Is Switch Axe terrible, or am I terrible?

[WTFantastico]

I'd honestly prefer the latter. Switch Axe feels like a weapon which only spits out comparable DPS when the monster is incapacitated, and even then it seems to fall short of many other weapons. The mobility feels awkward, and having no quick way to disengage during an interaction nor to guard/counter has me taking more hits than I have on other weapons. I've been running the "50 Shades" Barioth event quest with SA and GS, but the ratio of overall DPS is roughly 3:2 in favor of GS, and I find it much easier to stay safe with GS.

Builds for reference:
https://i.imgur.com/sQ3QKOm.png
https://i.imgur.com/9LBqIiZ.png

https://i.imgur.com/CZ8Gtmb.png
https://i.imgur.com/S1Fvbrz.png

I'd obviously love for each weapon to be as viable as the next in terms of DPS (shakes fist at S&S), so I'd like to hear other opinions, or tips on how others play SA.

[mewlynx]

Former = first option, latter = second option, unless you were meaning to call yourself terrible.

Also, use fade slashes more.

[Tresh]

Not sure about you being terrible. I play with a switch axe user that probably does comparable damage to me as a hammer user. Probably just a practice thing. (Or I suck with the hammer, but I usually finish hunts fast and without faints)

[Grisnir]

Originally posted by Dunathon:

Not sure about you being terrible. I play with a switch axe user that probably does comparable damage to me as a hammer user. Probably just a practice thing. (Or I suck with the hammer, but I usually finish hunts fast and without faints)

the Switch Axe all damage, no defense with long animations locks, there is a reason only 5% of players using a Switch axe

[WTFantastico]

Originally posted by maelynx:

Former = first option, latter = second option, unless you were meaning to call yourself terrible.

Not necessarily calling myself terrible, but I didn't misspeak, I do hope I'm just playing the weapon poorly. That would mean that the deficit can be fixed by me just getting better at the weapon, whereas if the former is true, that would mean the SA is just worse than other weapons in most if not all respects, and a unique and interesting moveset is basically made worthless to me. Me being bad I can fix, the weapon being bad I can't.

[Ты лох]

))

[WTFantastico]

Originally posted by Grisnir:

Originally posted by Dunathon:

Not sure about you being terrible. I play with a switch axe user that probably does comparable damage to me as a hammer user. Probably just a practice thing. (Or I suck with the hammer, but I usually finish hunts fast and without faints)

the Switch Axe all damage, no defense with long animations locks, there is a reason only 5% of players using a Switch axe

Yeah? Still, even when the monster is downed and defense is basically a non-factor, I can roughly match the damage of SA with GS. That may be less the case if the monster gets downed when the sword mode is already charged, though. Not sure.

[Mr. Orion Quest]

The switch axe is the 2nd highest DPS melee weapon in Iceborne.

[WTFantastico]

Originally posted by Mr. Orion Quest:

The switch axe is the 2nd highest DPS melee weapon in Iceborne.

What's first, Charge Blade?

[mewlynx]

Originally posted by WTFantastico:

Originally posted by Mr. Orion Quest:

The switch axe is the 2nd highest DPS melee weapon in Iceborne.

What's first, Charge Blade?

Dual Blades

[Sammy]

Switch Axe does stupid damage when you do Zero Sum Discharge.
That requires you to use Sword form enough for the meter to glow, meaning it's Amped up. Then either clutch clawing into the monster or discharging at it when it's down lets you stab into it and you do stupid damage, especially on weakened points.

But it feels like it's the most noteworthy thing about SA's damage, to the point where people just spam it on repeat over everything else about the weapon. So I'm not sure how to feel either sometimes.

[Grisnir]

Originally posted by Mr. Orion Quest:

The switch axe is the 2nd highest DPS melee weapon in Iceborne.

i guess with zero sum spam?

[Remi]

Originally posted by Grisnir:

Originally posted by Mr. Orion Quest:

The switch axe is the 2nd highest DPS melee weapon in Iceborne.

i guess with zero sum spam?

2nd strongest melee is SnS after DB, once the buffs for those two hit.

[Furrows]

SA has a lot of damage potential, but because as you said it has no blocks or extra Iframes you need to be really good at rolls/hops to not die.
but for anything i'd recommend watching Jinjinx's video on the Iceborne SA changes and how much they did for the weapon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y35I309xqmA

[Egro]

It's called getting use to it. Swag axe and its sister Charge blade are the 2 more complicate weapons in MH.

[safersaviour]

Originally posted by Mr. Orion Quest:

The switch axe is the 2nd highest DPS melee weapon in Iceborne.

No it's not. Second is GS (or was before the SnS buffs). Overall SA is 10th, and 7th amongst melee. It's not bad at all--the difference between it, and the weapons it's near is marginal--but it's not at the top of the pile.

SA *does* have the second highest DPS output on a stationary target. Unfortunately, monsters aren't stationary.