Final Fantasy XII weapons

The following is a list of the weapons in Final Fantasy XII.

Most melee weapons have a chance of performing a random hit combo, while ranged weapons and measures can deal critical hits. Some weapons cannot do either. Some weapons can knockback opponents while others cannot. Some weapons have an elemental affinity, which lets the wielder deal +50% the normal damage with all attacks related to the element. Certain weapons can inflict opponents with statuses on hit. Different weapon types vary in charge and action time.

Several new weapons appear only in the International Zodiac Job System version. Many of these weapons are higher grade versions of previous weapons, denoted by a letter at the end of their name. All look identical to their original counterparts, but have higher attack power, and many have added effects not found with the originals.

The Shikari's Nagasa and Shikari's Nagasa F were added to replace the Danjuro weapon, which is no longer found in the game, and now have different requirements for obtaining as well as different stats from the Danjuro. Two weapons, Trango Tower and Seitengrat, were added in as new ultimate weapons, and have the highest stats in the game. Both weapons are invisible when equipped.

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 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. Swords can knockback enemies. Swords are among the slower weapons with 2.88s charge, and 1.2s action time.

Swords' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Strength)/256]$$

In the Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System version Masamune I is classified a one-handed sword. Despite this, it still uses the katana's damage formula in also considering the wielder's Magick stat in calculating damage.

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. All Daggers add 5 Evasion, except the Main Gauche, which adds 34 Evasion. Daggers are the fastest weapons, with the least Charge Time to perform an attack. Daggers cannot knockback enemies.

Daggers' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125)]-Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Speed)/218]$$

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 attack slightly faster than hammers: axes have 2.39s charge, whereas hammers have 2.63s. Axes and hammers can knockback enemies.

Axes and hammers' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(0~1.111) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Vitality)/128]$$

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 strength. As such, maces are recommended for magick-geared support characters. Maces cannot knockback enemies. Maces have 2.63s charge, and 1.2s action time, making them average at attack speed.

Maces' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 +Magic * (Lv+Magick Power)/256]$$

Measures
Measures have low attack ratings, but 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 (35 in the International Zodiac Job System version), which, along with the ability to equip shields, makes a character equipped with a measure difficult to hit.

Measures are also effective when attacking characters to remove the confuse status since Measures do not deal heavy damage yet they can confer beneficial statuses. Unlike other melee weapons, measures have a chance of dealing critical hits. Targets cannot parry or block measure attacks, but the wielder can still miss due to bad accuracy. Measures cannot knockback enemies. Measures have the same speed as hammers and maces at 2.63s charge, and 1.2s action time.

Measures' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125)]^2$$

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 faster.

Greatswords
Greatswords are strong swords that do not show up until later 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. Greatswords can knockback enemies, apart from the Sword of Kings and the Treaty-Blade. Greatswords attack faster than regular swords with 2.47s charge, and 1.2s action time.

Greatswords' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Strength)/256]$$

Katana
Katana have lower attack than Greatswords, but they make up for it with their higher chance of combo attacks. The player can take advantage of the Katana's propensity for combos by equipping Genji Gloves, which increase the rate of 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. Katana cannot knockback enemies. All katana have 2.39s charge, and 1.2s action time, making them average when it comes to attacking speed.

Katana's damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Magick Power)/256]$$

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.

All ninja swords cause dark elemental damage. Because of this, they are useless against the Undead. 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. Ninja swords cannot knockback enemies. Ninja Swords are among the fastest weapons in the game at 1.97s charge and 1.2s action time; only daggers are faster.

In the Zodiac Job System version, ninja swords got a power buff, and most are non-elemental instead of Dark; Koga Bblade is now Earth-elemental, Iga Blade is now Water, and the Yagyu Darkblade stays Dark-elemental.

Ninja swords' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Speed)/218]$$

Spears
The spears group contains the Zodiac Spear, a difficult to come by weapon which has the highest Attack in the original version of 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. Spears can knockback enemies. Spears are among the faster weapons in Final Fantasy XII with 2.14s charge and 1.2s action time, second only to daggers and ninja swords.

