Mastering the Cost Blade in Monster Hunter World is an intimidating impediment; not solely do it’s important to keep in mind a number of combos, however the idea of it being half of a sword and defend and half of an axe may be vexing. In consequence, the Cost Blade is usually touted as a weapon that’s not for the simply overwhelmed. There’s magnificence in its complexity, although—its transfer set permits hunts to make the most of numerous play types. In consequence, tons of distinctive and numerous builds spotlight the CB’s particular benefits. Whether or not you’re simply making an attempt the Cost Blade out or seeking to put collectively a number of builds after ending the Iceborne growth, you’ve come to the best place. The builds I’ll be placing right here will cowl the necessities and discover some that align with the meta.
How the Cost Blade Works in Monster Hunter World
Earlier than diving into the products, we first want to debate what the Cost Blade is able to. The Cost Blade is designed to swap between its Sword and Axe modes. You may deal with Sword mode because the default, the place you’ll spend more often than not utilizing the weapon. Sword mode gives you a steadiness between offense and protection; it’s additionally how one can cost up your phials. Your axe head will flip right into a defend when utilizing this mode, and it’s able to deflecting assaults and storing your phials till you swap to Axe mode.
If you wish to ship highly effective blows, Axe mode is the place it’s at. With a better attain and harm output, it’s the perfect mode for attacking monsters that love staying up within the air (sure—I’m you, Kushala Daora!) or slicing horns. When you’ve sufficient phials saved, you’ll be able to go for a Tremendous Amped Elemental Discharge—or SAED, for brief. That is essentially the most highly effective assault a Cost Blade can supply, however it may be simple to overlook, particularly if the monster you’re searching is consistently shifting.
- The Energy Axe Construct
For this construct, we are going to prioritize armors, expertise, and decorations across the Cost Blade’s Energy Axe mode. Energy Axe mode is comparatively new because it was solely launched in Monster Hunter World’s Iceborne growth. Principally, it permits you to cancel your SAED right into a Savage Axe Slash—assuming you have already got phials loaded.
Right here’s the gear and armor you’ll want:
Gear | Armor |
Challenger Attraction V | Kaiser Crown β+ |
Rocksteady Mantle+ | Brachydium Mail β+ |
Temporal Mantle+ | Kaiser Vambraces β+ |
Safi’s Shattershield | Kaiser Coil β+ |
Brachydium Greaves β+ |
This construct goals to deal as a lot uncooked harm as potential and use your phials to energy up your axe as a substitute of dealing any further elemental or affect harm. We’ll benefit from Agitator Secret and Teostra Method right here; these are thought-about the most effective CB Monster Hunter World set bonuses since they ship affinity and sharpness boosts.
Right here’s the pre-decoration talent checklist for the Energy Axe construct:
- Agitator 7
- Weak point Exploit 3
- Latent Energy
- Vital Eye 2
- Warmth Guard
- Blast Assault 2
As soon as you fit within the decorations, keep in mind to prioritize Capability Increase because it powers up your axe head. Right here’s what I like to recommend slotting in:
- Vital Eye (ideally maxed out)
- Capability Increase
- (Blast Assault (ideally maxed out)
- Assault Increase
- Energy Prolonger
- Razor Sharp
- The Commonplace Unga Bunga DPS Construct
For this kind of construct, I’ll lean extra in direction of doing as a lot harm as potential through the use of numerous strikes with the Cost Blade. In case you’re at all times updated when trying up the most recent construct guides, you’ll little question acknowledge the armor we’ll be rocking right here—there’s a motive why it’s thought-about the present meta (outdoors of the Fatalis construct units). The Lightbreak Cost Blade is the most effective choose for this construct attributable to its non-Woke up uncooked harm, gnarly Blast harm, and beautiful Affect phials.
Very like the Energy Axe construct, Agitator Secret and Teostra Method are must-haves. Plus, with the Rocksteady+ Mantle and Temporal Mantle+, there’s no stopping you. The Temporal Mantle+, specifically, is useful if you happen to’re nonetheless attending to grips with timing your Guard Factors. In case you miss the block and the monster’s assault hits you, you’ll be able to routinely destructive the harm and evade it.
Right here’s the gear and armor:
Gear | Armor |
Challenger Attraction V | Kaiser Crown β+ |
Rocksteady Mantle+ | Brachydium Mail β+ |
Temporal Mantle+ | Kaiser Vambraces β+ |
Lightbreak Cost Blade | Kaiser Coil β+ |
Brachydium Greaves β+ |
You’ve most likely seen that we’re kind of utilizing the identical armor and gear because the Energy Axe construct, so you’ll be able to anticipate the abilities additionally to be an identical:
- Agitator 7
- Weak point Exploit 3
- Latent Energy
- Vital Eye 2
- Warmth Guard
- Blast Assault 2
Listed below are the decorations/expertise which are advisable with this construct:
- Offensive Guard
- Vital Eye (ideally maxed out)
- Black Assault (ideally maxed out)
- Guard
- Focus
- Razor Sharp
- Capability Increase
- Artillery (for extra harm when utilizing phials)
- Ice Elemental Construct
In case you’re on the lookout for elemental builds for the CB, I’ve bought one proper right here. We’ll be utilizing the Kjarr Strongarm Ice and True Dragonvein Awakening (which you’ll be able to unlock after equipping 5 armor items from the Safi’jiiva α+ and Safi’jiiva β+). True Dragonvein Awakening is ideal for this construct because it will increase your elemental harm and affinity.
Check out the gear and armor for this elemental construct:
Gear | Armor |
Dragonvein Awakening | Safi Crested Crown β+ |
True Dragonvein Awakening | Safi Crested Chest β+ |
Frost Attraction V | Safi Crested Vambraces |
Kjarr Strongarm Ice | Safi Crested Belt β+ |
Safi Crested β+ |
As you’ll be able to see, you’ll be utilizing all the armor items of Safi’jiiva. Utilizing True Dragonvein Awakening enhances this construct’s assault much more, however when used with a whole Safi set, you too can heal 20-50% of the self-damage you cope with when it’s energetic.
Right here’s the talent checklist for the Ice Elemental construct with none decorations slotted in but:
- Vital Increase (maxed out)
- Evade Window
- Blight Resistance
- Ice Assault
And listed here are the decorations I like to recommend utilizing with this construct:
- Focus (ideally maxed out)
- Vital Eye (ideally maxed out)
- Ice Assault
- Guard
- Well being Increase (ideally maxed out)
- Capability Increase
- Protecting Polish
- Evade Window
By slotting in DPS expertise like Vital Eye and Ice Assault, you’ll be capable to maintain your individual with this construct. Furthermore, because you’ll have Guard, Evade Window, and Well being Increase, it’ll take the strain off of you to keep away from getting one-shotted by elders.
Let the Hunt Start!
With the Cost Blade feeling like a convoluted weapon, to say that it’s difficult to grasp is an understatement. Hopefully, you discovered a factor or two about what you’ll be able to construct across the CB and how one can faucet into its fullest potential.