Royal arms (Final Fantasy XV)



The royal arms, also known as the Glaive of Kings, are special weapons in Final Fantasy XV Universe that only Noctis Lucis Caelum and others of his bloodline can brandish. They are the weapons of the previous monarchs of Lucis. There have been 113 kings, but there are thirteen known royal arms that have survived till present day. The power of kings is to wield all of their collected royal arms simultaneously, an ability known as Armiger. In Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, the statues of the Old Wall wield giant versions of the royal arms. The weapons can be equipped and used in battle in Final Fantasy XV where some are obtained as part of the story and some are found in optional dungeons.

Profile
Royal arms have intricate designs of contrasting precious metals and alloys, such as platinum, gold, shibuichi and shakudo mokume-gane, with fine grain and smooth surface polishes to differentiate them from other weapons. They have elaborate decorations, such as light ray indentations and wing motifs. According to legend, a king of Lucis once fought the powers of darkness with weapons of light on his side and eradicated Starscourge from the world. The event is described in Cosmogony as:

The ability to conjure a "collection of glaives" is thus implied to be an ability granted to the kings by the gods. Unlike the powers of the Oracle—whose powers were granted by Bahamut—no specific Astral is connected to the gifting of the royal arms to the Lucian line. Because of their origins, these weapons are often especially good for fighting daemons (although in gameplay terms, the royal arms are non-elemental).

The weapons have been preserved for future generations by the monarchs who wielded them, although the exact process this entails is unknown. They are usually left in royal tombs that are hidden around the nation of Lucis in hard-to-reach locations, such as caves, forests, and even on a volcano. Arms left in tombs have been known to have been broken into and stolen and thus thought lost, such as the Tomb of the Tall in Duscae. Royal arms need not be entombed to be useful to the heirs, as is seen with the Trident of the Oracle and the Sword of the Father; it is only necessary for the heir to come into contact with the weapon. Only those of the Lucis Caelum bloodline can actually brandish the arms as they were intended, although others can still handle them.

When a royal arm recognizes its rightful wielder, it will become transparent and crystalline and glows before entering the king's body in a flash of light leaving soul crystals glimmering in the air, signifying the bonding of the souls of the Lucian kings that is what allows the heirs to wield the sacred glaives. From then on the wielder can forge the weapon from thin air, and it will appear into their grasp at will no matter where they are. They can even call upon all of the royal arms they have thus collected and momentarily wield them simultaneously, gaining the power to levitate. This state is called Armiger and it cannot usually be sustained for long. Even when not in Armiger, the king can use royal arms to warp like with a normal weapon.

The weapons have a transcendental presence, as they can be wielded by more than one person at once, essentially being in more than one location simultaneously. For example, Noctis and Ardyn Izunia can both wield Armiger at the same time with the exact same set of royal arms (though Ardyn's royal arms are a different color), and Noctis can use the Sword of the Father in the battle against Leviathan even if it is in Ravus Nox Fleuret's possession. Even after being collected from a royal tomb, which removes the royal arm present, it is implied the next heir can still return to the same tomb for the weapon as well, suggesting they return for the next heir after the present king who wields the collected weapons dies. Cor Leonis, who once accompanied Regis Lucis Caelum on his travels across Lucis, directs Noctis to his first royal tomb and hands him the key, implying he has been on this task before. Ardyn wields the thirteen royal arms Noctis can also collect, yet also wields weapons unavailable to the latter's Armiger, which may be some of the "lost" royal arms, or simply his personal addition to Armiger. When Regis uses Armiger, his weapons are not the royal arms, however.

The arms seem to always be proportionate to their wielder, as when the statues of the Old Wall use their royal arms the weapons are gargantuan. The arms' transcendental presence may thus hint at their link to Astrals, who can similarly appear and disappear from the world at will and exist in more than one body in one time.

The power of kings is also to lend their power to those they are bonded to. Usually only those of the Lucis Caelum bloodline can brandish the royal arms, but with the king's blessing those joining in an attack with him can also momentarily wield them, as seen in Armiger Chain in Final Fantasy XV, and the climax of the original penultimate boss. Ravus was said to be unable to wield the Sword of the Father, but after solidifying his loyalty to Noctis, he wields it as a blunt weapon to fend off the daemons Emperor Aldercapt ushers upon him. If the power to wield crystalline weapons of light does originate from Bahamut (who likewise summons swords of light), the king's ability to share it with others may be further continuation of this theme.