Spears' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Strength)/256]$$

Poles
Like katana and ninja swords, poles are prone to combo attacks. The player can equip the Genji Gloves 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 devastating to un-Shelled enemies and enemies with low magick defense. All poles add 25 to evasion. Poles can knockback enemies. Poles' attack speed is average at 2.47s charge and 1.2s action time.

Poles' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) - Magick Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Strength)/256]$$

Rods
Like maces, rods are well-suited to magick-geared characters since they actually increase the magick power and MP of the character they're equipped to. A couple of rods even grant beneficial status effects on hit. Rods may end up being a more efficient choice for casters later in the game as the MP bonuses they grant when multiplied by the Quickening bonuses are more substantial than the small Magick Power bonuses granted by staves.

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. Rods never deal hit combos or critical hits. Rods can knockback enemies. Rods are among the slower weapons with 2.72s charge and 1.2s action time.

Rods' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Strength)/256]$$

Staves
Staves are also well-suited to magick-geared characters, but in a different way. Some staves 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. Staves never deal hit combos or critical hits, but can knockback enemies. Staves are among the slower weapons with 2.8s charge and 1.2s action time.

Staves' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Magick Power)/256]$$

Ranged weapons
Though ranged weapons usually take longer to use and do not allow the equipping of a shield, they allow characters with lower defenses 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 an enemy's area attacks to likely 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. Bows can knockback enemies. Bows are among the slowest weapons in the game with 2.96s charge, and 1.4s action time.

Bows' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125)]-Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Speed)/218]$$

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. Crossbows are the fastest ranged weapons at 2.3s charge and 1.4s action. All crossbows add 5 to evasion. Crossbows' accuracy is lowered in bad weather. Crossbows cannot knockback enemies.

Crossbows' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Strength)/256]$$

Guns
Guns take almost twice as long to use as other weapons, but they make up for it by having an accuracy rating of 100%. Enemies cannot parry, block, or counter gun attacks. Also, one should not be deceived by the guns' low attack ratings as 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. Guns can knockback enemies. Guns are the slowest weapons apart from Wyrmhero Blade, at 4.2s charge, and 1.4s action time.

Guns' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(1~1.125)]^2$$

Hand-bombs
Similar to 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 and never deal hit combos or critical hits. Hand-bombs cannot knockback enemies. Hand-bombs have 2.8s charge and 1.4s action time, average attack speed for a ranged weapon.

Hand-bombs' damage calculation:
 * $$DMG = [Attack Power * Random(0~1.111) -Defense] * [1 + Strength * (Lv+Vitality)/128]$$

Unique weapons
The following are weapons of the guests.

Dummied weapons
The following weapons are dummied out. Two out of the three weapons are fully functional.

Hero's Blade appears in as the sword she is wielding, and in the opening cutscene where King Raminas gives the sword to Rasler. The weapon may have had some storyline significance that was cut from the game.

The following weapon models have no names but do appear in the game data. They were not used as weapons in-game, but can be seen in shops and other buildings as background decoration.

Trivia

 * If the letter-ended weapons specific to the International version (Scorpion Tail F, Masamune I, etc.) are sorted by strength, the result will be as follows:
 * Scorpion Tail F
 * Masamune I
 * Whale Whisker N
 * Sagittarius A
 * Dragon Whisker L
 * Shikari's Nagasa F
 * Durandal A
 * Orochi N
 * Volcano T
 * Blood Sword A
 * Gastrophetes S
 * Aldebaran Y
 * The letters at the end of the names spell "FINAL FANTASY".
 * The various Bomb weapons are named after geographic features associated with volcanoes, while the various Guns are named after stars.
 * The weapon in the Zodiac Job System version was actually a weapon intended solely as a debugging weapon used by the developers. 'Guriguri' refers to the sound effect of twirling the weapon around, and 'ban' the sound it makes when it hits. When the development was finished, they decided to keep the weapon in the game.
 * The weapon is connected to mountain climbing. When the team first started making the International version, the game's director Hiroyuki Itō was interested in mountains and also wanted to use interesting names for the game.