The weapons of the Monster Hunter franchise hardly get as much attention as the monsters themselves. Many of the weapons found in the games help take these monsters down and make the player feel like an expert in the field of hunting and trapping. One weapon that can accomplish that feeling and aid in offense, defense and support is the bow.
In Monster Hunter World, the bow offers versatility that helps players defeat monsters from any range. Much like the guns found in the game, the bow offers long-range support for teammates. However, thanks to the power shot move, bow users can launch powerful tri-arrow shots at monsters in close and medium range. Shots can also be charged at any distance to guarantee maximum damage when fired. This helps make the bow effective at any range and a viable replacement for other long-range weapons.
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The bow also has multiple attacks that act very similar to melee weapons. One of the most creative moves for the weapon is when a player is in the air above a monster. With the press of a button, a player can use an arrow as a piercing weapon to stab a monster and potentially mount them for continuous damage. However, it's a risky move as it can often miss depending on how a monster moves. Arrows can also sever and damage limbs similar to melee weapons. This is accomplished with the Dragon Piercer arrow, a charged shot that distributes massive damage across a monster. The bow also has uses that are similar to the high-powered guns found in the franchise.
In Monster Hunter World, gun users can cover their ammunition in various coatings. These coatings can paralyze, poison and sedate large monsters. However, gun users also have to purchase ammunition. Bow users have the same coating options but only worry about gathering materials because they have infinite ammunition. While it fires at a slower rate, their only concern is with coating. Bows don't even have to worry about the sharpness of their arrows. For sword users, when they use their weapon, they often have to pause to sharpen it. Archers can continuously fire, so long as they conserve their stamina, without losing any damage in their attacks.
When in battle, players must communicate and work together to hunt or trap a monster efficiently and quickly. This typically means that players have to have a synergy with their attacks. The bow can offer that in spades. A great example is when it is paired with an insect glaive. Glaive users can fire a kinsect that releases clouds of poison, paralysis or sedation, and when exploded, the monster could succumb to it. Bow users have the ability to fire on these clouds while the monster is taking damage from a glaive user, causing a two-tier attack. Once vulnerable to the status effect, the monster can become open for attacks that were mainly possible thanks to the archer's assistance.
The bow may appear to be one of the weaker weapons in Monster Hunter World and its other installments, but it offers some of the most unique gameplay variations that make it the glue that keeps teams together. It can be effective at all ranges and do things other weapons can do without any downsides. Its versatility makes it the glue that keeps a team together and the most invaluable weapon in the game.
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