Final Fantasy I Game by Squaresoft For the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) Weaponry Guide Written by Reverend Eric "Vegita" Johnson (VegitaBOD@aol.com) Version 3.141 Sections: I - Introduction II - Weapon Notes III - Weapon Chart IV - Normal Swords V - Magical Swords VI - Knifes VII - Staves VIII - Hammers IX - Axes X - Nunchaku XI - Various A - Revision History B - Thanks C - No Thanks ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ --------------------------I: Introduction--------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ Welcome! I am Vegita, Guardian Of Destiny, and I see you want help for the Nintendo game "Final Fantasy". Rock on! This is my 3rd guide for the game, and you're probably wondering why I even bother anymore. I mean, it IS an older game, and this is a guide so specialized that it probably won't matter. Wellsir, lemme tell ya, I've found myself looking for a FAQ such as this, and since I didn't find one - just like when I didn't find an Armor guide - I've decided to make my own. There, now you know why I'm typing this. First off, let's get one thing straight: Even though I am Vegita, I will try to write from an un-biased point of view (although I still think I'm the best at everything). Second of all, if I catch anyone copying all or part of this FAQ, ANY part of this FAQ (not counting little, inconsequential sentences like "First off, let's get one thing straight"), I will destroy you. I will rip you limb from limb like the excessively weak individual you are, and then I will sue you for copyright infringement. Well, ok, maybe I'll just sue you, but if I got the chance I'd certainly go for the ripping of limbs from other limbs. Third of all, I do not own the rights to this game, the names of the characters in this game or FAQ, or have any ownership whatsoever of this game (except for the cartridge sitting in my room, that is). Those are the property of their respective owners. If I find a website with this FAQ on it, and it has been changed in any way, does not give me proper credit, or is selling it without my knowledge and consent, then I WILL have my lawyers contact that site. Are we clear (this means YOU, Vertsk8!)? ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ --------------------------II: Weapon Notes-------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ All right, let's get down to business. I've broken up the weapon list into sections, each Section containing a certain type of weapon. These are then sorted alphabetically by the name of the weapons (in that category), followed by the individual statistics of the weapon. Here is a preview of the system: -----[Weapon Name]----- Damage: [Number] Hit %: [Number] Cost: [Price] Purchase Locations: [City Name(s)] --- If you need more information about where a city is, consult Find Locations: [Item Location(s)] another FAQ or the map at Who Can Equip It: [Character Classes] GameFAQs.com Special Properties: [Properties] If I feel the need to (which I can pretty much guarantee I will), I'll include some various thoughts about each item, its' applications in the game, and maybe even a little history. You never know, you might even learn something! ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ --------------------------III: Weapon Chart-------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ For simplification purposes, here's a chart with each weapon's basic stats and who can use 'em. You might not get as much information about the weapon, but 90% of the time you'll probably just be looking for a quick bit of reference on an item. Thus, the chart has its use. Reading the chart is simple as pie (Mmm, pie). Along the left are the various Weapons, grouped in categories: Swords, Magic Swords, Knives, Staves, Hammers, Axes, and Nunchaku ("Chucks"). The top portion of the chart lists the character classes (abbreviated), and form columns that cross each of the weapons' rows. If a character class can equip that particular weapon, then there will be an X in the space where the two meet; if not, then there will be a period. At the far right of the chart is that particular piece of weapon's Damage Rating and Hit Percentage. The weapons are not sorted alphabetically; instead, they are listed in ascending order by their damage rate (per category), then by Hit Percentage, THEN alphabetically. Thus, "Rapier" may come after "Bane Sword" in the dictionary, but you will see the Bane Sword (Damage = 19) come before the Rapier (Damage 9) in my chart. I makes da chart, so I makes da rules, ya dig? Shorthand: Fighter = Fi Knight = Kn Black Belt = BB Master = Ma Thief = Th Ninja = Ni Red Mage = RM Red Wizard = RW White Mage = WM White Wizard = WW Black Mage = BM Black Wizard = BW _______________________________________________________________________________ | Class |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | -=Swords=- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Rapier | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 9 | 5 | |Scimitar | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 10 | 10 | |Sabre | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 13 | 5 | |Falchion | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 15 | 10 | |Short Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 15 | 10 | |Long Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 20 | 10 | |Silver Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 23 | 15 | |Vorpal Blade | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 24 | 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | |-=M. Swords=-| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Were Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 18 | 15 | |Rune Sword | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 18 | 15 | |Dragon Sword | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 19 | 15 | |Coral Sword | X | . | X | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 19 | 15 | |Giant Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 21 | 20 | |Bane Sword | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 22 | 20 | |Flame Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 26 | 20 | |Ice Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | . | . | . | . | 29 | 25 | |Defense | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 30 | 35 | |Sun Sword | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | . | 32 | 30 | |Xcalibur | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | . | . | . | . | 45 | 35 | |Masamune | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 56 | 50 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | | -=Knives=- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Small Dagger | X | . | X | X | . | X | X | . | X | X | . | X | 5 | 10 | |Large Dagger | X | . | X | X | . | X | X | . | X | X | . | X | 7 | 10 | |Silver Knife | X | . | X | X | . | X | X | . | X | X | . | X | 10 | 15 | |Catclaw | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | X | . | X | 22 | 35 | |Katana | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | . | . | 33 | 35 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | | -=Staves=- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Heal Staff | . | . | . | . | X | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | 6 | 0 | |Wooden Staff | X | X | . | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 6 | 0 | |Power Staff | X | X | . | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | 0 | |Mage Staff | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | . | X | . | . | X | 12 | 0 | |Iron Staff | X | X | . | . | . | . | X | X | X | . | . | . | 14 | 0 | |Wizard Staff | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | X | 15 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | | -=Hammers=- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Iron Hammer | X | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | X | . | X | . | 9 | 0 | |Silver Hammer| X | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | X | . | X | . | 12 | 5 | |Thor's Hammer| . | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | X | . | 18 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | | -=Axes=- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Hand Axe | X | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | . | . | 16 | 5 | |Great Axe | X | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | . | . | 22 | 5 | |Silver Axe | X | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | . | . | 25 | 10 | |Light Axe | X | . | . | . | . | . | X | . | X | . | . | . | 28 | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Fi |BB |Th |RM |WM |BM |Kn |Ma |Ni |RW |WW |BW | Damage| Hit % | |-=Nunchaku=- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Wooden Chucks| . | X | . | . | . | . | . | X | X | . | . | . | 12 | 0 | |Iron Chucks | . | X | . | . | . | . | . | X | X | . | . | . | 16 | 0 | ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ --------------------------IV: Normal Swords-------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ Usually constructed of metal and ranging anywhere from 1-8 (!) feet in length, swords have aided armies all throughout history as being the primary arms for soldiers and guards alike. This basic weapon stemmed from the concept of taking a club (oft made of wood) and constructing a similar shape out of metal, thus making it heavier and harder. It was then improved on, giving the weapon an edge so as to cut with. From here, the sword progressed through a variety of fashions all around the world, taking on different styles and shapes. Some were thinner and used for piercing opponents (Rapiers), some were meant for slashing or drawing (Scimitar, Sabre), and some were made simply to be big and heavy, so as to crush their target as well as slice it (Long Sword). Your regular, run-of-the-mill swords can be crafted by any Blacksmith with some proficiency in smithing. Although they lack the magical abilities of other swords, they easily make up for it with their lower cost (for the most part) and the fact that quite a few people (including your thief) can use 'em with some proficiency. If you need a weapon and you're not a mage (in which case, you SHOULDN'T need a weapon), then a sword is for you! Heck, there are more swords than every other weapon combined in the game, so they'd BETTER be common... Here are the Normal Swords, listed in the order in which they appear: A) Falchion E) Scimitar B) Long Sword F) Short Sword C) Rapier G) Silver Sword D) Sabre H) Vorpal Blade _____________________________====================______________________________ A - Falchion ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The falchion is one of the oldest styles of swords known to man, dating back 2,000 years to