Although melee damage has been known for quite some time, actual
bowgun damage has remained undocumented. This lack of information
has motivated Dai and I to find the formula for bowgun damage. We
have accumulated significant information regarding the inner
workings of monster hunter, much of which I will detail here.
This guide will cover the raw damage, elemental damage, and status
effects from every bowgun shot in Monster Hunter Freedom. We will
explain the function of range and hit location. With the formulas
in this guide, you will be able to accurately calculate damage to
a wyvern while gunning.
--------------------------------------------
2) Basic Damage Formula
--------------------------------------------
Bowgun damage is calculated in much the same way you calculate
melee damage.
The bowgun damage formula:
[ATP x SHOT x RANGE x HITZONE x DEFENSE x RAGE] / CLASS + EXPLODE
= Total Raw Damage
ATP= Attack Power of the Bowgun.
SHOT= Ammuntion Shot Power x 0.01.
RANGE= Range Modifier (1.5, 1.0, 0.8, or 0.5).
HITZONE= Percentage of damage that penetrates the wyverns defense
based on hit location.
DEFENSE= Defense ratings for Monster Hunter Freedom are as variable
as Wyvern hit points. Defense ranges from 1.0-0.95 (Elder),
0.95-0.75 (Hard), and 0.75-0.70 (G Class).
RAGE= Wyvern Rage defense mode modifier, see Wyvern Resistances
Section.
CLASS= Bowgun Class Modifier (1.2).
XPLODE= Explosive Damage from Crag and Cluster shot.
Shot Up armor skills and Felyne Aim skill:
The Shot Up armor skill multiplies the damage of the type of ammo named
by 1.1. Felyne Aim acts as Normal S Up. Multiply the 1.1 times your
final damage number.
--------------------------------------------
3) Elemental Damage Formula
--------------------------------------------
Elemental Damage is also calculated in a similar way to melee damage.
The only exception is the fact that elemental shot is not modified by
range.
[ELEMENT x HITZONE x DEFENSE x RAGE] = Elemental Damage
ELEMENT= Raw elemental damage.
HITZONE= Percentage of damage that penetrates the wyverns defense based
on hit location.
DEFENSE= Defense ratings for Monster Hunter Freedom are as variable
as Wyvern hit points. Defense ranges from 1.0-0.95 (Elder),
0.95-0.75 (Hard), and 0.75-0.70 (G Class).
RAGE= Wyvern Rage defense mode modifier, see Wyvern Resistances
Section.
-Paint Shot------------------------------------------------
Paint S | Power: 0 | Max Hits: 1 | Added Effect: Paintball
-----------------------------------------------------------
-Tranq Shot-----------------------------------------------------
Tranq S | Power: 0 | Max Hits: 1 | Added Effect: Anesthesia: 80
----------------------------------------------------------------
-Recovery Shot-------------------------------------------------------
Level 1 | Power: 0 | Max Hits: - | Added Effect: Player Recovery: 30
Level 2 | Power: 0 | Max Hits: - | Added Effect: Player Recovery: 50
---------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------
5) Range Modifiers
--------------------------------------------
The range modifier functions in almost exactly the same way as
sharpness for melee weapons. There are 2 seperate types of range
modifiers, one for pierce type shot and one for normal type shot.
Other ammo types are unmodified by range and recieve a 1.0 times
modifier up to a range of 10, after 10 they do no damage.
The normal type shot typically does more damage when you are firing
closer to the monster, while pierce type does more damage starting
at a much further distance. The distance for modifiers is measured
in full evasive rolls, so the optimal distance for normal one ends
at more than 3 rolls from the wyvern.
The following is the Normal Shot Range chart. As I stated earlier,
the numbers after the modifier are complete evasive rolls
(hitting X on the PSP).
About the Long Barrel: Attaching a long barrel to your bowgun adds
neither range or damage. A long barrel decreases the amount of drift,
thus increasing the range at which a bowgun is accurate. Without the
attachment, a long range shot can drift wildly, sometimes missing a
target that is dead center within the crosshairs.
The following is the Pierce and Crag Shot Range chart. There are two
entries for the 1.0 times modifier due to the fact that pierce does
less damage right next to the monster and do 1.0 times damage just
outside of the optimal range. The crag range modifier only effects
the initial hit, not the added damage or fire damage.
--------------------------------------------
7) Examples of damage formula
--------------------------------------------
=Normal Shot=
Normal 1 Versus a normal sized, elder quest Yian Kut-Ku with a Level 5
Sandstorm at a distance of three rolls away. We'll aim for his head,
where he takes the most Shot damage.