Ardyn Izunia has the same thirteen royal arms Noctis has and wields them in Armiger during his final confrontation with Noctis and in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis. He and his royal arms glow red as opposed to Noctis's blue, and his physical weapons are red as opposed to platinum when wielded by Noctis. King Regis employs Armiger in Brotherhood Final Fantasy XV and Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, but doesn't use the royal arms in it. The Founder King's Sigil transforms Noctis's Armiger into Armiger Unleashed that lets him use the Engine Blade alongside the royal arms with Armiger with unique movesets and Techniques.

Story
The Lucis Caelum bloodline was chosen by the gods of Eos, the Astrals, to save the world from the malady known as the Starscourge which transforms humans and animals alike into monsters of the dark known as daemons. Daemons shed substance from their bodies that consumes sunlight, miasma, lengthening the nights. A prophecy extols the coming of the True King chosen by the Crystal when the world is covered in darkness. The Crystal is a stone that exudes the power of light the kings of Lucis are sworn to protect until the time of the prophecy, and command its power with the Ring of the Lucii said to have been given to the kings by the gods alongside the Crystal. The kings can forge weapons out of thin air and combine their powers across generations via the bonding of the souls and the Ring of the Lucii. Even without the ring the heirs to this bloodline can wield the royal arms, magical weapons that no one else can brandish.

The kings leave their royal arm for their descendants, usually entombed with them in royal tombs hidden across the land. The Oracles' traditional weapon, a trident, becomes a royal arm after the Oracle King temporarily assumes the position.

King Regis is implied to have embarked on a journey across Lucis to collect royal arms, as he can wield a collection of glaives in Armiger, although he rarely does so after being weakened for upholding the Wall around the Crown City of Insomnia. His personal arm is the Sword of the Father.

After the Empire of Niflheim invades Insomnia and steals the Crystal and King Regis is killed, his son Prince Noctis embarks on a journey to collect the weapons of his forebears and forge covenants with the Astrals to gain the power he needs to reclaim his throne. He is put on this path by Cor Leonis, the marshal of the Crownsguard, who once accompanied Regis on his travels across Lucis. Cor gives Noctis a key to the royal tombs and shows him the tomb where Noctis inherits the Sword of the Wise. Cor enlists the Hunters to comb the land in search of the lost tombs. After acquiring his first arm, Noctis asks his friend Ignis how many there are, and he answers there are as many royal arms as there have been kings of Lucis, though not all will have survived to this day.

Noctis travels Lucis and uncovers many royal tombs and collects their weapons, building his collection of royal arms and gaining the power of Armiger, which grows stronger with every new weapon he finds. When he and his friends are accosted by Ravus Nox Fleuret, the high commander of Niflheim's imperial army, Noctis shows off his newfound powers by entering Armiger, but Ravus remains unfazed. Ravus holds the Sword of the Father, the sword of the late King Regis, although it is reported he cannot wield it. Ravus had salvaged it from Regis's body after he had been killed.

Noctis continues his quest to Altissia where he is to rendezvous with his fiancée Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. A woman from House Fleuret works as the Oracle, whom the Astrals granted powers to heal those afflicted with Starscourge and the ability to commune with gods thousands of years ago, the same time the kings of Lucis gained their powers and the Crystal. Lunafreya believes Noctis is the Chosen King and that her mission is to guide him to fulfill the prophecy. Ravus is Lunafreya's brother who begrudges Regis and doubts Noctis has what it takes to become the True King.

Lunafreya uses the Trident of the Oracle, the Oracles' traditional weapon that is also a royal arm, to beckon the sea goddess Leviathan. Leviathan goes on a rampage around Altissia and Lunafreya uses the trident to call upon the spirits of the old kings to empower Noctis, who enters a sustained Armiger and subdues Leviathan with the power of kings, forging a covenant with her. Noctis obtains the Ring of the Lucii from Lunafreya who had been safeguarding it for him, but she is killed. Her body disappears into the Astral Realm and the Trident of the Oracle goes missing.

Noctis continues on his quest and with instructions from Cor finds another royal tomb in Fodina Caestino, collecting the Katana of the Warrior. When the train he and his retinue are on, the Magna Fortia, comes under attack in Eusciello, he accidentally attacks his friend Prompto with the Sword of the Wise, thinking he is attacking his nemesis Ardyn Izunia.