the ancient Egyptians. Development of their weaponry eventually lead to the Khopesh, a scythe-like weapon that had been straightened and sharpened on both edges to give a slashing ability, as well as the occasional poking (due to the pointed tip). The Greeks straightened the blade and shortened the handle further, renaming it the "Kopis" and claiming it as their own. Eventually, the Falchion found its way into India (thanks to Alexander the Great's expansive empire) where it was renamed again - this time called the "Khukri". This blade was more of a long, curved knife, used in ceremonies rather than as a basic armament for soldiers. The blade's evolution came through a desire to improve the damage-capacity of a slashing weapon, culminating in the equivalent of a modern-day machete. The Falchion has a broad, curved edge, with the spine thickened and extra weight put toward the tip of the blade. By doing so, this caused the Falchion's center of gravity to be further away from the handle, giving added momentum to the slash and increasing its damage. Thanks to its added force, the Falchion was a preferred weapon against armored opponents than a straighter blade (such as a longsword). In Final Fantasy, the Falchion is a sword with the same damage capacity as a short sword; however, due to its lessened weight (thanks to the shift in weight distribution within the weapon), even a Thief can use it. Damage: 15 Hit %: 10 Cost: 450 Gil (Sell Price: 225 Gil) Purchase Locations: Melmond Find Locations: Northwest Castle (Astos' Castle, locked room) Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ B - Long Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Truth be told, there actually was no such thing as a "long sword"; at least, there was no weaponry that was designated as such, as well as Short Swords or Broad Swords. Swords were not created to fall underneath certain length or width amounts; if a sword was deemed to be longer than normal, you would call it a longsword (and likewise for short- or broad-swords). Thus, a "Longsword" could vary in length, anywhere from 3 feet (for a shorter soldier) to 8 feet (although one would argue that THAT would be more of a Claymore, an actual designation of such weaponry). In Final Fantasy, the Long Sword is a weapon that - due to its size and length - deals more damage than most regular swords, but is unfortunately less accurate. It is useable only be a select few, namely those with the proper strength to wield such an unwieldy weapon. Unfortunately, by the time you can purchase or find one of these weapons, you've probably already purchased the Silver Sword, and any better weaponry for other classes (i.e., Thieves) will have been found already. It's a decent weapon, it's just overshadowed before you ever have a chance to effectively use it. Damage: 20 Hit %: 10 Cost: 1,500 Gil (Sell Price: 750 Gil) Purchase Locations: Melmond Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ C - Rapier ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Rapier was known as the duelist's weapon. Sporting a long, slender blade with sharp edges, coming to a fine point (sic) at the tip, the Rapier was a lightweight weapon commonly used for fencing duels (aside from Epees, which were the practice weaponry). These swords were the real deal when it came to finesse, since they lacked the weight or stability of make to inflict heavy damage upon another, and could do practically nothing against heavily armored opponents save scratch their metallic hides...but when it came to piercing an opponent, 1 good shot (which would be very quick with a rapier) could puncture something vital and end the match thusly. The point of the Rapier could find its way through the links of chain armor, making it useless versus the slender weapon...however, it wasn't a good weapon for one to take upon the battlefield, since it could easily be broken in half from a heavier weapon's smash. In FFI, the Rapier is a basic weapon that does little damage but is light enough to be used by even the Thief. Therefore, it's an ideal starting weapon for any class that can use it...although you'll want to upgrade as soon as possible. Damage: 9 Hit %: 5 Cost: 10 Gil (Sell Price: 5 Gil) Purchase Locations: Coneria Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ D - Sabre ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Heavier than a rapier yet still light enough to fence with, the Sabre was the commonly-used weapon of the army general when in close quarters. Its added weight gave more power to its slashing, while the fine point could be used for piercing as well. Its lengthy edge usually demanded a full scabbard instead of a beltloop for holding, else the wearer find themselves with holey pants and nicks upon their legs. In Final Fantasy, the Sabre is a decent-weapon for the price you'll pay, and can be equipped by the thief as well as other classes. It carries the same hit capacity as the rapier, but deals more damage per strike from hits greater girth. See, being a lighter weapon is a good thing! Damage: 13 Hit %: 5 Cost: 450 Gil (Sell Price: 10 Gil) Purchase Locations: Elfland, Melmond Find Locations: Castle Coneria (Locked Room) Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ E - Scimitar ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The scimitar originated in Arabic lands during the Medieval ages. Seeking a weapon to counter the Crusaders' longsword, the Scimitar was created - a weapon who was well known for its curvature of blade, as well as its deadliness in the hands of the right wielder. The blade was not as long as the English opponents' armaments; however, it was grew wider as the blade lengthened, giving it more weight behind each blow despite its thinner size. The curve of the blade aided in getting around an opponents' armor or shielding, often making defense against the weapon a troublesome encounter. In Final Fantasy I, the Scimitar is a versatile weapon that can be equipped by any of the fighting classes (save the Black Belt, of course). It does slightly more damage than a rapier, but is much more likely to hit thanks to its curve and weight. It's also very cheap, meaning you should equip your Thief with it as soon as possible. Until you start finding magical weaponry or happen upon a Falchion, it'll be the best sword he can get. Heck, since you can get a Falchion at the same time you can pick up the best sword a Thief can use (the Coral or Dragon Sword), why even bother with that? ...but until then, the Scimitar is the way to go, definitely. Damage: 10 Hit %: 10 Cost: 200 Gil (Sell Price: 100 Gil) Purchase Locations: Pravoka Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ F - Short Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ As I spoke of with the Long Sword, there truly was no definitive "short sword"; a shortsword was a smithed sword that lacked the length of its weaponry bretheren. These were wider blades than rapiers and heavier than scimitars, although the lacked the length of either. Thus, they could be used by the majority of fighters, although their short range often cost them victories when faced with more lengthy weapons (such as longswords or a mounted knights' lance). They did have a decent amount of weight to them, giving more force behind each blow without the encumberance of a larger weapons' size. The shortsword was the staple of a mans' army, being effective enough for the cost. In Final Fantasy, the Short Sword is a decent-damage weapon that can be picked up in the port town of Provoka. It hits harder than any other weapon you've had the option of buying thus far, save the Hand Axe (which, coincedentally, can also be purchased at Provoka). I suggest your fighter pick up this sword instead of the axe, since the axe only does 1 point of damage more, but loses 5 hit%. Wouldn't you rather hit more often instead of inflict 1 measly point more? Damage: 15 Hit %: 10 Cost: 550 Gil (Sell Price: 275 Gil) Purchase Locations: Pravoka Find Locations: Marsh Cave (Floor 2A) Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ G - Silver Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Silver is a rare and expensive metal, although not nearly to the extent of gold. Excavation in certain portions of Asia, as well as on certain islands located within the Aegean Sea, have found indications that man knew how to separate traces of Silver from Lead dating back as far as 3000 B.C. In its purest form, Silver has a white sheen to it, although it is usually seen in less-than-pure forms (hence the tendancy to visualize Silver as a grey or blue metal). Pure Silver is actually the most conducive of all the metals on the Perodical Table of Elements, yet it still has little more tensility than Gold. Great...so Silver - if displayed in a pure form - is supposed to be White instead of Blue, and is extremely conducive to electricity. It isn't terribly powerful as a metal, despite its density (oh well, at least it's not Gold)...so why the devil do these games make Silver weaponry to be so effective? Granted, in certain cultures' mythology, the use of Silver often is taken on for Holy purposes (or, more often, used as an means of deterring the unholy)...but does that make the metal itself a magical presence? Bah! In Final Fantasy, the Silver Sword is a remarkable (yet horribly inaccurate) weapon of mass destruction. Its hit percentage is high enough to allow your Fighter (or Red Mage) to hit twice, and the damage yielded is considerable enough indeed. By equipping this weapon, you are giving your Fighter-Type character(s) a weapon that gives them a definite edge (sic) over their opponents, and gives your team a physical offense that can easily surmount your enemies at that period of time (i.e., when you hit Elfland, where the toughest of foes are sharks, ogres, wizards, and Astos). Its only real downside is the VERY high price; you'll be fighting those Ogres (and Kyzoku, if you're lucky) for a good long time before you can afford one. Damage: 23 Hit %: 15 Cost: 4,000 Gil (Sell Price: 2,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: Elfland Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A _____________________________====================______________________________ H - Vorpal Blade ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Truth be told, I do not know the origins of the Vorpal Blade. For most, their first exposure to a sword with such a name is in Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky", in which it is the narrator's instrument for disposing of the foul creature. Since then, the sword has gained new meaning through role playing games and such, most notably in the realm of 'Dungeons and Dragons'. Within its set of rules and artifacts, the Vorpal Blade has