About Aquasteed Harp Bow

I would like to know regarding the bow since it's stage 1 = rapid 5 and stage 2 rapid 3 and stage 3 = rapid 2. So basically for stage 1 Rapid L5 is present with a charge (Character arms glow) or without a charge?

Does that result I can keep spamming without charging Rapid L5 Stage 1?
Since it's the most powerful level shot in the bow. /eyes/

considering Aquasteed has lowish element (which makes the Rapid more important) it may not necessarily mean spamming Lvl 1 (no charge) would be the best at all times

Rapid 5= Five Arrows, Lvl 1 Charge 40% Atk power, so 200% Damage if all arrows hit (a little less cause each arrow has less and less damage than the top arrow)
Lvl 1 Charge has 50% Elmt, so 250% Elmt Damage

Rapid 3= Three Arrows, Lvl 2 Charge 100% Atk power, so 300% Damage
Lvl 2 has 75% Elmt, so 225% Elmt Damage

And Rapid 2= Two Arrows, Lvl 3 Charge 150%, so 300% Atk
Lvl 3 has 100% Elmt, so 200% Elmt Damage

and just in case LV4 is Rapid 5 again (which will be insane) Atk is 170%, so 850 Damage with
125% Elmt, making out to 600% Elmt Damage

So for Atk Charging to Lvl 2 regularly is the best, as long as you know the Shot damage weaknesses, but spamming Lvl 1 will spread more Elmnt damge if a monster has a wide weakness to that (Agnaktor) 

But if You can get a set with Focus, Load Up, and Marathon Runner (or use Dash Juices) Lvl Four would be the Best Dps on this bow, since it would hit VERY Hard with such a huge Shot Level

Got my numbers from SocialDissonance's Bow Tutorial

here:

Your right, but at the same time since they end up being modified by all the different things, Hitbox, Charge Level, Attack Power, Range, etc, their individual powers become insignificant, plus the spread (not arrow type just the layout of the arrow vectors) results in less attack on outer or lower arrows, meaning the charge and weapon stats are much more important

I've done some testing with that type of thing comparing the different shot types on bows, ie Kelbi Bow, despite 2nd Charge having a higher Lvl and more arrows (pellets) that 3rd and 4th Charge, Focus Load up charging to 4th Applies coatings more powerfully, meaning I use less Coatings

I see that's what I thought i play the bow purely for elemental damage on monsters but I dont know every monster weakest elemental hitbox therefore Im using currently below the set

Focus
Rapid Up
Stamin Recover Up
Evasion + 2

This is what I mainly use for my rapid bows but I dont mind making one exceptionally for aquasteed alone therefore can u recommend some set which i may use?

Honestly if you can learn at least some basic shot damage hit boxes (mostly heads and chests if their heads are tough, then legs in support of teams) Your set is pretty awesome.

My friend uses (I'm procrastinating fighting B.Giggi) a Focus, Load Up, Marathon Runner, and he grinded some Azure parts to get Earplugs, lets him charge up to 4 without a large stamina loss.

G rank Gigginox is good if you can tali+gem in FastCharge, it gives Load up and Status Atk +2, which is good for Coatings (also has awaken so Kelbi Bow, which if used in conjuction with its ability to use all of the coating, makes it awesome)

Alot of my sets are built around the Kelbi Bow, only switching the bow (and losing bombadier) when I'm in a group of more than one other slime user. But since the gunner armors have so few bow exclusive skills, focus, marathon runner, and Shot type Ups or Element Ups are the only useful skills

Evasion can help but you should be far enough away at most times its unnecessary.
Evade Dist Is totally useless because of the bows quickish sheathe speed and need for stamina to attack
IMO Atk Up is mostly useless because of the need for rapidness over raw damage, although I have yet to use bows like Cera Cyclord or Arca Insatia yet
Arena missions have you use Stamina thief a few times, which works nicely alongside Para/Exhaust Bows

If you can use Athena's Armor Set Search to find your perfect armor, it has options where you can turn down the number of available quests (ie if you can't get to 7* yet) or if you haven't done the village, etc

Don't ever use this bow without Load Up. Ez set you can use barrage earring with narga z armor. Gem for Load Up, Focus, Evasion+1, Element Atk Up or Water Atk+2.

You want to do more elemental damage so don't worry about Rapid Up.

If you want a really good water bow, use Bamboo Kaguya. With Element Akt Up or Water Atk+2, it blows Aquasteed Harp away. It's Lvl2 charge is Spread Lvl5.

Aquasteed with Element Atk Up or Water Atk+2 =240 Water Dmg
Bamboo Kaguya with Element Atk Up or Water Atk+2 = 560 Water Dmg

Huge difference in numbers. Ez set to use for it is Full Lagicrus X armor and a Water Atk+7 talisman gemmed for Water Atk+2, Awaken, Weakness Exploit, Focus, [Insert C Skill here] (i use cap guru) and status down. Can easily solo a Silver Los under 10 minutes, rapes Brachydios (used this bow to get my Majestic Scepter).

Spoiler:

No. Element Atk Up and Water Atk up do NOT stack. But they give the same boosts, so either one of them can be used. 

If you use either Elemtent ark up OR water atk+2 on Bamboo Kaguya you will get the same water damage 560. 

I use either full Lagiacrus X with a water attack +7 talisman for:

Awaken
Focus
Weakness Exploit
Water attack+2
Capture Guru
Status attack down

Or a mixed set with:

Awaken
Element Attack Up
Evade extender
Focus

I use evade extender on that set because that's the set I used for event brachydios so evade extender was a key skill to have.

I'm sure u can find a couple ways to make some sets using Mhag or Athena's Armor Set Search program.

guess that applies to BG ele shots too ??

If you're talking about Element Atk Up and [insert element here] Attack +1/2 stacking, then yes. They do not stack like they did in Mhp3rd. But Element Attack Up now does 20% increase vs the 10% it originally had in Mhp3rd making it viable to use if u dont want to use specific elemental skills on ur sets.

So Ez mode sets for LBG/HBG would be to use full or mix Escadora X armor.

For my basic LBG set i use:

Peak Performance
Element Atk Up
Evade Dist Up
Bonus Shot

and for the Ala HBG Altheos Aetheria, Full Escadora X:

Peak Performance
Element Atk Up
Normal S Up
Evade Dist Up
Blightproof

thanks so much pain!