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These are the best builds for the Light Bowgun in Monster Hunter World (MHW) Iceborne for DLC progression and endgame. Learn about the best builds, skills, and weapons for the Light Bowgun below!
List of Contents
| Weapon | Decorations | |
|---|---|---|
|
Alatreon Dominator
Attack: 338 Custom Mods: Recoil Suppressor x3 Power Barrel x1 |
Challenger Jewel 2 Challenger Jewel 2 Agitator 1
x2 |
|
| Armor | Slots and Skills | Decorations |
|
|
Slots: ④④①
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1) |
Expert Jewel+ 4 Expert Jewel+ 4 Critical Eye 2
x1Challenger Jewel+ 4 Challenger Jewel+ 4 Agitator 2
x1Blaze Jewel 1 Blaze Jewel 1 Fire Attack 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ④④④
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1) |
Critical/Protection Jewel 4 Critical/Protection Jewel 4 Critical Boost 1, Divine Blessing 1
x3 |
|
|
Slots: ④ーー
Agitator (Lv 2) Blast Resistance (Lv 1) |
Jumping/Expert Jewel 4 Jumping/Expert Jewel 4 Evade Extender 1, Critical Eye 1
x3 |
|
|
Slots: ④④④
Critical Eye (Lv 2) |
Challenger/Evasion Jewel 4 Challenger/Evasion Jewel 4 Agitator 1, Evade Window 1
x3 |
|
|
Slots: ④④④
Evade Window (Lv 1) |
Resistor/Release Jewel 4 Resistor/Release Jewel 4 Blight Resistance 1, Free Elem/Ammo Up 1
x3 |
| Blaze Charm V | None | |
| Skills | |
|---|---|
| Critical Eye 7 | Agitator 7 |
| Fire Attack 6 | Evade Window 5 |
| Divine Blessing 3 | Blight Resistance 3 |
| Critical Boost 3 | Evade Extender 3 |
| Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 | Weakness Exploit 3 |
| Inheritance (Fatalis Legend 2) | Transcendence (Fatalis Legend 4) |
| True Razor Sharp / Spare Shot (Fatalis Legend 4) | |
An Elemental build using the full range of elemental rapid fires that Alatreon Dominator offers. Just don't forget to swap the Charm and Decoration to match the element you're going for!
Taking advantage of Inheritance from the Fatalis Legend Set Bonus, this build provides high affinity and attack using the unlocked Agitator 7, complemented with Critical Eye, Critical Boost, and Weakness Exploit.
Transcendance from the Fatalis Legend Set Bonus provides comfort and survivability with True Razor Sharp and the huge Health and Stamina boost. This gives you a chance to not consume ammo and gets you to max HP without Health Boost and eating meals or consuming Max/Ancient Potions.
Divine Blessing, Evade Window, and Evade Extender are nice defensive skills that lets you dodge more effectively and lighten the punishment of making mistakes, allowing for a more aggressive playstyle.
| Meta Builds |
|---|
|
|
| Weapon | Decorations | |
|---|---|---|
|
Safi's Aquashot
Attack: 325 Custom Mods: Recoil Suppressor x2 Evading Reload x2 |
Destroyer/Evasion Jewel 4 Destroyer/Evasion Jewel 4 Partbreaker 1, Evade Window 1
x1 |
|
| Armor | Slots and Skills | Decorations |
|
|
Slots: ④④①
Weakness Exploit (Lv 1) |
Release/Maintenance Jewel 4 Release/Maintenance Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Tool Specialist 1
x2Trueshot Jewel 1 Trueshot Jewel 1 Special Ammo Boost 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ④②①
Agitator (Lv 2) |
Release/Maintenance Jewel 4 Release/Maintenance Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Tool Specialist 1
x1KO Jewel 2 KO Jewel 2 Slugger 1
x1Trueshot Jewel 1 Trueshot Jewel 1 Special Ammo Boost 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ②②ー
Agitator (Lv 2) Artillery (Lv 3) |
KO Jewel 2 KO Jewel 2 Slugger 1
x2 |
|
|
Slots: ③ーー
Agitator (Lv 3) Artillery (Lv 2) |
Mind's Eye Jewel 2 Mind's Eye Jewel 2 Mind's Eye/Ballistics 1
x1 |
| Grand God's Peer Feet Beta + |
Slots: ④④ー
Health Boost (Lv 3) |
Destroyer/Evasion Jewel 4 Destroyer/Evasion Jewel 4 Partbreaker 1, Evade Window 1
x2 |
| Razor Sharp Charm | None | |
| Skills | |
|---|---|
| Agitator 7 | Artillery 5 |
| Evade Window 3 | Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 |
| Health Boost 3 | Partbreaker 3 |
| Slugger 3 | Tool Specialist 3 |
| Special Ammo Boost 2 | Weakness Exploit 1 |
| Mind's Eye/Ballistics 1 | Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1 |
| Agitator Secret (Brachydios Will 2) | Artillery Secret (Brachydios Will 4) |
This build focuses on firing as much Sticky Ammo on the monsters to deal a lot of damage using the unlocked Artillery and Agitator.