Noctis is met by the Astral goddess Shiva on his way to the imperial capital, who brings him the Trident of the Oracle as she forges a covenant with him. In the capital of Gralea Noctis finds he cannot conjure weapons to his grasp as his powers have been sealed by imperial technology, the Wallbreaker Wave. He continues with the Ring of the Lucii as his only weapon and comes across Ravus's body in Zegnautus Keep, an imperial magitek laboratory. Noctis finds the Sword of the Father by Ravus and gains his final royal arm, also learning Ravus had come around to believe Noctis is the True King and had intended to bequeath the sword to him. Ravus had been killed by Ardyn, who had cut him down with his own Sword of the Father, a royal arm he already had.

Now wielding the full powers of Armiger, Noctis finds the Crystal in Zegnautus Keep where the empire had brought it, unable to use it as they had never found the Ring of the Lucii. When he approaches the Crystal he is pulled inside and disappears from the world for ten years. Daylight gradually disappears and Eos is overtaken by daemons.

Noctis returns ten years later having gained the power of the Crystal, ready to fulfill the prophecy as the True King. Noctis fells Ardyn outside the Citadel, his immortal ancestor from two thousand years ago who believed he was chosen by the Crystal. Ardyn's soul had been corrupted by daemons after he had worked as a healer and he had been cast aside, the Crystal choosing Ardyn's brother to become the Founder King in his stead. Ardyn had continued a shadowy existence for millennia, unable to die, waiting for the coming of the True King. Ardyn summons the same royal arms Noctis wields to him and the two duel both wielding the power of kings, but Noctis emerges victorious and kills Ardyn.

Noctis ascends the throne and wedges the Sword of the Father into the floor in front of him. He summons the spirits of the past kings to him with the Ring of the Lucii and their arms appear around the throne. Each spirit of a king impales him with their royal arm, similar to how Noctis first acquired them, until he is killed by Regis wielding the Sword of the Father. His soul enters the afterlife where he confronts Ardyn's soul. The royal arms the kings' spirits had plunged into his body to kill him emerge from Noctis, and the kings take up arms once again to combine their powers to erase the Starscourge from Ardyn's soul, Noctis dealing the final blow with the Sword of the Father. The prophecy fulfilled, Noctis disperses into light, the Ring of the Lucii disintegrates, the Crystal's light is returned to the planet, daemons disappear and the sun rises upon the world of Eos.

What happens to the royal arms after Noctis's sacrifice is unknown, as the Lucis Caelum bloodline has been extinguished. They may have disappeared from the world altogether, as Noctis took the arms with him to the realm beyond and the Lucis Caelums' link to the mortal realm was severed when the Ring of the Lucii disintegrated.

Gameplay
Royal arms can be equipped by Noctis. They have relatively high attack power and provide various stat buffs and debuffs, but using them drains Noctis's health. Thus, it is recommended to equip accessories and attires that boost HP recovery rate when using them as the main weapon. Royal arms deal non-elemental physical damage and have a unique weapon type that is not shown in enemy weaknesses; while they don't deal typeless damage, it is very rare for enemies to be resistant or vulnerable to royal arms (only examples are Dread Behemoth and Omega). This makes royal arms especially useful against daemons who tend to resist damage from normal weaponry. The Weapon Power of normal weapons is their attack value, but the Weapon Power of (most) royal arms is Attack + Strength (thus Str is counted twice).

If Noctis's HP is below the amount of HP a certain royal arm requires, he will enter the Danger state. The player does not need to actively use the royal arm to receive its stat boosts. Royal arms do not trigger linked attacks with permanent allies (they do with iris and Lv.10 chocobo) or cross chains.

Most of the arms are discovered from royal tombs. Some are obtained as part of the story, and some are optional.

The arms are wielded all at once during Armiger and Armiger Unleashed. Learning Armiger Chain in the Ascension lets Noctis's party members join in a group attack where they momentarily wield the royal arms as well.

The last stage of the Armiger Chain is:
 * First attack:
 * Sword of the Wise - Prompto
 * Axe of the Conqueror - Gladiolus
 * Sword of the Wanderer - Ignis
 * Blade of the Mystic - Noctis


 * Second attack:
 * Star of the Rogue - Prompto
 * Sword of the Tall - Gladiolus
 * Mace of the Fierce - Ignis
 * Bow of the Clever - Noctis


 * Third attack:
 * Scepter of the Pious - Prompto
 * Shield of the Just - Gladiolus
 * Katana of the Warrior - Ignis
 * Trident of the Oracle - Noctis


 * Final attack:
 * Sword of the Father - Noctis

Every royal arm has a unique moveset, and due to their various specific properties, the royal arms' ATK stat does not accurately reflect their damage output, and thus the player is recommended in trying them all out to discover their specific uses.

