Light Bowgun | Monster Hunter World Wiki

Light Bowgun
A short range projectile weapon. Utilizes a variety of ammo to do everything from rapidly shooting targets to providing support with status-changing ammo.
Weapon Type	Ranged
Damage Type	Shot (Ammo) Damage

Light Bowgun (ライトボウガン raito boogan, "light bowgun") is a weapon category in Monster Hunter World (MHW). Like all Weapons, it features a unique moveset and an upgrade path that branches out depending on the materials used. Please see Weapon Mechanics for details on the basics of your hunter tools.

The Bowgun can be used to attack monsters from long range. There are two types of Bowgun: the Heavy Bowgun, which  is generally slower, more powerful, and has access to high-damage ammo, and the Light Bowgun, which allows for greater mobility and evasive capabilities, and faster shooting.

Light Bowgun Weapon Tree

For full details, including rare 9 and above weapons added with Iceborne, please see Light Bowgun Weapon Tree

You can also see Master Rank Iceborne Light Bowguns.

Light Bowgun Traits & Abilities

• Fast fire rate and short to moderate range
• Variety of ammo types with special effects
• High mobility

Light Bowgun Guide

The Light Bowgun is the smallest of the three ranged weapons. Its small nature allows hunters to rapidly reposition and dodge incoming attacks. On offense, the Light Bowgun boasts the highest fire rate of the ranged weapons. It also specializes in support ammo, such as poison, paralysis, and recovery, meaning it can reliably inflict a variety of status effects on the monster while still dealing damage. Light Bowguns are also capable of using special rounds, which are covered in detail further down.

Like the Heavy Bowgun, the Light Bowgun has an optimal range for firing. Being too far away from the target will cause shots to do less damage. The optimal range will vary based on ammo, and the crosshair will glow orange when the monster is in the optimal range.

Customizing Your Bowgun

Light Bowguns can use custom mods to shorten reload time, reduce recoil, and improve damage at specific ranges. You can even equip the same mod multiple times to improve its effects.

Critical Range 

Ranged weapon attacks have a Critical Range, which is the distance at which that attack deals the most damage. It's important to experiment with different ammo and arrow types to determine their Critical Ranges in order to deal as much damage as possible. It's also worth noting that the critical range shown by the glowing orange reticule is only relevant to the first point of impact of a particular shot. Ammo that inflicts multiple hits, like Slicing, Sticky, and Piercing Ammo, will experience critical range in different ways.

Light Bowgun Advantages

• Wide variety of ammo for applying various status effects
• High rate of fire - many Light Bowguns fire some Ammo types in a rapid-fire mode, which can potentially lead to high damage output.
• Great mobility

Light Bowgun Disadvantages

• Worse ammo stats than Heavy Bowgun on non-Rapid Fire ammo types
• Has access to one less mod than Heavy Bowgun
• Has only one type of Special Ammo
• Must supply own ammo

Attachments

Attachments are various mods that can be put onto a bowgun to alter its stats. Attachments are free, can be swapped out at any time at the smithy, and can stack. The number of mods that can be put onto a gun depends on its rarity rank. Ranks 1 and 2 have one mod slot. Ranks 3 and 4 have two. Ranks 5 to 8 have three. Ranks 9 to 12 have four.

Available mod types:

• Recoil Suppressor: Lowers the recoil when firing. Effectiveness varies with what ammo type is being used.
• Reload Assist: Speeds reload times. Effectiveness varies with what ammo type is being used.
• Deviation Suppressor: Lowers deviation. Can only be used if the Bowgun has deviation.
• Close Range Up: Increases damage at close range.
• Long Range Up: Increases damage at long range.
• Long Barrel: Increases critical range and projectile speed.
• Power Barrel: Increases tick rate for piercing ammo types and stun/exhaust build-up for Sticky/Exhaust ammo.
• Evade Reload: Allows ammo to be reloaded while evading.
• Wyvernblast Counter: Changes Wyvernblast into a forward facing counter attack.