been molded to become a mystical sword with the ability to lop its opponents' head off simply by connecting a blow (and their failing the subsequent saving dice-roll). In the Final Fantasy world, the Vorpal Blade is really nothing more than a highly-specialized sword. Only 3 Prestige Classes may use it, and by the time you happen upon it you will have most likely found better weaponry to equip; heck, the Sun Sword isn't too far away from where you find the Vorpal Sword, and it's better than the Vorpal in every way! Do yourself a favor, and pick up this weapon for selling purposes only. If you need a better sword, you'll very quickly find one. Damage: 24 Hit %: 25 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 10,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Mirage Tower (1st Floor) Who Can Equip It: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: N/A ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ --------------------------V: Magical Swords-------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ Magical Swords are swords that have been embued with magical ability, created by magical creatures or those with the knowhow to make them extra effective, or simply are weapons of legend and lore. These swords are the créme de la créme, and although they all require that you find them rather than purchase them, they are well worth the effort of locating them. For some of the base classes (Red Mage, Thief), their best weapons (outside of the Masamune) are Magical Swords that give them a higher capacity for damage than regular weaponry. Find those swords and equip them (or at least keep the ones that have certain uses, like the Bane Sword). A) Bane Sword E) Flame Sword I) Rune Sword B) Coral Sword F) Giant Sword J) Sun Sword C) Defense G) Ice Sword K) XCalibur D) Dragon Sword H) Masamune L) Were Sword _____________________________====================______________________________ A - Bane Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Bane Sword's use might elude you at first, given when and where you get it. Finding a weapon on the first level of the Floating Palace would usually mean it's going to be something of worth, yes? So what's the deal with this hunk of orange metal, that can only be used by 3 Prestige classes and is actually weaker (in damage) than the Silver Sword? Wellsir, it's uniqueness lies in is magical ability; when used as an item, the Bane Sword casts the spell of BANE on all enemies. As with other weapons that give an infinite use of spells, this one's usefulness is instantly increased...and not because of its attack power. It doesn't have much in the way of damage going for it, but it makes up for it by allowing its wielder to cast an Insta-Kill spell whenever they want. Since you do not have to have the Bane Sword equipped, this means that even a simple White Mage (or, shoot, even a Black Belt) can have it in their inventory and be able to use it! Rock! Damage: 22 Hit %: 20 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 30,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Floating Palace, 1st Floor Who Can Equip It: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used as an item in battle, the Bane Sword casts the spell BANE on all enemies. This is especially useful for taking out enemies that are suceptable to it without worrying about using magic to get the job done. ____________________________=====================______________________________ B - Coral Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Coral Sword isn't that that wonderful a weapon. The Silver Sword does more damage and can be purchased earlier, and the Dragon Sword - which, along with the Coral Sword, is the best weapon the Thief can use - is found in an earlier, less-dangerous location. So for non-Wonderswan gamers will not even want to bother with this sword, since it just isn't worth the effort. However, for those of you who aren't playing the NES version, it's a good-enough weapon for taking down enemies that fall under the "Water" class. It may be a weaker sword, but when it comes to taking down opponents like elementals or Sahaugins then this is the weapon of choice. Damage: 19 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 4,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Earth Cave Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Water" category (such as fish, Water Elements, Sahags, etc), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's just a colorful sword, that's all. ____________________________=====================______________________________ C - Defense ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ "Defense" is the name given to this magical weapon, one that serves its user in attacking as well as defending. Its damage and hit% are quite good, allowing for more hits, harder hits, and more frequent hits. That's not all, though - this weapon, when used as an item in battle, casts RUSE upon its owner. Thus, Defense adds to its proprietor's evasion while giving them a viable offense. Of course, it does have its downside, that being that only 3 Prestige Classes can equip it (the usual ones, unfortunately)...but that doesn't mean other classes can't benefit from its RUSE-casting ability. It doesn't have to be equipped for this to happen, so give it to your Wizard (if you want to) and have 'em use it to beef up their Evasion instead. 'tis a great weapon, lemme tell ya... Damage: 30 Hit %: 35 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 25,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Waterfall (Robot Room) Who Can Equip It: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used as an item, Defense casts the spell RUSE on its owner. Thanks to infinite uses of such an item as a spell, you can increase your evasion rate very quickly without cost of magic. _____________________________====================______________________________ D - Dragon Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Ah yes, the Dragon Sword. For those of you whom happen to own a Wonderswan Color, this weapon will find its way into battles where Dragons will be known to appear; obviously enough, the Dragon Sword carries an affinity towards destroying its titular opponents. These creatures aren't entirely common (unless you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time), so such a weapon might find itself as more of a burden to WSC players who actually gain the added damage towards Dragons. However, it - along with the Coral Sword - is the best weapon that the Thief class can equip other than the Masamune (before upgrading to Ninja), and is easily found in the Dwarven Cave once you've located the Mystic Key, so why bother going out of your way in a dangerous locale to find the Coral Sword? Give it to your thief, use it against Dragons (WSC), or sell it...you know, whatever you want to do with it. Damage: 19 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 4,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Dwarven Cave Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Dragon" category (such as various Dragons or Salamanders), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's just a colorful sword, that's all. ____________________________=====================______________________________ E - Flame Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Flame Sword is quite the potent weapon, although it is not an easy find by ANY stretch of the imagination. It is located deep inside the Ice Cave, forcing you to not only brave the monsters inside but the various pitfalls, enemy-squares, and damage floors strewn throughout. This makes for a frustrating trek; however, the sword is definitely worth the effort, especially if you have more than 1 fighter-type that can use it. Your fighter will want the sword so that he can add even more damage to each hit, and the improvement to hit hit percentage isn't too shabby, either...plus, if you have a Red Mage, then you can equip him with a darn good weapon too. It's a tad difficult to get ahold of, but it is worth the effort for NES and WSC players alike. WSC players get the benefit of additional damage against Ice enemies AND the Undead, making it a much, much more valuable weapon for them to receive. Damage: 26 Hit %: 20 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 5,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Ice Cavern (Basement 2) Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Ice" category (such as Frost Giants, Frost Wolves, Frost...etc.), it does increased damage. Also, when used against enemies that fall under the "Undead" category (like Zombies and such), it does increased damage. However, these only work on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. Still, it's a good sword, eh? ____________________________=====================______________________________ F - Giant Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ A quandry - what is the purpose of a weapon that gives you an edge against monsters that are already excessively weak, or - for the stronger ones - are easily surpassed with a couple of levels worth of work? That's an excellent question! The Giant's Sword -- which is NOT an oversized weapon (despite the first images conjured up by my imagination when I initially picked it up) -- is a moderately powerful sword embued with the ability to do extra damage versus enemies of the "Giant" class. This is all fine and good...but the most powerful Giants that you come across would be Frost Giants and Wizard Ogres, neither of which should present too much of a problem to you if you are at a reasonable level (by the time you reach their respective areas), of if you use the Flame/Rune Swords (respectively) against them. Worse yet, you have to go out of your way to find the Giant Sword, which makes it practically worthless. It doesn't sell for much, it Damage is less than that of the Silver Sword (although its Hit % is better), it can't be used by Thieves, and it's not easy to come by, and the bonus damage only works for WSC players. Plus, the only place you'd really want to have such a weapon handy is for the Giant's Hall back in the Earth Cave...and you've already PASSED that area, so it would only be good for level-building. Take my advice: if you want to build levels, go to the PNWOP (Peninsula Northwest of Provoka) and use your more powerful Flame Sword to damage the enemies there; plus, they're already weak to Fire, so your magicians will be able to aid more. Here, let me put it this way - Giants aren't a very common opponent. As such, the usefulness of this weapon is already diminished, since you cannot switch weapons in mid-battle (and, thus, you are probably not going to walk around with this equipped since it would be universally