Mastering the Trick Arrow Gauge and Tracers: A Guide

The Bow in Monster Hunter Wilds is a versatile mid-range weapon packed with features, notably the Trick Arrow Gauge and Tracers—mechanics that might pose a challenge even for seasoned players. Tracers allow your arrows to home in on a monster’s weak spots, but to utilize them effectively, you’ll first need to build up the Trick Arrow Gauge. Mastering the interplay between these two systems requires practice and precision.

The introduction of the Trick Arrow Gauge and Tracer arrows signifies major updates for the Bow in Monster Hunter Wilds. While the Bow retains many traditional techniques from earlier games, these new mechanics are integral to its use. Expect new input commands for the Bow that differ from what you’ve encountered before. Don’t hesitate to enter Practice Mode to familiarize yourself with these changes.

Understanding the Trick Arrow Gauge & Utilizing Tracers

Charge the Meter to Boost Your Attacks

When wielding the Bow, you’ll notice the Trick Arrow Gauge located in the bottom right corner of your screen. This meter illustrates a resource that you can burn to equip Tracers and Coatings on your weapon while engaged with a monster. The Gauge naturally charges in several ways, such as:

• Shooting monsters (Charged shots fill it up more)
• Executing a Discerning Dodge perfectly
• Landing combos against the monster

Charged shots yield the highest increase in your Trick Arrow Gauge, which is divided into three segments. Your hunter can expend one-third of the Gauge to execute techniques connected to it. For instance, applying a special Coating to your Bow costs one-third of the Gauge once you press the corresponding input.

You can also rapidly charge the Trick Arrow Gauge by dodging monster attacks. Successfully timing a Perfect Dodge against an attack automatically fills one-third of the Gauge, giving you a useful resource boost. As you get more accustomed to battling monsters, dodging will become second nature, allowing your Gauge to accumulate quickly.

Once your Trick Arrow Gauge is charged, you can allocate one-third of it to load a Tracer arrow for your next shot. When you hit a monster with a Tracer arrow, your subsequent shots will be directed toward that impact point for a limited duration, enabling you to target weak spots accurately, including Open Wounds highlighted in the new Focus Mode in Monster Hunter Wilds.

Overview of Bow Coatings & Optimal Choices

Modify Your Arrows to Defeat Monsters More Efficiently

While regular shots from your Bow remain effective, the most impactful attacks stem from the various Coatings you can apply. Each Bow you craft comes with a unique selection of Coatings that can be activated for your upcoming shots by utilizing the Trick Arrow Gauge. Upon applying a Coating, it lasts for the next 1-10 shots, based on the Coating chosen.

The table below outlines the various Bow Coatings and their distinct effects:

The optimal Coatings depend on the specific build of Bow you choose in each hunt, as different Coatings can be advantageous under varying circumstances. Generally, Exhaust, Pierce, and Close-Range tend to offer more consistent results due to their effectiveness against multiple monster types. Ultimately, mastering the use of the Bow in Monster Hunter Wilds hinges on your ability to strategically apply Coatings to defeat monsters quickly.

Regardless of which Coating you choose, as long as you understand how to manage the Trick Arrow Gauge, enhancing your next arrows will be straightforward. Players who learn to quickly charge up the Trick Arrow Gauge in Monster Hunter Wilds can exploit more Tracers and Coatings, enabling them to turn challenging hunts into manageable tasks as their adventure unfolds.