HBG is breaking my heart

[Netsa]

I'm one of those rare players that actually played HBG because it was fun, and not because it was strong. I loved customizing the gun, choosing and crafting ammo, testing its performance, all of those technical aspects that made it feel like a real machine. I used Normal 3 HBGs as secondary weapons in every game since 4 (3, technically, but that game had the build-a-beargun system).

In Wilds, the weapon feels streamlined to the point of... not being an HBG anymore. It's just not. It's a slow LBG. I don't want slow-LBG, I want the HEAVY. Where's the BEEF?! Why do the devs think I chose to pick up an irrationally large gun? So I could block with an SnS shield while I rapid-fire peanuts from my tiny te-, *ahem* clips? If I wanted to do that, I'd pick up an LBG!

No, I chose to forego the shield in every single game because I wanted a big barrel with big power. What is difficult to understand about this, Capcom?

Normals are forced to rapid-fire now, which is weird since HBG isn't a rapid-fire weapon. Recoil is gone, which means you can't reconfigure the recoil. Shields are permanently affixed, which means you can't reconfigure the barrel. Deviation certainly isn't a thing anymore. Wyvernsnipe has been turned into Slow Wyvernheart, so reconfiguring the special ammo is more of a formality than anything else.

Basic ammo types are all infinite, but that's a double-edged sword since any ammo level lower than the max level can no longer be used. That means you can't exhaust lvl 3 ammo and then switch to lvl 2 ammo to keep firing. You only have lvl 3, so you can only reload. Because that's what a GUN needs. LESS pewpew.

Several guns that used to be Normal 3 are now Normal 2 or not Normal at all. I built the first Normal 3 gun I saw, which was Arkveld's, but there's something peculiar about Arkveld's gun: it's stats make no sense. Even on it's maximum upgrade, and despite the fact that it can't fire any other shots besides Wyvern and Dragon, its base Normal clip is two. TWO. TWO?! This same gun has Tetrad Shot, which means any clip size below 4 is pointless. So it's either waste both customization slots on Normal Magazine, or switch to using Pierce or Spread 1 on what's supposed to be a Normal gun.

Not that the customization slots are being used for anything. What are my choices here? Slightly higher damage, 1 extra shot, or... that's it. That's everything. Who cares? Who would ever care?

This stuff is on top of losing basically everything from Iceborne, Rise, and Sunbreak. No special scope, no wyvernsnipe, no charged shots, and crouch fire removed AGAIN. In their place... I can now clash sometimes. And I got an offset! Woo...

Why didn't they just lower the damage?!
Why did they instead take a machete to every single aspect of the gun until it's a bloody, unrecognizable mess? This is the worst and most boring incarnation of the Heavy Bowgun the series has ever had.

[TyresTyco]

You know what? Good. In world and Rise ranged players annoyed the ♥♥♥♥ out of me because they made every hunt a passive snoozefest.

I remember the 4 people hunts where 3 out of 4 people were hbg players spamming spread, blast, slice etc. It sucked. This game is thousand times more enjoyable in coop because people barely play guns and if they do they barely tickle the monster.

It's awesome.

[Yu Ryujin]

Originally posted by Netsa:

I'm one of those rare players that actually played HBG because it was fun, and not because it was strong. I loved customizing the gun, choosing and crafting ammo, testing its performance, all of those technical aspects that made it feel like a real machine. I used Normal 3 HBGs as secondary weapons in every game since 4 (3, technically, but that game had the build-a-beargun system).

In Wilds, the weapon feels streamlined to the point of... not being an HBG anymore. It's just not. It's a slow LBG. I don't want slow-LBG, I want the HEAVY. Where's the BEEF?! Why do the devs think I chose to pick up an irrationally large gun? So I could block with an SnS shield while I rapid-fire peanuts from my tiny te-, *ahem* clips? If I wanted to do that, I'd pick up an LBG!

No, I chose to forego the shield in every single game because I wanted a big barrel with big power. What is difficult to understand about this, Capcom?

Normals are forced to rapid-fire now, which is weird since HBG isn't a rapid-fire weapon. Recoil is gone, which means you can't reconfigure the recoil. Shields are permanently affixed, which means you can't reconfigure the barrel. Deviation certainly isn't a thing anymore. Wyvernsnipe has been turned into Slow Wyvernheart, so reconfiguring the special ammo is more of a formality than anything else.

Basic ammo types are all infinite, but that's a double-edged sword since any ammo level lower than the max level can no longer be used. That means you can't exhaust lvl 3 ammo and then switch to lvl 2 ammo to keep firing. You only have lvl 3, so you can only reload. Because that's what a GUN needs. LESS pewpew.

Several guns that used to be Normal 3 are now Normal 2 or not Normal at all. I built the first Normal 3 gun I saw, which was Arkveld's, but there's something peculiar about Arkveld's gun: it's stats make no sense. Even on it's maximum upgrade, and despite the fact that it can't fire any other shots besides Wyvern and Dragon, its base Normal clip is two. TWO. TWO?! This same gun has Tetrad Shot, which means any clip size below 4 is pointless. So it's either waste both customization slots on Normal Magazine, or switch to using Pierce or Spread 1 on what's supposed to be a Normal gun.

