Skip to content
Light Bowgun
Monster Hunter Generations

Light Bowgun

Learn the intricacies of the Light Bowgun in Monster Hunter Generations. Master mobile combat, ammo types, critical distance, and various Hunter Styles for maximum damage.

By ··10 min read·Multi-source verified
1 reading this guide  

Learn the intricacies of the Light Bowgun in Monster Hunter Generations. Master mobile combat, ammo types, critical distance, and various Hunter Styles for maximum damage.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    Understand that Gunner weapons, unlike Blademaster weapons, focus on shooting, then reloading or repositioning. Their complexity lies in preparation and weapon choice, particularly ammo types.
  2. 2
    When viewing a Light Bowgun at the Smithy, note its Attack (raw damage), Reload speed, and Recoil. Aim for low Recoil ratings; "Some" is manageable, but avoid "Above Average" or higher.
  3. 3
    Press R twice to view the Ammo table, which details the types of ammo the gun can accept. Not all Bowguns can use every ammo type (e.g., Normal 1, 2, 3; elemental; status).
  4. 4
    Check the second page of the Ammo table for elemental shot capabilities and the third page for Rapid Fire, which fires multiple shots using only one ammo but locks you in place.
  5. 5
    Utilize "built-in ammo" that comes with the weapon, takes no inventory space, and is available at the start of each quest. The amount and type depend on the weapon's upgrade level.
  6. 6
    Be aware of the pros and cons: Gunner weapons offer range and part-targeting advantages but have lower defense (half of Blademaster armor), rely more on elemental damage, and require constant ammo management.
  7. 7
    Master Guild Style controls: D-pad/right circle pad to aim, X to reload, A to shoot, R+X+A to reload while sheathed, B for evasive roll/sidehop.
  8. 8
    Understand "critical distance": the optimal range for maximum bullet damage, indicated by screen shake when shooting. Constantly reposition to maintain this distance.
  9. 9
    Be mindful of your fragility as a Gunner; while melee attacks can be avoided, ranged attacks and charges can be deadly due to lower armor defense.
  10. 10
    Adapt your playstyle for other Hunter Styles:
  11. 11
    Striker Style: Lose sidehops but gain three Hunting Arts. Adjust by relying more on rolling.
  12. 12
    Aerial Style: Vault off monsters for unique attacks. Press X for a rifle smack and instant reload, A to shoot in any direction, or X+A to shoot downwards and propel yourself forward. Lose sidehops; equip one Hunting Art.
  13. 13
    Adept Style: Lose sidehops. A successful perfect evade triggers a power sprint and a "Power Reload" which buffs ammo for 10 seconds. After the Power Reload, press X for a power run.
  14. 14
    For recommended skills, consider "Element Up" for elemental shots, "Normal Up" for Normal ammo, and "Attack Up" for general damage.
  15. 15
    Beginners may find "Dead Eye" (Trajectory) useful to increase critical distance range.
  16. 16
    Situational skills like "Recoil Down" can be helpful but should be secondary to offensive skills.
  17. 17
    "Evade Distance Up" is highly recommended for Gunners to improve repositioning speed and evasion capability.
Tips
  • Mobile and quick is the name of the game. Boom, headshot!
  • Gunner weapons have multiple different types of ammo, so unless you’re using a Bow, the element/damage of your Gunner weapon depends more on your ammo choice.
  • Be sure to have Light Bowguns that can handle multiple types of ammo across all of them.
  • Consider whether the trade-off of Rapid Fire (multiple shots, one ammo, locked in place) is worth it.
  • Gunner weapons may not be “complicated” to fight with in the field, but the weapons themselves are extremely sophisticated and multilayered. So be sure to read through everything and decide carefully which Light Bowgun you want to make.
  • Since you have range, many attacks that would devastate Blademasters you can safely ignore.
  • You can aim for parts that many Blademaster weapons cannot reach.
  • The Light Bowgun is more mobile and light.
  • Playing Gunner involves knowing your distance.
  • It is safe to be super far away but you will gimp your damage heavily in doing so.
  • As a Gunner, you can avoid most of the monster’s melee attacks, but things like charges and ranged beams can spell your doom because your armor has half the defense of Blademaster armor!
  • Always keep this in mind. You are very fragile as a Gunner and you don’t want that monster messing around with you at all.
  • If you perform a successful perfect evade (Adept Style), you will begin a power sprint and you’ll also automatically do a Power Reload.
  • This reloads all of your ammo and also powers up your ammo for 10 seconds.
  • After the power reload, press X to do a power run where you’ll run very far forward very quickly (steer carefully).
  • End early anytime by rolling.
  • The most valuable part of this whole deal is obviously the buff to your ammo for a short period of time so be sure to take advantage of this to riddle the monster with bullets!

100% Human-Written. AI Fact-Checked. Community Verified. Learn how AntMag verifies content