Mastering the Cost Blade in Monster Hunter World is an intimidating impediment; not solely do you need to bear in mind numerous combos, however the idea of it being half of a sword and defend and half of an axe could be vexing. Because of this, the Cost Blade is commonly touted as a weapon that’s not for the simply overwhelmed. There may be magnificence in its complexity, although—its transfer set permits hunts to make the most of numerous play kinds. Because of this, tons of distinctive and various builds spotlight the CB’s particular benefits. Whether or not you’re simply making an attempt the Cost Blade out or trying to put collectively a number of builds after ending the Iceborne enlargement, you’ve come to the correct 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 stability 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 best mode for attacking monsters that love staying up within the air (sure—I’m taking a look at you, Kushala Daora!) or reducing horns. When you’ve sufficient phials saved, you may 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 looking is continually 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 enlargement. Mainly, it enables you to cancel your SAED right into a Savage Axe Slash—assuming you have already got phials loaded.
Right here’s the tools and armor you’ll want:
| Gear | Armor |
| Challenger Allure 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 attainable and use your phials to energy up your axe as a substitute of dealing any extra elemental or impression harm. We’ll benefit from Agitator Secret and Teostra Approach right here; these are thought of one of the best 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
- Essential Eye 2
- Warmth Guard
- Blast Assault 2
As soon as you fit within the decorations, bear in mind to prioritize Capability Increase because it powers up your axe head. Right here’s what I like to recommend slotting in:
- Essential Eye (ideally maxed out)
- Capability Increase
- (Blast Assault (ideally maxed out)
- Assault Increase
- Energy Prolonger
- Razor Sharp
- The Commonplace Unga Bunga DPS Construct
For any such construct, I’ll lean extra in direction of doing as a lot harm as attainable through the use of numerous strikes with the Cost Blade. When you’re all the time updated when wanting up the most recent construct guides, you’ll little question acknowledge the armor we’ll be rocking right here—there’s a cause why it’s thought of the present meta (outdoors of the Fatalis construct units). The Lightbreak Cost Blade is one of the best decide for this construct as a result of its non-Woke up uncooked harm, gnarly Blast harm, and beautiful Affect phials.
Very similar to the Energy Axe construct, Agitator Secret and Teostra Approach are must-haves. Plus, with the Rocksteady+ Mantle and Temporal Mantle+, there’s no stopping you. The Temporal Mantle+, particularly, is useful in the event you’re nonetheless attending to grips with timing your Guard Factors. When you miss the block and the monster’s assault hits you, you may mechanically adverse the harm and evade it.
Right here’s the tools and armor:
| Gear | Armor |
| Challenger Allure 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 in all probability seen that we’re kind of utilizing the identical armor and tools because the Energy Axe construct, so you may anticipate the talents additionally to be an identical:
- Agitator 7
- Weak point Exploit 3
- Latent Energy
- Essential Eye 2
- Warmth Guard
- Blast Assault 2
Listed here are the decorations/expertise which are really useful with this construct:
- Offensive Guard
- Essential 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
When you’re searching for elemental builds for the CB, I’ve obtained 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 tools and armor for this elemental construct:
| Gear | Armor |
| Dragonvein Awakening | Safi Crested Crown β+ |
| True Dragonvein Awakening | Safi Crested Chest β+ |
| Frost Allure V | Safi Crested Vambraces |
| Kjarr Strongarm Ice | Safi Crested Belt β+ |
| Safi Crested β+ |
As you may see, you’ll be utilizing the entire 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 may as well heal 20-50% of the self-damage you take care of when it’s lively.
Right here’s the talent checklist for the Ice Elemental construct with none decorations slotted in but:
- Essential Increase (maxed out)
- Evade Window
- Blight Resistance
- Ice Assault
And listed below are the decorations I like to recommend utilizing with this construct:
- Focus (ideally maxed out)
- Essential 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 Essential Eye and Ice Assault, you’ll be capable of maintain your personal with this construct. Furthermore, because you’ll have Guard, Evade Window, and Well being Increase, it’ll take the stress 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 may construct across the CB and how one can faucet into its fullest potential.
