Top Monster Hunter Now Bow Build 2024: Complete Guide

by Aria Ford

Updated on 2024-08-06

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5min read

Bow in the Monster Hunter Now also is more streamlined unlike its counterparts in previous Monster Hunter Titles; for instance, you will find it easy to use complex mechanics like precise timing, ammo management, and using combos — making it more accessible to newcomers. Still, it also carries with it the old strategic depth and demands mastery of elemental matchups, precise shot placement, and calculated use of charged shots and special attacks.

Whether you are a novice hunter or a seasoned veteran — there is always room for refining your arsenal — and this guide will equip you with the knowledge and tools to construct the ultimate bow builds for 2024.

previous monster hunter titles | monster hunter now bow guide

Part 1: Best Monster Hunter Now Bow Build

Here’s a look at some of the most effective options, from early-game to specialized elemental builds:

Early Game Bow Build

Ideal for beginners, this build allows you to focus on survivability and quick charge times before you get accustomed to using the bow effectively.

Weapon Blooming Arch
ATK 100
Affinity (%) 0
Element None
Armor Skills Focus Lv. 1, Normal Shot Up, Charge Up, Constitution
Armor Pieces Pukei Hood (Grade 2), Jagras Mail (Grade 2), Girros Vambraces (Grade 2), Leather Belt (Grade 2), Kulu Greaves (Grade 2)

Armor Pieces | monster hunter now bow guide

Raw Bow Build

This build prioritizes high raw damage to tackle a wide range of monsters, especially those that do not have significant elemental weaknesses.

Weapon Diablos Bow (Grade 5+)
ATK 512
Affinity (%) 20
Element None
Armor Skills Focus Lv. 3, Weakness Exploit Lv. 2, Attack Boost Lv. 2, Last Stand Lv. 2, Critical Eye Lv. 1, Firm Foothold Lv. 1
Armor Pieces Pukei Hood (Grade 6), Rathalos Mail (Grade 6), Kulu Vambraces (Grade 4), Banbaro Coil (Grade 6), Jyura Greaves (Grade 6)

kulu vambraces | monster hunter now bow guide

Fire Bow Build

This build is ideal for exploiting Paolumu’s weakness to fire — for instance, you can maximize your damage output and increase your chances of a swift victory.

Weapon Rathslinger (Grade 5+)
ATK 361
Affinity (%) 10
Armor Skills Focus Lv. 3, Weakness Exploit Lv. 2, Fire Attack Lv. 4, Last Stand Lv. 1
Armor Pieces Anja Helm (Grade 4), Rathalos Mail (Grade 6), Anja Vambraces (Grade 6), Rathalos Coil (Grade 6), Jyura Greaves (Grade 6)

Alternatively, the Blazing Bow and its upgrades offer a viable alternative if you prefer Spread shots over Pierce shots.

rathalos mail | monster hunter now bow guide

Thunder Bow Build

While not as effective as fire, thunder can still deal significant damage to Paolumu and comes with the added benefit of potentially stunning it.

Weapon Usurper’s Rumble (Grade 5+)
ATK 361
Affinity (%) 10
Armor Skills Focus Lv. 3, Thunder Attack Lv. 4, Health Boost Lv. 2, Evade Extender Lv. 1, Last Stand Lv. 1
Armor Pieces Pukei Hood (Grade 6), Kadachi Mail (Grade 4), Zinogre Vambraces (Grade 6), Kadachi Coil (Grade 6), Jyura Greaves (Grade 6)

zinogre vambraces | monster hunter now bow guide

Ice Bow Build

While Paolumu doesn’t have a particular weakness to ice, this build can still be effective due to the high raw damage output and helpful armor skills.

Weapon Glacial Arrow (Grade 5+)
ATK 361
Affinity (%) 10
Armor Skills Focus Lv. 3, Weakness Exploit Lv. 2, Ice Attack Lv. 4, Last Stand Lv. 1, Windproof Lv. 1
Armor Pieces Legiana Helm (Grade 6), Rathalos Mail (Grade 4), Barioth Vambraces (Grade 6), Legiana Coil (Grade 5), Jyura Greaves (Grade 6)

legiana coil | monster hunter now bow guide

Water Bow Build

Although Paolumu resists water, this build is still viable for its high elemental damage and versatile armor skills.

