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A vintage and well-cared-for staff. Also happens to be eco-friendly.
Description
The Guard Stick is Aerith's default weapon in Final Fantasy VII Remake. It provides her the ability Arcane Ward, a core ability to her moveset that allows her to place a ward on the ground which causes spells cast by her and allies within it to hit twice. Guard Stick provides unlockable abilities that focus on Aerith's durability.
Stats
| Classification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Type | Weapon | |
| Usable by | Aerith Gainsborough | |
| Combat stats | Base | Final |
 Attack Power
|
29 | 29 |
 Magic Attack
|
43 | 109 |
Materia slots
| Materia slots purchased |
Minimum Weapon Level |
Slots |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 
|
| 1 | 3 |
|
| 2 | 4 | 
|
| 3 | 4 |
|
| 4 | 5 |
|
| 5 | 5 |
|
| 6 | 6 |
|
| 7 | 6 |
|
Skills
| Guard Stick Core - Weapon Level: 1 - Required SP: 8 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MATK Up | Magic Attack Power +12 | Increases magic attack power attribute. |
| DEF Up | Defense +7 | Increases defense attribute. |
| MDEF Up | Magic Defense +7 | Increases magic defense attribute. |
| Max HP Up | Max HP +150 | Increases maximum HP. |
| Max MP Up | Max MP +8 | Increases maximum MP. |
| Guard Stick Sub-Core I - Weapon Level: 3 - Required SP: 10 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced Attack | Attack Damage 5% Boost | Increases damage dealt by basic attacks. |
| Enhanced Tempest | Tempest Damage 5% Boost | Increases damage dealt by Tempest. |
| Enhanced Physical Guard | Physical Damage Reduction 10% when Guarding | Reduces physical damage taken when successfully guarding. |
| Enhanced Magic Guard | Magic Damage Reduction 10% when Guarding | Reduces magic damage taken when successfully guarding. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Guard Stick Sub-Core II - Weapon Level: 4 - Required SP: 12 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MATK Up | Magic Attack Power +18 | Increases magic attack power attribute. |
| Max HP Up | Max HP +150 | Increases maximum HP. |
| Max MP Up | Max MP +8 | Increases maximum MP. |
| MP Recovery Up | MP Regeneration 10% Boost | Slightly increases MP regeneration speed during battle. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Guard Stick Sub-Core III - Weapon Level: 5 - Required SP: 14 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MATK Up | Magic Attack Power +18 | Increases magic attack power attribute. |
| Max HP Up | Max HP +150 | Increases maximum HP. |
| Max MP Up | Max MP +8 | Increases maximum MP. |
| Elemental Defense Up | Elemental Defense 5% Boost | Reduces fire, ice, lightning, and wind damage taken. |
| MP Saver: Healing Spells | Healing Spells MP Cost Reduction 20% | Reduces MP cost of healing spells cast during battle. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Guard Stick Sub-Core IV - Weapon Level: 6 - Required SP: 16 | ||
|---|---|---|
| MATK Up | Magic Attack Power +18 | Increases magic attack power attribute. |
| Max HP Up | Max HP +200 | Increases maximum HP. |
| Max MP Up | Max MP +10 | Increases maximum MP. |
| Reprieve | Avoid Incapacitation once per battle. | Survive an otherwise fatal attack with 1 HP. Can only activate once per battle. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
Use
The Guard Stick provides Aerith a modest boost to her Magic Attack, which is the fourth-highest of her weapons when fully leveled up. The weapon provides a variety of unlocks that include a modest 10% improvement to her MP regeneration, 20% reduction in healing spell costs, a 10% boost to resistance when guarding, and a 5% elemental damage resistance. As with most of Aerith's abilities, it eventually unlocks Reprieve.
Guard Stick is comparable to Aerith's Reinforced Staff, which instead provides a 10% buff increase, a resistance to debuffs, while retaining the guard resistance. Between them, Reinforced Staff has better offense potential, due to a higher magic attack attribute bonus, but focuses on different things and has no reduction in healing spell cost. Compared to the rest of Aerith's weapons, Guard Stick's offense potential is unremarkable.
The Guard Stick has a niche role in providing durability increase, but the weapon is ultimately outclassed in other aspects by Aerith's more powerful weapons that she acquires later on.