A sword forged from two existing blades. Well suited for materia.
Description
The Twin Stinger is a weapon for Cloud in Final Fantasy VII Remake. It provides the unique Counterstance ability, which causes Cloud to brace for an attack, then retaliate with a powerful slash dealing burst damage with an area-of-effect.
Twin Stinger has balanced 
Attack Power and 
Magic Attack attribute bonuses. Most importantly, the Twin Stinger is one of the only weapons to reach maximum materia capacity before Weapon Level 6. This gives Twin Stinger a wide variety of uses with various materia combinations. Overall, its unlocked abilities lend it slightly more towards casting spells, with its boost to Cloud's MP, as well as to both positive and negative status duration.
Obtained[]
The Twin Stinger is found in a chest along the main story path during "Find the Others" in Chapter 17, "Deliverance from Chaos". It is on the Level 3 of the Drum.
Upgrades[]
Materia slots[]
| Materia slots purchased |
Minimum Weapon Level |
Slots |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 
|
| 1 | 4 | 
|
| 2 | 5 |
|
| 3 | 5 |
|
Skills[]
| Twin Stinger Core - Weapon Level: 1 - Required SP: 10 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fire Damage Up | Fire Damage 5% Boost | Increases damage dealt by fire attacks. |
| Ice Damage Up | Ice Damage 5% Boost | Increases damage dealt by ice attacks. |
| Lightning Damage Up | Lightning Damage 5% Boost | Increases damage dealt by lightning attacks. |
| Wind Damage Up | Wind Damage 5% Boost | Increases damage dealt by wind attacks. |
| Enhanced Elements | Elemental Materia Damage 10% Boost | Increases damage added to attacks by elemental materia. |
| Twin Stinger Sub-Core I - Weapon Level: 4 - Required SP: 14 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Max MP Up | Max MP +10 | Increases maximum MP. |
| Max MP Up | Max MP +10 | Increases maximum MP. |
| Buff Extension | Buff Duration 10% Boost | Extends the duration of beneficial status effects. |
| Debuff Extension | Inflicted Debuff Duration 10% Boost | Extends the duration of detrimental status effects applied to enemies. |
| Needs More Materia | New Materia Slot | Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots. |
| Twin Stinger Sub-Core II - Weapon Level: 5 - Required SP: 16 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ATK Up | Attack Power +12 | Increases attack power attribute. |
| MATK Up | Magic Attack Power +12 | Increases magic attack power attribute. |
| Max MP Up | Max MP +15 | Increases maximum MP. |
| 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. |
| MP Recovery Up I | MP Regeneration 10% Boost | Significantly 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. |
| Twin Stinger Sub-Core III - Weapon Level: 6 - Required SP: 18 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ATK Up | Attack Power +15 | Increases attack power attribute. |
| MATK Up | Magic Attack Power +15 | Increases magic attack power attribute. |
| Elemental Defense Up | Elemental Defense 5% Boost | Reduces fire, ice, lightning, and wind damage taken. |
| Dominant Magic Defense | Magic Defense +5 with High HP | Increases magic defense when HP is 75% or higher. |
| MP Saver: Healing Spells | Healing Spells MP Cost Reduction 20% | Reduces MP cost of healing spells cast during battle. |
| Reprieve | Avoid Incapacitation once per battle. | Survive an otherwise fatal attack with 1 HP. Can only activate once per battle. |
Use[]
Artwork.
Twin Stinger has balanced attributes for Cloud in both attack power and magic attack, though it is geared more towards spell casting without compromising physical damage too heavily. It has the strongest materia growth of any of Cloud's weapons, but its main strength comes from its unlocked abilities. These include a boost to Cloud's MP, a further 10% reduction to physical or magical damage while guarding, a 10% boost both to buffs or inflicted debuff duration, a 10% increase to Cloud's MP regeneration, and a 20% MP cost reduction to his healing spells. This makes a more versatile spell casting weapon than the 
Mythril Saber, as its bonuses extend to his support and healing spells as well as his offensive spells.
Prior to Weapon Level 6, the Twin Stingers greatest advantage over Cloud's other weapons is its materia slots, reaching maximum capacity with six linked slots at level 5. It boasts an additional slot over the Mythril Saber, but while it is better in durability and physical damage, it also has a much lower magic attack stat, meaning the Mythril Saber will further optimize Cloud's magic damage. The Iron Blade has slightly better attributes and durability increases with only slightly worse materia slots, but is lacking in the MP provided. Twin Stinger is also comparable to the Buster Sword in its balanced approach, the Buster Sword having greater attribute bonuses, but slower materia slot growth and few bonuses to spell casting.
The Twin Stinger is a great weapon to use for Cloud in the spellcasting role, while its materia slots open up many options for other builds. It is a great weapon to capitalize on Cloud's natural versatility, while mostly improving his spellcasting capability. However, though the Mythril Saber makes more compromises in other attributes, it is a better choice if the player wishes to be more reliant on Cloud's magical damage. For players that want to make use of Cloud's versatility while still using him more for his physical damage than magical damage, the Buster Sword can be a better choice if the slower materia growth is an acceptable compromise.
In Hard Mode, this weapon's versatility through its elemental damage boost, increased MP regeneration and reduced MP cost for healing spells, can turn Cloud into an effective spellfighter and healer, specially if paired with accessories such as the Healing Carcanet. This is key to surviving Hard Mode where MP is a scarce and valuable resource.