Collecting all arms earns the Faithful Heir achievement/trophy. Royal arms carry over when using Chapter Select and New Game Plus (revisiting a royal tomb to see the acquirement scene will not award a second copy of the weapon).

Sword of the Wise
Sword of the Wise is the first royal arm Noctis obtains. He acquires it in Chapter 2 from the Tomb of the Wise located aboveground in northern Leide. A simple sword that belonged to the Lucian king known as the Wise who raised the first Wall of Lucis, this sword reflects his simplicity and the frugality applied in his rule.

The sword performs preemptive warp-strikes to close the distance between Noctis and the enemy quickly. This basic combo starter is very powerful, has long reach and is fast. The short-range combo opener's "end lag" can be cancelled by walking; thus, if the player holds the analogue stick (in any direction) while releasing the attack button after every individual attack, it is possible to continuously use the opener for great damage and to stop the enemy from fighting back.

Reverse directional input has Noctis backflip away from the enemy and begin an aerial combo that opens with a warp, followed by a weak slash. As the aerial combo attack is a ranged attack but does not consume MP, it is essentially a free close-range warp-strike. The warp opener is similar to its ground counterpart but does better damage point-blank. Sword of the Wise's phase-counter is a normal slash. Its warp-strike is a normal warp-strike with a followup slash. The second hit does more damage than a regular attack, and the player is invincible during the animation.

The player can exploit the powerful ground opener and use the manual dodge roll to avoid using the phase-counter. Sword of the Wise is a good hit-and-run weapon.

One of the statues of the Old Wall in Insomnia wields a giant version of the sword in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. Noctis uses the Sword of the Wise in a cut scene in Chapter 11 to attack "Ardyn" atop the Magna Fortia.

Axe of the Conqueror
The Axe of the Conqueror is gained in Chapter 2 from the Tomb of the Conqueror found underground at the end of Keycatrich Trench dungeon in northern Leide. It is a large labrys/doublebladed halberd that once belonged to the Lucian king known as the Conqueror, a king who rose in times of chaos to unite the Lucian continent.

The axe performs slow but powerful attacks at the expense of defense. It is especially good at putting enemies in vulnerable state, and thus triggering cross chain attacks, which become available after the player gains the axe. Its basic combo is four slow axe strikes. Forward directional input has Noctis jump forward and do an aerial attack: a descending axe swing. This way the player can airstep without using MP. The aze's aerial attack can inflict vulnerability better than other weapons, and thus the player can jump to attack repeatedly if they seek to make the enemy vulnerable. Its phase-counter is a slow uppercut swing.

Warp-striking with the axe has Noctis throw it above the enemy, warp to it and deal an overhead strike. This drains an unusually large amount of health.

Bow of the Clever
Bow of the Clever is an optional royal arm found in the depths of Balouve Mines in southern Leide. After felling the dungeon boss, the player can find a crack in a wall that leads to a the Tomb of the Clever. It once belonged to the king known as the Clever, who excelled and sought skills and refinement through the arts.

Bow of the Clever is a crossbow that fires piercing arrows while allowing the wielder to move freely about the battlefield. Like most ranged weapons, the Bow of the Clever uses Noctis's Magic stat in damage calculations. Magic-boosting accessories tend to be significantly stronger than Strength-boosting accessories.

Its basic combo is to shoot and it doesn't require reloading. Bolts travel through enemies and can hit multiple foes. It deals more damage the closer Noctis is to his target. Directional input during fire has Noctis quickstep in that direction, similar to using daggers. Noctis is invincible during a quickstep. Releasing the directional input and inputting it again during the dodge performs an MP-free airstep. Noctis will jump and begin an aerial combo where he will shoot once. Bow of the Clever's phase-counter is a shoot.

Warp-striking with the crossbow warps near to the enemy and shoots it four times point-blank. Noctis will not strike initially, but will set up for a barrage of bolts. It aims high however and will likely miss unless the enemy is large.

