When it comes to the world of Monster Hunter, the weapon choice can make a significant difference in how you approach and defeat your foes. One popular weapon in the game is the switch axe, a versatile tool that combines the power of an axe with the speed and finesse of a sword. With its ability to switch between different modes, the switch axe offers hunters a range of options for dealing with various monsters and situations.
However, some players have wondered if the switch axe can benefit from the skill Artillery, which is typically associated with the heavy bowgun and gunlance weapons. Artillery increases the damage dealt by explosive attacks, making it a valuable skill for players who rely on these explosive-heavy weapons. But does Artillery have any impact on the switch axe?
The answer is no, Artillery does not directly affect the switch axe’s damage output. Unlike the heavy bowgun and gunlance, the switch axe does not rely heavily on explosive attacks. Instead, the switch axe focuses on direct damage with its slashing and elemental attacks. While the switch axe does have a few attacks that can deal explosive damage, such as the Discharge and the Zero Sum Discharge, these attacks are not significantly affected by the Artillery skill.
That being said, this doesn’t mean that Artillery is entirely useless for switch axe users. Artillery can still provide some benefits, albeit indirectly. For example, Artillery can be paired with the Rocksteady Mantle or Temporal Mantle to reduce the time needed to charge the switch axe’s sword mode. This can allow hunters to quickly reach their highest damage potential and take advantage of the switch axe’s powerful combos and attacks.
Understanding the Switch Axe
The Switch Axe is a versatile weapon in Monster Hunter that combines the power of an axe and the speed of a sword. It is a favorite choice for hunters who enjoy a balance between offense and mobility. In the hands of a skilled hunter, the Switch Axe can deal devastating damage to monsters.
Switching Between Forms:
The key feature of the Switch Axe is the ability to switch between two different forms: the Axe Form and the Sword Form. In Axe Form, the Switch Axe is slower but deals heavier damage with wide, sweeping attacks. In Sword Form, the Switch Axe becomes faster and gains access to new combos, allowing hunters to unleash relentless strikes on their targets.
To switch between forms, hunters need to charge their Switch Gauge. This can be done by attacking monsters in Axe Form or using the Amped State, which is a temporary boost in power that can be activated in Sword Form. Once the Switch Gauge is charged, hunters can seamlessly switch between forms to adapt to different combat situations.
Managing the Phial Energy:
Another important aspect of the Switch Axe is managing its Phial Energy. Phial Energy is consumed when using certain attacks in Sword Form and can be replenished by attacking in Axe Form.
There are three types of Phial Energy: Power Phial, Exhaust Phial, and Element Phial. Power Phial increases the Switch Axe’s raw damage, while Exhaust Phial drains a monster’s stamina and can lead to exhaustion. Element Phial enhances the Switch Axe’s elemental damage, making it effective against monsters weak to certain elements.
Understanding the type of Phial Energy your Switch Axe has and strategizing your attacks accordingly can greatly improve your overall performance in hunts.
Conclusion:
The Switch Axe is a powerful and versatile weapon that offers hunters a unique playstyle. By effectively managing the Switch Gauge and Phial Energy, hunters can maximize the Switch Axe’s potential and become formidable opponents to any monster they encounter.
In-depth Analysis
The switch axe is a versatile weapon that combines the mobility of the sword mode with the power of the axe mode. It allows players to switch between two modes on the fly, giving them access to a wide range of attacks and combos. However, artillery is not typically used with the switch axe, as it is more commonly associated with the gunlance and heavy bowgun.
Artillery is a skill that increases the power of explosive attacks, such as those from the gunlance or heavy bowgun. It does not have a significant impact on the damage dealt by the switch axe, as the weapon relies more on raw damage and elemental damage rather than explosive attacks.
Instead of investing in artillery, switch axe users should focus on skills that increase their raw damage or elemental damage. Skills such as Attack Boost, Critical Boost, Weakness Exploit, and Elemental Attack Up can greatly enhance the damage output of the switch axe.
In conclusion, while artillery may seem like a useful skill for the switch axe, it is not recommended due to the weapon’s playstyle and reliance on raw and elemental damage. Switch axe users should prioritize skills that increase their damage output instead.
Effects of Artillery on the Switch Axe
Artillery is a skill in Monster Hunter World that primarily affects the damage output of weapons that use explosive attacks, like the Gunlance and the Charge Blade. However, it does not have a direct impact on the Switch Axe’s attacks, as the weapon does not rely on explosives.
While Artillery does not directly enhance the Switch Axe’s damage, it can still indirectly benefit the weapon in a couple of ways:
- Explosive Phial: The Switch Axe has a special attack mode called the Amped State, which empowers its attacks and unlocks the use of the weapon’s Elemental Discharge. This discharge attack has an explosive effect and can deal significant damage to monsters. If you have the Artillery skill equipped, it can increase the damage done by the explosions in the Elemental Discharge, making it even more deadly.
- Explosive Combos: The Switch Axe has various attack combos that involve rapid switching between its two forms: the Sword mode and the Axe mode. During these combos, the weapon can deal explosive damage with certain attacks, such as the Wild Swing or the Sword Mode Fade Slash. Although Artillery does not directly affect the damage of these attacks, it can increase the explosive damage they cause, enhancing the overall damage output.
Overall, while Artillery does not have a significant impact on the Switch Axe’s damage, it can still provide a slight boost to the weapon’s explosive attacks. If you enjoy using the Switch Axe’s Amped State and its Elemental Discharge, or if you often perform explosive combos, then investing in the Artillery skill may be worth considering to maximize your damage potential.
Pros and Cons
When it comes to using artillery with the switch axe, there are both pros and cons to consider.