Weapon Aqua Arrow (Grade 5+)
ATK 370
Affinity (%) 18
Armor Skills Focus Lv. 3, Water Attack Lv. 4, Health Boost Lv. 2, Poison Resistance Lv. 1
Armor Pieces Pukei Hood (Grade 6), Pukei/Jyura Mail (Grade 4/6), Jyura Vambraces (Grade 6), Rathalos Coil (Grade 5), Jagras Greaves (Grade 6)

Of course, these are just a few examples of effective bow builds — you can keep experimenting and customize a bow build that suits your preferred playstyle.

Part 2: Best Bow Build Against Monster in MHN

Best Jyuratodus Bow Build

Weapon ATK AFF ELE
Blooming Arch 100 0% 50 (Poison)
Armor & Skills Skills
Pukei Hood (Grade 2) Focus Lv. 1: Faster charge times
Jagras Mail (Grade 2) Rising Tide Lv.1: Increased attack when drawn
Girros Vambraces (Grade 2) Sneak Attack Lv.1: Affinity boost from behind
Leather Belt (Grade 2) Sneak Attack Lv.1: Affinity boost from behind
Kulu Greaves (Grade 2) Critical Eye Lv.1: Increased critical damage

The Blooming Arch’s spread arrows effectively damage Jyuratodus, while the armor skills prioritize consistent damage output, critical hits, and mobility.

Best Anjanath Bow Build

Weapon ATK AFF ELE
Aqua Arrow 182 0% 75 (Water)
Armor & Skills Skills
Pukei Hood (Grade 2) Focus Lv. 1: Faster charge times
Jyura Mail (Grade 3) Water Attack Lv.1: Increased Water damage
Jyura Vambraces (Grade 3) Water Attack Lv.1: Increased Water damage
Leather Belt (Grade 3) Health Boost Lv.1: Increased maximum health
Jagras Greaves (Grade 2) Water Attack Lv.1: Increased Water damage

Anjanath is highly vulnerable to Water, making the Aqua Arrow a powerful choice — making it a design to maximize your Water damage output through the multiple levels of Water Attack. Focus Lv. 1 ensures faster charging, allowing you to land more water-infused shots on the monster.

Best Rathian Bow Build

Bow Build

Weapon ATK AFF ELE
Pulsar Bow 128 0% 47 (Thunder)
Armor & Skills Skills
Pukei Hood (Grade 2) Focus Lv. 1: Faster charge times
Anja Mail (Grade 4) Special Boost Lv.1: Boosts special attack damage
Kadachi Vambraces (Grade 3) Evade Extender Lv.1: Increased evasion distance
Kadachi Coil (Grade 3) Thunder Attack Lv.1: Increased Thunder damage
Jyura Greaves (Grade 3) Focus Lv.1: Faster charge times

Rathian is a flying wyvern with a weakness to Thunder. The Pulsar Bow’s piercing Thunder arrows are ideal for hitting her long body and wings.

Best Legiana Bow Build

Weapon ATK AFF ELE
Blazing Bow 260 0% 117 (Fire)
Armor & Skills Skills
Anja Helm (Grade 4) Fire Attack Lv.2: Significantly increased Fire damage
Anja Mail (Grade 4) Special Boost Lv.1: Boosts special attack damage
Anja Vambraces (Grade 4) Fire Attack Lv.1: Increased Fire damage
Lumu Coil (Grade 3) Divine Blessing Lv.1: Chance to not consume stamina for attacks
Jyura Greaves (Grade 3) Focus Lv.1: Faster charge times

Legiana’s weakness is Fire, so using the Blazing Bow is a devastating choice.

Best Diablos Bow Build

Bow Build

Weapon ATK AFF ELE
Glacial Arrow 361 0% 232 (Ice)
Armor & Skills Skills
Pukei Hood (Grade 2) Focus Lv. 1: Faster charge times
Anja Mail (Grade 4) Special Boost Lv.1: Boosts special attack damage
Kadachi Vambraces (Grade 4) Evade Extender Lv.1: Increased evasion distance
Legiana Coil (Grade 5) Ice Attack Lv.2: Significantly increased Ice damage
Jyura Greaves (Grade 3) Focus Lv.1: Faster charge times

Diablos is extremely weak to Ice, making the Glacial Arrow the perfect weapon to exploit this vulnerability.

