Final Fantasy XII weapons

These are the weapons that are in the game Final Fantasy XII. You may also want to see Final Fantasy XII armor and Final Fantasy XII accessories.

One-Handed Weapons
One-handed weapons are the most plentiful kind of weapon in the game. Having a character use a one-handed weapon allows them to equip a shield with their other hand, giving them more defense, evasion, and a better chance of surviving a tough battle.

Swords
Swords offer a balanced mix of speed, consistency, and power. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense. All swords except for the Stoneblade add 5 to evasion.

Daggers
Daggers do not deal as much damage as swords, but they make up for it in speed. Many daggers also have useful additional effects. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength and speed, and the enemy's defense.

Axes and Hammers
Axes and hammers offer a huge boost to attack at the expense of consistency. For example, a sword may consistently do 400 damage to an enemy, but an axe or hammer may do 800 damage to the same enemy, or it may do only 30 damage. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength and vitality, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense. Axes tend to attack slightly faster than hammers.

Maces
Damage is calculated based on the weapon's attack, the enemy's defense, and the character's magick power, as opposed to the character's attack. As such, maces are recommended for magick-geared support characters. All maces add 4 to evasion.

Measures
Measures have very low attack ratings and ignore defense when used, damage being calculated based solely on the weapon's attack. Measures also cause beneficial status effects on hit, so they are to be used to strengthen the party without using MP and should generally be switched out for more conventional weapons after being used. Measures add 25 evasion, which, along with the ability to equip shields, makes a character equipped with a measure a very difficult target.

Two-Handed Weapons
Two-handed weapons do not allow the equipping of a shield, but do offer more damage than one-handed weapons, and sometimes even attack more quickly.

Greatswords
Greatswords are very strong swords that do not show up until later in the game and are generally more difficult to come by than regular swords. They deliver consistent heavy damage and should be equipped by the player's primary damage dealers. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense.

Katana
While katana have lower attack than greatswords, they make up for it with their higher chance of combo attacks. The player can take advantage of the katanas' propensity for combos by equipping Genji Gloves, which increase the rate of combo attacks, or a Cat-ear Hood, which increases the character's speed by 50, leading to more chances for combo attacks. Damage is calculated based on the weapon's attack, the enemy's defense, and the character's strength and magick power. The addition of this last factor allows even a magick-geared character to become a heavy damage dealer when equipped with a katana. All katana add 5 to evasion.

Ninja Swords
Ninja swords have an even higher chance of combo attacks than katana, so using the same equipment strategy as with katana will yield even more combo attacks. It is very important to note that all ninja swords cause dark elemental damage, so be careful not to use them on undead enemies, as they absorb dark elemental damage. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength and speed, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense. All ninja swords add 20 to evasion.

Spears
The spears group contains the Zodiac Spear, a very difficult to come by weapon and possibly the strongest in the game. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense. All spears add 8 to evasion.

Poles
Like katana and ninja swords, poles are prone to combo attacks. The same equipment strategy can be used with poles as with katana and ninja swords in order to maximize on poles' combo attack potential. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's magick defense, making it especially devestating to un-Shelled enemies and enemies with low magick defense. All poles add 25 to evasion.

Rods
Like maces, rods are well-suited to magick-geared characters in that they actually increase the magick power and MP of the character they're equipped to. This fact and their relatively low attack makes them ideal for spell-casters. A couple of rods even grant beneficial status effects on hit. In case the player does decide to physically attack an enemy with a rod, damage is calculated based on the character's strength, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense. All rods add 6 to evasion.

Staves
Staves are also well-suited to magick-geared characters, but in a different way. Some staves actually boost elemental black magick spells. For example, casting Blizzaga with a Glacial Staff will cause more damage than without it. When used for physical attacks, damage is calculated based on the character's strength and magick power, the weapon's attack, and the enemy's defense. All staves add 8 to evasion.

Ranged Weapons
Though ranged weapons usually take longer to use and do not allow the equipping of a shield, they do allow a character with lower defense to stay away from the battle and attack from a distance. Ranged weapons also allow a character to physically attack a flying enemy if the party is running low on MP and lacks the Telekinesis Technick. A party equipped with ranged weapons tends to spread out more during battle, causing a enemy's area attacks to perhaps hit fewer of the player's party members. This is especially helpful if the enemy has the ability to use third-level black magick, like Firaga, or cast spells like Disable and Stop in an area. Instead of combos, ranged weapons offer more chances for critical hits.

Bows
Bows offer the most basic in ranged damage options. Enemies cannot counter bow and arrow attacks. Due to its ranged status, the accuracy of bows and arrows is adversely affected by bad weather, like rain and snowstorms. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength and speed, the combined attack of the bow and arrow, and the enemy's defense. Bows do not offer an evasion bonus.

Arrows
Arrows serve as ammunition for bows and must be equipped separately, and they require no LP to do so. They also carry additional effects instead of bows.

Crossbows
Enemies cannot parry or counter crossbow attacks, though the attacks have an increased chance of simply missing the enemy altogether. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength, the combined attack of the crossbow and bolt, and the enemy's defense. All crossbows add 5 to evasion.

Bolts
Bolts serve as ammunition for crossbows. Like bows and arrows, crossbows and bolts are equipped separately, and bolts require no LP to equip. They carry additional effects instead of crossbows.

Guns
Guns take almost twice as long to use as other weapons, but they make up for it by being perfectly accurate. Enemies cannot parry, block, or counter gun attacks. Do not be deceived by the guns' low attack ratings. Guns ignore an enemy's defense, meaning that damage is calculated solely by the combined attack of the gun and its bullets. All guns add 10 to evasion.

Bullets
Bullets serve as ammunition for guns. Like other ranged weapons, guns and bullets must be equipped separately, and bullets do not require LP to equip. Bullets carry additional effects instead of guns.

Hand-Bombs
Like axes and hammers, hand-bombs offer the chance of heavy damage at the expense of consistency. They may inflict heavy damage or hardly any damage at all. Damage is calculated based on the character's strength and vitality, the combined attack of the hand-bomb and bomb, and the enemy's defense. Hand-bombs offer no evasion bonus.

Bombs
Bombs serve as ammunition for hand-bombs. Like other ranged weapons, hand-bombs and bombs must be equipped separately, and bombs do not require LP to equip. Bombs carry additional effects instead of hand-bombs.