The crossbow allows good mobility to kite enemies and works best when Noctis is equipped for high Magic. Its ability to hit multiple enemies at once is good for multi-encounters, but each enemy struck will also drain Noctis's health. Combining it with Ignis's Overwhelm Technique used to give the crossbow an amazing fire-rate and damage, but the player was in danger of entering Danger state as it is easy to drain all of Noctis's health this way. This combo was nerfed in patch 1.16.

Swords of the Wanderer
Swords of the Wanderer is the third royal arm obtained during the main story, found in the Greyshire Glacial Grotto in Chapter 3. They are a set of dual swords that can transform into a single weapon to deliver powerful attacks, and belonged to the free-spirited king known as the Wanderer, who pioneered to lands untouched by man.

Its basic combo starts and ends with a powerful strike with the swords combined. The body of the combo is identical to that of normal daggers. Forward directional input skips to the combo finisher, which can be used to stagger enemies or break off appendages. Any other directional input has Noctis jump in that direction to begin an aerial combo that is three fast slashes. This airstep doesn't consume MP. Its phase-counter is a slash with both swords. Warp-striking with the swords has Noctis warp to the enemy, slash with both swords, and combine them for a final slash. He is invincible to damage during this.

The Swords of the Wanderer have high damage output, surpassing even the Zwill Crossblades (unless the player is at full HP or the enemy is weak to daggers), while having the same basic combo and more range.

Blade of the Mystic
Blade of the Mystic is the fourth royal arm obtained during the main quest. It is found at the Disc of Cauthess in Chapter 4. It is a longsword that boosts the wielder's Strength through a unique self-buff. It was once the property of the Mystic, the first Lucian king who rose to protect the Oracle.

Its basic combo has Noctis perform myriad slashes and stabs at medium speed and area of effect. When the player stops attacking, Noctis will hold the sword in front of him and gain +100 Strength for 10 seconds. This buff can be activated outside of combat. Blade of the Mystic's aerial attack is a single slash, and its phase-counter is an uppercut slash.

Warp-striking with the Blade of the Mystic has Noctis shoot Armiger projections before delivering the strike, a strong direct downwards slash. Each projection does the same damage as the blade would in a melee hit adjusted for warp-strike distance bonus. Due to the focused nature of the physical strike, it is good for breaking normally hard-to-reach appendages.

Noctis displays a preference for this weapon after obtaining it, as he uses it the most whenever he executes an attack that requires a royal arm. The blade is well balanced and a recommended addition to any arsenal.

The Mystic statue of the Old Wall in Insomnia wields a giant version of the longsword in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. Noctis can also unlock the sword in Close Encounter of the Terra Kind by delivering items to the Hiso Aliens. In Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ardyn – Prologue, Somnus conjures a blade that may be intended to be the Blade of the Mystic although it lacks the wing ornamentation and is shorter.

Star of the Rogue
Star of the Rogue is an optional royal arm found at the end Myrlwood in northwest Cleigne. It is a shuriken that can deal multiple hits in rapid succession, either on different targets or on the various body parts of a single large enemy, and can split up into many duplicates. The weapon reflects the stealth ninja-like martial arts of the Rogue, the Lucian queen Crepera Lucis Caelum who spurned the public eye and took to the shadows to enact her rule.

When Noctis throws the star it permeates enemies and flies in erratic arcs. Unlike most ranged weapons, the Star of the Rogue uses Noctis's Strength stat to calculate damage. It deals more damage the closer the enemy is. Directional input during the attack has Noctis jump in the direction to begin an aerial combo where he throws the star while airborne. Its phase-counter is a melee attack.

Warp-striking has Noctis warp to the enemy and grind it with the shuriken. It hits multiple times and does a lot of damage to both Noctis and the enemy. It is good for breaking off appendages. The warp-strike can miss.

The Star of the Rogue is a good ranged weapon for Strength-based builds.

The Star was available in Platinum Demo – Final Fantasy XV as a secret weapon, which also appeared in point-warp animations, which is not the case in the final game. One of the statues of the Old Wall in Insomnia wields a giant version of the star in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Sword of the Tall
Sword of the Tall is the toughest royal arm to obtain, and many players leave it for Chapter 15. The sword is not at the Tomb of the Tall in south-eastern Duscae, but in the optional Costlemark Tower dungeon northeast of the tomb that is open during the night. The boss at the bottom drops the sword. It is a chainsaw-like greatsword made for the king known as the Tall, whose most defining trait was his colossal physique.

