The combat system in Monster Hunter Rise looks and sounds simple enough. You pick your weapon and hit giant monsters over and over again until they're dead, right? Well, while that is indeed the basic summary of how to hunt in Monster Hunter Rise, the combat system is far more nuanced once you start to dig deeper.

One of the more confusing aspects of the combat system in Monster Hunter Rise is how different each of the 14 individual weapon types is from each other. Of the 14, arguably the most confusing to use is the Charge Blade.

With two modes, as well as offensive and defensive uses, the Charge Blade is one of the least straightforward weapons to learn, use, and master in Monster Hunter Rise.

Scroll down below if you'd like to learn more about the Charge Blade.

How to Fight Using the Charge Blade

Like the Switch Axe in Monster Hunter Rise, the Charge Blade also has two different forms: Axe and Sword. The former is perfect for delivering devastating attacks and taking out opponents with one fell swoop or at least taking a huge chunk off of their health. Meanwhile, the latter is perfect for mobility and defense as it lets you use the shield.

Ideally, you'll want to learn how to switch between both forms as fast as possible so you can store energy while in the Sword form and then deal a lot of damage by releasing the said energy as you switch to Axe form.

Paired with the Phial system, you can use the Charge Blade for both offense and defense. However, using the Charge Blade effectively requires a lot of practice. At the end of the day, this sort of switching might not fit your preferred play style. As such, you may want to consider trying out other weapons in Monster Hunter Rise instead.

What is the Best Charge Blade Combo?

One of the best aspects of using the Charge Blade is how it lets you take advantage of Phials.

The Charge Blade lets you Charge by pressing the ZR and A buttons and hitting monsters. Then, once you've built up enough Sword Energy, you can unleash either an explosive attack on enemies or stun them.

Just make sure that you pay attention to the Gauge. If it's yellow, you can use Element Discharge and Amped Element Discharge. Only when the Gauge turns red can you use the Super Element Discharge and Element Boost Spinning Slash. Just be careful because the latter uses all Phials while the former only uses one Phial.

A combo utilized by a lot of players who use Charged Blade involves using the Counter Peak Performance into Super Element Discharge into Morph Slash (ZL + A > X + A > ZR), which is a great way to charge vials fast and activate Element Boost to deal a lot of damage. Another fairly basic combo favored by Charged Blade users involves inflicting Phial damage on the head of enemies either to deal a lot of damage or prolong its downtime using Impact Phials through chain stuns by pressing X > A > X > A while in Axe mode.

Meanwhile, if you played Monster Hunter World previously and you preferred to use Savage Axe then, there is a Charge Blade combo that lets you utilize a similar skill known as Condensed Spinning Slash. You can do this in Sword form and charging using ZR + A then holding down the X then A then X then A buttons to unleash Phials on a singular area multiple times to guarantee either a stun or a lot of damage.

One good thing about the Charge Blade combo that we just mentioned is that it doesn't throw your allies airborne.

The Pros and Cons of Using the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Rise

The Charge Blade is arguably the most versatile weapon in Monster Hunter Rise. The ability to use Phials while in Axe form and the high defense afforded to you via the Sword form gives you the best of both worlds. However, using the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Rise takes a lot of effort to master.

Here are the pros and cons of using the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Rise:

Pros

• Versatility as you can switch between prioritizing mobility and defense (Sword) and damage (Axe).
• You can take advantage of the Guard Points to deflect damage in between attacks and execute an Elemental Discharge.
• Taking advantage of the Impact Phials using the Charge Blade lets you stun monsters and immobilize them for a long time.

Cons

• Long wind-ups and attack animations mean that inexperienced users and even the best players can find themselves vulnerable in the middle of the battle.
• Mastering the Charge Blade requires a deep understanding of the combat mechanics of Monster Hunter Rise, which might not sit well with everybody.

Additional Tips and Tricks for Using the Charge Blade

• There's more than one way to counterattack using the Charge Blade aside from the Guard Points. The Counter Peak Performance is another way for you to counterattack with a Charge Blade. This silkbind attack also lets you chain into an Amped or Super Amped Elemental Discharge for more damage. Use this to your advantage.
• We've mentioned this before, but we'd like to say it again. The main advantage of using the Charge Blade is the ability to charge Phials. However, charging Phials in Axe form is not ideal. It leaves you vulnerable and immobile. Instead, collect Phials during Sword form and unleash them in Axe form. This is the basic but very effective combat loop for Charge Blade users.
• Do not overcharge your Sword. Only charge using zR + A based on how many Phials you need (yellow for 3 Phials and red for 5 Phials). If you charge your Sword too much, you'll find your attacks bouncing off of your enemies.
• Once you have finished fully charging your Phials, make sure that you don't forget to transfer your charges from your sword to your shield. A charged shield grants an enormous boost in attack power and defense while also giving you access to the Super Amed Elemental Discharged (SAED) for even more damage.