Equipping the Impact Mantle combined with Slugger makes stunning monsters very fast. Tool Specialist helps with bringing the mantle off of cooldown faster for even more stuns.
Spare Shot gives you a chance to not consume ammo, making your stock of ammo and crafting materials last longer in a fight before needing to go back to camp to resupply.
A special tip if you forgot to do Evading Reload after firing, place down a Wyvernblast to chain into an Evading Reload!
| Weapon | Decorations | |
|---|---|---|
|
Kjarr Blitz "Decay"
Attack: 351 Custom Mods: Recoil Suppressor x3 Power Barrel x1 |
--- | |
| Armor | Slots and Skills | Decorations |
|
|
Slots: ④①①
Evade Window (Lv 1) Critical Boost (Lv 1) |
Stream Jewel+ 4 Stream Jewel+ 4 Water Attack 2
x1Stream Jewel 1 Stream Jewel 1 Water Attack 1
x2 |
|
|
Slots: ④②
Blight Resistance (Lv 1) Critical Boost (Lv 1) |
Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Health Boost 1
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Weakness Exploit 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ④②②
Blight Resistance (Lv 1) |
Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Health Boost 1
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Weakness Exploit 1
x2 |
|
|
Slots: ④①
Evade Window (Lv 2) |
Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Health Boost 1
x1Stream Jewel 1 Stream Jewel 1 Water Attack 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ④②①
Critical Boost (Lv 1) |
Shaver Jewel 3 x1 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Weakness Exploit 1
x1Stream Jewel 1 Stream Jewel 1 Water Attack 1
x1 |
| Razor Sharp Charm | None | |
| Skills | |
|---|---|
| Water Attack 6 | Evade Window 3 |
| Critical Boost 3 | Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 |
| Health Boost 3 | Weakness Exploit 3 |
| Blight Resistance 2 | Mind's Eye/Ballistics 1 |
| Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1 | Clutch Claw Boost 1 |
| Critical Element (Kjarr Weapon) | Dragonvein Awakening (Safi'Jiiva Seal 3) |
| True Dragonvein Awakening (Safi'Jiiva Seal 5) | |
A build that concentrates on dealing a lot of elemental damage using the Kjarr Weapon's Critical Element combined with Safi'jiiva's True Dragonvein Awakening.
True Dragonvein Awakening provides increased elemental damage and affinity from continuously attacking the monster. Each swing of the weapon consumes your HP whether it hits something or not, but Health Regen augments can help mitigate this a little bit.
Critical Boost, Critical Element, and Weakness Exploit boosts and takes advantage of the high affinity True Dragonvein Awakening already provides.
Spare Shot gives you a chance to not consume ammo, making your stock of ammo and crafting materials last longer in a fight before needing to go back to camp to resupply.
Just swap out the Decorations and Weapon to match the element you're going for!
| Progression Builds |
|---|
|
|

The Guardian Armor plus Defender Weapon combo is a viable starter build for Iceborne's early game. It has good enough defense to take hits from the early monsters, as well as enough damage to let you farm for your early Iceborne build.
The Guardian Armor set is given to all players from the start of the game and has good defense and survival skills while the Defender Weapon can be crafted from the Smithy and can be fully upgraded with ease.
