Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII weapons

The following is a list of the weapons in Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Lightning has a variety of weapons in her arsenal. She 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. Most of these materials can either be bought at the Adventuring Essentials or obtained from defeated enemies, although the best materials are only available as enemy drops.

It is not possible to upgrade weapons to their maximum values because each item can only be upgraded a set number of times. While it may be possible to can maximize some of stats of a specific weapon, it will never be possible to maximize every parameter. 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 is reused as the icon for swords. There are several subtypes of swords: gunblades, swords, katana, axes, and sickles. Obtaining the ultimate equipment earns the Crimson Rebirth achievement.

Long swords provide a modest boost to both strength and magic. All long swords come with +5 ATB speed. Heavy blades provide a big boost to strength at the expense of magic. Bewitched blades provide a big boost to magic at the expense of strength. Katanas provide the greatest boost to strength, but do not boost magic and have a -15 ATB speed penalty and are equipped with the Hard Hitter auto-ability, which increases the likelihood of interrupting an enemy.

Great Swords
Greatswords provide boost to HP with moderate and equal offenses.

Staves
Staves have a -15 ATB speed penalty and -40% decrease in stagger power. To compensate, they cast magic much faster and are equipped with the Strong Finale +10% auto ability, which increases the damage of finales by 10%. 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.

Rapiers
Swift rapiers provide a modest boost in magic and little strength. They have increased ATB speed and are equipped with the Blindside auto ability, which bolsters the effects of certain attacks when hitting an enemy from behind. Cursed Rapiers provide a modest boost in magic and little strength. They are good for debuffing, as they are equipped with Status Ailment Damage +xxx% and Status Ailment Duration +xx%.

Spears
Spears provide a great boost to stagger power and have relatively great offenses. They turn the ability Beat Down to Jump, which has increased damage and stagger power.

Dual-Blades
All dual-blades hit twice per action. They provide relatively equal offenses to other weapons, but have -50% strength and -55% stagger power. To compensate, every physical attack that can be performed in the air hits twice. They come equipped with Precise HP restore +x%, which restores HP whenever the player times a hit perfectly.

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 does.