less-useful than other weapons at your disposal). Furthermore, the only Giants that cannot be harmed by other Magical Swords - Imps, (Green) Giants, and Pink/Green Ogres - should be easily dispatchable by the time you come across the Giants' Sword, so you won't need the added "edge" against them. The more powerful Giant-Types - the aforementioned Frost Giants or Wizard Ogres - are weak to Magical Swords that are easier to find or simply more useful in general. The Giant's Sword is a waste of time and effort. Do not bother. Damage: 21 Hit %: 20 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 4,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Gurgu Volcano, Floor 2 Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Giant" category (such as Imps, Ogres and Giants), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's just a colorful sword, that's all. ____________________________=====================______________________________ G - Ice Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ All right, so we've covered the fact that just about all of the Magic Swords lose a lot of their worth to NES Players, since they don't do the damage they're supposed to. That's ok; not all of 'em end up faltering, and the Ice Sword is one such weapon. It's not too terribly difficult to get ahold of since there are two in the game, and they are a great step up from the Silver Sword AND the Flame Sword. This means your Fighter and/or Red Mage will be able to utilize these better swords (both can have one, if you visit the Volcano AND the Castle of Ordeals), allowing for more damaging attacks from their offensives. WSC players gain the additional benefit of additional damage versus fire enemies, which is nice (but not as handy as you'd like; there aren't THAT many Fire enemies in the game -- in fact, Ice and Water seem to be the most prevelant). I would highly suggest picking up this sword, regardless of which version of the game you're playing. It's a high-damage weapon that is easily come across and will last your fighters for a good long while; plus, there's no irritating "fight for hours and hours to earn enough money to buy this" syndrome related with this sword (cough SILVER SWORD cough), so it's got somethin' else goin' for it. Odd, how the more powerful weapon (Ice Sword vs. Fire Sword) comes sooner in the game, yes? Damage: 29 Hit %: 25 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 7,500 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Gurgu Volcano, Basement 4 Castle of Ordeals, 3rd Floor Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Fire" category (such as Kary, and anything that looks like it's on fire), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's still pretty good as a weapon for your Fighter or Red Mage, though (until you gain access to the Mirage Tower, that is). ___________________________======================______________________________ H - Masamune ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Many people have tried to inform me of a variety of backstories relating to Masamune and its origin; I've heard that it was Shinobi's chosen weapon, it was the weapon of a mysterious Ronin, etc. All of these tales had something to do with a mystical sword with mysterious powers, and all of them were 100% wrong. Masamune was not a sword, but rather the name of the smith himself. Goro Nyudo Masamune was a Swordsmith who lived and worked in the the Kamakura and Sagami Provinces of Japan, circa the 13th Century. His swords were reknowned even then as the best the world had ever seen, exhibiting the highest standard of craftmanship and design anyone had ever seen. There is a legend of a competition between Masamune and Murasama, a student and sometimes-rival in smithing, where they both took a sword and placed it in a river. A leaf was then sent down the river towards each blade; Murasama's blade cleanly sliced it in half, while Masamune's sword repelled it entirely. Masamune's blade carried a spiritual energy that allowed it to surpass all other swords (and swordsmiths) in the land, and thus Masamune was declared the winner and his blades the best. In Final Fantasy, the Masamune blade is...slightly different. Yes, it is the best weapon in the game, but it has no strange spiritual powers that are known of. Instead, it has the highest damage and hit percentage of any weapon in the game, and - for some odd reason - can be used by any class in the game. Anyone, from the all-weapon-using Knight to White Mages and Black Belts can use this thing with proficiency. It's a challenge to find (the next-to-last level of the final dungeon), but is WELL worth the effort. Suggesting that you find it seems a little weak...stating that you MUST get this sounds much better. Damage: 56 Hit %: 50 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 30,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Temple in the Past, Tiamat's Floor Who Can Equip It: Everyone. Seriously. Special Properties: The Masamune can be used by everyone in the game - even base classes (a White Wizard hitting harder than a fighter is always a funny sight) - and is the most powerful sword in the game. That's pretty darn special, ain't it? ___________________________======================______________________________ I - Rune Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Rune Sword is one of those swords that does extra damage against a certain type of enemy. Now, its usefulness beyond that comes in 3 flavors: how easy it is to find the weapon, how common its favored enemies are, and how effective a weapon it is beyond its magical properties. Guess what, folks? This sword only has 1 thing going for it, and that is the fact that it is easily found (in the Temple of Fiends). It's the weakest magical sword (along with the Were Sword), and it's not too terribly useful since magical enemies are few and far between. Honestly, the only times you consistently fight enemies of this style are far enough in the game that by then, you will have found much better weapons. Granted, your Thief can equip this (unlike the Were Sword)...but that doesn't increase its use that much, since you have to have the Mystic Key to get this particular weapon (and instead of getting this, you could get the Thief's best sword by heading to the Dwarven Cave). Heck, NES players don't even get the benefit of additional damage versus Magicks, so there is REALLY no reason to bother picking this up. Damage: 18 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 2,500 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Temple of Fiends Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Magic" category (such as Eyes or Sorcerers), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's just a colorful sword, that's all. ____________________________=====================______________________________ J - Sun Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=====================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Ah yes, the Sun Sword. The is the last (and best) "Specialty" Sword, those few weapons that do increased damage versus certain enemy types. The beauty of the Sun Sword, however, is that it rises above its magical status with a few extra abilities. For starters, it's the best sword that the Red Mage may use (barring the all-encompassing Masamune), which is handy enough. For WSC players, they get additional damage versus the Undead, which are actually fairly common throughout the game. It's not too terribly hard to come across, since you have to travel through the Mirage Tower anyways (and, with a little effort, you can get it shortly after defeating Lich). If you need money, it even sells for a good price. It has a high hit percentage, giving a guaranteed hit (and more hits per attack to boot), and the damage ain't too shabby either (it's 4th in the game, behind the Masamune, Xcalibur, and Katana)...so why wouldn't you want this sword? Unless you have a party that lacks a Thief (whom becomes a Ninja), a Fighter, or a Red Mage, then you really should get this thing. Damage: 32 Hit %: 30 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 10,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Mirage Tower, Floor 2 Who Can Equip It: Fighter Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Undead" category (such as Vampires, Mummies, Zombies, and anything that looks like it is dead...and yet still alive), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's just a colorful sword, that's all. ___________________________======================______________________________ K - Xcalibur ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The mystical sword and weapon extrodinaire from English lore...I give you Excalibur! After having his original weapon, the Sword in the Stone, smashed against the powerful armoring of the Black Knight, King Arthur needed a new weapon that would both aid him well as a weapon and serve as a show of his stature (that of King). Upon Merlin's disclosure, he travelled until he met the Lady of the Lake, a fair maiden who bestowed upon him the Excalibur and scabbard. The sword itself was a mystical weapon with tremendous power behind it, but the scabbard was the real tool - with it, Arthur would no longer bleed from wounds he suffered, and thus would have less fear from scraps and cuts received in battle. Wonderful, eh? In Final Fantasy, the Xcalibur (not enough spaces for the full name, hence the shortened title) is an uber-powerful weapon that can only be equipped by the Knight Class. However, for the difficulty of getting it, you are rewarded with the 2nd most powerful weapon in the game. Yes, the Knight is the only class that can use it...but once he has it, you really don't HAVE to worry about picking up the Masamune (although it's nice to upgrade any character to a top- class fighter, or even bump your Knight up even further with it). Heck, it even sells nice! Finally, for you WSC players, you have the added benefit of a sword that does additional damage to everything in the game. That's right, it does MORE damage...to EVERYTHING. I don't really know how you figure that one out, but that's just how it works. Nicities abound. ...now if only you could get the Scabbard as well. Damage: 45 Hit %: 35 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 30,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Floating Castle (Adamant) Dwarven Cave (Creation) Who Can Equip It: Knight Special Properties: Xcalibur is a magical sword that does increased damage to EVERYTHING in the game. It's funny enough that it's terribly powerful as a weapon, but it actually does MORE than it should. Rock on, Knights! ___________________________======================______________________________ L - Were Sword ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ If this magical sword has a use, then I don't seem to know of it. Found in the Temple of Fiends through the use of the Mystic Key, it has a fairly low offensive capability (less than the Silver Sword), and a Thief cannot use it (although the Rune sword CAN be used by them, which is also found in the Temple of Fiends). Since it is actually less of a weapon than the Rune Sword - or any OTHER Magical Sword - then there really is no use to picking this thing up, aside from selling it. However, if you're playing the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, then feel free to pick this up and do extra damage against any enemies of the "Were" category. Since this added damage does not work in the NES version, you Nintendo Players might as well not get it at all. In fact, WSC players will find that they very, very rarely fight Were-ANYTHING in the game, so it serves little purpose for them as well! Damage: 18 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 3,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Temple of Fiends Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Red Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard Special Properties: When used against monsters that fall under the "Were" category (such as werewolves), it does increased damage. However, this only works on the Wonderswan Color version of Final Fantasy, so NES fans won't have the benefit. It's just a colorful sword, that's all. ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ -----------------------------VI: Knives----------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ Knives often serve as a last-ditch resort for fighters. They were small and easily-concealed, so one could have their "last weapon" hidden in the most unlikely of places (such as a boot, a sleeve, or even in one's hair). For people requiring more stealth in their work, knives provided them with a blade without the cumbersome size and weight of a sword. However, Knives just don't have the length or girth of other weapons, making it nigh impossible to use them in a battle versus someone with armaments of a longer reach. Unless the user was extremely skilled at avoiding strikes and getting in close to his enemy, then the knife-wielder would surely lose in the fight. In Final Fantasy, knives are low-damage weapons that - for the most part - aren't going to do you much in battle. They are light enough for the Black Mage/Wizard to use, as well as the more standard "fighting" characters (excepting Black Belts, that is), and one of the Knives is even a powerful Japanese Knife of lore - the Katana. Plus, due to their light weight, knives have better-than-average hit percentage. However, don't expect that to increase the damage you do, since they ARE much smaller than more conventional means (i.e., swords). __________________________=======================______________________________ A - Catclaw ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ I had initially believed that the Catclaw was derived from two characters located in the "Deities and Demigods" volume from the Dungeons and Dragons rulebooks. How naive of me to believe they were original creations, since the entirety of other Gods and Monsters were taken from various religions or stories that have existed over time. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Dan (chance_flowen@yahoo.com) would send me the following info: "Cat's Claw was the dirk belonging to one of the two principal characters in Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar series of books, also referred to as the "Swords" books. All of the books have the word "swords" in the title (i.e. The Swords of Lankhmar, Swords in the Mist, Knight and Knave of Swords). The owner of Cat's Claw is named Gray Mouser, a dirksman and thief nonpareil, who wielded Cat's Claw in his left hand and a rapier named Scalpel in his right. His partner, a barbarian swordsman named Fafhrd, used a broadsword named Graywand and a short sword / long dagger named Heartseeker. At any rate, Gary Gygax was greatly taken with the series, and went so far as to incorporate not only elements from Lankhmar in the D&D and AD&D games, but actually went so far as to include the Lankhmar mythos in the original Deities and Demigods sourcebook." Ah, so now I know. Thanks for the backstory, mate! In Final Fantasy, the Catclaw is a powerful dagger, arguably the best for the Black Mage. Since you can purchase it instead of having to find a weapon for him, this makes it even better for the little guy to work with. Plus, it has an absurdly high hit-percentage (it ties with the Xcalibur and Katana), making sure that if your Wizard has to physically attack, he's probably going to land a hit. It's damage is 1 point below that of the Silver Sword, meaning your Wizard isn't going to be too shabby when it comes to the damage either. Of course, you're going to be fighting much, much more powerful opponents by then, so it's offset a bit...but not that much. Damage: 22 Hit %: 35 Cost: 65,000 Gil (Sell Price: 32,500 Gil) Purchase Locations: Gaia Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard, Black Wizard Special Properties: N/A Uh...if anyone wants to help me out by reminding me more of this thief, I would be much abliged. Just e-mail me, and make sure you put "Final Fantasy Weapons" as the subject of the mail. Thanks! ___________________________======================______________________________ B - Katana ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ There is archaeological evidence to suggest that swords have existed in Japan since as far back as 2,000 B.C.; however, the first appearance of the more traditional Japanese Sword didn't make an appearance until 700 A.D. According to Legend, Amakuni and his son Amakura set themselves to forge the perfect blade, and spent an entire month within their forge until they had created the first Japanese blade. This weapon, unlike previous swords, had only 1 edge, and curved slightly so as to allow for quicker drawing. Japanese swords prior to this (straight swords, or "chokuto") had grown longer and longer as improvements in metallurgy arose. The curved blade allowed a much quicker drawing of the weapon, so much so that the very art of drawing has been the focus of many sword arts. Finished swords were given to professional sword tester, whom would then use condemned criminals (or their corpses) to test the cutting blade of the weapon through flesh and bone; if the weapon was efficient enough, you might find written on the handle "5 arms severed" or "3 men cut" as a show of how deadly the weapon had proven to be. The "Katana" was actually a designated length of sword, rather than a specific weapon. If you were to find a Katana, then you knew how long it was going to be rather than any other specifics about the weapon. Such blades tended to be anywhere from 18-36 inches in length, with the hilt providing an extra 6-9 inches for grips. Thus, you could have a Katana that extended over 4 feet, or possibly even one as short as 2 feet. To reduce the length of the blade further would cause a category shift; if it dropped below 18 inches, it would be considered a Wakizashi, and below 13 renamed it again to the Tanto. In the world of Final Fantasy, the Katana is (logically) a weapon that can only be used by the Ninja Class. As such, it is incredibly powerful, only being less-damaging than the Xcalibur. Thus, the Ninja gets a truly powerful weapon to his credit, even if it isn't as wonderous as the Knight's own personal weapon. No worries about it, though - it sells nice even if you don't need it, and it's easy enough to come across. Finally - and I do feel this is worth mentioning - to lay down the rumors that the Katana is some sort of mystical sword and not simply just a class of weapon...if it is a unique, one-of-a-kind weapon, then why are there 2 of them? Please, don't give me the "one exists in the past" argument, since that would be a logical fallacy for you to be able to own both at the same time. Thus there would have to be infinite timelines for you to be able to gain the past one and still retain the future one. Since the world of Final Fantasy clearly revolves around a single-timeline (Garland constantly being sent back in time to start the whole mess again), this demonstrates the fact that there truly are 2 Katanas. Wee! Damage: 33 Hit %: 35 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 30,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Floating Castle, Floor 3 Temple in the Past, Kary's Floor Who Can Equip It: Ninja Special Properties: Despite being a dagger, this is the most powerful sword that the Ninja Class can use (not counting the Masamune, of course). I don't know if it does any additional damage to any enemy classes, I just know that it's a wicked weapon that does great damage. __________________________=======================______________________________ C - Large Knife ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Let's face it, knives are small blades that are easier to handle, but can't do as much damage due to their lack of weight. In order to make the dagger a more damaging weapon, you would have to swing it with more force, add more weight to the blade itself, enchant it, or possibly make the blade even better/sharper. In the Large Knife's case, it has simply been increased in size, giving more weight to the blade and (thus) marginally increasing the damage done with it. It's not too terribly much, but it's a nice, cheap upgrade for the Black Mage of the party who wants to do a little more when he goes into his stabbity-fits of rage. Damage: 7 Hit %: 10 Cost: 175 Gil (Sell Price: 87 Gil) Purchase Locations: Elfland Find Locations: Marsh Cave (Floor 2A) Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage, Black Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard, Black Wizard Special Properties: N/A ___________________________======================______________________________ D - Silver Knife ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Once again, we are presented with a weapon made of Silver, and told that it is a better weapon than more conventional metals. This is still a fallacy, since Silver is a flimsier metal than Iron or Steel (though not as malleable as Gold), and isn't too terribly lightweight, either. Thus, the concept that you can use less of it to form a more powerful sword is inherently wrong - you would have to use MORE of it to create a weapon of the same tensility and strength as Iron...and it's already heavier from the start! Still, you can't really argue with the game...so here's the Silver Knife! By all rights, it should be nothing more than a ceremonial