Sword of the Tall is a greatsword that deals multiple hits with each blow. Its basic combo is to perform slow grinding slashes that hit multiple times, like a chainsaw. Its aerial combo is a single grinding slash, and its phase-counter is a stab. Warp-striking with it has Noctis warp to the enemy and spin the sword, hitting enemies around him multiple times. Its multi-hit nature makes it good at breaking off enemy appendages.

Though it has the highest attack stat of any royal arm, it comes with steep Spirit and elemental defense penalties, and deals much less damage than its attack stat would imply due to its poor Attack Damage Modifier, a hidden multiplier unique for every attack. Sword of the Tall deals less damage than regular greatswords because normal greatswords have some of the highest ADMs, making Sword of the Tall one of the worst weapons in the game.

The sword is known as the "Largesword of the Dynast King" in Japanese. Dynast King is a title in the world of Ivalice.

Shield of the Just
Shield of the Just is found in Tomb of the Just, west of the Disc of Cauthess and south from Lestallum in Thommel's Glade. It is an optional royal arm, but the player does not need to do a dungeon to acquire it. It is an enormous shield that once belonged to the queen known as the Just, celebrated for her efforts and serenity to establish everlasting peace in her rule.

Shield of the Just handles almost exactly like a regular shield. Its warp-strike has a large area of effect, allowing the player to clear crowds of enemies and making it useful for warp-strike AP farming. Its basic combo is to bash the enemy with the shield, and it can be used in aerial combos. Noctis performs a different shield bash as a phase-counter. It has a higher than normal capacity to force enemies into the Vulnerable state.

Holding the defense button enters a defensive stance similar to cover status where Noctis cannot move and continually consumes MP, with the same bonus HP regeneration as with a regular shield. Unlike regular shields, the Shield of the Just reduces normally unblockable attacks by about 75% in this stance. Given its strength and use of MP, the Shield of the Just may be most useful as a healing tool, but the player can use it to block attacks they struggle dodging. It can be menu-swapped to bypass the Strength penalty.

Mace of the Fierce
Mace of the Fierce is an optional royal arm found at the Rock of Ravatogh volcano. It is a mace that can easily break off enemy appendages and is great for parrying due to its enormous area of effect. It once belonged to the king known as the Fierce, famous for his love of his people and infamous for his brutality against his opponents.

Its basic combo is the slowest of all weapons. Its aerial attack is a single bash and its phase-counter is an uppercut bash. When Noctis warp-strikes with it he follows the strike with a single bash, winding up to slam the mace down on the opponent. It has a long range and can hit targets that move away in spite of the slow start-up. Though the warp-strike is slow, Noctis is always invincible during warp-striking, and thus isn't left wide open for enemy retaliation. Its parry has an enormous area of effect, useful for fighting groups of enemies while simultaneously breaking them, as parrying also doesn't doesn't consume Noctis's health.

Though it is great for defeating giant monsters and daemons, it is advised to switch out the mace in the face of imperial forces due to its -50% Ballistics Resistance penalty.

One of the statues of the Old Wall in Insomnia wields a giant version of the mace to destroy buildings in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Scepter of the Pious
The player will get a quest to visit Malmalam Thicket during the main quest in Chapter 6, but it is not necessary to follow it. The player can also visit the royal tomb at any other time to retrieve it, but if they go when prompted Iris Amicitia will accompany the party as a guest. The scepter is found at the end of the thicket in the Tomb of the Pious. The weapon is said to have belonged to the king known as the Pious, who ruled by practically applying divine principles, and worked closely with the Oracle of his era.

Scepter of the Pious takes different forms to perform a variety of attacks. As a jack of all trades weapon, it uses movesets from other royal arms and uses Noctis's Magic stat in its damage calculations. It allows for a varied moveset with only one equipment slot, although the scepter itself should not be viewed as a mere multiweapon.

The Scepter of Pious starts with the same combo starter Trident of the Oracle uses. The main part of the combo is from Sword of the Wise, and the combo finisher is from Axe of the Conqueror. Using forward directional input changes the main body of the combo to that of Sword of the Tall. Using side directional input changes the main body of the combo to that of Blade of the Mystic. Using reverse directional input during a combo changes its main body to that of the Trident of the Oracle. Releasing the stick and then tilting it in various directions begins an aerial combo to that direction with Noctis jumping. The aerial attack and phase-counter use the movesets from Axe of the Conqueror. The player can interrupt most of the combos by performing the input for other combos.

