Patch 13.00
The Angry Bois Sidegrade Meta
Table of Contents
Fire Builds
Meta Fire: Safi Hellbow
Furious Rajang arms offered the much-desired stamina surge 2 that fire builds previously lacked.
Fire Comfort
Con3/ss2 poverty build
The remaining slots are opened to the player's preference for more damage or more defence.
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2017,265,251,274,246,249,48,aff:1;def:1;elem:2-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,90,90,0,0,0,0,164,58,0,178,0,0,83,90,0,4:0:0:0:0:0:0
Thunder Builds
Meta Thunder: Safi Boltbow
Generally speaking, bow builds would prefer to retain as much elemental damage as possible. However, due to the unique nature of Thunder weak monsters having a high raw hit zone bias. A relatively raw skewed build would prove to be superior.
Thanks to the addition of challenger V charm in this patch.
Thunder builds received a minor upgrade in the form of trading 4 true elements for 16 true raw.
Non-Agi reliant: For players who prefer to not manage enraged uptime
Con2/ss2 variation
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2019,266,252,234,246,250,48,def:1;elem:3-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,111,0,0,379,83,0,235,0,0,235,58,90,371,30,0,35,90,9,4:0:0:0:0:0:0
Thunder Comfort
Con3/ss3 poverty build
The remaining slots are opened to the player's preference for more damage or more defence.
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2019,266,252,250,246,272,15,aff:1;def:1;elem:2-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,164,90,0,235,0,0,178,58,0,0,9,0,235,0,0,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Universal Build Templates
Primary build template for Ice, Water and Dragon bows. These elements don't have efficient pieces like fire and thunder.
Universal Meta Ice/Water/Dragon: Safi Frost/Aqua/Drakbow
This is the same build as the ones using Yian Garuga legs.
Whether if you use Raging Brachydios legs or Yian Garuga legs depends on your deco endowments and the preference for higher defence.
This is the highest DPS set for the Con 1 set up.
Although this set loses around 1% damage on a per-shot basis, it achieves the highest damage against other stamina surge 2 alternatives.
Non-Agi reliant: For players who prefer to not manage enraged uptime
Con2/ss2 variation
Credit to Marshall 1989 for optimising this build.
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,266,252,274,246,250,47,aff:1;def:1;elem:2-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,35,83,0,158,0,0,161,58,30,379,30,0,379,90,38,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Cons3/ss2 variation
Credit to Marshall 1989 for optimising this build.
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,266,252,274,246,250,47,aff:1;def:1;elem:2-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,35,83,0,158,0,0,371,58,30,379,30,0,379,90,38,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Universal Comfort
If you have an absurd amount of god decos:
Con3/ss1 variation
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,266,252,250,246,274,47,def:1;elem:3-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,158,83,0,158,0,0,379,58,0,235,38,0,379,379,0,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Otherwise: Con3/ss2 variation
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,266,252,274,246,250,47,aff:1;def:1;elem:2-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,158,83,0,379,0,0,164,58,30,339,96,0,339,13,38,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Con3/ss3 poverty build
The remaining slots are opened to the player's preference for more damage or more defence.
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,266,252,250,246,272,47,aff:1;def:1;elem:2-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,164,90,0,235,0,0,178,58,0,0,38,0,235,0,0,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Blast bow
Before I show you some of these builds.
I would like to clarify why blast bow is good and where is it applicable.
The reason why blast bow is legit in this post-Safi meta and in no other timeline is that Capcom decided to make 2 blast bows with monstrous status and a broken set bonus known as the Dragonvein awakens.
This allowed blast bow builds to reach ridiculous high raw on top of optimal blast stats.
But this does not mean blast bow is a general-purpose bow and overshadow elemental bows.
Quite the opposite, blast bow can now be seen as the 6th element for low elemental HZV match ups. And much like applying the wrong element to the wrong matchup, applying blast bow where it isn't favourable will incur relatively large damage loss.
In general, blast bow will still avg less damage per arrow compared with Ele bows in said matchups, but the damage per arrow tracks very closely in raw favoured matchups and the blast procs will help it exceed elemental bows in those matchups.
Such matchups are generally categorized by an elemental hzv value of 20 or less and a shot hzv of 55 or more combined with an at least 2-star blast weakness. Monsters such as Ruiner Nergigante, Stygian Zinogre, Velkhana, Kushala Daora, Blackveil Vaal Hazaak and many more fall under this category.
However, due to multiplayer monsters having higher thresholds for blast, this set is not recommended for players who primarily play multiplayer.
Some preliminary testing on this subject are as follows:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dHbWVlnqF0nDS83zmI82TwSVftsZvv8p5jINjZ3eRz0/edit?usp=sharing
Meta blast: Light breaker bow
This bow is a sidegrade to the Safi Shatterbow at 315 true raw and 120 blast.
