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┗ Bonus Update Monster: Primordial Malzeno
This is a guide to the best builds and equipment for Switch Axes in Monster Hunter Rise (MH Rise): Sunbreak. Learn about the best Switch Axes for the Sunbreak expansion and the best Skills and Armor pieces to use with the Switch Axes for Low, High, and Master Rank.
| All Switch Axe Guides | ||
|---|---|---|
 Trees & Full List |
 How to Use |
 Best Builds |
List of Contents
| If you have any suggestions or additional information, please comment them below! |
|---|
| Weapon | ATK | DEF | Affinity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Volcanic Switch
 |
320 | 0 | 0% | |
| Element / Status |
Slots | Rampage Slots | ||
78 |
③ーー | ③ | ||
| Phial Type | Element | |||
| Decorations |
 Bloodening Jewel+ 4
x1 Element Exploit Jewel+ 4
x1 Hard Grinder Jewel 4
x1 Sharp Jewel+ 4
x1 Quickswitch Jewel+ 4
x1 Bloodening Jewel 3
x1 Hard Blaze Jewel 3
x1 Attack Jewel 2
x1 Element Exploit Jewel 2
x1 Enhancer Jewel 2
x1 Blaze Jewel+ 2
x1 Sharp Jewel 2
x1 Tenderizer Jewel 2
x1 Quickswitch Jewel 2
x1 Flamescale Jewel 1
x1 Intrepid Jewel 1
x1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | ATK | DEF | Affinity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Void Bringer Axe
 |
320 | 0 | 0% | |
| Element / Status |
Slots | Rampage Slots | ||
74 |
②①ー | ③ | ||
| Phial Type | Element | |||
| Decorations |
Bloodening Jewel+ 4
x1Element Exploit Jewel+ 4
x1Hard Grinder Jewel 4
x1Sharp Jewel+ 4
x1Quickswitch Jewel+ 4
x1Bloodening Jewel 3
x1 Hard Stream Jewel 3
x1Attack Jewel 2
x1Element Exploit Jewel 2
x1Enhancer Jewel 2
x1 Stream Jewel+ 2
x1Sharp Jewel 2
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2
x1Quickswitch Jewel 2
x1 Ironshell Jewel 1
x2Intrepid Jewel 1
x1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | ATK | DEF | Affinity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Thunderclap
 |
310 | 0 | 0% | |
| Element / Status |
Slots | Rampage Slots | ||
74 |
ーーー | ② | ||
| Phial Type | Element | |||
| Decorations |
Bloodening Jewel+ 4
x1Element Exploit Jewel+ 4
x1Hard Grinder Jewel 4
x1Sharp Jewel+ 4
x1Quickswitch Jewel+ 4
x1Bloodening Jewel 3
x1 Hard Bolt Jewel 3
x1Attack Jewel 2
x1Element Exploit Jewel 2
x1Enhancer Jewel 2
x1 Bolt Jewel+ 2
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2
x1Quickswitch Jewel 2
x1Intrepid Jewel 1
x1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | ATK | DEF | Affinity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Splitear Weiss
 |
330 | 0 | 0% | |
| Element / Status |
Slots | Rampage Slots | ||
54 |
③①ー | ③ | ||
| Phial Type | Element | |||
| Decorations |
Bloodening Jewel+ 4
x1Element Exploit Jewel+ 4
x1Hard Grinder Jewel 4
x1Sharp Jewel+ 4
x1Quickswitch Jewel+ 4
x1Bloodening Jewel 3
x1 Hard Frost Jewel 3
x1Attack Jewel 2
x1Element Exploit Jewel 2
x1Enhancer Jewel 2
x1 Frost Jewel+ 2
x1Sharp Jewel 2
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2
x1Quickswitch Jewel 2
x1Ironshell Jewel 1
x2Intrepid Jewel 1
x1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | ATK | DEF | Affinity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Silver Slasher
 |
320 | 0 | 0% | |
| Element / Status |
Slots | Rampage Slots | ||
49 |
④④④ | ③ | ||
| Phial Type | Element | |||
| Decorations |
Attack Jewel+ 4
x1Bloodening Jewel+ 4
x1Element Exploit Jewel+ 4
x1 Hard Dragon Jewel+ 4
x1Hard Grinder Jewel 4
x1 Phoenix Jewel+ 4
x1Sharp Jewel+ 4
x1Quickswitch Jewel+ 4
x1Bloodening Jewel 3
x1Attack Jewel 2
x1Element Exploit Jewel 2
x1Enhancer Jewel 2
x1Sharp Jewel 2
x1Tenderizer Jewel 2
x1Quickswitch Jewel 2
x1 Dragon Jewel 1
