Final Fantasy 2 - Weapons

Every weapon type in Final Fantasy 2 Pixel Remaster has its own proficiency track. Attack with a sword enough times and your sword skill rises from 1 toward 16, boosting damage and hit count with each level. Any character can equip any weapon type, but splitting proficiency across multiple types wastes battle actions. Pick one weapon type per character and commit to it. The leveling guide covers proficiency gains in detail; the walkthrough notes the best weapons available at each stage of the game.

But weapon choice isn't just about raw ATK. Every weapon type carries a magic penalty that reduces spell effectiveness while equipped. Knives and staves have the lowest penalty at 5%, making them ideal for characters who cast spells between attacks. Swords sit in the middle. Bows impose a 70% penalty, which is why dedicated mages should avoid them in the late game. Check the armor page for shield and body gear penalties that stack on top of weapon penalties.

Swords

Swords are the strongest and most varied weapon type in FF2, with 14 varieties ranging from the starting Broadsword to endgame legendaries. The Blood Sword drains HP equal to the damage dealt, making it the single most important weapon for certain boss fights (the Emperor in particular is trivialized by it). Excalibur is found in Deist after asking Elina about Dragoons; it's the best non-elemental sword for general use. Masamune waits in Pandaemonium as the game's strongest weapon at 150 ATK. Dual-wielding two swords doubles your proficiency gains per battle, so Firion benefits from going sword-and-sword early on.

Knives

Knives have low base power but carry only a 5% magic penalty, making them the go-to weapon for battlemage setups. Main Gauche boosts evasion, which is useful for characters you want dodging attacks while casting. Cat Claws and Orichalcum deal bonus damage that makes them competitive in the late game despite the weapon type's lower ATK ceiling.

Axes

Axes trade accuracy for raw power. They miss more often than swords, but when they connect, the damage is substantial. The Rune Axe at 95 ATK is a strong endgame option found in Pandaemonium. Guy makes a natural axe user; his high Strength offsets the accuracy issues, and axes pair well with a secondary fighter role.

Spears

Spears sit in the mid-range for ATK and come with some useful elemental bonuses. The Holy Lance is the best in class, dealing extra damage to undead enemies that fill the late-game dungeons. Ricard joins your party with spear proficiency already built up, so he's immediately effective without the leveling ramp other characters need when switching weapon types. Spears are a solid pick for a third physical attacker.

Staves

Staves carry the same 5% magic penalty as knives, making them ideal for dedicated casters who still want to swing a weapon. Diamond Mace pushes 90 ATK, which is respectable even by fighter standards. The Healing Staff casts Cure on hit, giving your healer a free heal every physical attack round. For Maria or Minwu, staves are generally the better choice over bows.

Bows

Bows are the only back-row weapon type, but they're also the weakest overall. The 70% magic penalty makes them a poor fit for any character who casts spells regularly. Yoichi's Bow is the strongest at 90 ATK. Maria can use bows early on for safe back-row damage, but she's better off switching to knives or staves once her spell levels catch up.