dagger and worthless to the group. All logic aside, the Silver Knife is a decent weapon for your Black Mage to utilize. It gives them better a little more damage and better Hit % than previous weapons, plus it's fairly easy to find (provided you don't mind a little extra searching in the Marsh Cave). It's not necessary to give you Black Mage a better weapon, since he should be equipped with spells...so finding it is good, and much more optimal than buying it. Damage: 10 Hit %: 15 Cost: 800 Gil (Sell Price: 400 Gil) Purchase Locations: Crescent Lake Find Locations: Marsh Cave (Floor 3) Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage, Black Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard, Black Wizard Special Properties: N/A __________________________=======================______________________________ E - Small Knife ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The title dictates what it is, folks. Knives are small, so a "small knive" should really clue you in to the fact that it's going to be weak. That this is...it's Hit % is decent enough, but its damage is pathetic. However, it is also an extremely cheap weapon, so there's no harm in picking one up for the Black Mage who can't afford an offensive spell. He's bound to run out, so you might as well give him something to stab with. Damage: 5 Hit %: 10 Cost: 5 Gil (Sell Price: 2 Gil) Purchase Locations: Coneria Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Thief, Red Mage, Black Mage Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard, Black Wizard Special Properties: N/A ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ -----------------------------VII: Staves----------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ A Staff is the traveller's best friend. It serves as a walking stick for the weary wanderer, and can quickly double as a means of self-defense should the need arise. Magicians have been known to store magical spells and powers within their staff, making it more potent as a weapon or a more effective defensive item. The Staff, while not as effective of a killing weapon as a sword or axe, can still provide a valuable tool for classes that cannot equip the heavier weaponry but still wish for something to bash with. ___________________________======================______________________________ A - Heal Staff ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ This staff is the epitome of the traveller's aid; not only is it a staff (commonly used for walking), but it can heal the user as well. When used as an item instead of attacked with, the Heal Staff casts the spell of HEAL on everyone in the party (regardless of whether or not they are living at the time). Since it doesn't need to be equipped by anyone (although it certainly doesn't hurt to have your White Mage using it), that means anyone can turn into an impromptu healer. Make sure you pick this up! Damage: 6 Hit %: 0 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 12,500 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Castle of Ordeals (3rd Floor) Who Can Equip It: White Mage Ninja, White Wizard Special Properties: When used as an item in battle, this casts HEAL on all party members. An infinite use of the HEAL spell? Rock! Healing all around! ___________________________======================______________________________ B - Iron Staff ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ A staff made of iron would initially seem to be the antithesis to what your physically-weak wizard or world-weary traveller would want to equip themselves with. The staff should aid in the walking, as well as double into an effective weapon should the need arise; thus, a heavier staff would seem logical from an attacking standpoint, but would serve less as a tool for hiking. In this, you would be correct - this particular staff's emphasis on weight (due to the being forged from iron instead of carved from wood) makes it a tool that can only be used by certain fighting classes, as well as the Black Belt/Master classes. I guess that makes sense, giving them a heavy bo-staff made of iron with which to pummel their enemies with. Damage: 14 Hit %: 0 Cost: 200 Gil (Sell Price: 100 Gil) Purchase Locations: Elfland Melmond Find Locations: Castle Coneria Who Can Equip It: Fighter, Black Belt Knight, Ninja, Master Special Properties: N/A ___________________________======================______________________________ C - Mage Staff ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Although not too terribly deceptive in its usefulness, the Mage Staff is a weapon that should be picked up by all parties, not just ones whom have a Black Mage in their employ. Granted, it gives nothing to their Hit%, and is only a scant 2 Damage points higher than the Silver Knife, but it's real usefulness is not in its damage capability; no, you would do better to use this staff as an item. When done so, the staff casts FIR2 on all enemies, giving the weapon a new style of attacking. Heck, you'll probably end up doing more damage via FIR2 than you would attacking, so there really isn't any reason for a Black Mage to get this staff and even bother equipping it! ...not that you have to have the Black Mage using it. You can give it to the Fighter and watch 'em blaze enemies left and right while good ol' BM uses his magic to do the same. Yay! Damage: 12 Hit %: 0 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 12,500 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Sea Shrine (Floor 4) Who Can Equip It: Black Mage Ninja, Black Wizard Special Properties: When used as an item in battle, it casts FIR2 on all enemies. Since it does not need to be equipped to be used in such a manner, this means anyone can have the flamin' power of FIR2 at their beck and call. Yay! __________________________=======================______________________________ D - Power Staff ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ There's something incredibly odd about this weapon...namely the fact that it is tied with the Wooden Staff for most useable weapon (aside from the Masamune, of course). EVERYONE in the game (not counting Thieves) can equip this thing, which is a little strange. I mean, shouldn't something like the Dagger be more useful? Bah...whatever the case, this weapon has decent power behind it, if lacking any Hit % to aid its cause. It's not too terribly difficult to come across, either, although it does require a secondary venture to Astos' Castle once you've picked up the Mystic Key. Hey, if you're headed that way to further equip your troops (i.e., a Falcion for the Thief) and gain levels versus mummies, then why not get it? Heck, it sells for a nice (if odd) amount of Gil, too. Damage: 12 Hit %: 0 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 12,345 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Northwest Castle (Astos' Treasury) Who Can Equip It: Everyone except Thieves Special Properties: Uh...can be equipped by almost everyone? Eh? Yes? ___________________________======================______________________________ E - Wizard Staff ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Some mages liked to have their walking staves be more than just simple aids in movement. Some wizards of yore were noted for using their staves as a foci for their spells, storing charges of various debilitating crafts within their wooden confines. The Wizard's Staff is no exception to this rule, as whomever created it decided that the spell CONF would suit their needs adequately. Then, of course, they decided to leave it in a treasure chest deep within the cavern behind a Waterfall...strange place to put something, eh? Maybe this Wizard was hiding the staff, along with the Glowing Cube that grants you access to the Floating Castle. Maybe...or maybe not, I dunno. Ok, now here's an item that I'm a little torn on...I mean, you HAVE to go to the Waterfall, to the very room in which this item is located. However, should you even bother nabbing it for your collection? It's not that great a weapon - by then, you should have picked up a Catclaw for your Black Wizard, and it outclasses the Wizard Staff in Damage AND Hit% - and right there to pick up...but for it's special ability, is that really worth it? I'd say yes, since a lot of matches might find you facing off against opponents that you wouldn't want to waste any magic on, and BW's attack wouldn't really fare that well against 'em either. So why not have a little fun and confuse your opponents, eh? Heck, even if you don't want to bother with keeping it, it sells for a VERY nice price. Even if you don't want to use it, you might as well pick it up for selling purposes. Damage: 15 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 25,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Waterfall Who Can Equip It: Black Wizard Special Properties: When use as an item in battle, it casts CONF on all enemies. Handy if you want to save magic and mess with your opponents, eh? ___________________________======================______________________________ F - Wooden Staff ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ This, along with the club, are the two most common pieces of weaponry that an adventurer can find (although the club, oddly enough, is absent from this game). The reasoning behind this is that either can be fashioned from a tree limb, or simply by picking one up off of the ground and turning it into a quick weapon -- there is no real work involved towards creating it, so they are extremely easy to come across. The difference between the Club's use and the Staff's use is little more than a matter of length - a club could be used as a makeshift sword, while the staff would serve a variety of purposes (attacking, walking, etc). Because of its commonality and broad use, the Wooden Staff is very cheap and can be used by almost everyone in the game. Stubborn thieves...why don't you use 'em, eh? Too big? What?!? Damage: 6 Hit %: 0 Cost: 5 Gil (Sell Price: 2 Gil) Purchase Locations: Coneria Find Locations: Earth Cave (4th Floor) Gurgu Volcano (Basement 4) Who Can Equip It: Everyone except Thieves Special Properties: N/A ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ ----------------------------VIII: Hammers---------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ "Hammers" is a fairly broad term, actually. It could be applied to flails, maces, morning stars, or even just a regular ol' mallet. A hammer, so to speak, is a weapon that sports a large, flat area used to hit opponents with; granted, Flails, Maces, and Morning Stars usually have spikes adorning their flat (curved) area, but the premise is oddly enough the same. In the world of Final Fantasy, however, no such deliniation is made between weapons - you have