Ammo Types

The Ammo a hunter can use varies with the Bowgun they have equipped. It is also important to note that ammo performance for one model of Bowgun (in terms of shots per magazine, recoil, rate of fire, and reload speed) may perform radically differently on another model of Bowgun. Always check the detailed description of a Bowgun model before investing resources into crafting it!

Each damaging Ammo type has its own Motion Value (MV), which is used when calculating damage. Elemental attacks from Bowguns are subjected to both this and the Weapon type multiplier, and use the Raw Attack value as the starting Elemental value. See Damage Types for more information.

See Bowgun Ammo for a quick list of Ammo Types.

See Bowgun Comparison for a quick list of Ammo in regards to bowgun modifications.

• Normal: Normal Ammo (fires a standard single shot). MVs:
  • Lv1: 10
  • Lv2: 20
  • Lv3: 34
• Pierce: Pierce Ammo (fires a straight shot that pierces through monsters to hit them multiple times. Number of hits is dependent on the ammo strength and the frame rate. Damage is reduced after the 9th hit). MVs:
  • Lv1: 7 * number of hits
  • Lv2: 7 * number of hits
  • Lv3: 9 * number of hits

• Spread: Spread Ammo (fires a short-ranged shotgun blast). MVs:
  
  • Lv1: 6 * 3
  • Lv2: 7 * 5
  • Lv3: 8 * 7
• Sticky: Sticky Ammo (attaches a charge to the target that explodes after 5 seconds. Fixed damage, ignore*****zone values and cannot crit. Deals a small amount of Fire damage. Applies Stun if explosion hits the monster's head). MVs:
  
  • Lv1: 12
  • Lv2: 17
  • Lv3: 24

• Recover: Recover Ammo (heals teammates and palicos)
  • Lv1: restores 30 HP
  • Lv2: restores 50 HP
• Poison: Poison Ammo (inflicts Poison on the target)
  • Lv1: 40 Poison build-up
  • Lv2: 80 Poison build-up
• Paralysis: Paralysis Ammo (inflicts Paralysis on the target)
  • Lv1: 40 Paralysis build-up
  • Lv2: 80 Paralysis build-up
• Sleep: Sleep Ammo (inflicts Sleep on the target)
  • Lv1: 40 Sleep build-up
  • Lv2: 80 Sleep build-up
• Exhaust: Exhaust Ammo (inflicts Exhaust on the target, or Stun if it hits the head)
  • Lv1: 50 Exhaust or 20 Stun
  • Lv2: 100 Exhaust or 40 Stun
• Flaming/Freeze/Thunder/Water: Elemental Ammo (deals elemental damage, scaling off the weapon's raw Attack. Pierces through the monster in a straight line, but can only hit the same part once). MV: [8 (shot) + 22 (element)] * number of hits
• Dragon: Elemental Ammo (deals elemental damage, scaling off the weapon's raw Attack. Fires a slow, short-range arcing projectile that ticks multiple times). MV: [2 (shot) + 18 (dragon)] * number of hits
• Slicing: Slicing Ammo (attaches a charge to the target that explodes after 5 seconds. Deals sever damage). MV: 6 * 5
• Demon: Demon Ammo (increases the Attack of a teammate or palico by 10 for 120 seconds).
• Armor: Armor Ammo (increases the Defense of a teammate or palico by 30 for 120 seconds).
• Tranq: Tranq Ammo (used to capture monsters. Works just like Tranq bombs)

Note: Rapid Fire ammo (unique to Light Bowgun) will fire 3 shots instead of one. The 2nd and 3rd shot have half the MV of a regular shot. Rapid Fire Sticky will only fire 2 shots with a total MV of 24.

Special Ammo

Special Ammo recharges over time. Some can be used before they are fully recharged but to reduced effect. What special ammo a hunter has is determined by their bowgun, and every bowgun has only one special round.

