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.

[Shift]

It's a niche weapon and that means you can do as good or better than it allows you to with other weapons. It's also the 2nd or 3rd most complex weapon, behind CB and maybe HH, so until you really get used to it, you'll suffer a great deal. It's because it's a combo reliant weapon, so like CB and HH, you must think about every key you're gonna press during the combo and what they'll do, because mindless button mash can only take you so far.

Now you say you're doing 50SoW, and I wouldn't recommend it until you got more familiar with it's moves. That barioth is quite hard even for people with their main weapon, so we can't even begin to address people who are newbies to the weapon. Try it on easier monsters up to old pal odogaron to really begin to get it.

Also, SA have a few defensive options, the main one being the combo on axe mode where the hunter jumps back a great deal while doing damage. See above posts for samples.

[Nonexistinghero]

Originally posted by Albator:

Good advices, It is my secondary weapon ( I main Charge blade) and I have to say I love this weapon.

Small thing though, the Axe mode in my experience is better at breaking parts than the Sword mode (pure damage). Maybe it was a placebo effect though, not sure.

But yeah evade extender 2 helps which is important since dodging well is crucial as you have no defence or iframes moves like the GS or LS have and of course no shield, and you are not as fast moving as DB.

The new move is great as it allows us to fight better against monsters that do not leave you openings or very small ones like Rajang, Garuga etc.

So you can hit with R2+Y (triangle) to draw hit in sword mode, then press R2 to hit in axe mode then back stick and B (circle) to do the new move. It is a nice 3 moves combo to reposition, you can use a shorter version of it though with just Y (triangle) as an opener but you need to be closer to the target.

If axe mode breaking parts faster for you is placebo or not depends on how much you use power axe mode. The downsmash after the 3rd hit of wild swing puts your axe in a sort of powered up state. It does not increase damage per hit, but it does make enemies flinch more easily and allows you to break parts more easily.

That is one of the reasons why axe mode is often recommend to get enemies to flinch or trip, before changing into sword mode for the extra damage. And one of the reasons that people recommend power prolonger, since both powered up modes will last long enough to make switching between the modes actually practical. Without sword mode in amped state, wild swings or the axe mode's wild swing to transformation slash and then repeating it will actually do significantly more damage.

[Boodendorf]

I love it, my favorite weapon. I played it in base world and IB SA is just so much better in every way. I usually do really good damage with it online so I think you just gottake take the time to get used to it, takes a while before things click ykno.

[Dregora]

I'm not good with switch axe and I think I miss a lot of the nuance with the weapon. Yet i've been maining it since the base game and with Iceborne it only got better.

[Snes64]

SA main here, a few tips:
-for skill get health 2/3, power prolonger 3 and either evade extender2/3 or evade window 5.
you are only commited to a single hit, so you can sidestep easily (unless you use chop combo/element discharge)
unless focus was buff in IB i consider it a very weak skill for SA.

-Don't forget you can morph slash sword->axe to regain a bit of phial gauge.
You can also roll in sword then morphslash to axe to cover more distance, and roll again then morphslash to sword on the monster.

-to amp the sword quickly you can:
use the double slash+full element discharge;
double slash+heavensward+partial element discharge
double slash+heavensward, sidestep+double slash.

-power up your axe to trip in solo, or to break part in solo/multi.
(that axe slam is super powerful and cut tail like butter). the chop combo-> wild morph is also super powerful

-you can get a bonus phial explosion if you hit your palico or teammate.

-use rocksteady: it allow you to not care about flinch, brainless spam ZSD, and soften w/o being thrown away.
(on engage i do roscksteady+soften tail+ZSD spam on tail to cut it quick)

EDIT:
I just looked at your build: golden rathian SA is very good and you should drop wide range (use life powder+ ).
you can take Nergi SA without master touch, to get better armor.
Also going white to purple sharpness is ~3.7% damage increase so its not worth it.

