Iceborne Charge Blade Builds

Contents

Charge Blades worth getting
Progression Builds
    Mid-story
    Post-story
Impact Builds
Elemental Builds
Focusless Builds
Specific Anti-monster Builds
Meme Builds

 

Last Update

7/9/2020
Added Anti-Alatreon builds: Anti-Alatreon (Defensive) and Anti-Alatreon (Offensive)
Update 7/14:
defensive builds changed to Safi Chest Alpha by suggestion
Added Alatreon CB and armor build

Older updates

6/6/2020
Updated Anti-Safi build
Added Kjarr Crusher builds

5/28/2020
Re-added old Chrome Fort progression builds for people unable to farm Raging Brachy after story

5/4/2020
Added Kjarr Focusless builds
Added Kjarr Anti-Rajang build
Added ratings (SAED 😀   Savage 😀   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😄) to meta builds
*Added Meme Builds section
*Added Anti-Namielle builds
*Added Kjarr Elemental builds with 0 Weakness Exploit as the default recommendation for Kjarr

4/28/2020
Added Kjarr Guard 5 variant builds
Added Anti-Kulve and Anti-Raging Brachy builds

4/24/2020
Added MR Kulve builds (Kjarr elemental only, impact meta is unaffected)
Reorganized page to group Impact, Elemental, Focusless, and Anti-monster builds
Reorganized Charge Blades worth getting section (removed images because it was annoying to keep capturing them)
More Kulve builds to come (Focusless, Guard 5)
More Anti-monster builds to come (Raging Brachy, Kulve Taroth)

4/13/2020
Prepended Impact builds with “Lightbreak” or “Safi Impact” to make it easier to find builds.
Updated several builds after receiving user feedback: Safi Impact Focusless SafiBrachy, Safi Impact Artillery Secret (G1, G1 Prot.Polish, G5)

3/23/2020
Added builds using Lightbreak Charge Blade (Raging Brachydios) and Raging Brachydios armor, including progression builds
Removed Gold Rathian, Melting Grasp, Dante, and Guild Palace CBs from recommended list
Removed Health augment from builds that used Safi set and Resentment
Demonlord Blade (Furious Rajang) is still under inspection as a build option

1/26/2020
Updated progression builds

1/9/2020
PC builds!

12/18/2019
Added Safi’Jiiva Impact Phial CB builds (new section)
Added Safi’Jiiva Elemental Phial CB builds (new section)

10/7/2019
Added impact sets:
Guard 5 Artillery 5
Added elemental sets:
Cookie Cutter (True Critical Element)

9/29/2019
Added elemental sets:
Cookie Cutter (2 Namielle)
Cookie Cutter (4 Namielle)
Cookie Cutter (Master’s Touch)

9/22/2019
Added end game impact phial sets:
Guard 1 Master’s Touch
Guard 1 Artillery 5
Added Silver Rathalos and Kadachi CBs to Charge Blades worth crafting section
Removed Armor to consider section

9/18/2019
Updated end game impact builds

9/11/2019
Added Armors to consider
Restructured build section, splitting MR70> and before MR70 into different sections
Added 2 builds for poverty, 3 builds for early endgame, and 1 build for late endgame

9/7/2019
Added No Decorations and No Level 4 Decorations set

9/4/2019
Page created

 

 

Intro

This page is a collection of armor sets including decorations for Charge Blade in MHW Iceborne. While most of the builds are for endgame/postgame where all decorations are available, there are also progression builds starting from the beginning of Master Rank. Many builds require event equipment but I provide (weaker) alternatives without event equipment where possible.

I have also written a Charge Blade guide for Iceborne which can be found at the top of the page or here. The guide is made to be easily digestible for people starting with zero experience with Charge Blade, but also contains info up to techniques that even advanced players may not know.

All of the builds on this page are geared toward maximizing offense rather than defense. There are a few reasons for this. More damage equals shorter fights, which means less time for the monster to attack you, less time chasing the monster to other areas, less time for your stamina to deteriorate, less time recharging your shield, etc. Also, more damage means the monster will flinch and topple more frequently, meaning even more openings for damage and even less time where the monster is attacking you. Two exceptions are Guard and Health Augment, but Guard is not strictly a defensive skill as it can give you more openings to counter monster attacks and Health Augment is just too convenient. If you find yourself fainting too much with these builds, feel free to substitute some Attack, Critical Eye, or Offensive Guard for Health Boost and Fortify as they are the most slot efficient defensive skills.

 

 

Charge Blades worth getting

Except for progression CBs, these are ranked from strongest to weakest. However, depending on events available at the time you may need to settle for something other than the strongest one.