Warp-striking with the scepter has Noctis launch it into the air, then slam down for high damage similar to how Aranea Highwind fights. This move is the Trident of the Oracle's warp-strike with the follow-up from the Axe of the Conqueror's warp-strike.

In Armiger the scepter takes on the form of other royal arms for its combo attacks. Each directional input summons a different royal arm: forwards summons the Sword of the Tall, reverse summons the Trident of the Oracle (including its trait of leaving behind holograms), and sideways summons the Blade of the Mystic. No input summons the Sword of the Father. Aerial attacks and finishers are replaced with the Axe of the Conqueror's moveset.

Due to its reliance on the Magic stat, and its innate high Magic and Darkness Defense stats, the scepter is best for a magic-centered or weapon-heavy fighting style. It is good for fending off daemons, and when used with the Royal Raiment attire (without the jacket it gives +30% bonus to Magic).

Trident of the Oracle
Trident of the Oracle is the traditional weapon of the Oracles' bloodline. The story it becoming a royal arm is told in the monoliths of the Steyliff Grove Menace Dungeon. It is a prominent royal arm in the story, second only to the Sword of the Father, King Regis's sword. It is wielded by Lunafreya when she communes with Astrals, and although she is not of the Lucis Caelum bloodline, she can still use the trident to empower Noctis for his battle against the Leviathan. Noctis does not obtain the trident from a royal tomb, rather, it is obtained as part of the story at the end of Chapter 12.

When the player attacks with the trident, it will leave a hologram that stays for a few seconds and will repeatedly damage enemies that touch it. The Scepter of the Pious also gets this trait when it assumes the form of the trident. The holograms stack and thus do high damage to stationary targets.

The Trident of the Oracle's basic combo is to stab the enemy. With forward directional input it skips to the powerful combo finisher, and this move can be used repeatedly to stunlock opponents. Any other directional input has Noctis jump in that direction and begin an aerial combo that consists of two stabs. The second aerial combo is a descending plunging attack that has a high break modifier. Its phase-counter is a jumping stab.

Warp-striking with the trident has Noctis warp above the enemy and attack it from above with a plunging attack, similar to the fighting style of Aranea Highwind. The warp strike is good for dodging and attacking.

Trident of the Oracle is good at dealing damage fast.

One of the statues of the Old Wall in Insomnia wields a giant version of the trident in Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Katana of the Warrior
Katana of the Warrior is obtained at the end of Chapter 10, in the abandoned quarry of Fodina Caestino. Found in the easternmost lands of Cartanica of Tenebrae, this sword once belonged to king known as the Warrior. Katana of the Warrior is believed to have been made in lands far from Lucis.

Katana of the Warrior attacks quickly and relentlessly both on the ground and in the air. Its phase-counter is to hit with the hilt. Warp-striking with it has Noctis perform a long wind-up that culminates in a strong slash all the while being immune to damage. By holding or mashing the warp button, the player can rapidly execute followup warp-strikes that are performed instantly, dealing massive burst damage. Since they are individual warp-strikes, the player remains immune throughout the combo, but this will use up Noctis's HP and MP in seconds. The player can use the katana's unique warp-strike for burst damage when overwhelmed to destroy the enemies while being immune. The katana also has a fast "free-warping" animation (warping without a "destination").

Though the katana proves useful against monsters and imperial forces, it is a double edged sword against daemons due to its -50% Darkness Resistance penalty.

Sword of the Father
Sword of the Father is obtained in Chapter 13, and for a portion of the chapter it is Noctis's only melee weapon. It is King Regis's sword and becomes one of Noctis's iconic weapons. It is the most notable royal arm alongside the Trident of the Oracle, as it is used in story scenes.

Sword of the Father briefly boosts its wielder's Strength after finishers. Attacking with it performs basic sword slashes, one of them leaving a hologram that damages enemies that come into contact with it like with the Trident of the Oracle. The last attack is a slow, but powerful and gives +200 Strength for 5 seconds. The finisher can be used to put enemies in Vulnerable state and then attack them with the boosted Strength. It is possible to skip to the finisher (works with any weapon) by starting a combo, stopping, and during the flourish where Noctis returns the weapon press attack again. With the Sword of the Father, the player won't skip right into the finisher, but into the thrust right before it.

