Dauntless offers a wide selection of weapons, all of which have their advantages. In our comprehensive Axe Guide, we show you everything you need to know about axes and how to clean up effectively.
These are the properties of axes: Axes deal the most damage per hit of all weapons in Dauntless. However, they are correspondingly slow and require good positioning to ensure attacks hit properly.
Axes deal additional part damage to tails and horns, making these parts easier to obtain from Behemoths with this weapon.
Additionally, the axe deals bonus damage against wounded parts.
What playstyle do axes fit?
Axes are suitable for players who like to play tactically and with foresight rather than reactively, dealing a lot of damage with strong combos and wanting to grow stronger over the course of the hunt.
They are suitable for team play as well as solo hunts. However, they require more practice against tougher opponents compared to faster and more agile weapons.
If you play solo: In the game by yourself, axes serve as all-rounders against most Behemoths. You can stun a Behemoth and they are also well suited for farming certain parts. Due to the high damage, even stronger Behemoths become manageable with a bit of practice.
If you play in a team: If you are with other Slayers, your task is to help the potential hammer carrier in stunning the Behemoth. You interrupt certain attacks while also dealing enormous damage and are responsible for breaking off horns and tails.
These are the special abilities of the axe
These combos can the axe
Axes have two combos:
- Vertical Ripper consists of four vertical attacks, the last of which can be repeated indefinitely
- Horizontal Cut consists of four attacks with greater range and more mobility
The first attacks of the combos can be exchanged, with the first and third hits being charged. Charged hits consume more stamina but fill the special bar faster upon hitting.
This is the special ability of the axe
The special ability of the axe consists of two parts:
- a special bar that fills up through charged attacks
- a special ability that allows you to throw the axe with a cooldown
The first ability you receive is the Ruin Strike. The Ruin Flight serves as both a ranged attack and a buffing mechanic. When the special bar is full, you can use the flight to gain a stack of “Resolve.” “Resolve” increases attack power and can stack up to three times.
Each level permanently enhances your total attack power until the bar expires after a certain period. Using “Ruin Flight” again with a filled bar resets the countdown.
What does mastery bring?
Every weapon in Dauntless can be mastered. This grants you new abilities and mods that you can use with the weapons. For the axe, you receive:
- Level 6 – Fleeting Axe Core (Mod): Charged attacks deal area damage
- Level 8 – Unyielding Charge (Ability): Throw the axe and deal damage to enemies along the path. The axe lands there. If the axe hits a Behemoth, “Resolve” is activated and it returns to you.
- Level 10 – Light Handle (Mod): You now move faster instead of slower during charged horizontal attacks and consume 50% less stamina
- Level 16 – Overloaded Cylinder (Mod): “Resolve” can now stack four times
The other levels reward you with titles, cores, cosmetics, or scrap.
Tips and tricks for the axe
Axes also have some additional mechanics that are useful for fighting Behemoths. If you charge vertical attacks to the third charge level, you gain “Resolve” and the attack cannot be interrupted. If you are hit, you still take damage, but the attack will still go through.
If you charge a horizontal hit instead, you can move slowly during it. This is useful for repositioning.
Only charged hits and their combos fill the special bar. If you finish your combo with repeated vertical hits after charged hits, each of those hits will also fill the bar. More tips and the mechanics in action can be seen from YouTuber RevvyRad:
These builds are worth it
For a brief overview of which builds you can best play with an axe, we have picked some builds from the official community Discord of Dauntless.
“Support” for groups
- Weapon: Skarn’s Judgment with
