Charge Blade

One of the two transforming weapons in the game, the Charge Blade operates slightly differently from Switch Axe. Whereas Switch Axe is more akin to two weapons for the price of one, each with pros and cons, the Charge Blade is a two-in-one weapon where both modes must be utilized to make either operate at full ability. It comes in two forms: Blade Mode and Axe Mode.

Blade mode takes the form of a Sword & Shield, and although it boasts higher damage-per-strike than the SnS, a wider attack, and an overall better blocking ability, it sacrifices the ability to use items with the weapon out, has a slower attack speed, and gives up much of the SnS's mobility. This makes it less useful for applying status effects, more likely to hit its teammates, and less suited to evasion-based defensive options, despite the addition of a side-hop, especially since the SnS gained a backhop of sorts with MH4U.

Axe Mode takes the form of a giant axe, although while it does boast greater power than the Switch Axe in Axe Mode, it is nowhere near as mobile, less suited to distance-closing attacks, and is reliant on the mechanics of Blade Mode to unlock its full damage potential. It is also arguably far more disruptive to teammates than Axe Mode Switch Axe ever was or could be, despite its greater damage potential.


Here we get into the meat and potatoes of the weapon's unique mechanics. In short, attacking in Blade Mode will build energy in the hilt of the sword. Pressing and holding A will perform a charged attack that relies on timing to get out properly (too long or too short will result in a flimsy swing worth very little) - this attack will generate extra Charge Energy when it hits, especially if both strikes connect.

Charge Energy comes in three states. Yellow, Red, and Overcharged. When you have any of these states, you can press R+A to quickly slide the sword into the shield and dump what you've collected into it, filling phials - three for yellow, five for red and overcharged.

It is important to note that you do not want to overcharge Blade Mode, because once you do and you get a flashing [CHARGE] up near your phials, you will bounce EVERY SINGLE ATTACK, even if you have Mind's Eye.

Next, you want to go into Axe Mode. This is where you can make use of the phials proper. Each attack performed by pressing A will coat the blade of the axe in glowing charge energy, consuming one phial. When this attack connects with a monster, it'll cause energy to be left behind and eventually detonate, causing damage.

Depending on what type of phial your Charge Blade comes with, this will either be fixed damage scaled to the raw value of your weapon, plus some KO / Exhaust (similar to Crag Shots available to Bowgunners, although without the explosions sending teammates flying), or elemental damage scaled to the weapon's element value. KO Phials are more useful for breaking tough parts and knocking monsters out, but Element Phials are more powerful and will typically result in more damage overall.

There are four charge attacks but at the moment you only have access to three. The first of the A combo will leave one explosive charge. The second will leave two. The third will leave three. These attacks are extremely disruptive to teammates.

The Charge Blade isn't all about just the charge attacks, although you wouldn't be faulted for thinking so at first. There's a second, far more interesting function available to the weapon. The Boost State.

To access Boost State, first you have to use Charge Burst 3. Either do the full A combo, or you can access it directly by pressing X+A while standing idle any time in Axe Mode. There is another option available whilst you are in Blade Mode -- press X+A to perform a Shield Thrust, and then X+A again afterwards to chain directly into Charge Burst 3.

However, you don't want to let Charge Burst 3 go all the way through. When the sword is pushed up into the shield and energy is building up, press R to cancel back to Blade mode. The energy will be left bouncing around inside the shield, causing it to pulse red and a red shield icon to show up next to your sharpness gauge. This is the Boost State. This consumes all available phials, and will last 30 seconds for each phial. The shield and shield icon will pulse yellow at 30 seconds remaining.

The benefits of the Boost State are many. First and foremost available to Blade Mode is that it gives innate Guard+1. Secondly, it gives Charge Attack properties to the shield thrust, guard points (more on those later), and Shield Draw (x after reloading the shield), in addition to supposedly making the Shield Thrust itself do more damage. All of these will cause the weapon to cause damage equal to one charge detonation in addition to its usual damage.

In Axe Mode, all attacks benefit from a 20% increase in damage. More importantly however, is how Charge Burst 3 is replaced with the Ultra Burst. This attack will consume both Boost Mode and all available phials, so it must be strong as hell, right? FUCK YES IT IS. This attack hits three times minimum. While it can be used with no phials, its shockwaves are made stronger for each phial available upon use.

The Charge Blade is a weapon that utilizes blocking to a fairly significant degree. Specifically, when you block an attack with your shield, you have the option to dodge or retaliate with either a morph-to-axe attack or Charge Burst 3 / Ultra Burst.

More interestingly however, is the addition of a natural ability to autoguard in Blade Mode, known as guard points. There are two of these. The first comes at the end of a roundswing, the third attack of a standard sword mode combo, the second attack after rolling, or an attack immediately after sidehopping. The second, and the one you are much more likely to use, is the morph-to-axe combo guard point, where you press R+X simultaneously after just about any attack or dodge. For a moment, you pull your shield in front of you, auto-blocking an attack. This is a good move to use when you're in the middle of a combo and are about to get hit! You can also use it while idle by rapidly pressing X then R in quick succession.

And like before, you can either evade or retaliate with an axe strike. I suggest you practice this on the Great Jaggi, although you must be in the middle of a combo to do this. I stress this part, as just using R+X while standing idle will not initiate a guard point!

Now, referring back to Boost State, when in this state, not only will you benefit from Guard+1, but the autoguard point will release charge energy upon being struck, equal to one standard detonation from an axe mode charge attack.

Boost State makes Blade Mode more viable for primary combat by turning its defensive capabilities into protective offensive ones. If you are in multiplayer, I stress the importance of using Boost State Blade Mode over Axe Mode, particularly the charge attacks as they have a very wide swing and absolutely can and will knock your teammates around. If you must use axe mode, try using primarily the vertical attacks, and only the charge attacks when no one else is around.

Something I forgot to mention is that the shield basically blocks as well as a Greatsword, in that it'll block the same attacks (until Boost Mode, at which point it's as good as a Lance), but also drains sharpness with each hit. Well, duh, it's an axe blade as well. That said, blocking with the autoguard points or the shield up will also cause you to gain a small amount of charge energy.

Also, due to the way the charge detonations work, their strength is augmented by skills that increase your raw and elemental attack values. That said, you'll find that Artillery skills also modify their damage, and while they are less valuable than attack up or element up, they DO stack together.

Lastly, Load Up will add a sixth phial. This will allow you to get 30 extra seconds out of Boost State for a full set of phials and make the Ultra Burst's shockwaves 1.2x stronger.