Dual Wield



Dual Wield, also known as Dual-Wield, 2-Handed, Two Swords, or Double Sword, is a recurring ability in the Final Fantasy series. It is usually associated with the Ninja job. Like its name suggests, it allows characters to equip a weapon in each hand and thus attack twice, using each weapon once.

Final Fantasy II
All characters can dual-wield any weapon type except for bows. A character can also dual-wield shields, which provides greater Evasion at the cost of being able to attack physically. Using a second weapon or a shield in conjunction with another weapon halves the Strength bonus to Attack, and weapons held in a character's off-hand have their Strength bonus halved again. A character gains equal experience for both weapons held, even if they are of the same type; this allows for much faster weapon skill growth, even against enemy formations of low Rank.

In the NES version dual wielding is ineffective due to the dual wield bug.

Final Fantasy III
Dual Wield is the innate ability for all jobs, so every playable character can equip two weapons or shields. A character that dual wields shields will attack their target unarmed.

Final Fantasy IV
Yang Fang Leiden and Edge Geraldine can equip weapons in each hand. Unlike most other games, the weapons count as the same attack, and Yang and Edge cannot use them to attack twice.

Final Fantasy IV -Interlude-
Yang and Edge are the only characters who can equip weapons in each hand, and it functions the same way it did in the previous game.

Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
Edge, Tsukinowa, Yang, Ursula, and the Monks all dual-wield. All weapons the three can equip can be dual-wielded, though Yang, Ursula, and the Monks can only equips claws.

Final Fantasy V
Dual-Wield is the level five ability for the Ninja class, learned for 450 ABP. This is the first time in the series in which Dual Wield is a separate ability. It was known as Dbl Grip in the older translation.

There is a glitch in the iOS version involving the Dancing Dagger, where if the player dual-wields it with another weapon and has the Dancing Dagger attack first, and it uses Jitterbug that kills the enemy, the attack from the other weapon will bring the vanished enemy back on the screen. The enemy counts as defeated, and will never attack. The battle is won after killing all other enemies.

Final Fantasy VI
The Genji Glove relic allows a character to equip a weapon in each hand except for Unarmed due to it not being compatible with the Genji Glove relic. Due to the Genji Glove bug damage is reduced by 25% whenever a character equips the Genji Glove, but only one weapon. The damage algorithm was supposed to give this reduction when two weapons are equipped.

The Jump glitch involves using two weapons with the Jump command; after the player initializes the command, Jump will pick one of the two weapons to use, though the graphic of the weapon in the right hand of that character will be used all the time. If either of these weapons is a spear, regardless of which weapon the command chooses, the damage will always be doubled.

Final Fantasy XI
Dual Wield is a Job ability obtained by Ninjas at level 10, Dancers at level 20, and Thieves at level 83.

Blue Mages can obtain it as early as level 80 by equipping at least two of the three spells; Blazing Bound, Animating Wail, or Quadratic Continuum. Higher levels in Dual Wield can be obtained by the Ninja and Dancer job classes in order to reduce the delay added by wielding two weapons at once.

Final Fantasy XIII-2
Noel attacks using two swords in battle: one shorter, and one longer. Shorter sword deals minimal damage to the target, while the longer maximizes the damage output. The dual blades can be combined into a javelin.

Final Fantasy XIV
Pugilist, Rogue, and their respective job, Monk and Ninja, use a pair of weapons and attack with both hands.

Final Fantasy Tactics
The Ninja has Dual Wield (called Two Swords in the PS version) as a support ability. A character can be very powerful if Dual Wield is equipped as a support ability in the Knight class, as Ninjas cannot equip the more powerful swords that Knights can, without another support ability.

The character will attack with the weapon in the top slot first. This is be important if using a Sleep Sword when dual wielding, as equipping the Sleep Sword in the top slot would render the potential Sleep, useless as the second attack would simply wake the enemy up.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Ninjas learn the ability Double Sword from the Nosada for 999 AP. It is effective, as it not only allows one to equip two weapons, but by doing that, one will be able to learn two abilities at the time, or learn one ability at twice the speed. This applies to all jobs, as long as Double Sword is the set support ability and that the weapon equipped has a skill that can be learned. If the weapon is a two-handed weapon, double sword is nullified, which means no dual wielding of bows, greatswords, or greatbows.

There is no need to classify other weapons (spears, maces, broadswords, rapiers, etc.) as being available for dual wielding because only humans can dual wield, and there are certain weapons only available for other races to equip.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Ninjas can learn the Dual Wield ability from the Ragetsu-denbu for 990 AP. The effect is the same as the previous game. While humes can equip books, and in the case of the Agent class, guns, neither can be dual wielded, the second due to the Agent being unable to change jobs. This is one of the few abilities that requires 990 AP to master, along with the Ultima abilities and the Red Mage's Doublecast.

Final Fantasy Type-0
King, Machina, and Rem all wield two of their respective weapons, handguns, rapiers and daggers, though this is purely for aesthetic purposes and has no effect on the damage they can inflict. However, this does allow them to perform multiple attack combos.

Bravely Default
Dual Wield is the specialty support ability of Ninjas. Normally, when equipping a weapon in each hand, only 50% of the weapons' physical attack is be applied (plus the hands' own physical attack). Dual Wield makes the physical attack of the weapons on each hand 100%. Dual wielding shields disables the Attack command.

Final Fantasy Dimensions
Dual Wield is the final ability for the Ninja class, requiring 625 AP to learn. It requires 2 slots to equip and use.

Dissidia Final Fantasy
Onion Knight gains the Dual Wield ability in his EX Mode. It boosts the damage done by his physical attacks and makes them do more hits. Dual Wield is also referenced in Bartz's EX Burst "Spellblade-Dual Wield-Rapid Fire", and features him using two weapons at a time to strike opponents.

Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Onion Knight's Dual Wield ability functions the same as in the original Dissidia. Bartz's EX Burst is renamed "Master Mime", but is identical in execution.

Final Fantasy Explorers
A job that can Dual Wield will be able to hold a weapon in each hand. Both weapons must be of the same type, for example if a dagger is in the right hand, the only weapon available for the left hand will be another dagger. Weapons that can be dual wielded include swords, axes, daggers, spears, ninjato, clubs, bells, and firearms. An Explorer with a weapon in each hand will attack twice with each attack.

Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
Dual Wield is a Passive Skill learned by few characters such as Lightning or Luneth. Dual Wield can however be acquired for free use as Zidane's Trust Master Reward enabling any character with an Ability Slot to equip two weapons. Another alternative is Gilgamesh's Trust Master Reward the Genji Gloves which allow Dual Wield while equipped.

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's Dungeon
Chocobo, while as a Ninja, can use dual wield. Instead of allowing Chocobo to fight with two weapons, it increases his walking speed. It costs 400 JP to learn and 2 SP to use.

Etymology
Dual wielding is using two weapons, one in each hand, during combat. It is not a common combat practice, since it does not offer much advantage. Although historical records of dual wielding in war is limited, there are numerous weapon-based martial arts that involve the use of a pair of weapons.

Due armi