Monster Hunter World (MHW)

Best Heavy Bowgun Builds for Iceborne 2023-2024

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

Iceborne Heavy Bowgun Best Endgame Meta Build

Endgame Fatalis Scatter Build

Weapon Decorations
Vor Buster
Attack: 510
Jumping/Evasion Jewel 4 x1
Brace/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Armor Decorations
Head Dragonhead Beta + Challenger Jewel+ 4 x3
Armor Dragonhide Beta + Mighty/Protection Jewel 4 x3
Vambraces Dragonclaws Beta + Challenger/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Mighty/Maintenance Jewel 4 x2
Waist Dragonbarbs Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Spread Jewel 3 x2
Legs Kulve Taroth's Wrath Beta + Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Maintenance Jewel 1 x2
Charm Attack Charm V None
Bowgun Modifications
Recoil Suppressor x3 Close Range Up x1
Shield x1

Fatalis Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Agitator 7
Maximum Might 5 Divine Blessing 5
Tool Specialist 5 Stun Resistance 3
Critical Boost 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Critical Eye 3 Spread/Power Shots 2
Evade Window 2 Evade Extender 1
Flinch Free 1 Fatalis Legend 4
hunter guide A damage oriented build utilizing the Spread Shot skill. Tool Specialist 5 is suggested for the temporal uptime abuse to allow you to be upclose and personal with your target. The build also boasts a 100% affinity rate on weak spots.

Iceborne Heavy Bowgun Meta Builds

Sticky Rajang Build

Sticky Rajang Build Guard HBG Build Velkhana Gamma Armor Build
Awakened Spread HBG Build Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build
Weapon Decorations
Demonlord Beastbuster
Attack: 450
---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Brachydium Helm Beta + Jumping/Release Jewel 4 x2
Ironwall Jewel 1 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Jumping/Release Jewel 4 x1
Shield Jewel 2 x1
Sheath Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Brachydium Braces Alpha + KO Jewel 2 x2
Waist Brachydium Faulds Alpha + KO Jewel 2 x1
Legs Golden Hakama Beta + Ironwall Jewel+ 4 x2
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None
Bowgun Modifications
Recoil Suppressor x2 Reload Assist x2
Shield x1

Sticky Rajang Build Skill List

Skills
Agitator 7 Artillery 5
Guard 5 Health Boost 3
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Evade Extender 3
Slugger 3 Weakness Exploit 1
Guard Up 1 Quick Sheath 1
Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1 Brachydios Will 4
hunter guide A sticky/pierce HBG Build featuring the Rajang's Demonlord Beastbuster. A full set of guard skills for survivability as well Agitator for more damage and affinity. It also works great with sticky ammo skill and Wyvernsnipe better due to the addition of Artillery 5.

Guard HBG Build

Sticky Rajang Build Guard HBG Build Velkhana Gamma Armor Build
Awakened Spread HBG Build Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build
Weapon Decorations
Loyal Thunder
Attack: 420
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Golden Headdress Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor Pride Mail Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Golden Kote Beta + Ironwall/Release Jewel 4 x1
Spread Jewel 3 x1
Waist Shara Ishvalda Coil Beta + Ironwall/Release Jewel 4 x1
Spread Jewel 3 x1
Legs Garuga Greaves Beta + Ironwall/Release Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x2
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None

Guard HBG Build Skill List

Skills
Health Boost 3 Critical Boost 3
Guard 5 Spread/Power Shots 2
Weakness Exploit 3 Resentment 1
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Critical Eye 7
Rajang's Rage 2 Razor Sharp/Spare Shot
hunter guide An HBG build focusing on Spread Ammo playstyle. Mind's Eye/Ballistics is a must for easier max damage (due to critical distance). a max Weakness Exploit and Critical Eye has been slotted in so focus on shooting those weakspots!

Velkhana Gamma Armor Build

Sticky Rajang Build Guard HBG Build Velkhana Gamma Armor Build
Awakened Spread HBG Build Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build
Weapon Decorations
Vor Buster
Attack: 510
Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x2
---
Armor Decorations
Head Rimeguard Helm Gamma + Earplug/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Rimeguard Mail Gamma + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Rimeguard Vambraces Gamma + Attack Jewel+ 4 x1
Sheath Jewel 1 x1
Waist Dragonbarbs Beta + Earplug/Maintenance Jewel 4 x3
Legs Rimeguard Greaves Gamma + Earplug/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Protection Jewel 1 x1
Charm Challenger Charm V None

Velkhana Gamma Armor Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Ice Attack 6
Earplugs 5 Agitator 5
Tool Specialist 3 Divine Blessing 3
Critical Draw 3 Quick Sheath 3
Peak Performance 3 Health Boost 3
Recovery Up 3 Coalescence 3
Critical Eye 2 Resuscitate 1
Velkhana Divinity
hunter guide An Armor set featuring on of the last elder dragon updates, the Arch-Tempered Velkhana's armor set. Quick Sheath, Divine Blessing 3, and Tool Specialist 3 are great QoL skills to improve the HBGs survivability. It's less focused on DPS and more for comfort so feel free to get this set if you want an easy hunting with the HBG.