| Weapon | Decorations | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lumu Typhon ⅠV
Attack: 273 Custom Mods: Recoil Suppressor x2 Power Barrel x1 |
Expert Jewel 1 Expert Jewel 1 Critical Eye 1
x1 |
|
| Armor | Decorations | |
|
|
Slots: ③ーー
Health Boost (Lv 2) Partbreaker (Lv 1) |
Release Jewel 3 Release Jewel 3 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ②ーー
Attack Boost (Lv 2) Health Boost (Lv 1) |
Tenderizer Jewel 2 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Weakness Exploit 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ④ーー
Free Elem/Ammo Up (Lv 1) Effluvia Resistance (Lv 1) |
Tenderizer/Evasion Jewel 4 Tenderizer/Evasion Jewel 4 Weakness Exploit 1, Evade Window 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ③ーー
Item Prolonger (Lv 2) Critical Eye (Lv 1) |
Tenderizer Jewel 2 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Weakness Exploit 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ①ーー
Paralysis Attack (Lv 2) Free Elem/Ammo Up (Lv 1) |
Expert Jewel 1 Expert Jewel 1 Critical Eye 1
x1 |
| Master's Charm III | None | |
| Skills | |
|---|---|
| Critical Eye 6 | Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 |
| Health Boost 3 | Weakness Exploit 3 |
| Attack Boost 2 | Paralysis Attack 2 |
| Item Prolonger 2 | Evade Window 1 |
| Effluvia Resistance 1 | Partbreaker 1 |
A rapid-fire Pierce build with high affinity thanks to Critical Eye and Weakness Exploit that can get you through to mid game.
| Weapon | Decorations | |
|---|---|---|
|
Azure Soulscorcher
Attack: 312 Custom Mods: Recoil Suppressor x3 Power Barrel x1 |
Expert Jewel 1 Expert Jewel 1 Critical Eye 1
x1 |
|
| Armor | Slots and Skills | Decorations |
|
|
Slots: ③②ー
Divine Blessing (Lv 2) Coalescence (Lv 1) |
Expert Jewel 1 Expert Jewel 1 Critical Eye 1
x2 |
|
|
Slots: ④ーー
Weakness Exploit (Lv 2) |
Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Health Boost 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ④ーー
Quick Sheath (Lv 1) Flinch Free (Lv 1) |
Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Health Boost 1
x1 |
|
|
Slots: ①①①
Constitution (Lv 2) Stamina Surge (Lv 1) |
Expert Jewel 1 Expert Jewel 1 Critical Eye 1
x3 |
|
|
Slots: ④②ー
Stamina Surge (Lv 2) |
Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Release/Vitality Jewel 4 Free Elem/Ammo Up 1, Health Boost 1
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2 Tenderizer Jewel 2 Weakness Exploit 1
x1 |
| Razor Sharp Charm | None | |
| Skills | |
|---|---|
| Critical Eye 6 | Free Elem/Ammo Up 3 |
| Health Boost 3 | Stamina Surge 3 |
| Weakness Exploit 3 | Constitution 2 |
| Divine Blessing 2 | Coalescence 1 |
| Flinch Free 1 | Quick Sheath 1 |
| Razor Sharp/Spare Shot 1 | Element Acceleration (Namielle Divinity 2) |
| Critical Element (Velkhana Divinity 2) | |
An elemental build that uses Critical Element and Element Acceleration. Critical Eye and Weakness Exploit provide all the affinity you need, as long as you don't use weapons with negative base affinity.
Just swap out the Charm and Weapon to match the element you're going for!
| Weapon | Explanation |
|---|---|
|
Alatreon Dominator
[Atk] 338 | [Affinity] -20% |
・High raw damage ・Recommended for most elemental ammo builds |
|
Ten Thousand Volts
[Atk] 403 | [Affinity] 0% |
・Best choice for sticky ammo builds |
|
Adept Stormslinger
[Atk] 416 | [Affinity] 0% |
・A niche, but powerful LBG for thunder-based LBG builds |
| Skill | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Health Boost ( ★★★ ) |
Increases maximum health to increase your survival rate A must have for beginners |
| Elemental Attacks ( ★★★ ) |
LBGs, unlike their heavy counterparts, are amazing at dealing elemental damage through their ammo. Maximize their damage by investing in their ammo's corresponding elemental attack jewels. |
| Weakness Exploit ( ★★★ ) |
A meta staple that increases your affinity when striking a monster's weak spot. This also applies to weakspots created from Clutch Claw attacks. |
| Critical Boost ( ★★★ ) |
Increases the damage of critical hits. Best used when paired with Weakness Exploit |
| Critical Eye ( ★★★ ) |
Increases your Affinity |
| Mind's Eye/Ballistics ( ★★★ ) |
Improves an ammo's critical distance |
| True Razor Sharp/Spare Shot (★★) |
Spare Shot gives us a chance to prevent ammo loss when shooting |

Best Endgame Builds and Weapon Progression Builds
| Melee Weapons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranged Weapons | |
|---|---|
| Monster Counterbuilds | |
|---|---|
Had an update about the sticky build? had a lot of errors in the skills list and other things like 2 jewels lv4 on Golden hakama beta +, that's impossible
Best Light Bowgun Builds for Iceborne

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why the builds on this site are always messed up brah? No real gamers work a game8