Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII weapons

In Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII, Lightning has a variety of weapons in her arsenal. Lightning can wield different types of weapons but they all effectively perform the same in battle. The gunblades function like regular swords and do not fire projectiles.

Weapons can be upgraded from the second playthrough onwards after the player has defeated the final boss. Weapons can be upgraded at forges for a small fee and various materials that can be bought at the Adventuring Essentials, or obtained from defeated enemies. The best materials are only available as enemy drops.

It's not possible to upgrade weapons to their maximum values because each item can only be upgraded a set number of times. One can max-out a couple of stats at most, but never all of the possible parameters. Upgrading a weapon the first time earns the Novice Swordsmith achievement. Upgrading a weapon thirty times earns the Expert Swordsmith achievement.

One can also downgrade weapons but this will not refund the materials used to upgrade them although it does "refund" the number of upgrades. Downgrading can therefore be considered as the backup plan in case one upgrades a weapon the wrong way.

Swords
The Gunblade icon from Final Fantasy XIII is reused as the icon for swords. There are several subtypes of swords: gunblades, swords, katana, axes, and sickles.

Staves
Staves provide large boosts to Magic and the final attack in the command chain, but decrease Lightning's Stagger Power and ATB Speed. Staves are best used for Styles which heavily rely on casting spells as when Lightning is equipped with a staff her spellcasting pose changes to the swiftest of all.

Dual-Blades
All dual-blades hit twice per action.

Trivia

 * Endless Paradox takes its appearance from the spear form of In Paradisum, one of Noel's ultimate weapons in Final Fantasy XIII-2. When attacking it spawns the same black feathers that In Paradisum did.