[Netsa]

I like Evade Window and Master's Touch for SA, along with the invincibility mantles. If you're able to consistently spam your ZSD, monsters die fast.

Discharge > Clutch claw fills your gauge very quickly if you have an opening, and then you can ZSD from the clutch.

[VKB]

I'm a switch axe main. I also play on console, but my Google feed told me this topic might interest me.

DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP! The switch axe has a steep learning curve. I looked at your build. Try using the nargacuga switch axe for extra affinity and sharpness (don't quote me on sharpness; I have safijiva weapons). Zero sum discharge is your bread and butter. Stop tapping after about 10 ticks so you won't get blown backwards by the blast. Also, try to get some earplugs as well so you don't get roared off your ZSD.

There's so much information that I can give you as far as switch axe. If you'd like, I'll happily watch you play and give you some tips and tricks live. Just hit me up on steam.

[Nonexistinghero]

I personally don't think evade extender and evade window are worth it for SA the way it is in IB. You should be able to keep up with monsters relatively easily unless they really run extremely far, in which case evade extender won't help either (nor would any weapon be able to keep up). There's a few scenario's where you might get by barely being able to close the distance when you aren't otherwise, but even that is generally fixed with a focus on just increasing raw damage.

Between the 2, I'd say evade window is more valuable. It helps for evading roars and a bit with dodging straight through certain monsters running at you. Diablos is pretty easy to dodge through without if you have good positioning, but you would need evade window for something like a running Kushala or Vaal. Still, it usually also isn't too hard to dodge out of their way.

I'd recommend focusing on getting the most out of affinity, crit boost and power prolonger before even considering any evade window. And evade extender is mostly redundant once you get good enough.

[JPM岩]

Originally posted by hrz94:

Originally posted by JPM岩:

Guess I should shill myself and post my guide here for those who like Switch Axe
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1591169533

Do you have a guide for early to mid-game SA? 'Cause i think it'll be very helpful

https://imgur.com/a/Ai8wIwh I used this, this is the pre Rajang meta mixes guide

Originally posted by Albator:

Originally posted by JPM岩:

Guess I should shill myself and post my guide here for those who like Switch Axe
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1591169533

Great stuff JPM, thank you very much for your hardwork on your guide and video, you are really a credit to this community.

Thanks man, it feels good to take a break from working on it too, tho I've been debating adding a "Skills" section, and further fleshing out phials more

[Pelikan]

Originally posted by Shift:

It's a niche weapon and that means you can do as good or better than it allows you to with other weapons.

What makes you think that? just curious.. I respect your opinion, everyone has his favourite weapons after all.

In my experience though, when farming"My name is Lavasioth" for instance, I kill him with the Switch Axe faster than with the Charge Blade or Longsword and don't really take more damage.

Originally posted by Nonexistinghero:

If axe mode breaking parts faster for you is placebo or not depends on how much you use power axe mode. The downsmash after the 3rd hit of wild swing puts your axe in a sort of powered up state. It does not increase damage per hit, but it does make enemies flinch more easily and allows you to break parts more easily.

That is one of the reasons why axe mode is often recommend to get enemies to flinch or trip, before changing into sword mode for the extra damage. And one of the reasons that people recommend power prolonger, since both powered up modes will last long enough to make switching between the modes actually practical. Without sword mode in amped state, wild swings or the axe mode's wild swing to transformation slash and then repeating it will actually do significantly more damage.

Thanks for your reply, i thought so yes, because i use the power axe mode very often and had noticed i broke parts more easily when doing that than with the sword mode even though in sword mode when amped i see higher damage numbers.

By the way, i have a question : Is power prolonger really that important with the Switch Axe? cause i didnt see a big the difference with or without, apparently it is just 15-18 more seconds with power prolonger , is that right?

But it is so quick to charge that i don't understand why some people advise it, same for focus which is super important for a CB, but i don't really see the point with the switch axe.