180(ATP of Bowgun) x .06(Power of Ammo) x 1.5(range Modifier) x 1(YKK
takes full shot damage on head)x 1(Small elder wyverns have no defense
modifier)] / 1.2 (Class modifier for Bowguns)
180 x .06 x 1.5 x 1 x 1 / 1.2 = 13 Damage
(Actually 13.5, but decimals are dropped.)
Now let's spice things up: Same bowgun, G class Gold Crown Kut-Ku.
Using Normal 3. Normal 3 has a riccochet effect, it will bounce around
the wyvern, scoring up to three hits.
For the sake of this example, the shot will hit YKK's head,
bounce to the wing, then to the tail. Also eating at the Felyne Kitchen
has bestowed the Felyne Aim whim skill.
Head: 180 x .1(power of Normal 3)x 1.5 x 1 x .7(G Class Defense Mod)
/ 1.2 x 1.1 (Skill Modifier)[17]
Wing: 180 x .1 x 1.5 x .7 x .7 / 1.2 x 1.1 [12]
Tail: 180 x .1 x 1.5 x .3 x .7 / 1.2 x 1.1 [5]
Total Damage: 17 + 12 + 5 = 34
=Pierce Shot=
For this example let's try the Empr Lao-Shan Cannon on Black Gravios,
Hard ranked. Empr Lao-Shan Cannon fires Pierce 3, which scores 6 hits.
For the sake of arguement we'll say hits are scored on: Head, Neck, Stomach,
Leg and Tail x2. For range modifier, Head, Neck and the last Tail hit are
within the 1.0 range, Stomach, Leg and the first Tail are within the 1.5 range.
Head: 384 x .07 x 1 x .2 x .8 / 1.2 [3]
Neck: 384 x .07 x 1 x .2 x .8 / 1.2 [3]
Stomach: 384 x .07 x 1.5 x .2 x .8 / 1.2 [5]
Leg: 384 x .07 x 1.5 x .2 x .8 / 1.2 [5]
Tail: 384 x .07 x 1.5 x .2 x .8 / 1.2 [5]
Tail: 384 x .07 x 1 x .2 x .8 / 1.2 [3]
Total Damage: 3 + 3 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 3 = 24
If it's stomach were cracked open:
Stomach: 384 x .07 x 1.5 x .75 x .8 / 1.2 [20]
Total Damage: 39
=Pellet Shot=
Pellet 2 Vs. Monoblos. Monoblos' tail is his weak point when gunning,
so we'll attack that with a white shotgun as an example. Pellet 2 Hits
up to 4 times, and it's damage is unmodified by range. Although at
long ranges, most of the pellets will miss.
This is also the first shot with an element, water. The shot will hit
the tail, both wings, and it's back. It is also worth noting that
Pellet S will not interrupt a Great Sword user in mid-swing.
Tail: 204 x .05 x 1.2 x 1 / 1.2 [10] + 4 x .2 x 1 [0]
(actually .8, but dropped.)
Wing: 204 x .05 x .5 x 1 / 1.2 [4] + 4 x .2 x 1 [0]
(x2, one hit for each wing)
Back: 204 x .05 x .4 x 1 / 1.2 [3] + 4 x .3 x 1 [1]
Total Damage: 10 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 4 + 0 + 3 + 1 = 22
Wait, water? That makes no sense, you say? The water aspect to Pellet
seems to be more a matter of function than actual droplets impacting
against a wyvern. It's meant to represent the delicate webbing on the
wings being shredded by the projectiles, and most wyverns have some
weakness to water. The rubbery Gypceros, the corpulent Khezu,
and the aquatic Plesioth each could be said to have wings that would
resist this tattering effect. Pellet is also meant to be a minion
clearing ammo, and most minions take a decent amount of water damage.
Also, as you can see from the example above, the added damage
isn't much in most cases.
=Crag Shot=
Crag S has three damage aspects. The first is the initial hit, which
is modified by range, much like pierce. Next is the explosive damage,
which could be considered an "untyped" element, which no enemy has
resistance to. Last is a fire element, which, of course, is modified
by resistance. In this example, we will be attempting to shatter a
G class Gypceros' head crest using an unmodified Meteor cannon firing
Crag 3 at a distance of 5 rolls.
