi's Boltbow
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		12	312	5	Thunder 120
		Slots		Elderseal
		④ーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	✕	✕	✕

Safi's Aquabow
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		12	312	5	Water 120
		Slots		Elderseal
		④ーー		-
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	✕	✕	✕	✕

Safi's Boltbow and Aquabow outperform their Kjarr counterparts in Thunder and Water elements if stacked with Elemental Attack Up Awakened Abilities.

Click the link below for more information regarding Safi'jiiva Weapons:
Safi'jiiva Weapons

Alatreon Commandment

Alatreon Commandment
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		12	336	0	Dragon 600
		Def.	Elderseal	Augment	Slots
		-	Low	-	②②ー
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	◯	✕	◯	◯

The Alatreon Commandment takes the top spot for Dragon element matchups with its amazing stats across the board. It's insane Dragon elemental rating of 600 is the highest of any Bow in Monster Hunter World.

Bow of Vice & Violence

Bow of Vice & Violence
		Rarity	Attack	Affinity	Elem.
		12	444	-30	Dragon 120
		Def.	Elderseal	Augment	Slots
		-	High	-	④④ー
Close	Power	Paral.	Poison	Sleep	Blast
◯	◯	★	★	◯	✕

The Bow of Vice & Violence earns its place alongside the very best bows through sheer attack power alone. Hunters who could offset its -30% affinity with skills and augments will find this Bow to be extremely well-rounded, capable of hunting almost any monster with deadly effectiveness.

Monster Hunter World (MHW) Related Guides

Melee Weapons
Great Swords	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Great Sword for Each Element
	Best Great Sword for Iceborne
Long Swords	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Long Sword for Each Element
	Best Long Sword for Iceborne
Swords and Shields	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Sword and Shield for Each Element
	Best Sword and Shield for Iceborne
Dual Blades	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Dual Blades for Each Element
	Best Dual Blades for Iceborne
Hammers	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hammer for Each Element
	Best Hammers for Iceborne
Hunting Horns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Hunting Horn for Each Element
	Best Hunting Horn for Iceborne
	Hunting Horn Notes and Effects
Lances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Lance for Each Element
	Best Lance for Iceborne
Gunlances	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Gunlance for Each Element
	Best Gunlance for Iceborne
Switch Axe	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Switch Axe for Each Element
	Best Switch Axe for Iceborne
Charge Blade	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Charge Blade for Each Element
	Best Charge Blades for Iceborne
Insect Glaive	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Insect Glaive for Each Element
	Best Insect Glaive for Iceborne

Kinsects
Kinsects	Kinsect Tree and Complete Kinsect List	Best and Recommended Kinsects

Ranged Weapons
Bows	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Bow for Each Element
Light Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Light Bowgun for Each Element
Heavy Bowguns	Trees & Full List	How to Use
	Overall Best List	Best Skills
	Layered Weapon Augments
	Best Heavy Bowgun for Each Element