Awakened Spread HBG Build

Sticky Rajang Build Guard HBG Build Velkhana Gamma Armor Build
Awakened Spread HBG Build Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Burstcannon
Attack: 375
Ironwall/Release Jewel 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Brachydium Helm Alpha + Critical Jewel 2 x2
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Golden Haori Beta + Ironwall/Release Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Rex Roar Braces Alpha + Spread Jewel 3 x1
Waist Golden Obi Beta + Ironwall/Release Jewel 4 x1
Mind's Eye Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Spread Jewel 3 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None
Awakened Ability
Spread Capacity III Attack Increase V x4

Awakened Spread HBG Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 6 Guard 5
Maximum Might 5 Health Boost 3
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Spread/Power Shots 2
Mind's Eye/Ballistics Rajang's Rage
Razor Sharp/Spare Shot
hunter guide A Spread build utilizing the Safi Burst Cannon from the Safi'Jiva weapons. WE focused on adding all the Ammo boosting/saving skills and damage skills to ensure all spread shots will count. Get upclose and personal and fire those spreadshots away!

Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build

Sticky Rajang Build Guard HBG Build Velkhana Gamma Armor Build
Awakened Spread HBG Build Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Snipecannon
Attack: 375
Pierce Jewel 3 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Brachydium Helm Beta + Release/Maintenance Jewel 4 x2
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Armor Golden Haori Beta + Release/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Buff Arms Alpha + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Waist Golden Obi Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Mind's Eye Jewel 2 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Pierce Jewel 3 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x2
Charm Razor Sharp Charm None
Awakened Ability
Pierce Capacity III Attack Increase V x4

Hi-Power Pierce HBG Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Maximum Might 5
Mind's Eye/Ballistics 1 Health Boost 3
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Piercing Shots 2
Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1 Resuscitate 1
Tool Specialist 2 Rajang's Rage
hunter guide One more Safi build from us but this time, coming from the Safi's Snipercannon! As the weapon name suggests, this is a pierce centric build and it works extremely well against large monsters (large in size, not the large monsters we target in quests) as their size can maximize the damage of piercing shots.

Iceborne Heavy Bowgun Progression Builds

Starter Early Game Mid to Late-Game

Starter Iceborne Build

Weapon Decorations
Defender Heavy Bowgun V
Attack: 330
---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Dragonking Eyepatch Alpha Pierce Jewel 3 x1
Armor Empress Mail Alpha Steadfast Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Xeno'jiiva Claws Alpha Expert Jewel 1 x1
Waist Damascus Coil Beta Protection Jewel 1 x3
Legs Empress Greaves Beta Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Steadfast Jewel 1 x1
Charm Master's Charm III None

Starter Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 4 Weakness Exploit 3
Divine Blessing 3 Health Boost 3
Stun Resistance 3 Peak Performance 2
Piercing Shots 1 Critical Boost 1
Flinch Free 1 Focus 1
Lunastra Favor
hunter guide A Piercing build for the Defender HBG! Peak Performance is up so make sure to dodge those hits or chug potions when damaged to maximize your DPS.

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Gnashing Flammenkanone +
Attack: 360
---
---
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 flaming ammo setup to burn through most of Iceborne's early-game monsters. The majority of starting monsters in the expansion are weak to fire attacks, allowing you to breeze through to the mid-game with this build.

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Baleful Night
Attack: 390
---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Fulgur Helm Beta + Release Jewel 3 x1
Elementless Jewel 2 x1
Armor Esurient Mail Beta + Pierce Jewel 3 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Artian Vambraces Alpha + Expert Jewel 1 x2
Waist Odogaron Coil Beta + Critical Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Death Garon Greaves Beta + Critical Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Charm Health Charm III None

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Piercing Shots 1 Weakness Exploit 3
Tool Specialist 3 Critical Eye 6
Health Boost 3 Critical Boost 3
Non-elemental Boost 1 Speed Eating 1
Free Elem/Ammo Up 3
hunter guide A mid-game setup for the HBG. We transition to an elementless setup at the turn of the mid-game. Make sure to wound your target part first to utilize the 100% affinity this build provides you!

Iceborne Best Heavy Bowguns and Skills

Best Heavy Bowguns

Weapon Explanation
Vor Cannon
[Atk] 435 | [Affinity] -20%
・High raw damage
・Recommended for all major ammo types
Demonlord Beastbuster
[Atk] 450 | [Affinity] 0%
・Best choice for sticky ammo builds
Loyal Thunder
[Atk] 420 | [Affinity] 0%
・Best choice for shield and spread ammo builds

Best Heavy Bowgun Skills

Skill Explanation
Health Boost
( ★★★ )
Increases maximum health to increase your survival rate
A must have for beginners
Piercing Shots
( ★★★ )
Vital for builds that use Pierce Ammo
Spread/Power Shots
( ★★★ )
Vital for builds that use Spread Ammo
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
Guard
(★★)
Improves block efficiency and lessens stamina loss when guarding, perfect for spread ammo and other close-range HBG builds

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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