Its aerial combo is same as with normal swords, and moving closer to an enemy to attack in a "mini warp" doesn't cost MP when attacking with it. Its phase-counter is a stab. Warp-striking with it leaves behind a damaging hologram and consumes less health than the other royal arms.

Musical themes
When Noctis inherits a royal arm a version of "Somnus", the main theme of Final Fantasy XV, plays.

Creation and development
In Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Noctis was depicted with an arsenal of unnamed visually themed weaponry wielded through his Armiger powers. They had different designs and weapon types, including a great axe, a lance, a cane-like staff, a pike spear, a boomerang/bow-like weapon, an assault rifle, a rocket launcher/bazooka, a thief sword-like weapon, a large falchion, and a great sword with a finned head. Noctis's Engine Blade was also included. Their designs followed a mechanical and technologically intricate theme like the Engine Blade and Insomnian weaponry, and the contrasting dark to light precious metal finishes as in the final game, but only swords bared engines and they did not have a sacred royalty motif to them.

Noctis was not the only one with weapons he could conjure from thin air: a hooded man in white and Stella Nox Fleuret also wielded them. The hooded man became Ravus Nox Fleuret in the final game who does not have the power of Armiger, though he handles and even momentarily wields a royal arm as part of the story. Stella Nox Fleuret was replaced by Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, who at one point wields a royal arm, albeit not in Armiger: the Trident of the Oracle.

Omen
Some of the royal arms appear in the short film for Final Fantasy XV depicting Noctis following Lunafreya's dog Pryna through various dreamscapes. Noctis wields the Sword of the Tall against imperial troops, the Blade of the Mystic against a behemoth, and takes the Trident of the Oracle from Lunafreya during their battle and appears to have killed her with it while being possessed.

Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae
Royal arms do not appear in the demo, but Noctis can collect four Phantom Swords to use in Armiger that take their place. The Phantom Swords are unique to the demo and are not collected from royal tombs, rather, they are found from the environment. Whenever Noctis collects a new Phantom Sword, he gains new abilities to his Armiger.

Gladiolus wields one of the Phantom Swords, Galatine, in a key art.

Mobius Final Fantasy
One of Ardyn's abilities is Sword of the Wise, the first royal arm the player earns in Final Fantasy XV.

For Whom the Alchemist Exists
Noctis is an obtainable character during the Final Fantasy XV collaboration event, wielding seven royal arms in Armiger.

Merchandise
Lunafreya's Play Arts Kai figure comes with the Trident of the Oracle. Noctis's Play Arts Kai figure comes with his Sword of the Father, albeit the figure in Ultimate Collector's Edition has another weapon in its stead.

Etymology
The noun "arm" can mean any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting. The term "Royal Arms" can refer to royal coat of arms, especially the one for the United Kingdom.

The "Mysterious Voice" in Final Fantasy XV: Episode Ignis draws a parallel to the group called Kingsglaive who served Regis by referring to the royal arms as the "Glaive of Kings".

Trivia

 * As a nod to its original title, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Final Fantasy XV makes references to the number 13. There are thus thirteen royal arms and thirteen Lucian kings to wield them in the Knights of the Round.
 * If the player equips a royal arm as their main weapon and defends against ballistic fire, the royal arms will summon around Noctis to deflect bullets without costing MP. This effect was first seen in the Final Fantasy Versus XIII reveal trailer where Noctis descends the stairs of the Citadel towards soldiers firing at him. This trick does not work against Prompto when fighting him in training sessions ar camp.
 * At the conclusion of the original penultimate boss, the party wields the royal arms to bring the boss to its knees before the final sequence triggers. Ignis wields the Swords of the Wanderer in their combined state, Prompto wields the Sword of the Wise, Gladiolus wields the Axe of the Conqueror and Noctis finishes the sequence with the Sword of the Father. The reason the party wields the royal arms in the sequence is likely because they are weapons that the player is sure to have in their inventory at this point.


 * Noctis appears to be the only king of Lucis who doesn't have a royal arm, although he can add the Engine Blade to Armiger when using Armiger Unleashed. Whether Ardyn had a royal arm is unknown, but he never actually became king, although he retains his power to wield the other kings' arms. He manifests a scythe in Episode Ignis Verse 2 and Comrades, but it is not part of his Armiger. In Episode Ardyn Prologue, Ardyn wields a red blade.