x1Intrepid Jewel 1
x1 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Armor | Slots | Skills | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Risen Kushala Glare
|
③②① |
Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3
Wind Mantle Lv. 1
|
|
 Primordial Mail
|
④④② |
Burst Lv. 1
Blood Awakening Lv. 1
|
|
 Primordial Vambraces
|
④④② |
Critical Boost Lv. 1
Blood Awakening Lv. 1
|
|
 Virtue / Prudence Coil
|
④②ー | ||
 Primordial Greaves
|
④④ー | ||
| Talisman | Attack Boost 3 with a ③②① slot | ||
| Rampage Decoration |
 Elembane Jewel 3
x 1For Thunder Build:  Anti-Wyvern Jewel 2
x 1 or Anti-Aerial Jewel 2
x 1 or Anti-Aquatic Jewel 2
x 1 or Fanged Exploit Jewel 2
x 1
|
||
| Skills | |
|---|---|
| Rampage Skill | Element Exploit to increase elemental damage against each element For the Thunder Build: Swap between Wyvern Exploit, Anti-Aerial Species, Anti-Aquatic Species, or Fanged Exploit depending on the monster. |
|
Element Attack Lv. 5 | Attack Boost Lv. 4 Weakness Exploit Lv. 3 | Element Exploit Lv. 3 Blood Rite Lv. 3 | Speed Sharpening Lv. 3 Partbreaker Lv. 3 | Wirebug Whisperer Lv. 3 Rapid Morph Lv. 3 | Protective Polish Lv. 2 Evade Extender Lv. 2 | Critical Boost Lv. 2 Intrepid Heart Lv. 1 | Power Prolonger Lv. 1 Frenzied Bloodlust Lv. 1 | Bloodlust Lv. 1 Burst Lv. 1 | Wind Mantle Lv. 1 For the Fire Build: Protective Polish Lv. 3 | Teostra Blessing Lv.1 For the Water and Ice Build: Protective Polish Lv. 3 | Kushala Blessing Lv.2 For Dragon Build: Attack Boost Lv. 7 | Protective Polish Lv. 3 Coalescence Lv. 2 |
|
| Weapon Augments | |
|---|---|
| Armor Augments |
Armor Augments for this build are not necessary. However, feel free to add as you please once you get comfortable with your build! Generally, you'd want to get better skills and more slots for your armor.
For damage, aim for any of the following: ● Powder Mantle ● Coalescence ● Teostra's Blessing For comfort, aim for any of the following: ● Power Prolonger ● Wind Mantle ● Protective Polish ● Frenzied Bloodlust |
| Build Merits and Notes |
|---|
| Blood Awakening is a new aggressive comfort skill introduced in the Bonus Update. It pairs with Blood Rite and helps in dealing with large monsters that inflict Bloodblight.
For sharpness management, Speed Sharpening and Protective Polish are included. Among the above Switch Axes, only Thunderclap lacks a slot, allowing you only two levels of Protective Polish. However, this skill can be augmented on armor to compensate. Since this build runs purely on Element Phials, you can have at least one level of Power Prolonger to extend your weapon's charged state. Silver Slasher for the Dragon Build boosts health gain when you are afflicted with Bloodblight or from the skill Blood Rite. It also boasts three ④ slots, giving way to even more possible skills. Intrepid Heart is helpful when receiving Bloodblight as it significantly reduces damage and negates knockback when filled. Use caution since the gauge can be wasted if you are caught in a monster's roar. |
Whether you're just breaking in the High Rank at HR 4 or are just looking for some new strategies at HR 100, we've got the best High Rank Switch Axe builds to spice up your hunts.
| Latest Builds | Rank |
|---|---|
| 3.0 Morphing Rampager Build | HR 100+ |
Check out the best Switch Axe builds for Monster Hunter beginners or for speeding through Village Quests or Low Rank Gathering hub.
| Latest Builds | Rank |
|---|---|
| Razor Sharp Build | Village Quest ★4 to ★6 |
These skills make it possible to deal extra damage! Aim for these skills for maximum DPS to defeat those monsters easier and finish those quests faster!
