Le Heavy Barrel Rifle, as in previous entries in the series, is a powerful weapon in Monster hunter rise. Unlike its smaller cousin, the Light Bowgun, it's heavier, clumsier, slower, but far more powerful. They act much the same, but the Heavy Bowgun relies on less powerful and less powerful shots than a plethora of smaller ones. Additionally, he can charge some of his shots for extra damage, which makes him true to his name. The infamous Cluster Bomb is also part of his kit, so let's take a look at everything mentioned below in this guide.
Heavy Barrel Shotgun Guide and Overview
The Heavy Bowgun does one thing in Monster Hunter Rise, and it does it well. It's a tool of destruction, which especially shines when used in multiplayer, due to the nature of a ranged weapon. It's easier to land accurate shots when the monster's attention is elsewhere, but make no mistake, this gun can make it just as effective even in solo hunts.
Its powerful shots and special ammo are its selling point, both hitting hard when aimed at the right spot. As a Light Bowgun, he has different types of ammo that help depending on the occasion, and when his signature ability is recharged, you can use his special ammo to unleash hell on a creature.
It has two types of special ammo, one being the Wyvernsnipe and the other Wyvernheart. Wyvernsnipe is self-explanatory, as it's a single shot, aimed from a great distance, packs a real punch. Wyvernheart turns the Heavy Bowgun into a literal machine gun, firing hundreds of rounds in very few seconds. Both are equally powerful on their own, but I personally prefer the Wyvernheart because it's easier to use. The snipe must be fired in a very precise way, in order to hit the weak point of the monsters in one shot. If you miss the few hits you have, the ability is simply wasted.
Besides its regular hits, the Heavy Bowgun has other tricks up its sleeve. You can equip certain mods there, which allows for some cool features. One in particular is the Shield Mod, which literally attaches a shield to the weapon. Considering it's a ranged weapon, this fact is particularly odd, but useful indeed. The Heavy Bowgun is as its name suggests, heavy. That means it's slow and you can barely move with it. Having a shield to protect you from certain hits you don't have time to dodge can save you in a lot of tough places. It's of course not as powerful as Lance's for example, but it's still a shield.
While the Heavy Bowgun acts similar to its Light version, it is harder to handle due to its significantly less mobility. His attacks hurt a lot more though, being able to flinch and knock monsters back on certain occasions, making up for his big downside. If you want to try out these ranged weapons offered by Monster Hunter Rise, my personal suggestion would be to start with the Light Bowgun and see if you like its playstyle. If you do, practice with it a bit, then jump into this juggernaut. They end up playing completely differently, making them unique enough to be a different type of weapon, but the core gameplay remains the same. If you like pew-pew stuff, then one of the two versions is for you.
Heavy Rifle Commands and Combinations
- ZL = Aiming Sights
- ZR = Fire
- A = Load / Unload special ammo
- X = Reload
- Yes = Sheathe arme
- Hold L + X ou B = Select ammo
- X+A = Melee attack
Recommended Combos
Like the Light Bowgun, the Heavy Bowgun has no special combos. You need to manage your ammo properly, use special ammo when reloaded, and keep shooting monsters.
Heavy Attacks Silk Bindings with a Bow Rifle
- ZL + X = Anchor Guard
- Allows you to absorb an attack without taking damage. Followed by pressing ZR to fire.
- ZL + A = Free Silkbind Slip
- Use a Wirebug to project yourself forward. Press X + A to follow up with a melee attack or Y to follow up with a quick sheath.
Advantages and disadvantages
- Benefits
- Very high damage for a ranged weapon, combining all of its ammo and special ammo.
- Special Mods grant access to defensive abilities.
- More ammo than its counterpart.
- Silkbind attacks provide additional defense mechanisms, compensating for the weapon's low mobility.
- The inconvenients
- Very low mobility.
- Slow attacks tend to make you vulnerable.
- Very slow sheathing movement.
Monster hunter rise is available on the Nintendo Switch. For more guides on the game, be sure to check out our full list here.
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