The light bowgun is one of three ranged weapons you'll come across during your time in Monster Hunter World. And with the number of specific weapons there are in this class, chances are, you'll come across these ranged weapons alot.
Specifically, there are well over 80 light bowgun options available in Monster Hunter World, each of them with its own unique set of stats, customization options, perks, and of course, drawbacks. And as is the RPG way, finding the perfect weapon for the style of play you choose to employ can be an absolute nightmare when forced to weigh up all of these factors.
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But the choice doesn't have to be difficult, not anymore, at least. With the abundance of options available, we have done our best to provide a list of the best light bowgun options available in the game.
The Best 'Hit Or Miss' Bowgun: Diregun Dementia
If you're not a fan of getting lost in the weeds of RPG stats, you'll love the pure power this light bowgun delivers relative to its peers with a base attack rating of 364, making it one of the strongest weapons in the light bowgun class. There are, however, a few downsides here.
Like many of the other high-damage bowguns, Diregun Dementia comes with the unfortunate drawback of having a "Very High" deviation rating – making its powerful shots a bit on the inaccurate side. Also on the negative end of the spectrum, Diregun Dementia also has one of the lowest affinity ratings among all the light bowguns at minus 25 percent, meaning there's a one in four chance that one of your attacks will come with a rating penalty. But when you can land a hit, a clean hit without a penalty, this blowgun will do more than get the job done.
The Best Damage Dealer: Ten Thousand Volts
Ten Thousand Volts is the light bowgun for those who prioritize carnage and destruction. If you're looking for something that is going to take down those who stand in your way in a heartbeat, you would be hard-pressed to find an option better than this.
Even with a negative affinity rating of minus 15 percent, the chances of you mowing through enemies with this light bowgun is higher than most, propped up by a base damage rating of 403, one of just two light bowguns with an attack power in the 400s. The trick is actually landing your shots with this weapon, as Ten Thousand Volts also comes with the downside of a 'Very High' deviation rate. But with a little luck and skill on your side, this weapon can stand as a dealer of destruction.
The Best Decorative Bowgun: Xeno Neqiina +
The Xeno Neqiina + light bowgun is the perfect option in the weapon class for those who like to customize their weapon loadout as much as possible. When base stats aren't enough, adding decorations to your armor and weapons is the way to go, and this weapon is the only one in its class that allows for two level four decoration slots.
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Its base stats are pulling their weight, to be clear, with a high damage rating of 351. But with the addition of the right decorations, this light bowgun can be taken up a notch to be among the most powerful in the game.
The Best 'No Nonsense' Bowgun: Demonlord Cannon
The Demonlord Cannon is the simplest of light bowguns. No frills in the form of decorations, no need to weigh risk against reward in comparing shot deviation to overall damage rating. Just a good, solid, salt-of-the-earth bowgun that will get the job done without making a fuss.
This light bowgun packs a punch with a damage rating of 377 but will turn some players away with its lack of decoration slots. Some of the bowguns have two, most of them have one, but the Demonlord Cannon is among the few rare options that have zero.
To make up for it, this light bowgun does have the added benefits of a 20 percent affinity and a low ammo deviation, making it one of the best options for players who don't want to spend too much time worrying about their loadout and would rather jump in and play the game without the added effort.
The Best Common Bowgun: Stormslinger Prototype
Admittedly, there is an inherent issue with ranking all of the best light bowguns in Monster Hunter World. If you're a beginner then the chances are, you won't be seeing any of these highly rare weapons until hours upon hours of game time. But that's not the case with the Stormslinger Prototype.
Granted, the level nine rarity that is attached to this light bowgun is still pretty rare, but obtaining it becomes relatively easy upon the completion of a quest. The Stormslinger Prototype is among the most powerful weapons in the game at its base damage rating but is also just one of three other light bowguns to deal over 300 damage while also having a rarity under level ten.
That, plus the addition of a level four decoration slot, makes the Stormslinger Prototype among the best light bowguns in all of Monster Hunter World, and the definitive best choice for easily accessible light bowguns.
The Best Affinity Bowgun: Ghost
The Ghost light bowgun is for those who like to take chances with their weapon loadout. Playing with Ghost as your weapon of choice could either be a slog, or a thrilling reward, all depending on the roll of the Random Number Generator.
More specifically, Ghost has one of the best affinity ratings of all the light crossbows at 35 percent. Its 312 base damage rating sits somewhere in the middle of the pack relative to other weapons in this class, but imagine how much damage you can do if you can get lucky a few times with that 35 percent affinity.
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If the RNG isn't on your side, using Ghost on the tougher enemies will likely come back to bite you. But if you can roll the dice and land a few critical hits, you'll be looking like a genius for trusting this handy firearm.
The Best 'Accuracy-Based' Bowgun: Fading Blossom
For those in the world tired of dealing with weapon deviation, might I introduce you to this little light bowgun called the Fading Blossom?
Similar to the Demonloard Cammon, Fading Blossom is a relatively low-frills option for a weapon of choice. It does come with decoration slots, sure, but nothing more than a couple of level one slots, and without the bonus of any affinity damage. Even still, this bowgun stands out amongst the crowd for being the best damage dealer of the bunch with a 377 rating without any weapon deviation.
It's a solid option if you want a weapon that's going to pack a punch, and it's the only option if you want a weapon that's going to pack a punch and hit the exact spot you intended it to.
The Best Of The Best: Adept Stormslinger
As if it could be anything else. Even with a couple of glaring deficiencies, the Adept Stormslinger, an upgrade of the Stormslinger Prototype, ascends past the crowd of light bowguns to be crowned as the best of the bunch.
Yes, it only has one decoration slot, but it's a level four. Yes, it has a 'Very High' deviation rating, but all of the highest-powered light bowguns do, and this one is the highest of the highest-powered with an attack rating of 416. Even if some of your shots drift off to the side, the ones that hit or going to do more damage than any of the other options in the weapon class. There are plenty of great bowguns in Monster Hunter World, but the Adept Stormslinger is the best of the bunch.
Next: The Best Heavy Bowguns
