Switch Axe

Unleash devastating combos with the Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Generations! Learn axe and sword modes, phial types, and style-specific strategies for Guild, Striker, Aerial, and Adept.

So, you're the kind of hunter who likes to have their cake and eat it too, huh? You dig big, heavy axes but also crave the raw power of a sword? Well, my friend, the Switch Axe is calling your name! In its axe form, it's all about those powerful swings with great reach, especially vertically. Then, BAM! Switch it over to sword mode and unleash some seriously explosive attacks, all powered by your phial gauge. Just remember, those phials can be elemental, status-inflicting, or even that less-than-thrilling exhaust type.

Here’s a quick rundown of what you're getting into:

Pros	Cons
Axe mode has great vertical and frontal reach, and sword mode is extremely powerful.	Axe mode attacks are slow and leave you open to being attacked.
While in axe mode, you're still relatively mobile.	When in sword mode, your walking speed is greatly hampered, with slow sheathing and morphing speeds.
Both modes have access to an “infinite combo” that can be unleashed very quickly.	If you empty the phial in sword mode, you are forced to morph back, which interrupts you and leaves you vulnerable.
In sword mode, attacks will never bounce.

Let's break down how to actually swing this thing, focusing on the Guild Style first, since it's a solid starting point:

Guild Style: Axe Mode Controls

Controls	Attack (Guild Style: Axe Mode)
X	If unsheathing, performs a lunging slash; otherwise, it's an overhead slash. Can be comboed three times.
A	Side slash; cannot combo.
X+A	Upward slash. Be careful, this can send your fellow hunters flying!
R	Morph into Sword Mode. If your phial gauge is below 50%, this will instead “reload” the Switch Axe’s gauge.
R+X+A	Attack and morph into Sword Mode simultaneously, or unsheathe directly into Sword Mode.
B	Evasive roll or sidehop.

Guild Style: Sword Mode Controls

Controls	Attack (Guild Style: Sword Mode)
X	Overhead slash. Mash this repeatedly to combo infinitely!
A	Side slash. Mash this repeatedly to combo infinitely too!
X+A	Phial discharge attack. This is your big finisher!
R	Morph back into Axe Mode.
B	Evasive roll or sidehop.

Guild Style Strategy:

Think of axe mode as your go-to for poking at the monster from a safe distance. Its high raw damage means you can get a lot done in just a few hits. Plus, that upward slash? It's got amazing reach, letting you snag tails and heads that other weapons struggle with. You'll be spending a lot of time in axe mode when your phial gauge is below 50%, so get comfortable with it. When you're ready to go all out and don't need to move much, switch to sword mode and just spam X or A. You can even do a similar hack-and-slash in axe mode by doing the upward slash (X+A) and then mashing A.

When a monster is down, that's your cue to unleash a phial discharge (X+A in sword mode) to deal massive damage. Remember the phial types: Power phials boost your raw damage, Exhaust phials drain the monster's stamina (though they're the least effective), and elemental/status phials hit hard with their respective damage types.

You get two Hunting Arts with Guild Style, so pick ones that suit your playstyle!

Striker Style

Striker Style tones down your combo potential in axe mode a bit. Your X combo is mostly intact, but the A attack (the side swing) becomes a bit of a standalone move that doesn't chain well. Sword mode is slightly simplified, but its X and A combos are still solid, and you can still do that awesome phial discharge. The trade-off for less combo flair in axe mode? You can equip *three* Hunting Arts! So, load up on damage and utility arts. You'll want to keep that phial gauge topped up since axe mode is less useful here.

Aerial Style

Aerial Style changes things up quite a bit. You lose that forward dash slash, so you'll rely more on your evasive somersault to close the distance. The biggest shift is that you can't do a phial discharge on the ground anymore. Instead, you need to successfully vault off a monster and then press X+A. You'll charge up in the air and unleash the discharge right after you land, so aim carefully! If you need a quick reload in axe mode (when your phial gauge is below 50%), vaulting off a monster lets you reload faster than on the ground.

Sword mode in Aerial Style is pretty fun, aside from losing the ground discharge. If you successfully vault a monster, you automatically do a quick downward slash for free! You can keep attacking as you descend, so even if you can't get hits in normally, a well-timed vault can still land you an attack. You get one Hunting Art with this style.

Adept Style

Adept Style is all about perfecting your dodges. Similar to Aerial, some moves are shifted to successful perfect evades. After a perfect evade, you'll unleash a wide 360-degree slash finisher. This can disrupt teammates, but it hits like a truck if it connects with the monster. From there, you can press R to morph slash and chain directly into a phial discharge! If you manage a perfect evade in sword mode (which is a bit trickier due to your reduced mobility), you'll automatically perform a double upward slash, no charge needed. In regular combat, if you're in axe mode and perform an upward slash, you can press R to morph directly into sword mode – something other styles can't do. You get one Hunting Art, so choose wisely!

Recommended Skills

Since the Switch Axe hits like a truck with its raw damage, boosting your affinity to get more critical hits is a fantastic way to stack damage fast. So, Critical Eye is a must-have. Like other weapons without shields, the Switch Axe really leans on your dodging skills for defense. That means skills like Evade Distance Up or Evasion +1/+2 will be super helpful.

And, of course, general Blademaster skills like Sharpness +1/+2, Mind’s Eye, and Razor Sharp are always good picks. Just a heads-up, since sword mode automatically gives you Mind's Eye on all its attacks, you might not need to prioritize that specific skill as much.