Head: 228 x .03 x 1.5 x 1 x .75 / 1.2 [6] + 40 (Explosive Damage) 60 x
.5 x .75 [22] Total Damage: 6 + 40 + 22 = 68
Were the Gypceros in Rage Mode, it would take extra damage.
Head: 228 x .03 x 1.5 x 1 x .75 x 1.2 / 1.2 [7]
+ 40 (Explosive Damage) 60 x .5 x .75 x 1.2 [26]
Total Damage: 7 + 40 + 26 = 73
=Cluster Shot=
Lord Grahf, of the GameFAQs message boards, has said that "Using a
Bowgun is as bad as cheating". While he has admitted to rabble-rousing
with this statement, there is some truth to it. And cluster (especially
Cluster 2) is most likely the cause.
The main problem with Cluster S is that it tends to be the primary
tactic for Bowgunners. "Spam Clust 2"is the mantra when dealing with
troublesome foes. This is amusing, because one of the most common complaints
about bowguns is how expensive they are to use. While Cluster does have
it's uses, it is often abused.
Upon impact, Cluster Shot releases 3~5 bomblets, dependant upon the
level of the shot. Each Bomblet that hits will inflict 32 explosive damage
and an additional 2 Fire elemental damage. The fire element appears to be
mostly for show, since most wyverns will take no damage from it. The
explosion also has a very small diameter (about 1 meter), so in most cases,
if it explodes upon the ground, the wyvern does not take damage.
Let's look at a typical use for Cluster 2. Fatalis, using a fully
modded Titan Launcher. For the sake of arguement, all 4 bomblets
will hit. Hitzone doesnt matter, because Fatals has the same fire resist
for every bodypart. Fatalis' defense is .85.
Head: 252 x .06 x .45 x .85 / 1.2 [4] + 32 x 4 [128] (Explosive Damage)
2 x .15 x .85 [0]
Total damage: 4 + 128 + 0 = 132
Many suggest that cluster 2 be used on Kirin. This is a waste, as Kirin
is so small that only 1 or 2 will actually hit it. Example: same gun on
an Elder Quest Kirin. Two bomblets will actually damage it, hitting
the body.
Horn: 252 x .06 x .8 x 1 / 1.2 [10] + 32 x 2 [64] (Explosive Damage) 2
x .1 x 1 [0]
An Elder Kirin has between 1600 and 3200 HP. Using the result above as
an average, it would take 21 to 43shots to bring it down. Considering the
damage potential of the ammo it should only take 11 to 23 shots.
At a cost of 210z per shot (cost of Sm Bone Husk and Wyvern Claw) thats
2100 to 4200z wasted.
=Elemental Ammo=
The elemental damage of Flaming S, Ice S and Thunder S are unique in
Monster Hunter Freedom. Unlike melee elements, the Attack Power of the
weapon is a factor in the amount of elemental damage, and is calculated
much like normal ammo damage. Dragon S on the other hand, inflicts 48
(before resistance) per hit, at up to 6 hits.
Great Arbalest Vs G Class Plesioth using Thunder S. Thunder behaves
like Pierce, scoring 3 hits, the shots will hit Plesioths neck, stomach,
then exit the wing.
Neck: 312 x .01 x 1 x .75 / 1.2 [1] + 312 x .2 x .3 x .75 / 1.2 [11]
Stomach: 312 x .01 x .8 x .75 / 1.2 [1] + 312 x .2 x .35 x .75 / 1.2
[13]
Wing: 312 x .01 x .3 x .75 / 1.2 [0] + 312 x .2 x .2 x .75 / 1.2 [7]
This FAQ is the result of extensive testing of various ammo types
compared to the damage formula that can be found in Lord Grahf's
Damage FAQ. This is solely an original work using the existing
damage formula as a reference.
The monster resistances versus gunning can be found in the Brady
Mini-Guide. We determined the values for some of the monsters.
The individual credits are as follows:
Vampirecosmonaut: Formatting, Research, Introduction, Damage Formula
Ammunition Charts, and Testing.
DaiIchiban: Damage Formula, Research, Wyvern Resistances, Examples,
and Testing.
Sedera: VC's wife and Pierce-locking Gun-Mistress Extrodinaire.
GameFaqs Message Boards: Daily Amusement.
Lord Grahf: Cluster quote and original melee guide.
MMPotato: Un-Translated Statistics on much about MH.
Brady Mini-Guide: Monster Resistances Versus Bowguns.
This FAQ may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for
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strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. This FAQ is only
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