Monster Hunter World (MHW)

Best Light Bowgun Builds for Iceborne 2023-2024

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These are the best endgame builds for Light Bowguns in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (MHW:I). See the best Iceborne Light Bowgun builds of 2024, starter builds to help you progress through the Iceborne expansion, and the best Light Bowguns and skills of Iceborne's endgame meta.

Iceborne Light Bowgun Endgame Meta Builds

Endgame Fatalis All-Rounder Elemental LBG Build

Weapon Decorations
Alatreon Dominator
Attack: 338
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor Decorations
Head Dragonhead Beta + Blaze Jewel+ 4 x3
Armor Dragonhide Beta + Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel+ 4 x2
Vambraces Brachydios Braces Beta + Evasion Jewel+ 4 x1
Shaver Jewel 3 x1
Waist Dragonbarbs Beta + Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer/Protection Jewel 4 x2
Legs Dragonfeet Beta + Release/Protection Jewel 4 x3
Charm Challenger Charm V None

Fatalis Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Agitator 7
Fire Attack 6 Divine Blessing 5
Evade Window 4 Stun Resistance 3
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Tool Specialist 2
Clutch Claw Boost 1 Fatalis Legend 4

Swap Blaze Jewels as necessary

hunter guide An Elemental LBG setup featuring the Alatreon LBG and the Fatalis Armor set. Just make sure to change your elemental deco according to your target's elemental weakness!

Sticky Light Bowgun Build

Weapon Decorations
Ten Thousand Volts
Attack: 403
Release/Protection Jewel 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Brachydium Helm Beta + Release/Protection Jewel 4 x2
Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Release/Protection Jewel 4 x1
KO Jewel 2 x1
Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Brachydium Braces Beta + KO Jewel 2 x2
Waist Brachydium Faulds Beta + Flawless/Medicine Jewel 4 x1
Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Legs Golden Hakama Beta + Artillery Jewel+ 4 x1
Flawless/Medicine Jewel 4 x1
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None

Sticky Light Bowgun Build Skill List

Skills
Agitator 7 Artillery 5
Health Boost 3 Recovery Up 3
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Divine Blessing 3
Slugger 3 Peak Performance 3
Tool Specialist 3 Weakness Exploit 1
Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 3 Rajang's Rage 2
Brachydios Will 4
hunter guide Knock monsters out easily with this endgame LBG sticky build. Sticky ammo damage is maximized through Agitator and Artillery, while Ammo Up and Spare Shot provide much-needed improvements to ammo economy. Slugger is also added in to chain monster KOs a lot easier.

Iceborne Light Bowgun Meta Builds

Safi'jiiva Elemental Build

Safi'jiiva Elemental Build Alatreon RF Ice and Fire Builld Stormslinger Build
Weapon Decorations
Alatreon Dominator
Attack: 338
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x2
---
Armor Decorations
Head Safi Crested Crown Beta + Blaze Jewel+ 4 x1
Blaze Jewel 1 x2
Armor Safi Crested Chest Beta + Furor Jewel+ 4 x1
Furor Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Safi Crested Vambraces Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Furor Jewel 2 x2
Waist Safi Crested Belt Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Blaze Jewel 1 x1
Legs Safi Crested Boots Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Blaze Jewel 1 x1
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None

Safi'jiiva Elemental Build Skill List

Skills
Fire Attack 6 Resentment 5
Health Boost 3 Free Elem/Ammo Up 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Evade Window 3 Blight Resistance 2
Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1

Swap Blaze Jewels as necessary

hunter guide An aggressive elemental LBG build featuring the Alatreon Dominator and the Safi'jiiva armor set. Swap the elemental jewels with the respective elemental ammo you're bringing to the hunt!

Alatreon RF Ice and Fire Build (Rapid-Fire)

Safi'jiiva Elemental Build Alatreon RF Ice and Fire Builld Stormslinger Build
Weapon Decorations
Alatreon Dominator
Attack: 338
Frost Jewel 1 x2
---
Armor Decorations
Head Safi Crested Crown Beta + Blaze Jewel+ 4 x1
Blaze Jewel 1 x2
Armor Safi Crested Chest Beta + Blaze Jewel+ 4 x1
Resistor Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Escadora Armguards Beta + Frost Jewel+ 4 x1
Mind's Eye Jewel 2 x1
Waist Escadora Might Beta + Frost Jewel+ 4 x1
Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Legs Safi Crested Boots Beta + Resistor/Attack Jewel 4 x1
Vitality Jewel 1 x2
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None

Alatreon RF Ice and Fire Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Fire Attack 6
Ice Attack 6 Health Boost 3
Dragon Resistance 3 Blight Resistance 3
Critical Boost 3 Evade Window 1
Mind's Eye/Ballistics 1 Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1
Safi'jiiva Seal
hunter guide An Alatreon Counter setup featuring double Elemental Skill to counter both his fire active and ice active states.

