The Veteran's Battle Axe is one of the strongest early pickups in Mortal Shell II — a proper heavy weapon with a faster-than-average moveset, huge stagger, and a running heavy attack that can carry an entire playthrough on its own.
Note: screenshots below are in-game frames referenced from a community weapon-guide video, credited in the sources section.
Where to find the Veteran's Battle Axe
- Head north from the starting area into Black Ridge Pass.
- Curve onward to the King's Crypt dungeon.
- Clear the crypt and the axe is your reward.
Fair warning: King's Crypt is one of the most trap-dense dungeons in the game — floor spikes, wall-mounted arrow shooters, and layered ambushes. Take it slow, learn the trigger patterns, and budget a few deaths.
Moveset overview
- Light attacks — the opening poke is the weak point of the string; the rest of the chain is solid.
- Heavy attacks — a big overhead, a spin, and a golf swing. The recommended bread-and-butter is light into heavy into heavy.
- Running light — similar jumping strike to The Iconoclast's.
- Running heavy — the star of the weapon. It hits absurdly hard, creates breathing room, and repeatedly saves tight encounters.
Best Tarstones: attack speed
The combo-finisher stones make this moveset slower, which is the last thing an axe wants. Instead, run the Thief's Stone: its Warp stacks ramp up your swing speed and directly patch the weapon's one weakness. The Grudge Stone is a decent alternative, and the Parasitic Stone is a fine progression pick if you are stacking health.
Infusions: Curse first, Burn as the early treat
The obvious endgame pairing is the Curseblood Stone — Curse remains the strongest status in the game, and the axe applies it well. What makes the axe special is that it is also the only weapon with access to a permanent Burn infusion, available early. Burn hits hard visually and practically; run it from the moment you pick the axe up until Curse enters your kit.
Special ability
The Lost Clotstone fits here (it also suits the Obsidian Hammer), and the axe's own unique attack throws the weapon to knock enemies back — free spacing that sets up your next running heavy.
Verdict
An early-game monster with a late-game kit. Speed-stone it, burn everything until Curse arrives, and abuse the running heavy more than you think is reasonable.