• Wyvernblast: Has up to 3 mines with a recharge time of 60 seconds each. Plants a mine on the ground with a jet of gas coming out the top. Three mines can be deployed at one time and will automatically explode after a while. The mine can be detonated by the hunter or by the monster and the size of the explosion depends on the strength of the attack that hit it. Each mine starts with a total of 5 charges which are depleted when they are triggered. MVs:
  
  • Small explosion (consumes 1 charge): 26
  • Medium explosion (consumes 2 charges): 32
  • Large explosion (consumes 4 charges): 49
• Wyvernblast Counter: Can be equipped by any LBG by using the Wyvernblast Mod. Has up to 3 mines with a recharge time of 60 seconds each. Shoots a mine and pushes back the hunter at the same time (it has no invincibility frames). If the monster hits the mine it will trigger an explosion (size is relative to the strength of the attack that hit it), if not the mine will automatically explode after 1 second. MVs:
  • Small explosion/failed counter: 26
  • Medium explosion: 49
  • Large explosion: 73
  • Extra-Large explosion: 110 

Light Bowgun Controls

•  (Hold): Aim
• : Fire (also reloads if magazine is empty)
• : Place Wyvernblast
• : Reload
• D-pad up/down or  +  / : Select Ammo
• + : Melee Attack. MV: 25
• Midair : Jumping Reload (performs a Melee Attack and reloads at the same time)
•  + : switch between Aim and Slinger

Light Bowguns are a type of Weapon in Monster Hunter World (MHW). This page shows a visual gallery of all different styles for Light Bowguns. Weapons are often upgraded based on previous decisions, with different paths leading to different looks and necessitating different materials. You can find detailed upgrade path information in the Light Bowgun Weapon Tree or by clicking each individual weapon below.

Iceborne Light Bowguns are Master Rank Light Bowguns in Monster Hunter World Iceborne (MHW). These rare 9 and above weapons were added with the Iceborne Expansion and can only be obtained by players who own the expansion. The weapons use Master Rank Materials that can be obtained by completing quests and doing endgame content.

Iceborne Light Bowguns

You can search by Name, Rarity, Affinity, or Element. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.

