Read this Monster Hunter World: Iceborne guide to know the best & recommended armor skills for the melee weapon - Switch Axe!!!
Table of Contents
Related Article On Switch Axe
 How To Use | Best Builds |
| Best Skills | Endgame Tier List |
Switch Axe Features & Overview
Has Axe & Sword Modes For Attacking
The Switch Axe has two modes that Hunters can utilize - the Axe & Sword modes. Axe mode has very good reach and mobility while the Sword mode deals amazing amounts of damage. Both work together to make the Switch Axe a powerful weapon.
Can Only Dodge To Avoid Damage
The Switch Axe does not have any guarding or blocking capabilities. Hunters need to roll to get out of harm's way, which can be difficult as the weapon is heavy and has less mobility than others. Skills that increase evasion are highly recommended.
Recommended Skill List For Switch Axe
| Skill | Recommendation Criteria |
|---|---|
| Attack Boost | Increases attack power and affinity at later level, allowing you to deal more damage to the monster |
| Weakness Exploit | You'll deal more damage and have increased affinity rate when landing hits on monster weak spots |
| Critical Boost | Damage of critical hits is increased, letting you deal more damage to monster's health when landing critical hits |
| Handicraft | Longer sharpness gauge will let you sharpen less & prevent damage loss when weapon becomes blunt |
| Agitator | Attack & affinity increases when monster is enraged which lets your attacks hit harder than when monsters are calm |
| Critical Eye | Increases affinity rate, allowing for more chances of making critical hits |
| Speed Sharpening | Lessens sharpening time with a whetstone & keeps you from being too vulnerable to monster attacks |
| Quick Sheath | Weapon sheathing is faster, making you more mobile for dodging or evading monster moves |
| Power Prolonger | Keeps your gauge powered up longer, allowing you to deal more damage to the monster |
| Earplugs | This prevents you from being stunned for too long from monster roars, allowing you to move away from monster attacks |
| Evade Window | Elongates your rolls & dodges, helping you miss enemy attacks or place yourself properly for an attack opening |
| Evade Extender | Increases dodge distance to keep yourself out of monster attack |
Best Switch Axe Skills To Equip
Evade Extender
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Slightly extends evasion distance |
| 2 | Extends evasion distance |
| 3 | Greatly extends evasion distance |
Easier To Evade Monster Attack Or Close In
With Evade Extender, you can easily move away from monster attacks, keeping yourself safe. A well-time & placed dodge can also help you quickly close the distance towards a monster that is open for attack.
Evade Window
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Very slightly increases invulnerability window |
| 2 | Slightly increases invulnerability window |
| 3 | Increases invulnerability window |
| 4 | Greatly increases invulnerability window |
| 5 | Massively increases invulnerability window |
Increases Invincibility When Dodging
Since the Switch Axe can only dodge through attacks, Evade Window is a good skill to have. With this skill, you can dodge right through perilous monster attacks due to the enlarged invincibility window.
Attack Boost
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attack +3 |
| 2 | Attack +6 |
| 3 | Attack +9 |
| 4 | Attack +12 and Affinity +5% |
| 5 | Attack +15 and Affinity +5% |
| 6 | Attack +18 and Affinity +5% |
| 7 | Attack +21 and Affinity +5% |
Critical Skill To Have For Any Weapon
Since this skill increases a weapon's raw physical damage and then increases affinity rate at later levels, it's a very important basic skill to have in any loadout or build.
Weakness Exploit
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Attacks that hit weak spots have 15% increased affinity |
| 2 | Attacks that hit weak spots have 30% increased affinity |
| 3 | Attacks that hit weak spots have 50% increased affinity |
Allows For Efficient Hunting
Weakness Exploit gives you bigger chances to deal more damage to monster weak spots, making it easier for you to break monster parts or lower monster health. Utilize the Switch Axe's reach to target weak spots & make for efficient hunts.
Critical Boost
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Increases damage dealt by critical hits by 30% |
| 2 | Increases damage dealt by critical hits by 35% |
| 3 | Increases damage dealt by critical hits by 40% |
Combine With Attack Boost & Weakness Exploit
When you combine this skill with Attack Boost, Weakness Exploit, and Critical Eye, you'll be dealing a whole lot of damage to any monster you encounter in any hunt.
Handicraft
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Weapon sharpness +10 |
| 2 | Weapon sharpness +20 |
| 3 | Weapon sharpness +30 |
| 4 | Weapon sharpness +40 |
| 5 | Weapon sharpness +50 |
Elongates Your Sharpness Gauge
Having the Handicraft increases your weapon sharpness. This lessens your need to sharpen your weapon and prevents you from being open to monster attacks.
Alternative Sword And Shield Skill List
Power Prolonger
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bonus duration +10% |
| 2 | Bonus duration +20% |
| 3 | Bonus duration +30% |
Keep Damage Up During Amped State
Power Prolonger helps you dole out continuous amounts of tremendous damage longer by keeping your Amped State up for longer.
Critical Eye
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Affinity +3% |
| 2 | Affinity +6% |
| 3 | Affinity +10% |
| 4 | Affinity +15% |
| 5 | Affinity +20% |
| 6 | Affinity +25% |
| 7 | Affinity +30% |
Skill To Increase Damage
Critical Eye essentially increases your affinity rate. Having a higher affinity rate allows you to deal more damage with weapons, letting you kill monsters faster.
Agitator
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | While active, grants attack +4 and increases affinity by 3% |
| 2 | While active, grants attack +8 and increases affinity by 6% |
| 3 | While active, grants attack +12 and increases affinity by 9% |
| 4 | While active, grants attack +16 and increases affinity by 12% |
| 5 | While active, grants attack +20 and increases affinity by 15% |
Deal More Damage When Monster Is Enraged
The Agitator skill boosts your attack and affinity rate when the monster is enraged. Since monsters enrage multiple times during a fight, you'll be able to do more damage to it and defeat it more easily.
Speed Sharpening
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Removes one cycle from the sharpening process |
| 2 | Removes two cycles from the sharpening process |
| 3 | Removes three cycles from the sharpening process |
Recommended For Weapons That Lose Sharpness Fast
Since the Long Sword does a lot of hits, it can lose sharpness fast. Speed Sharpening will help you sharpen faster, allowing you to go back into the hunt quickly without making yourself too vulnerable.
Quick Sheath
| Lvl | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Slightly increases sheathing speed |
| 2 | Moderately increases sheathing speed |
| 3 | Greatly increases sheathing speed |
Put Away Weapons Faster
Quick Sheath is a useful skill for the Switch Axe, allowing you to sheathe your weapon faster. This is crucial when chasing after monsters, or using your Slinger to hit monsters with Slinger Ammo, etc.
