Monster Hunter Generations Guide: Charge Blade Tips

The Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Generations is a unique “switch” weapon. Like the Switch Axe, it can morph between 2 different weapon forms. It also has a charge mechanic and multiple Phials it can fill up while attacking.

The main mode is a sword and giant shield. You can also power up the shield and your attacks by using certain attacks, so it is much more complex than the Switch Axe. I’m going to explain just how the Charge Blade works and give some tips at getting better with it. 

Please visit my Monster Hunter Generations Beginner Tips and Tricks for general help.

This guide will go over using the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Generations including:

• Basic Controls – The different things you can do with the Charge Blade.
• Sword and Axe Modes – What they are and why they are important.
• Hunter Styles and Arts – The different styles and arts and which I use.
• Extra Tips – Tips to help you get better at using the Charge Blade.

Basic Controls

Sword Mode

• X performs a Weak Slash
• A performs a side slash
• You can also charge up the slash by holding the button
• X+A performs a Forward Slash
• R+X performs a Morph Slash
• This changes to Axe Mode
• R+A charges phials
• R makes you Block

Axe Mode

• X performs a Rising Slash
• A performs an Element Discharge
• Forward+A performs a Rushing Element Discharge
• X+A performs Amped Element Discharge
• R performs a Morph Slash
• This changes to Sword Mode

Sword and Axe Modes

The Charge Blade has 5 phials by default and a charge gauge. 

• As you attack in Sword mode, you charge the gauge. Charge attacks raise it faster.
• The phials will turn to yellow with the first charge and red for the 2nd, and full, charge.
• After you get a charge, press R+A in Sword Mode to fill the phials.
• Yellow fills 3 and Red fills all 5.

Any of the element discharge attack in Axe mode use up these phials. There is a special attack called an Element Up Roundslash.

• You can perform this in Sword mode by pressing X+A at the end of a combo.
• X+A, X, X+A, X+A is a way to do it.
• While in Axe mode you can perform this by pressing R at the end of a combo.
• Forward+X, X+A, R is a way to do this one.

Performing these with phials filled will supercharge your shield. This increases your attack and guard in sword mode. While your shield is charge, you can perform an Ultra Element Discharge that will use up your shield’s charge for a powerful attack.

Hunter Styles and Arts

I won’t go over the general info on the 4 Styles — if you want you can check out my Beginner Tips and Tricks for more details — but I will let you know how they affect the Charge Blade.

Guild Style is the best to start with, or if you want access to all moves.

Striker is very similar to Guild style, but you can’t use some of the combos. It is great if you want 3 Hunter arts.

Aerial is the style to choose if you want to mount monster more easily. You can also perform jumping element discharges in this style.

Adept allows you to perform insta-moves after dodging at the last minute. You can perform insta-blocks in Sword Mode and insta-evades in Axe Mode.

I choose Adept style normally because you can use the insta-blocks to easily guard against attacks.

Arts

There are 3 specific Charge Blade Arts:

• Energy Blade – Uses the power of an element Discharge to form a blade of light to attack.
• The power and length is determined by the number of charged phials you have at the time of attack.
• Limit Breaker – Raises the max number of charged phials.
• Healing Phial – The energy stored in phials can temporarily be used to heal yourself with an Elemental Boosted Roundslash.

Limit Breaker is my favorite because it lets you save up more phials to do more attacks before you have to recharge.

Energy Blade is really good if you want an extra strong attack with full charged phials.

The Healing Phial is good if you want to do some healing without using up potions.

Extra Tips

• Get The Shield Boost first
• When you perform an Element Up Roundslash with phials filled, you charge your shield. You want to get it to a red charge for maximum defense and attack in sword mode.
•  Learn Guard Points
• In between many attacks are Guard Points. These are times when you will block an attack from a monster without actually pressing block.
• Switching from Axe to Sword mode, for example, has a Guard Point in the middle.

That’s it for my Monster Hunter Generations Charge Blade guide. Let me know if you have any questions or tips of your own!