oversized mallets of varying colors, and that's about it in terms of graphical changes. __________________________=======================______________________________ A - Iron Hammer ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ A hammer made of iron is a hearty weapon indeed. Sometimes modified into what is known as a "maul", with 1 end of the block forged to a point for driving and splitting (much like an axe), the Hammer's style never really changes - have a big, heavy, blunt object with which to bludgeon your opponents with. With different materials being brought into the picture, the hammer might change radically - wood might not make a heavy weapon, but it could be very lightweight and thus be used for less force but quicker attacks. Heavier hammers would have more practical purposes, such as sending wedges through blocks of wood or hammering heated metal into a sword. Still, the Hammer can be a potent weapon in the right hands...and for those classes that are primarily relegated to them, you might as well give 'em a hammer that hits as hard as possible. That class is almost always of the Clerical sort, and in Final Fantasy that particular class is the White Mage. Go on, give 'em a good weapon. Damage: 9 Hit %: 0 Cost: 10 Gil (Sell Price: 5 Gil) Purchase Locations: Coneria Pravoka Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter, White Mage Knight, Ninja, White Wizard Special Properties: N/A __________________________=======================______________________________ B - Silver Hammer ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Once AGAIN we are given a weapon that is embued with Silver! Ok, maybe I've just been lookin' at this wrong the entire time...maybe it's just a regular ol' Iron Hammer that has been "Silvered", coated in a silver lining that gives it some sort of magical properties. In that case, I could understand why it would be considered better than a regular Iron Hammer. I mean, there's MAGIC involved now, right? There freakin' HAS to be for this to be better than a normal Iron Hammer...'cause I don't see what a Silver Hammer could possibly lend that would improve its damage capacity. Silver is heavier and softer than Iron, so it would have more weight but less impact. Since a hammer has a large, flat edge for striking, this would mean that ultimately less force would be dealt per swing - and thus, the silver would be a detriment (especially when it started to flatten and possibly come off). Joy. Ok, so all logical, RATIONAL arguments aside...the Silver Hammer is a fairly potent weapon for the White Mage to use, despite its rather steep price. Frankly, though, it's a weapon for your healer, whom isn't very good offensively to begin with. You'd best just save your money until you have the Mystic Key, when you can get one for free. No sense in saving up money for a weapon that does a little more damage (3) and adds a little to your Hit %. Damage: 12 Hit %: 5 Cost: 2,500 Gil (Sell Price: 1,250 Gil) Purchase Locations: Crescent Lake Find Locations: Elf Castle Who Can Equip It: Fighter, White Mage Knight, Ninja, White Wizard Special Properties: N/A __________________________=======================______________________________ C - Thor's Hammer ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Despite not having enough room for the weapon's actual name (that's right, Thor's Hammer had a name of its own), this weapon has had enough done to it to write stories about. Honestly, though, it usually ends up just being an absurdly powerful weapon of mass destruction for Thor, Lord of Thunder. Thor was known as the only God (or Half-God) who could keep the Giants out of the land of Asgard. Despite their magic and lack of brains, they simply couldn't handle the sheer might that Thor (and his Hammer) exuded. However, when Thor's Hammer was stolen by Thrym, an evil Giant King, there was much trouble received in trying to regain it. Freyja, Queen of the Valkyries, had been bartered into becoming his wife to regain the Hammer, but she was too angry to let this happen; thus, they (she and Loki) disguised Thor as the bride-to-be, and when Thrym produced the hammer before his "wife", "she" promptly grabbed it and struck down all the Giants in the hall. I guess that's a lesson for you - if your White Wizard has Thor's Hammer and finds herself face-to-face with a burly person in a wedding dress, just hand over the hammer and let that be the end of it. Despite it being the WW's best weapon (aside from the Masamune), it also fires off LIT2 as many times as you want it to (when used as an item). Joy! Damage: 18 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 20,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Mirage Tower (2nd Floor) Who Can Equip It: Knight, Ninja, White Wizard Special Properties: When used as an item, Thor's Hammer casts LIT2 on all enemies. Since this does not actually need to be equipped for the user to envoke such powers, that means that anyone can use its abilities an infinite number of times in battle. Take that, water enemies! It's official name is Mjolnir, just in case you're wondering. Obviously, there is no way that is going to fit into 4 characters, so "Thor (Hammer Symbol" works fine for me! ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ ------------------------------IX: Axes------------------------------ ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ Axes are quite the vicious weapons. Usually comprised of large pieces of metal affixed to a pole or staff and tipped with broad edges for cleaving, these big clunkers are meant strictly for damage. There is no finesse required for these things, it is 100% hack-and-slash from an Axe's destructive path. Although commonly used for cutting wood, stronger fighters might decide to take up this bulkier weapon with the intent of causing even more brutal damage with every swing. As such, you cannot expect an Axe to have as high a Hit Percentage as, say, a sword or dagger (smaller, lighter weapons)...but pound for pound, the axe will usually take larger chunks out of enemies than a sword would. Unfortunately, the weight of the Axe often makes it an unwieldy weapon, one that only certain classes (i.e., the Fighter) can EVER use. Thus, there are few axes in the game, despite their heavy-hitting capacity. __________________________=======================______________________________ A - Great Axe ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Hmm...well, there really isn't much info given on this particular axe as to what makes it so "great", so I guess we can just assume that it's a really big one. Due to its increased size (and mass), the Great Axe does loads more damage per hit than most swords (and the Hand Axe)...unfortunately, by the time you get this weapon (in the Titan's Tunnel), you most definitely should have something better for your fighter to use (i.e., the Silver Sword), so it generally isn't worth it. Heck, you can buy a Long Sword, which has a little less Damage than then Axe, but makes up for it with double the Hit %. You may not hit as hard, but at least you'll hit more often (and possibly for more hits, resulting in more damage anyways). Finally...it doesn't sell for much. Man, talk about a waste of time! Only if you're really, REALLY hard up for cash should you go for this weapon; otherwise, don't bother. You should have better already. Damage: 22 Hit %: 5 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 1,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Titan's Tunnel Who Can Equip It: Fighter Knight, Ninja Special Properties: N/A ___________________________======================______________________________ B - Hand Axe ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ A Hand Axe might just be a simple farmer's tool, used for logcutting or harvesting (although a Scythe might do better for the latter). In times of trouble, however, this handy little item can easily double as a viable weapon to impliment. Axes of this style usually sport a Wooden Handle, roughly 1 foot in length, with a single-bladed head (usually crafted from metal). Not too difficult to wield, one would imagine, although there are better weapons to be crafted and used by our heroes. Still, if you want to upgrade your Fighter to a better weapon, it's either this or the Short Sword. You make the call. Damage: 16 Hit %: 5 Cost: 550 Gil (Sell Price: 225 Gil) Purchase Locations: Pravoka Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Fighter Knight, Ninja Special Properties: N/A __________________________=======================______________________________ C - Light Axe ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ I, personally, am of the opinion that this weapon was incorrectly named. While you could feasibly call it the "Light Axe", a more accurate punctuation of its abilities would be "Holy Axe". See, this particular Axe - for as damaging and lightweight as it is - holds an affinity for the destruction of the Undead (or, more specifically, the Unholy). When equipped, it does added damage (WSC only) versus the undead. It's already the most powerful axe in the game, so that's nothing to sniff your nose at; however, it goes further. When someone has it in their inventory and uses it as an item in battle (they don't have to have it equipped), it casts HRM2 on everyone. Of course, this is only effective against the Undead, but it's always nice to give support characters and/or less-than-stellar offensive characters the ability to damage the undead in such a way. Now your Black Belt, Fighter, and Thief (as well as prospective Prestige Classes) can become slayers of the undead, too! Plus, there are TWO of these in the game! Now c'mon, I ask you...what's the harm (sic) in picking these up? They're not egregiously out of the way, and you don't need to have 4 weapons equipped (unlike armor, where open space is often difficult to find)...so why not pick it up, eh? Get 'em both! Heck, gather the whole collection! Damage: 28 Hit %: 15 Cost: N/A (Sell Price: 5,000 Gil) Purchase Locations: N/A Find Locations: Sea Shrine (4th Floor) Sea Shrine (Basement 2) Who Can Equip It: Fighter Knight, Ninja Special Properties: When used as an item, the Light Axe casts HRM2 on all enemies. This is good if you're fightin' the undead...but what if you aren't? Wellsir, it also does extra damage against enemies falling under the "Undead" category, which means that you don't have to worry about hitting 'em. Even if they're not undead, you'll still put the hurt on your opponents...unfortunately, it's a tad strict in who can use it, and WSC players only get the added damage per hit. ___________________________======================______________________________ D - Silver Axe ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Look, I