Although Raging Brachy bow will avg less physical damage per arrow, what it lacks in raw can be recovered by an avg 1-2 extra blast procs.
On top of that, the Raging Brachy bow comes with natural Blast + coatings.
Meta alternative: Safi Shatterbow
If you are still a fan of the Safi Shatterbow, it still performs very well.
Roughly only 1% behind Raging Brachy bow.
As previously mentioned this bow will win slightly on per shot damage but lose in the number of blast procs in comparison to the Raging Brachy bow.
Con1/ss2 build
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2021,283,265,264,260,264,77,att:2;elem:1-;;;;-at6;at5;at5;at5;at5,0,0,83,0,0,178,5,5,35,58,0,216,90,90,35,5,0,83,90,5,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Con1/ss1 Agi 7 variation:
Higher damage but cannot run ss2
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2021,293,265,264,268,264,77,att:2;elem:1-;;;;-at6;at5;at5;at5;at5,0,0,83,0,0,35,161,5,35,58,0,178,90,90,161,30,0,83,16,5,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Con3/ss2 variation
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2021,283,265,264,260,264,77,att:2;elem:1-;;;;-at6;at5;at5;at5;at5,0,0,83,0,0,178,5,5,35,58,0,216,90,90,164,5,0,83,90,5,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Con3/ss1 Agi 7 variation
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2021,293,265,264,268,264,77,att:2;elem:1-;;;;-at6;at5;at5;at5;at5,0,0,83,0,0,164,161,5,35,58,0,178,90,90,161,30,0,83,16,5,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Blast Comfort
A comment on the blast comfy builds:
Using a blast bow in raw favoured matchups would usually yield you 1-2% advantage against elemental bows.
Many would categorise this as a speedrunner preference: Where you play at maximum risk from the Safi set's bleeding side effects for a very small gain.
Therefore, I see very little practical value from using a blast bow set with health boost 3 over elemental bow sets with health boost 3 if you prefer comfort in gameplay above all else.
Raging Brachy Builds:
Con1/ss2
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2050,293,265,264,268,264,77,att:1;aff:1;elem:1-;;;;-;;;;,0,0,379,16,0,35,161,96,35,58,0,161,70,70,83,96,0,83,90,96,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Con3/ss2
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2050,293,265,264,268,264,77,att:1;aff:1;elem:1-;;;;-;;;;,0,0,379,16,0,164,161,96,35,58,0,161,70,70,83,96,0,83,90,96,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Safi Builds
Con1/ss2
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2021,283,265,264,260,264,77,att:2;elem:1-;;;;-at6;at5;at5;at5;at5,0,0,83,0,0,178,96,96,35,58,0,216,90,90,35,96,0,83,90,30,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Con3/ss2
Build id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2021,283,265,264,260,264,77,att:2;elem:1-;;;;-at6;at5;at5;at5;at5,0,0,83,0,0,178,96,96,35,58,0,216,90,90,164,96,0,83,90,30,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Safi 3 + Velk 2
First thing I'd like to get out of the way is that unlike dual blades, Safi Velk for bow will not deal more damage than TCE unless coalescence is active. This is due to the different core and efficient skill composition between bow and DBs.
This damage difference amounts up to 5% in favor of TCE when coalescence isn't active, and 1-2% in favor of Safi Velk when coalescence is.
When should you use this build?
- The second application of this build lies within the synergy between Dragon Vein awakening and status coatings. The Safi set bonus will also apply to coatings for a quicker build-up compared to using status coating deco on TCE builds. Which is why you'll see all of these builds include para coatings.
Para coating setups are especially useful against monsters such as the metallic Raths for setting up a quick and swift head break. Which can be beneficial in very short speed runs such as Goldian runs.
- The third application is the Non-Soften reliant builds. Such set up is specifically targeted against monsters such as Rajang and Diablos. These monsters have body parts that can't be tenderized.
Universal Meta Template
Standard Con1 set with para coatings.
Used by all elements by alternating charms and decos.
For pure coalescence based matchups such as Raging Brachydios, Teostra and etc. the para coating deco can be swapped out for a copy of Pheonix/Physic deco.
Con 1/ss2 build
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,241,266,264,221,264,47,def:1;elem:3-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,83,58,0,235,90,0,371,90,90,70,30,0,61,16,38,5:0:0:0:0:0:0
Non-Soften Universal Meta
Non-soften reliant Con 1 variation.
Used by all elements by alternating charms and decos.
Used in matchups where the best hit zones cannot be softened such as Rajang and Diablos.
Con1/ss2 build
Build Id:
https://honeyhunterworld.com/mhwbi/?2020,241,266,264,222,264,47,def:1;elem:3-;;;;-el6;el5;el5;el5;el5,0,0,158,0,0,83,58,0,235,90,0,235,90,90,371,30,0,158,16,38,5:0:0:0:0:0:0