Not that the customization slots are being used for anything. What are my choices here? Slightly higher damage, 1 extra shot, or... that's it. That's everything. Who cares? Who would ever care?

This stuff is on top of losing basically everything from Iceborne, Rise, and Sunbreak. No special scope, no wyvernsnipe, no charged shots, and crouch fire removed AGAIN. In their place... I can now clash sometimes. And I got an offset! Woo...

Why didn't they just lower the damage?!
Why did they instead take a machete to every single aspect of the gun until it's a bloody, unrecognizable mess? This is the worst and most boring incarnation of the Heavy Bowgun the series has ever had.

not gonna owmbo mambo but it is true that the HBG lost a lot of its charm, and gameplay, to make something more monotone and simple, while being efective. they put the weapon on high QoL mod for youngies, but took at a lot of what made hbg fun and different.

[Netsa]

Originally posted by TyresTyco:

You know what? Good. In world and Rise ranged players annoyed the ♥♥♥♥ out of me because they made every hunt a passive snoozefest.

I remember the 4 people hunts where 3 out of 4 people were hbg players spamming spread, blast, slice etc. It sucked. This game is thousand times more enjoyable in coop because people barely play guns and if they do they barely tickle the monster.

It's awesome.

I get that. I feel like people are just going to return to Bow, though, unless it gets/got its wings clipped, too. I remember seeing them a lot in World against all the monsters they weren't looking for a cheat-weapon to fight.

[FishDogFoodShack]

There's pretty much no part of HBG's kit that makes sense right now. The implementation is all over the place.

Not much to do but hope it improves with title updates.

[Duvall12]

They completely destroyed the structure of this game. I main HBG solo as well and it's terrible now. They literally destroyed my favorite weapon and all the other customization losses dont help. This game is an absolute downgrade.

[GornWicket]

Originally posted by TyresTyco:

You know what? Good. In world and Rise ranged players annoyed the ♥♥♥♥ out of me because they made every hunt a passive snoozefest.

I remember the 4 people hunts where 3 out of 4 people were hbg players spamming spread, blast, slice etc. It sucked. This game is thousand times more enjoyable in coop because people barely play guns and if they do they barely tickle the monster.

It's awesome.

sorry but heavy bow gun should not be this week. sorry but it should go back to how it was in world . deal with it

[Lavis]

Originally posted by Duvall12:

They completely destroyed the structure of this game. I main HBG solo as well and it's terrible now. They literally destroyed my favorite weapon and all the other customization losses dont help. This game is an absolute downgrade.

I've never been much of a bowgun player but still use them here and there. Other weapons had cool additions or mechanics added to their movesets and feel great, but the bowguns just got dumbed right down and shafted. There is basically no customization, deviation is gone and so is recoil. Is there even capacity up anymore?

Bows lost shot types and charge levels too. While bow is in a pretty good place damage and gameplay-wise, it is also super dumbed down.

[BigJ]

As a bow user

LET OUR BIG BROTHER EAT

[Coth]

Originally posted by Netsa:

I'm one of those rare players that actually played HBG because it was fun

Did your mother not teach you that lying is bad?

[GornWicket]

Originally posted by Coth:

Originally posted by Netsa:

I'm one of those rare players that actually played HBG because it was fun

Did your mother not teach you that lying is bad?

same. i loved bowgun and now its unplayable. truly sad

[GornWicket]

Originally posted by BigJ:

As a bow user

LET OUR BIG BROTHER EAT

yes this

[The Vagrant Knight]

I absolutely loved HBG in worlds. I liked making ammo, choosing between a shield or a barrel, having lower level ammo to fall back on, the shots felt beefy and good.

In this game I made so many bowguns trying to make it work, but ended up changing to Switchaxe and gunlance instead. the lack of customization, the lack of impact of preparation, the weak shots and low ammo clips on higher level ammo (wtf man) all just kinda killed the joy of the weapon.

They got so close to at least making normal ammo feel good, but then it had to be a triple shot.

[Jethro]

It was fun in World to shred big monsters like Bazel or Xeno with a pierce HBG. I tried it in WIlds and it just sucks.

[LemonSoda]

why no wyvernsnipe

[Begood]

HBG actually does an insane amount of damage with end game setup right now. It's so friggin tanky too. It took me some time to figure it all out. I don't think any youtuber caught on or they are too busy with other meta weapons.

But back to what the OP is saying. Yea it does suck they removed a lot of customization from guns. LBG also lost a lot of versatility as a support and that's what I used it for in World.

It is pretty easy and monotonous what HBG does now. It nukes from afar and procs paralysis just once if you went for that. Power clash capability is pretty exciting though.

I won't say they should bring back sticky ammo and cluster bomb build. That was fun but too op. But maybe they should bring back recoil mods for shotgun builds to pair it with guarding. Spread ammo is just not usable right now. Makes no sense. Or... I wonder if they wanted us to use it for the recoil to make distance after guarding lmao.