Seems like the shield is totally useless when you want to deal good damage with axe mode, no counter morph slash, no ready stance, it’s a step backwards in design. The morphed axe lacks any other design, and you can only saw continuously.
You charge the blade, you can see the emblem on the top left side below the health and stamina bars. I believe you charge the phials and then hit the blade attack that will charge it up. I don't know my terms of the moves lol my bad
Well savage axe play style is the way to go for the beta due to lack of guard skills and artillery. So normal blocking i.e perfect guards can activate savage axe, while GPs can only activate via a clash. Rolling lets you stay in axe mode instead of needing to morph to SnS mode then back to axe mode.
Pizza cutter is the best for now and you don’t have to guard point really atm since offensive guard is not in the game right now. Once it is it will be a big dmg boost so weave in those guard points.