Progression

Saber’s Maw II (Great Jagras tree)
Dear Rosetta (Pink Rathian tree) OR Chrome Fortress III (Iron tree)

Impact

1. Safi’s Shattershield* (EVENT: Safi’Jiiva)
2. Lightbreak Charge Blade (Raging Brachydios tree)
3. Kjarr Strongarm “Crusher” (EVENT: MR Kulve Taroth)
4. Dante’s Devil Sword+ (EVENT: Code Red & EVENT: A Shocking Climax)
5. Royal Star Shield (EVENT: 50 Shades of White)

* you can get other status CBs if you want, Blast is the best general purpose one

Fire

1. Kjarr Strongarm “King” (EVENT: MR Kulve Taroth)
2. Safi’s Hellshield (EVENT: Safi’Jiiva)
3. Glavenus Bardred (Glavenus tree)

Water

1. Kjarr Strongarm “Water” (EVENT: MR Kulve Taroth)
2. Safi’s Aquashield (EVENT: Safi’Jiiva)
3. Deep Terroir II (Jyuratodus tree)

Thunder

1. Kjarr Strongarm “Spark” (EVENT: MR Kulve Taroth)
2. Safi’s Boltshield (EVENT: Safi’Jiiva)
3. Demonlord Blade (Furious Rajang tree)
4. Despot’s Thundergale (Zinogre tree)

Ice

1. Kjarr Strongarm “Ice” (EVENT: MR Kulve Taroth)
2. Deep Schnegel II (Beotodus tree)

Dragon

1. Kjarr Strongarm “Decay” (EVENT: MR Kulve Taroth)
2. Safi’s Drakshield (EVENT: Safi’Jiiva)
3. Deathaxe Vaal Aspida (Vaal Hazak tree)

 

 

Progression Builds

#Mid-story Builds

MR 1 star, no decos

MR 3 star, no decos

MR 5 star, no decos

#Post-story Builds

Pre-Lightbreak, no decos

If you are unable to farm Raging Brachydios right away (see below explanation), here are some builds you can continue building towards until you can get Raging Brachydios gear. Chrome Fortress III can be replaced with Dante’s Devil Sword+ or Royal Star Shield (both from events).

Show builds

Chrome Fort (or event CB), only R8 decos and under

Chrome Fort (or event CB), only R10 decos and under

 

Lightbreak Poverty, no decos

Raging Brachydios is a substantially difficult encounter which can be attempted as soon as the story is complete (and fighting its prerequisites Rajang and Stygian Zinogre). However, it may be too overwhelming for players until they get at least a few augments and better decorations (especially Health augment). If you cannot farm it effectively (you need multiple Immortal Reactors) I recommend waiting until you can make and augment a Beotodus CB with Health augment (MR 50+) and make a build with Guard 5 and Antiblast 3.

When you get a Magazine jewel (R7), replace the helm with Raging Brachydios a+. When you get an Ironwall jewel (R7 or combination) and Charger jewel (R8 or combination), replace the waist with Raging Brachydios a+.

Lightbreak Poverty, only R8 decos and under

Helm can be either B+ or a+, B+ will be used more later.

Lightbreak Poverty, only R10 decos and under

 

 

Impact Builds

Note that builds are (more or less sorted) from strongest to weakest. However, the strongest builds usually require event equipment. If you can’t make a build, keep scrolling until you find one you can make.

#Safi Impact Master’s Touch

SAED 😄   Savage 😄   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

If you want Guard 3, use Affinity augment and drop 2 Expert for 2 Guard.

Build variants:
Guard 5
HR Teostra Gamma Helm
HR Teostra Gamma Helm (Guard 5)

#Safi Impact Artillery Secret

SAED 😍   Savage 😄   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

While this looks almost identical to Lightbreak Charge Blade’s Artillery Secret build, the higher base attack from Safi with all attack awakenings provides a significant difference in phial damage. Thanks to CurrySama#6374 for the improved G1 builds. Thanks for Anonymous for the improved G5 build.

Build variants:
Protective Polish + Item Prolonger
Guard 5

#Lightbreak Master’s Touch

SAED 🙂   Savage 😄   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: None

This build does not easily fit Guard 5. If you want Guard 5 it is recommended to use the Gamma helm build or Artillery Secret build. If you want Guard 3, drop 1 Attack and 1 Artillery for 2 Guard.

Build variants:
Artillery 0
HR Teostra Gamma Helm
HR Teostra Gamma Helm (Guard 5)
HR Teostra Gamma Helm (Guard 5, Artillery 0)

#Lightbreak Artillery Secret

SAED 😄   Savage 😄   Sharpness 😐   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: None

All purpose recommended! Artillery 5 has been reborn and it is REALLY strong (compared to Zorah sets).

Build variants:
Guard 5

 

#Kjarr Crusher Master’s Touch

SAED 🙁   Savage 🙂   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😄   Status 😍
Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth

This build goes ultra hard on blast buildup, with decent physical damage.

