Axe

This article is about the weapon type. For the weapon purchased from NPC weaponsmiths, see Axe (weapon). For the tool used to gather crafting materials from trees, see Gathering tool#Logging axes.

The axe is a one-handed weapon that may be wielded in the main hand and off-hand. Their skills typically deal great damage and control movement.

Crafted by: Weaponsmith

Overview

Usable by

Weapon slot	Guardian	Revenant	Warrior	Engineer	Ranger	Thief	Elementalist	Mesmer	Necromancer
Main hand		0	1	0	1	0	0		1
Off-hand	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	0

Weapon Strength

The weapon strength of a level 80 axe at different rarities is listed below.

Rarity	Weapon Strength
	Min	Max	Midpoint
BBasic	522	638	580
CFine	654	799	726.5
DMasterwork	706	863	784.5
ERare	759	928	843.5
FExotic	857	1048	952.5
GAscended HLegendary	900	1100	1000
PvP			922.5

Skills by profession

	Skill	Type			Description
Firebrand
1	Core Cleave		0.5½		Cleave at your enemy with a physical and a magical axe.
1	Core Cleave, Bleeding Edge, Searing Slash (firebrand) chain  Bleeding Edge		0.5½		Slice through your foe again, physically and magically, as your weapon is heating up.
1	Core Cleave, Bleeding Edge, Searing Slash (firebrand) chain  Searing Slash		0.5½		Unleash your searing axe in an overhand slash, following it up with a magical edge.
2	Symbol of Vengeance	Symbol	1	8	Symbol. Cleave your axe into the ground, reducing enemy movement and carving a razor-sharp symbol of vengeance.
3	Blazing Edge		0.75¾	12	Conjure a magical axe to rake your enemies toward you.
Revenant
4	Frigid Blitz		0.5½	10	Hurl your axe at your target, damaging and chilling the foes the axe passes through. When the axe reaches the target, shadowstep to it and deliver a large blow.
5	Temporal Rift		0.5½	15	Slice into the Mists, creating an unstable rift. After a short duration, this rift will collapse in on itself, pulling in enemies.
Warrior
	Eviscerate	Burst		8	Burst. Leap at your foe with a devastating attack. Effect increases with adrenaline level. Gain might if this attack hits.
1	Chop		0.25¼		Chop your foe.
1	Chop, Double Chop, Triple Chop chain  Double Chop				Chop your foe twice.
1	Chop, Double Chop, Triple Chop chain  Triple Chop		10.5½		Deliver three final chops to your foe.
2	Cyclone Axe		0.5½	6	Spin around and attack all nearby foes, applying vulnerability each hit. Gain fury for each foe hit.
3	Throw Axe		0.25¼	1	Throw an axe that cripples foes, dealing bonus damage at lower health thresholds.
4	Dual Strike		0.5½	12	Strike your foe with both weapons. Gain quickness for each strike that hits.
5	Whirling Axe		30.5½	15	Spin and attack nearby foes. You can move while spinning.
Berserker
	Decapitate	Primal burst	0.75¾	5	Primal Burst. Gather your strength into a powerful attack. If it hits, gain might and recharge this skill.
Ranger
1	Ricochet		0.25¼		Bounce your axe between multiple foes, gaining might for each enemy struck.
2	Splitblade		0.75¾	6	Throw a spread pattern of five whirling axes that bleeds foes.
3	Winter's Bite		0.5½	10	Throw an axe to chill your foe. Your pet's next attack inflicts weakness.
4	Path of Scars		0.5½	15	Throw your axe so that it returns to you, striking foes each way.
5	Whirling Defense		30.25¼	25	Block projectiles while damaging nearby foes.
Mirage
1	Lacerating Chop		0.5½		Inflict bleeding on your target.
1	Lacerating Chop, Ethereal Chop, Mirror Strikes chain  Ethereal Chop		0.5½		Inflict Torment on your target.
1	Lacerating Chop, Ethereal Chop, Mirror Strikes chain  Mirror Strikes		0.5½		Inflict bleeding and torment on your target.
1	Imaginary Axes	Ambush	0.5½	1	Ambush. Release phantasmal axes that seek out the nearest target after a short delay. Condition stacks reduced for clones.
2	Lingering Thoughts	Clone	0.75¾	0.25¼	Clone. Spin forward and strike multiple times, inflicting conditions and leaving a mirage at your starting position. If an enemy is near the mirage when it expires, a clone is summoned.
3	Axes of Symmetry		0.75¾	10	You and all your axe clones shadowstep to a random location around your target and strike, applying confusion. This attack breaks enemy targeting, and your illusions change focus to the targeted foe.
Necromancer
1	Rending Claws		1		Slash your foe twice with ghostly claws to make them vulnerable. Vulnerability applied increases against foes below the health threshold.
2	Ghastly Claws		10.75¾	8	Summon spectral claws to slash your foe in a quick flurry of strikes, gaining life force per strike. This attack deals increased damage per stack of vulnerability on your target.
3	Unholy Feast		1	12	Cripple nearby foes and convert their boons into conditions. Release an Unholy Burst on foes below the health threshold.

Related traits

Proficiencies

•  Axe Proficiency — You can wield axes.
•  Axe Proficiency — You can wield axes.

Enhancements

•  Unrelenting Criticism — Axe skills gain a chance to inflict bleeding. Symbol of Vengeance now dazes on its initial strike.
•  Ferocious Strikes — Gain increased ferocity while dual-wielding weapons.
•  Axe Mastery — Gain ferocity. Gain additional ferocity for each axe you are wielding. Axe skills gain reduced recharge and grant adrenaline when critically striking.
•  Dual Wielding — Attack speed is increased when wielding a main-hand weapon in your off hand.
•  Honed Axes — Gain ferocity. Axe skills gain reduced recharge, and you gain additional ferocity while wielding an axe. Winter's Bite now impacts an area.
•  Mirrored Axes — Reduce recharge of axe skills. Axe skills generate an additional phantom axe.
•  Spiteful Talisman — Deal increased damage to foes with no boons. Focus and Axe skills recharge faster.

See also

• Gallery of axes
• Axes purchasable by karma

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Weapons

One-handed

Axe • Dagger • Mace • Pistol • Sword

Main-hand only

Scepter

Off-hand only

Focus • Shield • Torch • Warhorn

Two-handed

Greatsword • Hammer • Longbow • Rifle • Short bow • Staff

Aquatic

Harpoon gun • Spear • Trident

Other

Bundles