And for the indecisive hunter…we have the Switch Axe!
Overview
The Switch Axe is a weapon that has two attacking modes: Axe Mode and Sword Mode. In Axe Mode, the Switch Axe packs a medium attack speed and has an incredibly long reach, capable of cutting even the highest placed tails. Switch into Sword Mode to unleash slower, but more powerful attacks that use the phial Switch Axes come with. In exchange for a large bit of your phial, you can also do a Phial Burst which deals massive damage and is great for waking up sleeping monsters!
Pros
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Long reach in Axe Mode
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High raw power
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Very versatile weapon
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Burst potential in Phial Burst
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Mobile in Axe Mode
Cons -
Very slow in Sword Mode
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Must wait for phial to charge, which cannot be controlled
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Certain attacks can upswing allies and disrupt them
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Medium-slow attack speed in Axe Mode, slow attack speed in Sword Mode
Axe Mode
| **Attack** | **Controls** |
|---|---|
| Basic Attack | X, combos three times |
| Upward Swing | After using Basic Attack twice, press X, or X+A |
| Side Slash | A |
| R | Swap into Axe Mode |
Sword Mode
| Attack | Controls |
|---|---|
| Infinite Combo | Alternate X and A, depletes stamina and phial |
| Phial Burst | R+X+A, discharges all phials, then switches you automatically back into Axe Mode. Alternatively press X+A, then continue mashing X. |
| Morph Attack | X+X+R, allows you to switch back to Axe Mode while attacking |
Usage Tips
Each Switch Axe has a different phial that you cannot change. Power Phials add more raw damage. Element Phials add more element damage (the element is the element of the weapon) and so the power varies depending on if the monster is weak to the element or not. Dragon Phials add dragon element to the phials. Ailment Phials inflict the status marked next to the phial when viewing the equipment’s statuses. The best phial is considered to be the Power Phial. Owing to the sheer raw power of the Switch Axe, Elemental Power is not important when forging a Switch Axe.
When the monster has a large opening, the best combo to spam is the infinite combo. Phial Burst is best for even larger openings, when your phial is full, and is good for waking up monsters. Otherwise, use the X-X-X combo in Axe Mode.
Recommended Skills
Evasion+1/+2 and/or Evade Distance Up are great because the Switch Axe is a very offensive weapon with no shield. Constitution and Latent Power slow stamina depletion when doing the infinite combo as well. When a monster roars, it is a great opportunity to land a Phial Burst, so Earplugs are very handy to have.
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