Quick Search of All Light Bowguns 

Name	Attack	Affinity	Element	Rare
Crossblitzer I Average 3	273	0%	-	9
Crossblitzer II Average 4	299	0%	-	10
Crossblitzer III Average 4	338	0%	-	11
Blackwing Bowgun I Average 4	338	20%	-	10
Blackwing Bowgun II  Average 4	351	25%	-	11
Lumu Typhon IV Average 3	273	15%	-	9
Nightmare's Seed I Average 3	286	15%	-	9
Nightmare's Seed II Average 4	312	15%	-	10
Glavenus Blitz High 4	299	0%	-	10
Acid Blitz I High 4	312	0%	-	10
Acid Blitz II High 4	325	0%	-	11
Bazelcore High 4	364	-10%	-	11
Saber's Howl I High 3	299	0%	-	9
Saber's Howl II High 4	338	0%	-	10
Rex Fusillade I Very High 4	312	-20%	-	10
Rex Fusillade II Very High 4	325	-20%	-	10
Rathbuster III Average 4	273	20%	-	10
Azure Soulscorcher Average 4	312	20%	-	10
Lightning Blitz IV Average 3	286	0%	-	9
Usurper's Crime Average 4	312	0%	-	10
Usurper's Crime + Average 4	325	0%	-	11
Frost Blitz III - Average 3	273	0%	-	9
Blizzard Cannon - Average 4	286	20%	-	10
Blizzard Cannon + - Average 4	299	25%	-	10
Blizzard Volley - Average 4	312	30%	-	11
Laguna Blitz I Average 3	286	0%	-	9
Laguna Blitz II Average 4	325	0%	-	10
Breakshot I High 3	273	0%	-	9
Breakshot II High 4	299	0%	-	10
Breakshot III High 4	338	0%	-	11
Icehawk Low 4	338	0%	-	11
Graceful Almaria Low 4	351	0%	-	12
Gulgoleth's Despair Average 4	325	0%	-	11
Gulgoleth's Ruin Average 4	338	0%	-	12
Anja Buster IV - Very High 3	299	-30%	-	9
Fulgurshot I - Very High 4	325	-20%	-	10
Fulgurshot II - Very High 4	351	-20%	-	10
Jyura Bullet IV Average 3	273	0%	-	9
Beo Shooter I Average 3	286	0%	-	9
Beo Shooter II Average 4	338	0%	-	10
Hidden Bullet I - Average 4	299	0%	-	10
Hidden Bullet II - Average 4	325	15%	-	10
Fireshatter I High 4	299	20%	-	10
Fireshatter II High 4	325	0%	-	10
Mammoth Bowgun I Very High 3	306	0%	-	9
Mammoth Bowgun II Very High 4	345	0%	-	10
Barroth Bazooka I High 3	312	-20%	-	9
Barroth Bazooka II High 4	351	-20%	-	10
Brachydios Shot I - Very High 4	312	0%	-	10
Brachydios Shot II Very High 4	325	0%	-	10
Karma + Low 4	286	30%	-	10
Nether Salvo Low 4	299	35%	-	10
Ghost Low 4	312	35%	-	11
Dragonseal Bowgun I Average 4	312	0%	-	10
Dragonseal Bowgun II Average 4	325	0%	-	11
Fading Blossom None 4	377	0%	-	12
God's Isle Very High 4	312	0%	-	11
Mythical Three-Evils - Average 4	325	0%	-	11
Hydra Actinula - High 4	338	15%	-	11
Black Actinula - High 4	364	15%	-	12
Daora's Yellowjacket Average 4	338	10%	-	11
Diregun Dementia - Very High 4	364	-25%	-	12
Rajang Barrage  Very High	377	-15%	-	11
Ten Thousand Volts  Very High	403	-15%	-	12
Ruinous Cataclysm  High	351	0%	-	12
Accursed Fire  Very High	351	-20%	-	11
Argent Ray  Average	351	20%	-	12
Despot's Wildfire  Average	338	0%	-	12
Neo Cross Bowgun  None	338	0%	-	11
Soulfire Rasp "Blaze"  High	338	20%	-	12
Soulfire Rasp "Ruin"  Very High	351	0%	-	12
Soulfire Rasp "Styx" Average	338	10%	-	12
Brimstren Drakekiss   High	338	0%	-	11
Brimstren Drakevow  High	351	0%	-	12
Stormslinger Prototype  Very High	390	0%	-	9
Adept Stormslinger  Very High	416	0%	-	12
Xeno Neqiina +  Average	351	0%	-	12
Safi's Hellshot  Very High	325	5%	-	12
Safi's Aquashot  Very High	325	5%	-	12
Safi's Boltshot  Very High	325	5%	-	12
Safi's Frostshot  Very High	325	5%	-	12
Safi's Drakshot  Very High	325	5%	-	12
Guild Palace Bowgun Average	325	10%	--	10
Royal Surefire Shot Average	351	15%	--	12
Demonlord Cannon Low	377	20%	--	12
Lightbreak Gun Very High	364	0%	--	12
Alatreon Razer  Low	325	0%	--	11
Alatreon Dominator  Low	338	0%	--	12
Blizzard Gust Average	338	15%	--	11

Ammo Types

The following is a list of all Bowgun Ammo types.

Icon	Name	Notes
	Normal Ammo	Basic ammunition. Comes in three levels of increasing damage. Deals Ammo Damage.
	Pierce Ammo	Ammo which penetrates in a line, causing more damage the further it travels through the target. Deals Ammo Damage.
	Spread Ammo	Shotgun-like ammo that fires multiple pellets with short range. Deals Ammo Damage.
	Sticky Ammo	Attaches a small explosive charge which explodes after a delay. Can cause Stun buildup.
	Cluster Bomb	An arcing shot which splits into multiple explosives. Causes heavy knockback to Allies.
	Recover Ammo	Restores Health to Allies. Effectiveness increases with level.
	Poison Ammo	Causes Poison status buildup. Effectiveness increases with level. Success is indicated by purple saliva from a Monster's mouth.
	Paralysis Ammo	Causes Paralysis status buildup. Effectiveness increases with level.
	Sleep Ammo	Causes Sleep status buildup. Effectiveness increases with level.
	Exhaust Ammo	Reduces a Monster's Stamina. Effectiveness increases with level.
	Flaming Ammo	Causes  Fire Element damage and pierces targets.
	Water Ammo	Causes  Water Element damage and pierces targets.
	Freeze Ammo	Causes  Ice Element damage and pierces targets.
	Thunder Ammo	Causes  Thunder Element damage and pierces targets.
	Dragon Ammo	Causes Dragon Element damage and pierces targets.
	Slicing Ammo	Attaches a charge that explodes and causes Cut Damage.
	Wyvern Ammo	Short range, slow, yet highly damaging ammo. Requires a short chargeup to fire.
	Demon Ammo	Boosts Attack Power of Allies for a short time.
	Armor Ammo	Boosts Defense of Allies for a short time.
	Tranq Ammo	Functions identically to Tranq Bomb.