Part 3: Best Bow Build Skills In Monster Hunter Now You Must Know

Maximize Your Hunting Prowess

Skill Priority What They Are Recommended Level
Focus ★★★ The cornerstone skill for bow users. Significantly reduces charge times, allowing for rapid firing of powerful shots and drastically increasing overall damage output. Aim for at least Level 1 initially, but strive for Level 3 for maximum benefit. Level 1+ (Ideally 3)
Elemental Attack ★★★ Exploit monster weaknesses! Match your bow’s element to the monster’s vulnerability for massive damage amplification. Prioritize this alongside Focus for a potent damage combo. Max Level based on element
Attack Boost ★★☆ Increases raw attack power, providing a solid, consistent boost to damage across all attacks. Especially valuable for bows, as most of their power comes from raw damage. Level 4-5 if possible
Health Boost ★★☆ Enhances your maximum health, allowing you to withstand more hits — making it crucial for survivability, especially when learning new monster attack patterns or facing particularly challenging hunts. Level 3 is a good starting point
Critical Eye ★★☆ Elevates your affinity (critical hit rate), leading to more frequent and damaging critical hits. Combine this with skills or armor pieces that boost affinity for devastating results. Level 3 is a good baseline
Sneak Attack ★☆☆ Boosts affinity when attacking from behind. While situational, mastering positioning to consistently land attacks from the rear can significantly increase damage output, especially when combined with Critical Eye. Level 3 can be impactful if mastered
Stamina Surge ★☆☆ Gradually recovers stamina while evading, aiding in maintaining mobility and positioning. Particularly useful for bow users who rely on dodging to avoid attacks and set up shots. Level 1-2 can be beneficial
Weakness Exploit ★☆☆ Increases affinity when hitting weak spots. However, it really requires knowledge of monster hitzones, but once you master it, it can provide a substantial damage boost when utilized effectively. Level 3 can be valuable if mastered

Of course, the ideal skill combination will vary depending on your playstyle, weapon, and armor choices. Focus and Elemental Attack are generally considered top priorities, but this does not mean that you neglect survivability and utility skills like Health Boost and Stamina Surge.

MHN Hack: How to Catch Monsters Faster In Monster Hunter Now

Of course, you cannot craft the best bows without leveling up and defeating diverse monsters — given you need valuable materials to customize your swords, which takes time. However, to make this process quicker and more efficient — you can use a location spoofer like iWhere iPhone Location Changer. Here’s what you have to know:

iWhere iPhone Location Changer

Being a powerful location changer for iOS devices, iWhere allows you to teleport effortlessly to regions teeming with rare monsters, including those necessary for crafting powerful bows. For instance, its Joystick Mode enables you to use your keyboard (A, S, W, D) or mouse to navigate through challenging terrain and maneuver with precision during virtual battles.

Furthermore, iWhere’s Multi-Stop Mode allows you to create efficient routes for resource collection, enabling you to amass essential materials and level up quicker than ever. Whether you’re exploring Sunken Hollow for rare herbs or venturing into the Wildspire Waste for unique ore, iWhere’s One-Stop and Multi-Stop modes empower you to optimize your gathering strategy. You can even import customized routes shared by other players in the MHN community, ensuring you’re always one step ahead in your quest for the ultimate bow build.

Key Features:

  • Instantly teleport to monster lairs and habitats for efficient hunting and material farming.
  • Realistic movement to simulate natural movement patterns and avoid detection by Niantic and Capcom.
  • Navigate dense environments and pinpoint weak spots of monsters using Joystick controls or your computer keypad.
  • Customize routes using One-Stop or Multi-Stop modes.
  • Use pre-made custom routes by community members using GPX import.

How to Use iWhere iPhone Location Changer in MHNow:

Step 1: Install and launch iWhere on your computer. Then, click “Start”  and connect your iPhone using a USB cable.

Step 2: Select “Joystick Mode” is the preferred mode to fake your location.

Joystick Mode | monster hunter now bow guide

Step 3: Choose Joystick Mode from the “Map” interface at the top-right corner. Then, choose from Free Mode or Mouse Mode.

  • Free Mode allows you to navigate the map using your computer keyboard while the “Mouse Mode” allows you to use your computer “Cursor” for navigation.

Mouse Mode | monster hunter now bow guide

Step 4: Click on “Start Move” to start the simulation.

Conclusion

The bow in Monster Hunter Now offers a unique and powerful playstyle — the condition being you use and customize it in the right manner. And this guide equips you with the knowledge to use the bow accurately — to refine your bow skills, build and upgrade your arsenal to fight diverse monsters, and customize powerful bows builds. As mentioned, if you want to speed the process, use iWhere and level up faster.

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