Monster Hunter World (MHW)

Best Switch Axe Builds for Iceborne 2023-2024

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Want to learn about the best Switch Axe Builds for Monster Hunter World (MHW) Iceborne? Look no further than our best endgame builds for Switch Axe! This build is made on Iceborne's last patch and is a build that is centered around Iceborne's Meta Endgame builds.

Switch Axe Endgame Meta Build

Endgame Fatalis Armor Build

Weapon Decorations
True Fatalis End Challenger/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Challenger/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Armor Decorations
Head Dragonhead Beta + Attack Jewel+ 4 x2
Tenderizer/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Armor Dragonhide Beta + Tenderizer/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Brace/Evasion Jewel 4 x1
Critical/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Vambraces Escadora Armguards Alpha + Expert Jewel 1 x1
Protection Jewel 1 x1
Waist Dragonbarbs Beta + Earplug/Protection Jewel 4 x1
Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x2
Legs Dragonfeet Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x2
Handicraft/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Charm Challenger Charm V None

Fatalis Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Critical Eye 7
Agitator 7 Divine Blessing 5
Tool Specialist 5 Weakness Exploit 3
Critical Boost 3 Stun Resistance 3
Power Prolonger 3 Evade Window 3
Earplugs 1 Handicraft 1
Flinch Free 1 Fatalis Legend 4
hunter guide A full build Switch Axe with all the handiest skills available. Divine Blessing is added so you can make those ZSD spam plays without much risk and the Power Prolonger is there to extend the buffs from your sword form.

Switch Axe Meta Builds

Sleep Axe Build

Sleep Axe Build Tool Specialist Agitator Build
Teo-Luna Awakening Build Safi-Velkhana Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Nyx Smasher II Enhancer Jewel 2 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Kaiser Crown Beta + Enhancer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Armor Rex Roar Mail Beta + Tenderizer/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Attack Jewel 1 x1
Waist Kaiser Coil Beta + Brace/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Enhancer Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Garuga Greaves Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x2
Charm Tranq Charm IV None

Sleep Axe Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Attack Boost 4
Sleep Attack 4 Weakness Exploit 3
Power Prolonger 3 Critical Boost 3
Health Boost 3 Blast Attack 2
Flinch Free 1 Latent Power 1
Heat Guard 1 Tool Specialist 1
Teostra Technique 3
hunter guide A Switch Axe build featuring the Nyx Smasher for sleep procs. This build can reach 95% affinity when hitting wounded monster parts, which will allow you to deal insane damage with ZSD spams!

Tool Specialist Agitator Build

Sleep Axe Build Tool Specialist Agitator Build
Teo-Luna Awakening Build Safi-Velkhana Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Shatteraxe Earplug/Medicine Jewel 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Frostfang Helm Beta + Enhancer/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Enhancer Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Armor Brachydium Mail Beta + Enhancer/Medicine Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Empress Vambraces Beta + Tenderizer/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Waist Empress Coil Beta + Brace/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Legs Brachydium Greaves Beta + Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Charm Challenger Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Sharpness Increase VI Attack Increase V x3 Lunastra Essence

Tool Specialist Agitator Build Skill List

Skills
Agitator 7 Critical Eye 7
Tool Specialist 5 Health Boost 3
Power Prolonger 3 Weakness Exploit 3
Critical Boost 3 Recovery Up 2
Earplugs 1 Blast Attack 1
Flinch Free 1 Brachydios Will 2
Lunastra Essence Frostfang Absolute Art 1
hunter guide Tool Specialist is one of the best skills in the game and this build utilizes that. Your mantles will have near permanent up time, so keep launching those attacks at the enemy without fear!

Teo-Luna Awakening Build

Sleep Axe Build Tool Specialist Agitator Build
Teo-Luna Awakening Build Safi-Velkhana Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Bindaxe Earplug/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Empress Crown Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Armor Kaiser Mail Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Kaiser Vambraces Beta + Jumping/Expert Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Empress Coil Beta + Charger/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Legs Empress Greaves Beta + Critical/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Critical Jewel 2 x1
Charm Invigorate Charm III None
Awakened Ability
Attack Increase VI Attack Increase V x3 Teostra Essence

Teo-Luna Awakening Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Tool Specialist 5
Health Boost 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Power Prolonger 3
Wide-Range 2 Earplugs 1
Heat Guard 1 Latent Power 1
Focus 1 Evade Extender 1
Lunastra Essence Teostra Essence
hunter guide A 5 piece teo-luna combo featuring the Safi Bindaxe. By awakening the Bindaxe with a Teostra Essence, we can get both the Tool Specialist secret and the Master's Touch Secret. The rest of the skills are standard with some wide-range for co-op support.

Safi-Velkhana Awakening Build

Sleep Axe Build Tool Specialist Agitator Build
Teo-Luna Awakening Build Safi-Velkhana Awakening Build
Weapon Decorations
Safi's Hellaxe Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Safi Crested Crown Beta + Expert Jewel+ 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x2
Armor Rimeguard Mail Beta + Critical/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Safi Crested Vambraces Beta + Tenderizer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Enhancer Jewel 2 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Rimeguard Coil Beta + Enhancer/Maintenance Jewel 4 x1
Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Legs Safi Crested Boots Beta + Enhancer/Vitality Jewel 4 x1
Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Blaze Jewel 1 x1
Charm Blaze Charm V None
Awakened Ability
Element Up VI Element Up V x3 Element Phial

Safi-Velkhana Awakening Build Skill List

Skills
Critical Eye 7 Fire Attack 6
Health Boost 3 Critical Boost 3
Weakness Exploit 3 Power Prolonger 3
Quick Sheath 2 Tool Specialist 2
Blight Resistance 1 Evade Window 1
Flinch Free 1 Safi'jiiva Seal 3
Velkhana Divinity 2
hunter guide A life-stealing Critical Element build. Particularly useful against enemies they are weak to and is extremely potent when aiming to take down Alatreon (just change your Axe depending on it's starting element)