 

#Kjarr Crusher Artillery Secret

SAED 🙂   Savage 🙂   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 😄   Status 😄
Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth

Doesn’t go as hard on blast but 500 blast plus Critical Status is still nothing to sneeze at. This is the SAED version of Kjarr Crusher.

 

 

Elemental Builds

Note that builds are (more or less sorted) from strongest to weakest. However, the strongest builds usually require event equipment. If you can’t make a build, keep scrolling until you find one you can make.

#Kjarr Element Safi 5 (Critical Eye)

SAED 😍   Savage 😄   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 🙁
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva, MR Kulve Taroth
Kjarr Fire, Thunder, and Dragon are identical in stats and use the same builds as Fire.
Remember that you can add custom upgrades to Kjarr weapons! Kjarr weapons’ high natural affinity and Safi 5 bonus 40% allows abandoning Weakness Exploit and having 100% affinity all the time when your weapon is drawn.

Build variants:
Ice Guard 5
Water Guard 5
Fire/Thunder/Dragon Guard 5

#Kjarr Element Safi 5 (Weakness Exploit)

SAED 😍   Savage 😄   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 🙁
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva, MR Kulve Taroth
Kjarr Fire, Thunder, and Dragon are identical in stats and use the same builds as Fire.
Remember that you can add custom upgrades to Kjarr weapons! These builds are slightly stronger (and more health boost) than the above but are reliant on tenderizing to hit 100% affinity. Thanks to Nethersaw for suggesting running 2 Weakness Exploit.

Build variants:
Ice Guard 5
Water Guard 5
Fire/Thunder/Dragon Guard 5

#Alatreon CB

SAED 😄   Savage 😄   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 😍
Required Event Equipment: Alatreon

For those that actually want to use the new armor and weapon. It’s not stronger than Kjarr weapon or Safi armor, but it is REALLY hard to die using this build. It still does respectable damage. You can get Guard 3 or 5 by changing the decorations in the helm (losing Offensive Guard and/or Expert).

Build variants:
Focus 3

#Kjarr Element Master’s Touch

SAED 🙂   Savage 🙂   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva, MR Kulve Taroth
Kjarr Fire, Thunder, and Dragon are identical in stats and use the same builds as Fire.
Remember that you can add custom upgrades to Kjarr weapons!

This build is for folks that hate that Safi bleed.. plus with Critical Element, Crit Boost, and Master’s Touch you get to triple dip in affinity. The Guard 5 variants can be made more efficient if you have Kaiser Gamma helm, in exchange for defense and Health Boost. Legs are interchangeable for Kulve or Garuga legs depending on the decorations you have available.

Build variants:
Ice Guard 5
Water Guard 5
Fire/Thunder/Dragon Guard 5

#Safi Element Safi 5

Click to expand (hidden due to being outclassed by Kjarr)

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva
All Safi elemental CBs use the same builds (with appropriate elemental attack) as their stats are identical. This build is replaced by Kjarr Safi 5.

Build variants:
Guard 5
Guard 5 (Beotodus)

#Safi Element Safi + Teo Hybrid

Click to expand (hidden due to being outclassed by Kjarr)

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva
All Safi elemental CBs use the same builds (with appropriate elemental attack) as their stats are identical.

Sacrifices some element for the mostly infinite sharpness of Master’s Touch. Requires Teo essence so Beotodus CB cannot use this set. This build is replaced by Kjarr Safi 5 / Kjarr Master’s Touch.

Build variants:
Guard 5

#Element Cookie Cutter (Master’s Touch)

SAED 😐   Savage 😐   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: None

Can be used with any elemental CB.

#Element Cookie Cutter (4 Namielle)

SAED 😄   Savage 🙁   Sharpness 😐   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: None

Only recommended for high element (base 390+). Only recommended for SAED focused playstyle. This set is replaced by Safi set.

#Element Cookie Cutter (True Critical Element)

SAED 💀   Savage 🙂   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 😄
Required Event Equipment: None

Can be used with any elemental CB. Recommended for Savage Axe focused playstyle.

 

 

Focusless Builds

If playing a Savage Axe centric playstyle, you may opt to drop Focus (and Artillery for Impact Phials) to maximize your physical damage using the logic that if you don’t use SAED at all, you don’t need the extra phial generation from Focus. Note that even for this playstyle, dropping Focus has some downsides: making your Double Slash and Condensed Elemental Slash (sword buff) charge slower, and occasionally costing you extra attacks in sword mode (compared to Focus 3) before you can reload and attack in Axe mode.

Both Impact and Elemental builds are in this section.

#Safi Impact Focusless

SAED 💀   Savage 😍   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😐
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

For Savage Axe fanatics only, dropping Focus and Artillery for pure physical damage. Thanks to CurrySama#6374 for the improved SafiBrachy build.

Build variants:
Safi 3 + Master’s Touch + Resentment
Safi 3 + R.Brachy 2 + Resentment (Highest EFR)

#Lightbreak Focusless

SAED 💀   Savage 😍   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 😐
Required Event Equipment: None

For Savage Axe fanatics only, dropping Focus and Artillery for pure physical damage.

Build variants:
HR Teostra Gamma helm

#Kjarr Element Safi 5 Focusless

SAED 💀   Savage 😍   Sharpness 🙂   Comfy 💀
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva, MR Kulve Taroth
Kjarr Fire, Thunder, and Dragon are identical in stats and use the same builds as Fire.
Remember that you can add custom upgrades to Kjarr weapons!

#Kjarr Element Master’s Touch Focusless

SAED 💀   Savage 😄   Sharpness 😄   Comfy 😐
Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva, MR Kulve Taroth
Kjarr Fire, Thunder, and Dragon are identical in stats and use the same builds as Fire.
Remember that you can add custom upgrades to Kjarr weapons!

#Safi Element Safi 5 Focusless

Click to expand (hidden due to being outclassed by Kjarr)

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

All Safi elemental CBs use the same builds (with appropriate elemental attack) as their stats are identical.

#Safi Element Safi + Teo Hybrid Focusless

Click to expand (hidden due to being outclassed by Kjarr)

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

All Safi elemental CBs use the same builds (with appropriate elemental attack) as their stats are identical.

Sacrifices some element for the mostly infinite sharpness of Master’s Touch. Requires Teo essence so Beotodus CB cannot use this set.

#Safi Element True Critical Element

Click to expand (hidden due to being outclassed by Kjarr)

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

All Safi elemental CBs use the same builds (with appropriate elemental attack) as their stats are identical.

Higher physical hits (including Savage Axe ticks) than Safi 5 (Focus 0), but lower phial damage.

#Safi Element Safi + Velkhana Hybrid

Click to expand (hidden due to being outclassed by Kjarr)

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

All Safi elemental CBs use the same builds (with appropriate elemental attack) as their stats are identical.

Somewhere between Safi 5 and True Critical Element. A hidden contender?

Build variants:
No Protective Polish
No Protective Polish (Beotodus)

 

 

Specific Anti-Monster Builds

#Anti-Rajang

Build variants:
No Kjarr (Beotodus CB)
No event equipment (Beotodus CB)

#Anti-Safi

Required Event Equipment: None

#Anti-Kulve

Required Event Equipment: Safi’Jiiva

Tenderize uptime is not great on Kulve so you may trade some Health Boost or Razor Sharp for Expert if you want.

Build variants:
No event equipment (Lightbreak CB)

#Anti-Raging Brachy

Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth, Safi’Jiiva

Safi 5 set will deal more damage but the bleed makes this fight much more difficult than using an MT set.

Build variants:
No event equipment (Beotodus CB)

#Anti-Namielle

Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth, Safi’Jiiva

You can trade Protective Polish for Hard Water Res but I recommend dropping Coalescence if you do this.

Build variants:
No event equipment (Glavenus CB)

#Anti-Alatreon (Defensive)

Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth, Safi’Jiiva

Match weaknesses with the starting element of Alatreon. Savage Axe playstyle deals the most damage to Alatreon but this build can play either Savage or SAED.

Recommended mantles: Temporal and Rocksteady (can be risky) or Glider. A surprisingly strong strategy that doesn’t sacrifice any damage is for your whole party to equip Glider mantles with 2 Wide Range+ decos.

Build variants:
Poverty build TBA

#Anti-Alatreon (Offensive)

Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth, Safi’Jiiva

Match weaknesses with the starting element of Alatreon. A more aggressive anti-Alatreon build that is only for Savage Axe playstyle, and is not immune to blights in order to proc Coalescence.

 

Meme Builds

#Sword Only

Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth, Safi’Jiiva

Three interesting properties coincide to make this strategy stronger than you expect: (1) “overcharged” sword (when you attack too much before reloading) is forced to bounce on every attack (2) if you prevent an attack that would normally bounce from bouncing, it will have no hitstop (3) Charge Blade can give itself Mind’s Eye on all sword attacks by charging the sword. Basically, you can attack SUPER fast when your sword is overcharged and get tons of sword phial explosions (Video).

This is only recommended for elemental CBs as you get the benefits of much higher damage phial explosions and Critical Element. Also, it can still work without charged sword as Shield Thrust always creates a phial explosion (you will need Mind’s Eye decoration if you do this). Power Prolonger is also optional.

#Girros Cosplay

Required Event Equipment: MR Kulve Taroth

Is this build good? Probably not. Does it have 860 Paralysis and Critical Status? Absolutely. For more raw, you can swap the charm for Challenger Charm V and drop to 2 Paralyze Attack.