Best Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds
These are the best endgame Switch Axes in Wilds right now
What is the best Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds? The Switch Axe, as you probably have figured by now, is two weapons in one: a wonderfully oversized axe at some moments; and a much nimbler sword at others. That's a lot of versatility, and Monster Hunter Wilds gives you even more freedom when it comes to the Switch Axe weapon tree, which is filled with 64 unique Switch Axes, including 19 "final form" Switch Axes for use in the Wilds endgame.
Below, we'll help you to make sense of all the choice on display with our shortlist of the very best Switch Axes in Monster Hunter Wilds. We'll go over each choice below, explaining exactly what makes them so strong against even the mightiest of endgame monsters.
Bone Smasher
"Years of research have improved the Bone Axe across the board. Sharp as a sword, devastating as an axe."
Usually I opt for the Esperanza tree for my "easy to make" endgame option, but for the Switch Axe you really can't beat the Bone Smasher, and there's a simple reason why: the Exhaust Phial. This is the only Switch Axe path in the game that offers the Exhaust Phial, and it's incredibly effective against a wide variety of monsters, opening them up for tonnes of free damage. The Bone Smasher's raw damage is also very high, particularly with the Lv1 Attack Boost Skill; and Lv3 Focus is always great to have with a Switch Axe.
How to get Bone Smasher:
The Bone Smasher Switch Axe is the final form of the Bone tree. Here are the prerequisite crafting requirements:
- Bone Axe I: 2x Mystery Bone, 500z
- Bone Axe II: 2x Sturdy Bone, 1x Monster Fluid, 800z
- Bone Axe III: 2x Tough Guardian Bone, 2600z
- Bone Axe IV: 4x Great Stoutbone, 2x Colossal Bone, 10000z
- Bone Smasher: 5x Hunter Symbol I, 5x Monster Hardbone, 1x Dragonbone Relic, 1x Beast Gem, 20000z
Sawbill Axe
"An upgraded Beak Axe, one nasty bird that's ready to raze the world and dare all to stop it."
The Sawbill Axe is a very powerful Fire-based Switch Axe made from Yian Kut-Ku parts (not particularly challenging to obtain, minus the one Nu Udra Flamegem you need). Its high Fire damage is amplified by the Element Phial type, and Lv3 Power Prolonger allows you to spend considerably more time in Sword Mode, using those faster attacks to quickly proc Fire on monsters. There's no negative affinity to speak of here, so the only downside is that the white sharpness is barely present, so you may need to sharpen your Sawbill Axe fairly often.
How to get Sawbill Axe:
The Sawbill Axe Switch Axe is the final form of the Yian Kut-Ku tree. Here are the prerequisite crafting requirements:
- Beak Axe I: 1x Yian Kut-Ku Certificate S, 3x Kut-Ku Wing, 2x Kut-Ku Ear, 5x Kut-Ku Scale+, 4000z
- Beak Axe II: 2x Nu Udra Certificate S, 4x Giant Beak, 4x Inferno Sac, 1x Bird Wyvern Gem, 14000z
- Sawbill Axe: 5x Hunter Symbol I, 6x Kut-Ku Carapace, 1x Nu Udra Flamegem, 20000z
Gorehacker Urgahaac
"An upgraded Dosha Gorehacker. Its destructive impulses transform wielders into violence incarnate."
The Gorehacker Urgahaac is a behemoth, featuring the highest raw damage of any Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Wilds. As you might expect, it comes at the usual cost of a -15% negative affinity modifier, which you'll need to offset using Gems and Skills elsewhere. But it's well worth the effort; by the end, you'll have an incredibly powerful Switch Axe with which you can at any moment use your Dragon Phial to inflict massive bonus damage on key monsters like Arkveld, Gore Magala, Rathalos, and Rathian.
How to get Gorehacker Urgahaac:
The Gorehacker Urgahaac Switch Axe is the final form of the Guardian Doshaguma tree. Here are the prerequisite crafting requirements:
- Dosha Gorehacker II: 2x G. Doshaguma Certificate S, 6x Guardian Doshaguma Claw+, 4x Guardian Doshaguma Fang+, 1x Guardian Blood+, 10000z
- Gorehacker Urgahaac: 5x Hunter Symbol II, 6x Guardian Doshaguma Fur+, 6x Guardian Pelt+, 1x Beast Gem, 20000z
For a broader overview, check out our guide to the best Monster Hunter Wilds weapons. Or, for alternative "best" guides, click the links below: