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Everything you need to know about the Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds including its basic combos, Focus Strike, and more.
The Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds is among the few weapons that have been left roughly identical to its past iterations. Although the weapon has received some minor changes and new combos, for the most part, it’s basically identical to its MH World and Rise counterparts. That’s not to say that the weapon isn’t a viable option in MH Wilds. In fact, it’s among some of the best beginner weapons in the game. The Switch Axe certainly has its complexities, especially when it comes to its transformation combos and elemental discharge. For the most part, it’s a weapon that’s quite easy to pick up and use, even if you’re new to Monster Hunter games.
Furthermore, with the addition of a Focus Strike, the Switch Axe is more fun to use in MH Wilds than it has ever been. That said, it’s still the Switch Axe, a weapon with a fair share of complicated combos. Here’s everything you need to know about the Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds.
How To Use the Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds
The Switch Axe essentially offers two different playstyles within a single weapon. In its Axe Mode, the weapon has more reach and deals significant stagger damage (KO). However, in Axe Mode, the Switch Axe is quite slow and limits your movement options. On the other hand, in its Sword Mode, the weapon has less range but gets a significant bump in attack speed. Furthermore, Sword Mode is also incredibly effective in dealing with Elemental damage. The Switch Axe, much like the Dual Blades, excels at elemental damage build-up. In Monster Hunter Wilds, the weapon’s elemental properties have been significantly amped up, thanks to its new Focus Strike combo.
In addition to that, the Switch Axe’s Full Release Slash combo now comes with Flinch Free. Basically, while you are performing the Full Release Slash combo, regular attacks and friendly fire won’t interrupt you anymore. This change allows you to use your most devastating attacks more frequently. Furthermore, this also makes the Switch Axe a really good weapon for co-op. Here’s a look at the Switch Axe’s basic combos in Monster Hunter Wilds:
Axe Mode
| Combos | Button Combinations (PlayStation/Xbox) |
|---|---|
| Overhead Slash | Triangle > Triangle > Triangle/Y > Y > Y |
| Wild Swing | Circle > Hold-Circle (with weapon drawn)/B > Hold-B (with weapon drawn) |
| Heavy Slam | Triangle (after Wilds Swing combo)/Y (after Wild Swing combo) |
| Offset Rising Slash | Trinagle+Circle/Y+B |
| Follow-up Heavy Slam | Tringle (after Offset Rising Slash)/ Y (after Offset Rising Slash) |
| Follow-up Morph Slash | R2 (after Offset Rising Slash)/RT (after Offset Rising Slash) |
| Fade Slash | LS (back)+Circle/LS (back)+B |
| Morph | R2/RT |
Sword Mode
| Combos | Button Combinations (PlayStation/Xbox) |
|---|---|
| Overhead Slash | Triangle > Triangle/Y > Y |
| Double Slash | Circle > Circle/B > B |
| Counter Rising Slash | R2+Triangle/RT+Y |
| Element Discharge | Triangle+Circle > Hold-Circle/Y+B > Hold-B |
| Zero Sum Discharge | Hold-Triangle+Circle/Hold-Y+B |
| Unbridled Slash | R2+Triangle+Circle/RT+Y+B |
| Full Release Slash | Hold-R2 > Triangle+Circle/Hold-RT > Y+B |
| Morph | R2/RT |
Switch Axe Offset and Focus Strikes in MH Wilds
The Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds has a dedicated Offset skill, but only for Axe Mode—the Rising Slash combo. This attack not only deals a ton of damage upon countering a monster’s attack but also staggers it. Furthermore, you can enhance the effect of Offset attacks with Slugger (KO) skills. In Sword Mode, the Switch Axe doesn’t have access to the Offset skill. However, you can quickly swap between the two modes to access the Offset combo.
In addition to that, the Switch Axe also has access to Focus Strike—the Morph Combination. Unlike the Offset skill, the Focus Strike is available in both Axe and Sword Modes.
Here’s a look at the combo for the Switch Axe’s Focus Strike in MH Wilds:
| Morph Combination | Hold-L2 > R1/Hold-LT > RB |
The Switch Axe, despite its somewhat complex set of combos, is a pretty decent beginner weapon. Although the weapon requires a fair bit of practice, it’s not particularly difficult to master. Furthermore, with the Switch Axe, you’re getting the best of both worlds—raw and elemental damage. Given how effective elemental damage is in Monster Hunter Wilds, it’s a really good starting choice for both newcomers and veterans of the series.
We will update the article as we learn more about Monster Hunter Wilds or MHW. Meanwhile, you can check out the following Monster Hunter articles:
