MHR: Best Dual Blades Switch Skills Guide

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It’s hard not to love the Dual Blades. When I was first starting my Monster Hunter career, I was immediately pulled in by the speedy, slice-and-dice gameplay the weapons offered. As the series has continued and introduced interesting new skills and moves, they’ve only gotten faster and more lethal.

In Monster Hunter Rise, the Dual Blades’ skills center around attack speed and aerial movement, and you can adjust your playstyle according to your preferred approach. If you want the intense, powerful gameplay seen in titles like World, you can equip Switch Skills that favor DPS and frantic, flurrying attacks. If you miss the acrobatics introduced in Generations Ultimate, you can instead go for the skills that’ll have you flipping through the air with the greatest of ease.

This week, we’re continuing our Switch Skills series with a guide to the best Switch Skills for the Dual Blades in Monster Hunter Rise. We’ll start by sharing how to unlock the Dual Blades Switch Skills in MHR, then we’ll dive into the best Dual Blades Switch Skills. Let’s get started!

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How to Unlock Dual Blades Switch Skills in MHR

Before we get into the Switch Skills themselves, let’s discuss how to unlock them. All the Switch Skills in Monster Hunter Rise are unlocked in stages. They don’t have to be unlocked in any particular order, and most of them become available through natural in-game progress (especially in the Gathering Hub). Others require more specific dedication to a certain weapon type, so the best way to unlock all the skills for your main is to simply use it a lot!

Here’s a quick rundown of how to unlock all the Switch Skills in Monster Hunter Rise: 

Once you’ve met one or more of these requirements, speak to Master Utsushi in the Gathering Hub to unlock the corresponding Switch Skills. The requirements for the first Switch Skill apply to all the weapon types (meaning you’ll unlock all of them at the same time), so completing that one early on is a good idea if you don’t main a particular weapon or are still trying to figure out your preferred playstyle.

Another important thing to keep in mind here is that the specific quests needed to unlock the third Switch Skill don’t become available all at once. Some (like the Sword & Shield) appear as ★4 Hub Quests, while others (like the Great Sword and Insect Glaive) may not appear until ★5 or ★6. If you don’t see your preferred weapon type in the first batch, keep an eye out for it as you continue to level up the Gathering Hub!

How to Equip Dual Blades Switch Skills

Once you’ve unlocked a Switch Skill, you can swap your available skills and customize your moveset at any time — simply visit the Item Box and select “Change Switch Skill.”

From here, you’ll be able to mix and match any of your available Switch Skills for the weapon type you currently have equipped. The Switch Skills you select will apply to all weapons in that category — changing the specific set of Dual Blades you’re using won’t change your skill lineup.

Best Switch Skills for Dual Blades in MHR

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s take a look at the best Switch Skills for Dual Blades in Monster Hunter Rise. We’ll discuss each of our recommended skills in detail, comparing them to the other skill options and exploring why players tend to prefer them during their hunts.

As a quick disclaimer, we still strongly encourage you to stick with whatever works best for you! If one of the other skills better suits your preferred playstyle, don’t let our recommendations get in the way of you having a good time.

Switch 1: Demon Flurry Rush

• Description: A spinning multi-hit attack performed on the ground. Only available when Demon or Archdemon Mode is active. An effective move with reliable dash capabilities and versatility.
• Controls: Press A while in Demon or Archdemon Mode.
• How to Unlock: Available by default.

Demon Flurry Rush is the latest form of the spin attack, a staple move of the Dual Blades for a few generations now. In Monster Hunter Rise, Demon Flurry Rush can be executed at any time while Demon or Archdemon Mode is active, launching you into a furious spin attack that deals incredible damage to the monster. Just be careful to watch your timing — you’re locked into the animation, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for a healthy opening or risk making yourself vulnerable to attacks.

Once you reach ★3 Village Quests or ★2 Hub Quests, you can replace this skill with Demon Flight, an aerial move that launches you into the air upon a successful hit and deals damage on the way up. This attack is a great option for airborne fighters since it doesn’t use your Wirebug Gauge, and is particularly effective against monsters with hard-to-reach weak points like their wings or backs.

While there’s certainly nothing wrong with Demon Flight, a lot of players find that it doesn’t work well with the Piercing Bind skill, sacrificing some of the Dual Blades’ all-important DPS for a more aerial fighting style. Unless you’re a fan of airborne attacks (and I can’t say I’m not one myself!), we recommend sticking with Demon Flurry Rush for the easier damage boost.

Switch 2: Feral Demon Mode

• Description: A move beyond the limits of any other. When active, your stamina gradually decreases while your attack and evasion change, resisting any knockback. You switch to an attack-focused stance, dealing slashing attacks when dodging.
• Controls: Press ZR.
• How to Unlock: Craft eight unique sets of Dual Blades.

Feral Demon Mode doesn’t require a lot of explanation — it’s pretty similar to regular Demon Mode, but more aggressive. In exchange for a steady stamina drain, you get increased movement speed and attack power, as well as access to a new and faster moveset. Feral Demon Mode introduces attacks while dashing and dodging, making for an even more lethal battle when it’s active.

Players tend to prefer Feral Demon Mode, hands down. Although the movement speed increase isn’t as high as the one you get with regular Demon Mode, it’s overall a better version of the move that accentuates the Dual Blades’ already highly offense-focused playstyle.

Switch 3: Piercing Bind

• Description: An attack that drives a blade bound by Ironsilk into the target like a stake. The blade remains connected to the hunter by Ironsilk, dealing additional slash damage to the same spot every time you attack. The added damage accumulates over time, eventually unleashing massive damage. (Wirebug Gauge recovery speed: Slow)
• Controls: Press X while holding ZL.
• How to Unlock: Available by default.

Piercing Bind is a DPS-lover’s dream skill, giving you an extra damage boost on top of your already powerful attacks. This Silkbind move sticks a kunai into your target monster and anchors it to your blades, dealing extra damage to that particular spot with each attack. After a short period, the kunai will burst in a damage explosion that’s great for targeting weak spots,

After completing the ★6 Hub Quest “Dissect the Dual Blades,” you can swap this move with Tower Vault, another aerial move that launches you in the air and allows you to maneuver easily even with your weapon drawn.

As nice as aerial attacks are, it’s difficult to say no to pure DPS. Tower Vault doesn’t deal any additional damage to your target, and most hunters prefer to rely on Demon Flight if they really want to add that third dimension to their fight. If you’re really just looking to take monsters down with the business end of your pointy sticks, it’s better to take Piercing Bind and pair it with Demon Flurry Rush.

Become a High Grounder

That’s it for our Monster Hunter Rise Dual Blades skills guide — thank you so much for reading! Please tell us about your experience with these skills and your favorite combos in the comments below, and don’t forget to follow us on social and subscribe to our newsletter for more Monster Hunter guides like this.

Happy hunting!

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