Although the Charge Blade is arguably the coolest weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds, it’s also one of the most complicated. You need to understand both of its modes and the unique mechanics to use it properly. That’s asking for a lot when compared with other weapons in the game, but we promise the damage it delivers makes this worth the extra effort.
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What makes the Charge Blade such a complex weapon is that it’s made up of two weapon configurations: Sword Mode and Axe Mode. The former equips you with a sword and shield for quick movement and defensive guarding; the latter combines the two into a heavy axe that sacrifices your defense and speed for powerful attacks.
Knowing when to swap between the two is naturally an important part of learning how to use a Charge Blade. Cycling between the two modes is vital for combat. A unique mechanic for this weapon will have you gather energy with your sword to then use for your axe, or to provide buffs to your equipment.
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Aside from offering two weapon modes, the Charge Blade’s defining trait is its Phial mechanic. Underneath the Melee Weapon Sharpness gauge will be four icons to keep an eye on: a Sword, a Shield, an Axe, and a set of five phials. Landing hits in Sword Mode will gradually accumulate energy. The outline of the phials will turn yellow and then red to convey how much energy you’ve built up. Keep attacking and the icons will start flashing bright red to signal that you have too much, with your sword attacks bouncing off enemies until you’ve discharged the energy.
You have a few options for how to charge the phials:
The basic gameplay loop is to charge your phials, consume them in Axe Mode, and then return to Sword Mode to charge again. I highly recommend activating the buffs for your shield and sword if you want to make the most out of this weapon. A lot of extra damage will be left on the table by not making use of them.
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There is another buff tangibly related to the Phial mechanic. Power Axe Mode, commonly referred to as Savage Axe by fans, will significantly increase the heavy weapon’s effectiveness. Not only does it lessen Phial usage so that relevant attacks only use half of a Phial at a time, but it also lets you add on more damage to your attacks by holding the face buttons down, causing the Axe portion to spin like a saw blade. You can tear through everything in the Monster Hunter Wilds campaign with strong attacks like these.
Power Axe Mode can be triggered through the following methods:
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The best attack to quickly fill your phials is Sword: Charged Double Slash (holding Circle/B). Landing just one of these will turn your phial icons yellow, with another turning them red. Add in another attack in between, like Sword: Shield Thrust (Triangle+Circle/Y+B), and you’ll have a full charge ready in no time. Feel free to tweak the above combo with a couple of starting attacks or use it to charge into Element Boost or Sword Boost Mode instead.
Sometimes, the best combos just take a bit of button mashing. Press Circle/B in Axe Mode to use Element Discharge I. Press it again to use Element Discharge II, and as a special combo-exclusive input, pressing it a third time will bring out an AED. If you have your Element Boost active, follow this up with the standard SAED input to dump the rest of your Phial energy into one deadly attack. Make sure to hold the buttons with Power Axe Mode to top off with even more damage.
Every weapon has some deeper strategies, but none matches the Charge Blade’s technical aspects. You’ll certainly think it’s worth it for the massive damage and unparalleled versatility. Pair this with a decent understanding of how skills work in Monster Hunter Wilds to take down whatever comes your way.
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