| Best Skills | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Burst ★★★ |
Activate this skill with ease, thanks to the Switch Axe's continuous combos. This will help further improve the weapon's already-impressive DPS. Available in Sunbreak Base Game |
| Element Attack ★★★ |
Sunbreak featured buffs for elemental damage, making elemental builds viable. Max out this skill to increase damage against monsters. Works best with Element Phial Switch Axes! Fire | Water | Ice | Thunder | Dragon |
| Weakness Exploit ★★★ |
A staple skill for any meta builds. Use this skill to increase your DPS while attacking weakspots! |
| Attack Boost ★★★ |
Focusing on this skill increases attack values, which can contribute greatly to DPS! Max it out or get at least 4 levels if you can! |
| Element Exploit ★★ |
Amplify your elemental damage even more with this skill. A single point of it is enough to deal significant damage. Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 1 |
| Status Trigger ★★ |
With the Switch Axe's continuous combos, this skill is ideal for Status Builds. Best paired with Evade Window. Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 1 |
| Dragon Conversion ★★ |
When activated, this skill from the Risen Crimson Glow Valstrax Armor will benefit elemental builds, increasing DPS even further! Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 4 |
| Powder Mantle ★★ |
This skill from the Risen Teostra Armor provides the Switch Axe with additional blast damage every time it activates, contributing greatly to DPS. Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 3 |
| Dereliction ★★ |
Using the Red Scroll increases the Switch Axe's elemental values while using the Blue Scroll increases attack power, improving overall damage. Just be wary of your health! Available in Sunbreak Base Game |
| Adrenaline Rush ★ |
A perfectly timed evade will give you boost in your damage. Works well with Evade Window equipped. |
| Buildup Boost ★ |
Increases your attack by 20%. Along with Status Trigger, this is an ideal skill to consider with Status Builds. Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 2 |
| Stamina Thief ★ |
Ideal for Switch Axes with Exhaust Phials. |
These are skills that make managing weapon mechanics a lot easier. Damage is only part of the equation - taking time to slot in comfort skills that increase consistency & comfort will also increase overall DPS!
| Best Skills | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Rapid Morph ★★★ |
A Switch Axe build is not complete without this skill. Rapid Morph speeds up morph speed and damage. This will let you combos more efficiently, which will contribute significantly to your DPS! |
| Evade Extender ★★★ |
More distance covered per dodge means you can easily get out of harms way or move to a better position faster to hit enemy weakspots. |
| Protective Polish ★★★ |
Switch Axe combos depletes sharpness fast. Always consider maxing this skill out to keep your sharpness high, up to a maximum of 90 seconds! |
| Wirebug Whisperer ★★★ |
Maxing this skill out makes your Wirebugs more readily available, allowing you to do more silkbind attacks with your Switch Axe. |
| Speed Sharpening ★★ |
Reduces a cycle for sharpening with each level. Synergizes well with the Protective Polish skill. |
| Wind Mantle ★★ |
This skill from the Risen Kushala Armor will recharge your Wirebugs faster, giving you more utility with your Switch Axe. Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 3 |
| Defiance ★★ |
Three levels of this skill prevent most roars, tremors, and winds from interrupting your charged attacks. The Cornerstone Jewel is a level 1 decoration, so slot it in whenever possible! Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 1 |
| Flinch Free ★★ |
Useful especially in multiplayer where minor attacks can interrupt your attacks, especially when trying to charge your weapon! |
| Power Prolonger ★ |
Makes the Amped State of your Switch Axe last longer. Only equip this skill when you're having a hard time doing the Elemental Burst Counter. |
| Evade Window ★ |
Longer invincibility frames greatly improves the Switch Axe's survivability since the Switch Axe can't guard and must only rely on evasion. The optimal level for this skill is 3, so only slot it in whenever you have the chance! |
| Handicraft ★ |
Increases sharpness. Slot this skill in only when necessary! |
| Intrepid Heart ★ |
Whenever the gauge above your health bar is full, this skill can be useful in preventing monster attacks from interrupting your combos, making it possible to pull off an extra charged attack before you can regroup. Available in Sunbreak Free Title Update 2 |
|
• Weapons marked withNEW have been updated. • Weapons withUP have been reviewed and does not warrant an updated build from the Bonus Update. |
| All Weapon Build Guides | |
|---|---|
 Great SwordNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Long SwordNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Sword & ShieldNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Dual BladesNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 HammerNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Hunting HornNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 LanceNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 GunlanceNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Switch AxeNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Charge BladeNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Insect GlaiveNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 BowNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Light BowgunNEW Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
 Heavy BowgunUP Low Rank | High Rank Master Rank |
| Other Build Guides | |
|---|---|
| General High Rank Builds and Best Equipment | Buddy Equipment Builds Palico | Palamute |
Lagombi's Swax is probably better as it has a 3 slot and a 1 slot. + Element phial.
Switch Axe Builds and Best Armor
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Elemental Boost
Sharpness Boost
So where are the suggested Augmentation for each weapon and armor. There should be a subsection to suggest what to augment and what skills to roll for. If any. It's understandable that in such a subsection if augmentation is a bad idea. It should be noted.