 

 

 

Light Bowguns Gallery MHW

Click here for Light Bowgun Weapon Tree

 

Light Bowgun Ore Weapons

Chain Blitz

  

High Chain Blitz

  

Cross Blitz

 

Nergal Spitter

Cataclysm's Trigger

Lumu Blitz

 

 

Lumu Typhon

  

Bazel Typhoon

 

Jagras Blitz

  

Jagras Fire

  

Flame Blitz

 

Rathbuster

 

 

Thunder Blitz

 

Lightning Blitz

  

Snow Blitz

 

Frost Blitz

 

 

Light Bowgun Bone Weapons

Hunter's Rifle

  

Power Rifle

  

Sniper Shot

 

Hazak Ereipia

Gulgoleth's Wail

Blazing Rifle

 

 

Anja Buster

  

Madness Rifle

  

Jyura Bullet

 

Lava Bullet

 

Carapace Rifle

  

Barroth Shot

  

 

Garon Rifle

 

Fate's Ember

Karma

Dragonbone Bowgun

  

Onigashima

Dai-onigashima

 

Mythical Horn

Mythical Horn+

Mythical Three-Horn

Blacksteel Crossbow

 

Icesteel Wasp

Daora's Hornet

 

Xeno Neqiina

Cross Bowgun

Great Bowgun

Devil's Grin

Devil's Madness

Empress Shell

 

Empress Shell Blaze

Empress Shell Ruin

Empress Shell Styx

 
Crossblitzer 

  
Mammoth Bowgun 

Rajang Barrage

 

Ten Thousand Volts 

Brimstren Drakekiss

Brimstren Drakevow

Stormslinger Prototype

Adept Stormslinger

Defender Light Bowgun

 

Xeno Neqiina +

Guild Palace Bowgun

Royal Surefire Shot

Demonlord Cannon

Lightbreak Gun

Alatreon Razer 

 

Alatreon Dominator

Blizzard Gust

Fatalis Pit

Fatalis Depth

 

 

 

 

Kulve Taroth Light Bowguns

 

 
Bomber Gold Razer

 
Claw Gold Razer

 
Decay Gold Razer

 
Drifter Gold Razer

 
Erupter Gold Razer

 
Glutton Gold Razer

 

  
Gold Pierce Razer

 
Gold Shot Razer

 
Gold Spread Razer

 
King Gold Razer

 
Mire Gold Razer

 
Mud Gold Razer

 

  
Rage Gold Razer

 
Taroth Blitz Bomber

 
Taroth Blitz Claw

 
Taroth Blitz Decay

 
Taroth Blitz Drifter

 
Taroth Blitz Erupter

 

  
Taroth Blitz Glutton

 
Taroth Blitz King

 
Taroth Blitz Mire

 
Taroth Blitz Mud

 
Taroth Blitz Rage

 
Taroth Blitz Pierce

 

  
Taroth Blitz Shot

 
Taroth Blitz Spread

 
Taroth Blitz Support

 
Kjarr Blitz "Ice"

 
Kjarr Blitz "Thunder"

 
Kjarr Blitz "Claw"

 

  
Kjarr Blitz "Bomber"

 
Kjarr Blitz "King"

 
Kjarr Blitz "Decay"

 

 

 

 

Safi'jiiva Weapons

 

  
Safi's Hellshot

Safi's Boltshot

Safi's Drakshot

Safi's Aquashot

Safi's Frostshot