Switch Axe Progression Build

Early Iceborne Progression Build Mid-Late Iceborne Build MHW Related Links

Starter Iceborne Build

Weapon Decorations
Defender Switch Axe V ---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Bazel Helm Beta Enhancer Jewel 2 x1
Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Armor Xeno'jiiva Hide Beta Protection Jewel 1 x2
Vambraces Death Stench Grip Beta Steadfast Jewel 1 x2
Waist Empress Coil Beta Protection Jewel 1 x2
Steadfast Jewel 1 x1
Legs Empress Greaves Beta Charger Jewel 2 x1
Maintenance Jewel 1 x1
Charm Earplugs Charm III None

Starter Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Earplugs 5 Power Prolonger 3
Health Boost 3 Focus 3
Tool Specialist 3 Divine Blessing 3
Stun Resistance 3 Lunastra Favor
hunter guide A more defensive endgame build from MHW, it allows you to use those Elemental Discharges and ZSD without much risk. Focus also helps charge up your weapon which makes keeping the offensive easy.

Early Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Gnashing Flammenbeil+ ---
---
Armor Decorations
Head Jagras Helm Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Armor Bone Mail Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Vambraces Alloy Vambraces Alpha + Tenderizer Jewel 2 x1
Waist Lumu Coil Alpha + Vitality Jewel 1 x2
Legs Alloy Greaves Alpha + Handicraft Jewel 3 x1
Charm Handicraft Charm III None

Early Iceborne Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 4 Speed Eating 2
Health Boost 3 Defense Boost 2
Speed Sharpening 3 Divine Blessing 2
Windproof 2 Weakness Exploit 3
Handicraft 4
hunter guide Affinity isn't the game for this Switch Axe build, it relies on raw damage to deal damage which isn't too bad considering the high elemental damage the Gnashin Flammenbeil provides. It also has an elemental phial which can destroy the majority of the hoarfrost monsters in the game.

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build

Weapon Decorations
Rex Raider II Expert Jewel 1 x1
---
Armor Decorations
Head Lumu Phantasm Hood Alpha + Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Armor Rathalos Mail Alpha + Vitality Jewel 1 x1
Fungiform Jewel 1 x1
Vambraces Glavenus Braces Alpha + Expert Jewel 1 x1
Waist Dober Coil Alpha + Elementless Jewel 2 x1
Expert Jewel 1 x1
Legs Dober Greaves Alpha + Mighty Jewel 2 x1
Charm Attack Charm III None

Mid-Late Iceborne Progression Build Skill List

Skills
Attack Boost 7 Weakness Exploit 3
Maximum Might 3 Critical Eye 2
Health Boost 3 Mushroomancer 3
Non-elemental Boost Focus 1
Wide-Range 1 Stun Resistance 2
hunter guide As a non-stamina heavy weapon, we slotted in a Maximum Might skill together with a max attack skill and non-elemental boost for high damage. Beware as this loadout doesn't have a max stun resist skill so beware when taking those monster hits.

Best Switch Axe Weapons and Skills

Best Weapons for Switch Axe

Weapon Explanation
True Fatalis End
[Atk] 1225 | [Affinity] -20%
・Has the highest attack damage and two 4-slots
Chrome Machina III
[Atk] 945 | [Affinity] 0%
・Easy to craft
・Damage can be increased by unlocking Free Elem/Ammo Up skill
Golden Crescent
[Atk] 1015 | [Affinity] 15%
・Has a 15% affinity
・Works well with Master's Touch
Nyx Smasher II
[Atk] 840 | [Affinity] 0%
・High Sleep Element of 450
・Extremely useful in the Guiding Lands

Best Skills for Switch Axe

Skill Explanation
Health Boost
( ★★★ )
Increases maximum health to increase your survival rate
A must have for beginners
Alatreon Divinity
( ★★★ )
Equipped weapon's elemental power increases as your armor's elemental resistance increases
Weakness Exploit
( ★★★ )
Significantly increases your attack by targeting weakpoints
Critical Eye
( ★★★ )
Increases your Affinity
Power Prolonger
( ★★★ )
Allows your weapon to stay powered up longer
Tool Specialist
( ★★★ )
Reduces the recharge time for specialized tools.
Divine Blessing
( ★★★ )
Significantly reduces the damage you take
Lunastra Essence
( ★★ )
Raises the maximum level of the Tool Specialist skill
Focus
( ★★ )
Increases gauge fill rate and reduces charge times
Evade Window
( ★★ )
Increases invulnerability window when evading
Evade Extender
( ★★ )
Increases the distance traveled when evading

Best Skills for Switch Axes

MHW Related Links

Best Builds

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Best Endgame Builds and Weapon Progression Builds

Best Builds Per Weapons

Melee Weapons
Long Sword Icon.jpegLong Swords Great Sword Icon.jpegGreat Swords Sword & Shield Icon.jpegSword and Shield Dual Blades Icon.jpegDual Blades
Hammer Icon.jpegHammer Hunting Horn Icon.jpegHunting Horn Lance Icon.jpegLance Gunlance Icon.jpegGunlance
Switch Axe Icon.jpegSwitch Axe Charge Blade Icon.jpegCharge Blade Insect Glaive Icon.jpegInsect Glaive
Ranged Weapons
Bow Icon.jpegBow light bowgun icon.pngLight Bowgun
Heavy bowgun icon.pngHeavy Bowgun

Best Counter Builds

Monster Counterbuilds
fatalis icon.pngFatalis alatreon icon.pngAlatreon

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