Heavy Bowgun Hunter | Journal #17 | Monster Hunter World: The Board Game
We've already felt the buzz with the insect glaive, charged ahead with the charge blade, and switched things up with the switch axe.
Today, we reveal our final Wildspire Waste hunter and complete the hunting party!
(And you know what comes next... MORE MONSTERS.)
Now, without further adieu, let's say hello to this heavy hitter...
The Heavy Bowgun Hunter
From the journal of Jamie Perkins, Lead Developer
Meet your long range fire support.
Laying down suppressing fire from the moment battle begins, with ammunition for almost every situation, it’s the heavy bowgun hunter!
And when I say long range, I mean it. This hunter has the longest range weapon in the game. There are few places the monster can go that you can’t reach with a hail of fire!
Speaking of range, let’s check out this hunter’s special rules card...
Special Rules Card
Because of the sheer range of their attacks, there’s a chance the heavy bowgun hunter’s shots might deviate.
This can work both for and against you.
On one hand, your attacks could pierce through the monster’s armour at a critical distance. But if your aim slips, you could miss the monster completely.
If you do manage to land repeat hits, the heavy bowgun is up there with the great sword as one of the highest damage output hunters in the game.
So, how does deviation work? Let’s take a look.
Deviatation Cards
Firing the bowgun is no easy feat! It’s heavy and cumbersome to handle.
Because of this, every time you make an attack, you’ll draw from your deviation deck.
The cards in your deviation deck will depend on which heavy bowgun you have equipped at the time. This is known as your deviation rating.
Your starting bowgun, the ‘Iron Assault’ has low deviation. In its 10 card deviation deck, there are only two Miss cards.
And because you draw two deviation cards each time you fire, choosing only one to use, your chances of missing are low.
Deviation cards also control which arc of the monster you attack, regardless of where you’re standing. Some deviation cards even ignore monster armour.
You might even draw one deviation card that lets you target a monster part you really want to break, and another card that ignores monster armour but attacks a different part. The choice will be yours.
Weapon Upgrades
Just like every other hunter, you’ll start with a unique attack deck based on the Heavy Bowgun and upgrade options you can craft from bone and ore.
The more monster loot you claim, the better your weapon choices become!
Fighting Style
In some games, ‘ranged fire support’ might mean ‘stand at the back and pepper the monster with attacks’.
But not in Monster Hunter World: The Board Game.
Every monster in the game has a decent number of attacks that target the furthest hunter. So, you’ll need to be just as thoughtful with your position as the rest of your party.
And because the heavy bowgun hunter is on the low end for agility, you’ll need to consider not only where to move, but when. You need to be able to avoid monster attacks, too!
Of course, this hunter gives as good as they get.
A key part of this hunter’s arsenal is the ability to ignore some monster armour using their special ammunition types, like Pierce Ammo 1:
Pierce Ammo 1 highlights the incredible striking distance of the heavy bowgun. Check out that range 4 attack!
Sure, you’ll draw only one damage card, but you’ll also ignore 1 point of monster armour, making your attack that much more potent.
Not to mention attack cards like Pierce Ammo 1 can also stack with the armour-reducing effects of deviation cards.
And that’s not all.
The heavy bowgun hunter is also one of the best at breaking monster parts, using attacks like Cluster Bomb 1:
Not only does Cluster Bomb 1 deal two damage cards AND a break token, but it also lets you place an additional break token on another part of the monster!
Still, it has a shorter range than Pierce Ammo 1 at “just” range 3. Although the heavy bowgun is the longest ranged weapon in the game, not all the attacks are range 4.
Of course, range 3 is nothing to sniff at. Just check out this showstopper:
Wyvernsnipe is — there’s no better word for it — monstrous.
This accurately named attack packs three damage cards, a stun token, AND a bonus node of movement into one rectangular package.
(That bonus movement involves backing away from the monster after you’ve attacked, because you’ll probably want to take a step back after landing this blow!)
Did you spot the other detail?
On top of all that, Wyvernsnipe also totally ignores monster armour. Any damage cards you draw are knocked straight off the monster’s health, with no reductions!
These incredible offensive capabilities do come with some drawbacks. It takes time for your hunter to line up the shot, so this is the only attack card you can play in a turn.
And because the stamina bar ends in the centre of the card, playing it will also end your turn. But talk about a big finish!
Tactical Tips
Because the heavy bowgun hunter has low agility and no armour-boosting attack cards, your positioning will be your first line of defence.
Don’t get too distracted by all the damage you can do with your attack cards. Remember to pay attention to where the monster is, and where your fellow hunters are standing.
Keep an eye on the cards drawn from your deviation deck, too. If you’ve not seen any of your Miss cards in the first few attacks, your chance of drawing two Misses gets higher, and you could end up wasting a crucial attack.
~ Journal Ends ~
So, Which Wildspire Waste Hunter Will You Choose?
Better decide fast, because the Scoutflies are getting excited...