really don't know what to say here...it's an Axe made of Silver. If you've read about any of the other Silver items, you already know my feelings on the matter. As an Axe, it's not cheap, and it's not really that much better than the Silver Sword - 2 points more damage versus 5 less hit%. Great. That's Awesome. See, if it was, like, 10 points more damage, I could see myself picking this thing up. Since it isn't - and by now, you SHOULD have the Silver Sword for one of your fighters - then you really shouldn't bother. If you pick it up in the Volcano, just sell it. Damage: 25 Hit %: 10 Cost: 4,500 Gil (Sell Price: 2,250 Gil) Purchase Locations: Crescent Lake Find Locations: Gurgu Volcano (2nd Floor) Who Can Equip It: Fighter Knight, Ninja Special Properties: N/A ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ -----------------------------X: Nunchaku----------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ The Nunchaku is a weapon that traditionally only saw use in the Eastern Hemisphere of the world. Although the components involved might change, the basic structure of the Nunchaku was the same - 2 lengths of wood (or iron, or whatever) joined together by a piece of cord (or chain, or whatever). This allowed the user to grasp and swing the weapon like a club or sword, but also gave a flexible middle that alotted for trapping, disarming, tripping, and the like. Its strange premise often required the user to put in more hours of training with the weapon just to become proficient with it; however, for those who could master it, they would find themselves the wielder of a powerful weapon indeed. The Nunchaku has been changed over time to allow for different uses in different situations. The have been created with longer shafts for greater reach, or longer chains for a wider swath to swing and more tripping ability than before. For certain users, they found the "tri-chuck" to be useful, adding a 3rd bar w/chain to the end and using the whole mess as a complex tool of attack. In some instances, a single Nunchaku has been grafted to the end of a Bo Staff, allowing for the traditional use of a Bo coupled with the crushing swing and disarming qualities of the 'chucks. As strange a weapon as it can be, the Nunchaku should be feared...when in the right hands. __________________________=======================______________________________ A - Iron Nunchaku ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Logically, one would assume that a pair of Nunchaku formed out of heavier items would be weightier, and thus have more force behind each blow. This holds true with the Iron Nunchaku, sporting a heavier component (iron vs. wood) than is previous counterpart. The Iron Nunchaku, much like the Wooden Nunchaku, can only be used by the Black Belt/Master Class (and Ninjas), which means that they generally have to be very, very specialized weapons and should benefit the user as much as the equivalent weapon for a rival class. This does not hold true, unfortunately, as it offers little additional Damage per hit...and, worse yet, is that it tends to remove a Black Belt's multiple hits (every 10 levels, the Black Belt does an extra 2 hits per attack). So while you might be hitting harder per hit, you don't hit nearly as often as you could without them...and thus, the weapon really does not serve much of a purpose. I do not suggest getting these, since - by the time you arrive at Elfland - your Black Belt(s) should be of a high enough level to inflict more damage with their fists than with a pair of Nunchaku. Damage: 16 Hit %: 0 Cost: 200 Gill (Sell Price: 100 Gil) Purchase Locations: Elfland Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Black Belt Ninja, Master Special Properties: N/A __________________________=======================______________________________ B - Wooden Nunchaku ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The Nunchaku is a fairly exotic weapon, eh? I suppose that's why it falls under the "Exotic Weapon" category of weapons in AD&D's 3rd Edition Rules. Generally, weapons come in 3 flavors - Simple, Martial, and Exotic - as Small, Medium, and Large categories for each. The Nunchaku is a medium-sized Exotic weapon, since it is far above your simpler weaponry (i.e., clubs and staves) and requires special training past those of martial weaponry (swords and axes). Size is relative; however, D&D assumes that humans, elves, and dwarves are all of the "medium" size, and thus can use any medium weapon that their character class allows (larger and smaller races might require specially made weaponry to fit their respective size category). What does all this mean? It means that the Nunchaku is a regular ol' weapon that only a few people can use, given their background and relation to the weapon. Thus, only classes that essentially "hail" from the East can use these weapons - and that singles out the Ninja, Black Belt, and Master classes. Unfortunately, it's still not that great a weapon - it provides additional damage, but it drops the Black Belt's inherent ability to strike multiple times with their fists. As such, they hit harder, but they hit less...so your overall damage actually DROPS by using the Nunchaku. Because of this, I would only suggest buying a pair at the very beginning of the game, since - at that time - your Monk's physical capacity won't be quite as damaging...yet. Equip 'em with this until they hit level 3 or 4, get rid of the things and don't bother with another pair for the rest of the game. Sure, some monsters seem to be easier to damage with Nunchaku than with fists, but you can't equip/de-equip in battle...so you either walk around without them equipped and do well against most of what you fight, or you equip a pair of Nunchaku and take your chances. Damage: 12 Hit %: 0 Cost: 10 Gil (Sell Price: 5 Gil) Purchase Locations: Coneria Find Locations: N/A Who Can Equip It: Black Belt Ninja, Master Special Properties: N/A ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ -----------------------------XI: Various----------------------------- ================================ Final Fantasy ================================ Here's all that other stuff. You know, stuff that doesn't matter to the game, but matters (a lot) the the guide and the author (you know, me, the guy that wrote all this junk you've been reading?). __________________________========================_____________________________ A - Revision History ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯========================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ 10-23-02: I started this FAQ today! Yippee! 03-19-03: Format revisions and a few added items. Man, this think WILL get done, I promise! 04-01-03: It's done... ...April Fools! 04-06-03: Oh yeah, I never finished this. Oh well, NOW it's finished. Seriously. I mean, unless I decide to make more formatting changes - which I hope doesn't happen - then this should be the last time I have to even THINK about updating this thing. ___________________________======================______________________________ B - Thanks ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ~CJayC (CJayC@gamefaqs.com, www.gamefaqs.com) for putting this FAQ up. ~Al Amaloo (www.gamewinners.com) for being such a cool guy, and having a great site. ~Daniel Barnes (dbarnes@wordplay.com) for your help on all SORTS of stuff. Man, I love it when I get things wrong...well, thanks for the updates! ~Dan (chance_flowen@yahoo.com) for the backstory on the Cat's Claw weapon. Thanks, man, for enlightening the stupid (the stupid being me). ~Vertsk8pro@hotmail.com for giving me a heart attack with your childish "I stole your FAQ and sold it with my name on it" antics. Because of that, I now do dozens of things to make sure people don't steal my work. If they do, I know exactly what to look for to see if they took MY work or not. ~Uh...I can't exactly thank God for the role he's taken in my life, because that would seem like I'm trying to force my religious opinions on someone else (which I'm not). Therefore, I'd like to thank "Murray" for the role he's taken in my life (Murray, you know who you are). __________________________=======================______________________________ C - NO THANKS ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯=======================¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ If you write me asking for help with the game, I'll send you a link to my FAQ. If you ask for specific help, I'll try to aid you. However, if you ask me about something that is already covered in the FAQ, I will simply refer you to the FAQ again. I wrote the FAQ so that your questions would be answered here, not so I could repeat that FAQ bit by bit through e-mail for the next few years. If you need clarification about something in the FAQ, ask about it - but don't ask me to repeat anything, please. =============================================================================== End FAQ =============================================================================== The following are sites that can NOT use my work. If you see these sites using ANY of my FAQs, please e-mail me ASAP. Each of these websites are sites that have plagiarised myself or others in the past, or simply taken our work(s) without our prior permission. Since they do not have enough respect for the authors (or an ignorance of the law), I am expressly forbidding them from using my work. I will not promote such sites that partake in these actions. 911 Codes http://911codes.com 9 Lives http://www.9lives.ru/eng/ Bean's PlayStation Dimension http://www.bean.dk/psx/index.htm Cheat Code Central http://www.cheatcc.com Cheat Index http://cheatindex.com Cheat Matrix http://cheatmatrix.com Cheat Search http://cheatsearch.com Cheatstop http://www.panstudio.com/cheatstop/ CNET Gamecenter http://games.netscape.com/Faqs/ Console Domain http://www.consoledomain.co.uk Dirty Little Helper http://dlh.net Dark Station http://www.darkstation.com/ Dreamland http://kirby.pokep.net Games Domain http://www.gamesdomain.com Game Express http://www.gameexpress.com Games Over http://www.gamesover.com/ Mega Games http://www.megagames.com Square Haven http://www.square-haven.net Ultimate System http://www.flatbedexpress.com VideoGaming.net http://www.videogaming.net/ Cheats.de http://www.cheats.de (Taken from Jim "Red Phoenix" Chamberlin's FAQ Theft Guide, as well as added onto.) As I stated above, if you want to use one of my guides, I ask that you e-mail me to gain my permission first. I like to keep track of which sites use my work, so I know where to send the updates, and it's a little difficult to keep you updated if you don't e-mail me. This FAQ Copyright Reverend Eric "Vegita" Johnson, 2003