Stormslinger Build (Thunder Ammo)

Safi'jiiva Elemental Build Alatreon RF Ice and Fire Builld Stormslinger Build
Weapon Decorations
Adept Stormslinger
Attack: 416
Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Safi Crested Crown Beta + Furor Jewel+ 4 x1
Trueshot Jewel 1 x2
Armor Safi Crested Chest Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Charger Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Safi Crested Vambraces Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Charger Jewel 2 x2
Waist Safi Crested Belt Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Bolt Jewel 1 x1
Legs Safi Crested Boots Beta + Furor Jewel+ 4 x1
Furor Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Charm Shock Charm V None

Stormslinger Build Skill List

Skills
Thunder Attack 6 Focus 3
Resentment 5 Health Boost 3
Special Ammo Boost 2 Blight Resistance 2
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Critical Boost 3
Evade Window 3 Safi'jiiva Seal
hunter guide A thunder elemental build for the late-to-endgame stage of Iceborne. Stormslinger is the best LBG for thunder ammo due to its naturally high ammo capacity. The gun's damage is imporved via Thunder Attack, Resentment (synergizes with Safi'jiiva's passive) and Critical Boost.

Iceborne Light Bowgun Progression Build

Starter Early Game Mid to Late Game

Starter Iceborne Build

Weapon Decorations
Defender Light Bowgun V
Attack: 286
---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Guild Cross Circlet Beta Expert Jewel 1 x2
Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Armor Rathalos Mail Beta Protection Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Empress Vambraces Beta Forceshot Jewel 3 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Odogaron Coil Beta Critical Jewel 2 x1
Legs Empress Greaves Beta Critical Jewel 2 x2
Charm Stun Charm III None

Starter Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 4 Weakness Exploit 3
Divine Blessing 3 Health Boost 3
Stun Resistance 3 Critical Boost 3
Wide-Range 2 Normal Shots 1
Lunastra Favor 4
hunter guide A normal ammo build featuring the Defender LBG. It uses the Lunastra secret to make your ranged attacks hit for full damage much easier. To learn more about this, check our guide on Critical Distance!

What Is Critical Distance?

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Anja Buster ⅠV
Attack: 299
---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Anja Helm Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Armor Bone Mail Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Pukei Vambraces Alpha + Blaze Jewel 1 x1
Waist Lumu Coil Alpha + Vitality Jewel 1 x2
Legs Viper Kadachi Greaves Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Charm Blaze Charm III None

Early Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Fire Attack 6 Fire Resistance 1
Attack Boost 2 Health Boost 3
Peak Performance 2 Survival Expert 1
Divine Blessing 2 Windproof 1
Evade Window 1 Constitution 1
Weakness Exploit 3
hunter guide A fire element LBG setup. It's a great set to use if you want to rush the Iceborne quests since most Iceborne target monsters are weak to fire.

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Azure Soulscorcher
Attack: 312
---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Acidic Glavenus Helm Alpha + Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Armor Lavasioth Mail Alpha + Attack Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Shara Ishvalda Coil Alpha + Release Jewel 3 x1
Mighty Jewel 2 x1
Legs Kirin Leg Guards Alpha + Attack Jewel 1 x1
Charm Attack Charm III None

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 6 Weakness Exploit 3
Maximum Might 3 Free Elem/Ammo Up 3
Health Boost 3 Fire Attack 3
Critical Eye 2 Heat Guard 1
hunter guide A flaming ammo build to maximize the Azure Soulscorcher rapidfire.

Iceborne Best Light Bowguns and Skills

Best Light Bowguns

Weapon Explanation
Alatreon Dominator
[Atk] 338 | [Affinity] -20%
・High raw damage
・Recommended for most elemental ammo builds
Ten Thousand Volts
[Atk] 403 | [Affinity] 0%
・Best choice for sticky ammo builds
Adept Stormslinger
[Atk] 416 | [Affinity] 0%
・A niche, but powerful LBG for thunder-based LBG builds

Best Light Bowgun Skills

Skill Explanation
Health Boost
( ★★★ )
Increases maximum health to increase your survival rate
A must have for beginners
Elemental Attacks
( ★★★ )
LBGs, unlike their heavy counterparts, are amazing at dealing elemental damage through their ammo. Maximize their damage by investing in their ammo's corresponding elemental attack jewels.
Weakness Exploit
( ★★★ )
A meta staple that increases your affinity when striking a monster's weak spot. This also applies to weakspots created from Clutch Claw attacks.
Critical Boost
( ★★★ )
Increases the damage of critical hits. Best used when paired with Weakness Exploit
Critical Eye
( ★★★ )
Increases your Affinity
Mind's Eye/Ballistics
( ★★★ )
Improves an ammo's critical distance
True Razor Sharp/Spare Shot
(★★)
Spare Shot gives us a chance to prevent ammo loss when shooting

MHW Related Guides

Best Builds

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Best Endgame Builds and Weapon Progression Builds

Best Builds Per Weapons

Melee Weapons
Long Sword Icon.jpegLong Swords Great Sword Icon.jpegGreat Swords Sword & Shield Icon.jpegSword and Shield Dual Blades Icon.jpegDual Blades
Hammer Icon.jpegHammer Hunting Horn Icon.jpegHunting Horn Lance Icon.jpegLance Gunlance Icon.jpegGunlance
Switch Axe Icon.jpegSwitch Axe Charge Blade Icon.jpegCharge Blade Insect Glaive Icon.jpegInsect Glaive
Ranged Weapons
Bow Icon.jpegBow light bowgun icon.pngLight Bowgun
Heavy bowgun icon.pngHeavy Bowgun

Best Counter Builds

Monster Counterbuilds
fatalis icon.pngFatalis alatreon icon.pngAlatreon

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