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Heavy Bowgun
Monster Hunter Generations

Heavy Bowgun

Learn to master the Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Generations. This guide covers weapon stats, ammo types, controls, Guild, Striker, Aerial, and Bushido styles, and recommended skills.

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Learn to master the Heavy Bowgun in Monster Hunter Generations. This guide covers weapon stats, ammo types, controls, Guild, Striker, Aerial, and Bushido styles, and recommended skills.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Understand Gunner weapon mechanics: Unlike Blademaster weapons, Gunner weapons focus on shooting, reloading, and repositioning rather than complex combos. Ammo choice dictates elemental/damage output for most Gunner weapons (except Bow).
  2. 2
    Examine Heavy Bowgun stats at the Smithy: Key stats include Raw Attack, Reload speed (e.g., "Average"), and Recoil (avoid "Above Average" or higher).
  3. 3
    Check the Ammo table (Press R twice): This table shows which ammo types your Heavy Bowgun can use. Not all Bowguns accept all ammo types (Normal, Elemental, Status, etc.).
  4. 4
    Note Internal Ammo: This is ammo available for free at the start of every quest.
  5. 5
    Understand Siege Mode: A special Heavy Bowgun ability allowing sustained, high-damage firing while rooted to the spot.
  6. 6
    Choose your Style carefully: Guild, Striker, Aerial, and Bushido styles offer different advantages and limitations regarding Hunting Arts and Siege Mode usage.
  7. 7
    Select appropriate skills: Optimize your Heavy Bowgun build with skills like Element Up (if using elemental ammo), Normal Up (for Normal ammo), Dead Eye (increases critical distance range), and Evade Distance Up (for better repositioning and evasion).
Tips
  • Gunner weapons have a critical range where damage is maximized; the screen shakes when you hit within this range. Reposition by rolling to stay within it.
  • In Guild Style, use Siege Mode when the monster is downed for massive damage, exiting when it recovers.
  • Striker Style sacrifices Siege Mode for three Hunting Arts.
  • Aerial Style allows for quick reloads after a successful vault (press X) or a downward shot for repositioning (press X+A). Siege Mode can be canceled quickly by rolling.
  • Bushido Style offers a short spring after a perfect evade. Press X during this to instantly reload all ammo. A perfect evade with the weapon unsheathed and pressing X initiates a power reload, bolstering ammo for 10 seconds, after which you can enter Siege Mode.
  • Gunner armor has half the Defense of Blademaster armor.
  • Keeping up with ammo can be resource-intensive.
  • Consider purchasing a shield attachment.
  • When using elemental shots, equip the corresponding Element Up skill.
  • Dead Eye increases the range of critical distance.
  • Evade Distance Up is highly recommended for quick repositioning and evasion.

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