Pros:
1. Increased Damage: Using artillery with the switch axe can significantly boost the weapon’s damage output. This is especially useful against tough monsters with high health pools.
2. Artillery Skills: By using artillery, you can unlock various skills that enhance your weapon’s performance. These skills can provide additional damage, increased stun potential, or even faster charging of the phial gauge.
Cons:
1. Limited Role: Artillery is primarily focused on improving the performance of explosive attacks. While this can be powerful, it limits the versatility of the switch axe, as it becomes heavily reliant on explosive phials.
2. Skill Investment: To fully reap the benefits of artillery, you need to invest skill points into it. This means sacrificing points that could be used for other skills, such as evasion or damage boosters.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, whether or not you should use artillery with the switch axe depends on your playstyle and preferences. It can greatly enhance your damage output, but at the cost of versatility and skill investment. Consider experimenting with different builds to find the balance that suits your gameplay the best.
Benefits of Using Artillery with the Switch Axe
Artillery is a skill in Monster Hunter that enhances the power of explosive attacks, making it a valuable addition for Switch Axe users. Here are some of the benefits of using artillery with the Switch Axe:
1. Increased Damage
Artillery significantly boosts the damage of explosive attacks, such as the Switch Axe’s axe mode phial discharges and the explosions caused by the Zero Sum Discharge attack. This can make a noticeable difference in the overall damage output of the weapon, allowing hunters to deal more damage to their targets.
2. Faster Charge Times
With Artillery, the charge times for the Switch Axe’s phial discharges are reduced, allowing hunters to pull off these powerful attacks more frequently. This is especially useful in prolonged battles where consistently dealing high damage is crucial.
Additionally, the charge time reduction can also benefit the Switch Axe’s Wild Swing attacks, making them more efficient when engaging multiple enemies or hitting a moving target.
3. Synergy with Other Skills
Artillery works well with other skills that enhance explosive damage, such as Bombardier. When combined, these skills can result in even greater damage output, maximizing the potential of the Switch Axe’s explosive attacks.
Furthermore, Artillery pairs particularly well with the Blast status effect. The increased damage from Artillery can help trigger the blast more frequently, dealing additional damage over time to the monster.
In conclusion, Artillery is a beneficial skill for Switch Axe users, providing increased damage, faster charge times, and synergy with other skills. Its inclusion in a hunter’s build can significantly enhance the effectiveness of the Switch Axe in taking down monsters.
Drawbacks of Using Artillery with the Switch Axe
While using artillery with the switch axe can have its advantages, there are also some drawbacks to consider. Here are a few reasons why using artillery with the switch axe may not be the best choice:
1. Limited Ammunition
Artillery relies on ammo, which means you have a limited number of shots before needing to restock. Unlike other weapons that can be used continuously, using artillery with the switch axe requires careful management of your ammunition. This can be especially challenging during long hunts or against tough monsters.
2. Reduced Mobility
The switch axe is known for its versatility and mobility, allowing hunters to quickly switch between axe and sword mode for maximum damage. However, using artillery can reduce your mobility since it requires you to equip and use the weapon with ammo. This can limit your ability to dodge and evade attacks, making you more vulnerable to the monster’s attacks.
3. Distracted Gameplay
Using the switch axe already requires careful timing and coordination to maximize damage output. Adding artillery into the mix can sometimes distract you from focusing on the monster and its movements. Constantly checking your ammunition count and managing your shots can take away from the fluidity of the switch axe gameplay.
Overall, while using artillery with the switch axe can provide some benefits in terms of boosted damage, it also comes with its own set of drawbacks that may make it less desirable for some hunters. It’s important to find a balance between utilizing the switch axe’s strengths and considering the potential limitations of using artillery.
Optimal Builds
When it comes to using artillery with the switch axe, there are a few different approaches you can take to optimize your build.
1. Focus on Artillery:
If you want to maximize the damage of your artillery attacks, you should focus on increasing the level of artillery skill. This can be done by equipping armor pieces and decorations that have the artillery skill, such as the Artillery Charm or the Dodogama Mail. Additionally, using the Impact Mantle can further increase the damage of your artillery attacks.
Example build:
– Head: Dodogama Helm
– Chest: Rathalos Mail
– Arms: Nergigante Vambraces
– Waist: Dodogama Coil
– Legs: Dodogama Greaves
– Charm: Artillery Charm
– Mantle: Impact Mantle
2. Focus on Raw Damage:
If you prefer to focus on raw damage with your switch axe and still want to incorporate artillery into your build, you can prioritize skills that increase your overall damage output. This includes skills like Critical Eye, Weakness Exploit, and Attack Boost. Additionally, using switch axes with high raw damage and using Power Phials can further enhance your damage output.
Example build:
– Head: Dragonking Eyepatch
– Chest: Dober Mail
– Arms: Kaiser Vambraces
– Waist: Nergigante Coil
– Legs: Death Stench Heel
– Charm: Attack Charm
3. Focus on Element or Status:
If you prefer to use elemental or status damage with your switch axe, you can still make use of artillery by incorporating skills that increase elemental or status damage. Skills such as Elemental Attack Up, Free Element/Ammo Up, and Critical Element can help increase the damage output of your elemental or status attacks, while still benefiting from the bonus damage of artillery.
Example build:
– Head: Rathalos Helm
– Chest: Rathalos Mail
– Arms: Rathalos Braces
– Waist: Rathalos Coil
– Legs: Rathalos Greaves
– Charm: Elemental Charm
Overall, there are multiple ways to optimize your build when using artillery with the switch axe. Deciding which approach to take will depend on your playstyle and what you prioritize in your build.