I currently use this build below ( steam link ) , should i sacrifice anything there to get power prolonger? Is it really that useful?

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/795384981693958961/1865AE2A8BE573FA484AA4C6D251E18879C910CC/

[JPM岩]

Originally posted by Albator:

Originally posted by Shift:

It's a niche weapon and that means you can do as good or better than it allows you to with other weapons.

What makes you think that? just curious.. I respect your opinion, everyone has his favourite weapons after all.

In my experience though, when farming"My name is Lavasioth" for instance, I kill him with the Switch Axe faster than with the Charge Blade or Longsword and don't really take more damage.

Originally posted by Nonexistinghero:

If axe mode breaking parts faster for you is placebo or not depends on how much you use power axe mode. The downsmash after the 3rd hit of wild swing puts your axe in a sort of powered up state. It does not increase damage per hit, but it does make enemies flinch more easily and allows you to break parts more easily.

That is one of the reasons why axe mode is often recommend to get enemies to flinch or trip, before changing into sword mode for the extra damage. And one of the reasons that people recommend power prolonger, since both powered up modes will last long enough to make switching between the modes actually practical. Without sword mode in amped state, wild swings or the axe mode's wild swing to transformation slash and then repeating it will actually do significantly more damage.

Thanks for your reply, i thought so yes, because i use the power axe mode very often and had noticed i broke parts more easily when doing that than with the sword mode even though in sword mode when amped i see higher damage numbers.

By the way, i have a question : Is power prolonger really that important with the Switch Axe? cause i didnt see a big the difference with or without, apparently it is just 15-18 more seconds with power prolonger , is that right?

But it is so quick to charge that i don't understand why some people advise it, same for focus which is super important for a CB, but i don't really see the point with the switch axe.

I currently use this build below ( steam link ) , should i sacrifice anything there to get power prolonger? Is it really that useful?

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/795384981693958961/1865AE2A8BE573FA484AA4C6D251E18879C910CC/

Power Prolonger can just be QoL. It adds like 18 seconds of Sword Form and Amped, and increases the time Power Axe is charged, but its up to you
For your mix, its decent for where Im assuming where you are, which is less than MR70

[Pelikan]

Thank you JPM :)

i am MR99 but i spent almost all my time playing random coops after work so i lack end game mats from the guiding land to craft the best weapons/armors like gold rathian etc.., that is probably why you think i am lower level.

So power prolonger is not really needed for dps then, good to know thanks! :)

[dtsmart1981]

switch axe is overly nerfed in this version of the game.
The only thing it has over other weapons is built in minds eye, and that's not as important in world.

[Pelikan]

It is much better in Iceborne with the new moves..

So far it is the highest dps weapon that i used regularly... better than the charge blade which is my favourite weapon, or better than the greatsword that i used a lot. It is great to break parts too...

Maybe a few weapons like dual blades, bow or HBG can outdamage it with optimized damage builds but to me it is still an amazing weapon.

The only thing is from what i have tested, evade extender is almost mandatory for this weapon to shine, so you can roll and morph to keep close to the monster at all times and evade most of their attacks.

evade extender actually increase your dps, just like mushroomancer because you spend less time tryng to catch up with the monster or healing (or carting), and more time dealing damage, especially against the likes of Yian Garuga and other fast monsters.

The possibilties this weapon offers are very interesting, it has range, great dps, a deep moveset and decent mobility too ( if you use evade extender at level 2 at least). I dont understand why some people do not rate this weapon.

Surely it is more complex to use than other weapons, it does not have a shield too or an i-frame defensive move like the LS has or GS .

But it has a move to hit and evade at the same time now to reposition. Basically, you need to be comfortable at dodging with it but in my opinion this weapon is great.

[Raven]

The lack of Evade Distance and/or Evade Window on your set disturbs me. SA is probably the weapon that needs more evasiveness the most (with Evade Distance being the preferred one because it's extra mobility the weapon direly needs) so that it can keep up the attack more easily.