The styles of the Switch Axe are as follows:

Style 1 - Soaring Wyvern Blade 

This style revolves around utilizing the powered-up axe. Use the accumulated energy to leap into the air and unleash a powerful strike.

 

Main actions of the Soaring Wyvern Blade style:

  • Axe: Heavy Slam

In Axe Mode, if you release the button during the spinning attack triggered by holding the button, you will perform an Axe: Heavy Slam entering the powered-up state. Performing another Axe: Heavy Slam while the axe powered-up state is active will reset the remaining duration.

 

  • Power Axe 

The following effects will activate when entering the Power Axe Mode:

・Axe attacks will also trigger additional phial-based hits.

・Axe attacks will build up the Switch Gauge more quickly.

・When transforming from Axe Mode to Sword Mode, the Switch Gauge will recover.

 

  • Axe: Spiral Double Slash

This attack deals high damage and generates a large amount of Switch Gauge buildup.

Perform the following to activate it:

 

・Overhead Slash ▶︎ Tap

・A forward slash that activates with a tap when you are some distance away from the monster ▶︎ Tap

 

  • Wyvern Blade Mode

When the Switch Gauge is full, you enter the Wyvern Blade Mode.

While in Wyvern Blade Mode, the latter half of Sword Mode’s normal combo changes into Soaring Wyvern Blade attacks.

Activating the forward slash that derives from a Soaring Wyvern Blade attack will end Wyvern Blade Mode.

 

  • Soaring Wyvern Blade

An attack that uses the recoil from phial explosions to slash the target while leaping into the air.

If you tap while midair, it changes into a Forwards Slash where you again use explosion recoil to launch yourself forward, striking the target and triggering a high-damage explosive follow-up attack at the striking point. 

 

While in Wyvern Blade Mode, perform the following in the Sword Mode to use Soaring Wyvern Blade.

・Left Rising Slash ▶︎ Tap

・Double Slash derived from the perfect evade by tapping ▶︎ Tap

・Long Press ▶︎ Releasing the long press

・Long Press during attacking ▶︎ Flick Down

・After jumping up with the Zero Sum Discharge (SP) finishing move ▶︎ Tap

※The Switch Gauge consumption from Soaring Wyvern Blade is not affected by the Power Prolonger skill. 

  • Switch Gauge

At the start of a hunt, the Switch Gauge begins at 20%.

In addition, in this style, the amount of Switch Gauge gained from axe attacks is reduced compared to not using a style. However, by entering the Power Axe Mode, the gauge buildup returns to the same level as when no style is selected.

 

  • 2nd Morph Slash I & 2nd Morph Slash II

While performing Wild Swing in Axe Mode, flicking up will chain into 2nd Morph Slash I, which strikes while transforming into Sword Mode.

Immediately after transforming into Sword Mode via 2nd Morph Slash I, long press and flick up in order to chain into 2nd Morph Slash II, performing a double slash while transforming back into Axe Mode.

※Morph Attack Boost skill applies to both of the attacks.

 

Tips:

・Soaring Wyvern Blade and Forward Slash are very powerful attacks performed when the Switch Gauge is fully charged. Maintain the Power Axe Mode in order to fill the Switch Gauge as much as possible.

・You can use the jumping action of Soaring Wyvern Blade in order to evade monster attacks.

 

Style 2 - Elemental Burst Counter 

This style focuses on dealing massive damage by applying Implant Phials with the Elemental Burst Counter and then detonating them with a Compressed Finishing Discharge.

 

Main actions of the Elemental Burst Counter style:

  • Axe: Wide Sweep

Long Press while in Axe Mode ▶︎ Flick up to perform Axe: Wide Sweep.

This attack does not transform into Sword Mode, but it generates a large amount of Switch Gauge and can also be chained into the Elemental Burst Counter.

 

  • Elemental Burst Counter

Performing the following will transition into the Elemental Burst Counter stance:

・Long press while Sword Mode ▶︎ Flick Down

・Flick Down while in Sword Mode

・Long press while Axe Mode ▶︎ Flick Down

 

While in the stance, the Switch Gauge will gradually decrease.

※ If you transition into the Elemental Burst Counter from the charge phase of an Elemental Discharge performed by long pressing in Sword Mode, the rate at which the Switch Gauge decreases while in stance is reduced depending on the charge level. 

If you tap while in the stance or the Switch Gauge drops to 0, you will perform the Element Burst instead. 

By timing the Element Burst with a monster’s attack, you can successfully parry it, nullify the attack, and transition into a Power Finisher.

When a Power Finisher is executed, a certain amount of Switch Gauge is restored, and an Implant Phial is applied to the part of the monster that is hit.

 

  • Implant Phial

An Implant Phial is applied to the part of the monster hit by the Power Finisher.

Multiple Implant Phials can be applied, and they will detonate after a certain period, dealing minor damage to the monster. However, if you land a Compressed Finishing Discharge or a Zero Sum Discharge (SP) on the monster before they detonate naturally, the Implant Phials will trigger a chain explosion, dealing massive damage.

 

  • Compressed Finishing Discharge

After an Element Discharge, tapping triggers a sweeping attack that causes a large explosion, using its recoil to follow through with a slash. 

If Implant Phials are present, all Implant Phials will detonate in a chain reaction, dealing massive damage.

 

Tips:

・Using the Quick Work skill speeds up the transition into the Elemental Burst Counter stance, while using the Power Prolonger skill reduces gauge depletion while in stance, making it easier to attempt parries.