Charge Blade Guide: Combos, Tips

How to use the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Outlanders: its two modes and controls, how to fill vials and enter Sword & Shield Mode and Power Axe Mode, the best combos, the best craftable Charge Blades, and the teammates that pair well. Moves checked against the in-game skill descriptions on October 31, 2026.

Charge Blade Features

A Weapon That Switches Between Two Modes

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

The Charge Blade in Outlanders fights by morphing between two forms, Sword Mode and Axe Mode. The controls are complex, but once you master them, you can hunt with both stability and high damage.

Tip You can switch modes at any time with Skill 1: hold it in Sword Mode, tap it in Axe Mode.

Sword Mode Can Guard and Focuses on Positioning

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Traits

• Moves fairly fast
• Many nimble attacks, but lower damage
• Charges Sword Energy and vials
• Can guard with the shield and with guard points

Sword Mode puts stable positioning first, with handy moves like guarding and Sword: Sidestep Slash. You also move faster with the weapon drawn than in Axe Mode.

Axe Mode Spends Vials for Big Moves

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Traits

• Moves slowly
• Long reach, but bigger openings
• Plenty of high-damage attacks that spend vials

Axe Mode gives up mobility to go all in on damage. You swing a huge axe, so your attacks reach far, but the moves leave bigger openings.

Charge Blade Controls

The moves are the Fated Adventurer's, the only adventurer who uses the Charge Blade. Move names start with the mode they belong to.

How to Play the Charge Blade

Know What Each Mode and Enhancement Does

The key to using the Charge Blade in Monster Hunter Outlanders is knowing how Sword Energy, vials, Sword & Shield Mode, and Power Axe Mode work. The basic plan is to secure the enhancements and vials you need in Sword Mode, then deal big damage with Basic Attack in Power Axe Mode.

Enter Sword & Shield Mode First

Input: (Sword Mode)Basic Attack (build the gauge) → Skill 2

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

As the basic way to play the Charge Blade, first build Sword Energy in Sword Mode, then use Skill 2, Sword: Reload, to switch to Sword & Shield Mode. Sword Energy leads into every enhancement, so it matters a lot.

Tip The more vials you spend, the longer Sword & Shield Mode lasts.

Use Sword: Charged Double Slash Often

Input: (Sword Mode)Hold Basic Attack (release when the weapon glows red) → Basic Attack

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Sword: Charged Double Slash comes out when you hold Basic Attack. It hits fewer times than mashing Basic Attack, but it builds a lot of Sword Energy right away, so use it whenever you have even a small opening.

Refill Vials and Energy in Sword Mode

Input: (Sword Mode)Basic Attack (build the gauge) → Skill 2 → Basic Attack (build the gauge)

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Once you're in Sword & Shield Mode, build energy again in Sword Mode. It isn't required for the next step, but keeping both vials and energy full makes your skill rotation easier.

Tip A successful Perfect Guard gives you 3 vials, so it's an efficient way to progress.

Enter Power Axe Mode While You Have Vials

Input: (Sword Mode)Skill 3 → Skill 3 → Skill 2

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

With at least one vial, tap Skill 2 right as the Skill 3 move starts to use Axe: Savage Axe Slash and enter Power Axe Mode. The window is very short, so watch your timing.

Deal Damage with Strong Basic Attack in Power Axe Mode

Input: (Axe Mode)Basic Attack

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

In Power Axe Mode, Axe Mode attacks get much stronger. Holding Basic Attack adds multi-hit attacks for high damage, so once you're in Power Axe Mode, fight mainly in Axe Mode.

Use Axe: Ultra Amped Element Discharge at Openings

Input: (Axe Mode)Skill 3

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

When the monster is downed or dazed, go for big damage with Axe: Ultra Amped Element Discharge, the big move in Power Axe Mode that spends your vials.

Tip Tap Skill 3 again for the follow-up, Axe: Spin Pursuit: it converts Sword Energy into vials so you can stay in Axe Mode.

Eventually, Use Guard Points Too

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Besides normal guarding, the Charge Blade has guard points: some actions have a built-in guard window. They let you fill vials efficiently, but using them mid-hunt is for advanced players, so try them once you're used to the Charge Blade.

Best Charge Blade Combos

These combos use the Fated Adventurer's skills. Text in parentheses is the mode to start in or how to press a button.

Fastest Vial Refill + Power Axe Mode

Input: (Sword Mode)Hold Basic Attack (release when the weapon glows red) → Basic Attack → Skill 2 → Hold Basic Attack (release when the weapon glows red) → Basic Attack → Skill 2 → Skill 3 → Skill 3 → Skill 2

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Sword: Charged Double Slash builds Sword Energy fast, and Sword: Reload turns it into vials. Then Sword: Shield Thrust and Axe: Super Amped Element Discharge with Skill 3, and press Skill 2 right as Axe: Super Amped Element Discharge starts to use Axe: Savage Axe Slash and enter Power Axe Mode.

Power Axe Mode Basic Attack Loop

Input: (Power Axe Mode, Axe Mode)Basic Attack(hold) → Basic Attack(hold) ↻ repeat

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Axe: Spin Pursuit

Input: (Axe Mode)Skill 3 → Skill 3

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

Only in Sword & Shield Mode, with both vials and Sword Energy. The first Skill 3 is Axe: Super Amped Element Discharge (or Axe: Ultra Amped Element Discharge in Power Axe Mode), and the second is Axe: Spin Pursuit, which spends Sword Energy to charge vials while keeping you in Axe Mode.

Sword: Sidestep Slash

Input: (Sword Mode)Basic Attack → Basic Attack(with the stick tilted)

The footage is from the Japanese version of the game.

After Sword: Chain Slash, tilt the stick in a direction and press Basic Attack to slide that way while slashing. It builds Sword Energy, and a hit taken just as the shield faces forward becomes a Perfect Guard.

Best Craftable Charge Blades

These are the weapons in our Charge Blade builds. Stats are for the rarity 7 version. Every build maxes Morph Boost at Lv 4, which suits the Charge Blade, so keep morphing between modes. The builds article has the full armor and skills.

Build	Weapon	Element	Attack
General(Morph Boost)Thunder Element	Radiant Kadachi Kaina III	Thunder	276
Fire Element	Rathsblade II	Fire	251
Water Element	Radiant Mudslide Blade II	Water	274
Dragon Element	Blacksteel Charger II	Dragon	268

Charge Blade Builds

Charge Blade Adventurers and Teams

Right now, the Fated Adventurer is the only adventurer who uses the Charge Blade. The rank and review come from our adventurer tier list, and the guide has the build and Insights.

Adventurer	Rank and review
Fated Adventurer (Charge Blade)	Overall rank: S Balances offense and defense with a sword mode that leaves no openings and a high-damage axe mode Mastering sword mode's Perfect Guard and guard points makes hunts even smoother In Power Axe Mode, axe attacks deal high damage over a wide area and are very strong against large monsters Fated Adventurer (Charge Blade) guide

Teammates That Pair Well with the Charge Blade

This is the recommended team from the Fated Adventurer's guide. Select an adventurer to open their page; the guide explains each role and the swap options.

Adventurer	Recommended team
Fated Adventurer (Charge Blade)	Elemental resonanceRhodes BufferArkaya General bufferHaze

Adventurer Tier List

Best Teams

Weapon Tier List