Difference between weapons?

[Kaylia]

Anyone has a list of the differences betweens weapons type? Some are obvious, but I'm not sure what's the effect for certain type. Also, what armor type should be used (does it matters if you pick a heavy/light armor when no stats are changed)

Sword:
Great Sword:
Katana:
Axe and hammer:
Ninja sword:
Hand to hand:
Spear:
Maces:
Rods:
Staff:
Pole:
Bow:
Crossbow:
Gun:
Measure:


Last question, how many "special" animation is there for every characters when victory fanfare is played after a boss fight. Fran only have bow? Vaan sword?

[Charla]

The gamefaqs guide labelled "power walkthrough" has a very good breakdown of the damage formulas for each weapon, and a ranking of their attack speed and relative multi-attack rates.

As for the victory poses, it depends on what you mean by special. Fran with a sword also sticks it in the ground behind her sometimes. I've mostly played with bows, swords, Gswords and katanas so far, but I suspect that each character can do something with any weapon, just not every time.

[Popsiclestick]

When I beat that fire-like horse in the beginning of the game, Vaan was equipped with a rod. Instead of holding rod, he had a ball the size of his palm =3

[Halleberry]

Fanfare poses are random, Fran is almost always present with either a bow, sword and sheild or katana, several times she just stood there, with no weapon, sometimes she holds the bow, and has an arrow in her mouth, other times she throws the sword into the ground and walks forward.
Vaan and Balthier both throw the sword into the ground, balthier steps on it, takes out a napkin and wipes his shoe.
Balthier does some fancy shit with his katana then puts it behind his back.

Thats all i can remember off the top of my head

[Kurohyou]

According to the BradyGames Guide, for each weapon the damage is based on:

Swords: character's strength, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Daggers: character's strength, character's speed, enemy's defense
Axes/Hammers: character's strength, character's vitality, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Maces: character's magick power, enemy's defense
Measures: weapon's attack, ignores defense
Greatswords: character's strength, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Katana: character's strength, character's magick power, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Ninja Swords: character's strength, character's speed, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Spears: character's strength, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Poles: character's strength, weapon's attack, enemy's magic defense
Rods: character's strength, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Staves: character's strength, character's magic power, weapon's attack, enemy's defense
Bows: character's strength, character's speed, weapon's attack, arrow's attack, enemy's defense
Crossbows: character's strength, weapon's attack, bolt's attack, enemy's defense
Guns: weapon's attack, bullet's attack, ignores defense
Hand-Bombs: character's strength, character's vitality, weapon's attack, enemy's defense

It doesn't make reference to weapon attack power (on daggers) or ammo (on hand-bombs) affecting damage, but I would assume it does.

[Charla]

And healing rod and rod of faith use the gun/measure equation instead of the rod one, meaning they ignore character str and target def.

[Kaylia]

As for the victory poses, it depends on what you mean by special. Fran with a sword also sticks it in the ground behind her sometimes. I've mostly played with bows, swords, Gswords and katanas so far, but I suspect that each character can do something with any weapon, just not every time.

What I mean is that I never got a weapon specific victory poses for certain type. Like rod and staff with Vaan always give me the victory pose without weapon, instead of a fancy animation specific for that weapon.

Fanfare poses are random, Fran is almost always present with either a bow, sword and sheild or katana, several times she just stood there, with no weapon, sometimes she holds the bow, and has an arrow in her mouth, other times she throws the sword into the ground and walks forward.
Vaan and Balthier both throw the sword into the ground, balthier steps on it, takes out a napkin and wipes his shoe.
Balthier does some fancy shit with his katana then puts it behind his back.

Thats all i can remember off the top of my head

I'm trying to get one for Vaan with a club and havent seen one in 5-6 fight. Same with spear for Fran. That's why I was asking. It's true you wont get it 100% of the time, but there is some weapon that dont seem to have any.

[Charla]

Well that makes sense too. Maybe they only made poses for the good weapon types and the ones that make sense for the character to be using.

[Falconblade]

Vaan with a Great Sword thrusts it into the ground, jumps on top of it and Crouches. Like a Gargoyle on olden Buildings.

[divisortheory]

So what is everyone "supposed" to be using? I have Vaan: Sword, Balthier: Katana, Basch: Hammer, Fran: Bow, Ashe: Rod, Penelo: Sword.

[Kurohyou]

I think the guide said something somewhere about seeing them "pose with their favorite weapons"...though as far as I know that could simply mean whatever weapons you happen to have them using.

I haven't noticed a pattern, but I haven't really been looking for one.

[Resin]

So what is everyone "supposed" to be using? I have Vaan: Sword, Balthier: Katana, Basch: Hammer, Fran: Bow, Ashe: Rod, Penelo: Sword.

as long as that character has the license for that weapon, they can use any type of weapon. Some characters have increased proficiency with some weapons of course though:

Vaan: increased crit rate with daggers and increased combo rate with Katanas
Basch: increased crit rate with polearms
Balthier: increased crit rate with guns
Fran: increased crit rate with bows
Ashe: increased combo rate with Great Katanas
Penelo: increased crit rate with staves/rods

[DeadLegend]

in 153 hours of running around killing shit I probably saw 3 critical hits.

[Scythiroth]

I'm pretty sure I've only seen criticals on ranged weapons. Only tried bows and guns though.

[divisortheory]

That's weird, I see criticals pretty often lol.

[Scythiroth]

Are my weapons broken? ; ;

[DeadLegend]

I had one critical at the very beginning of the game, I think I had one in the sandsea, and if I really did have another, I can't remember where it occurred. However I am fairly sure I only received 4-5 crits the whole time so it's balanced at least. lol

[Evelyn]

you should see criticals with ranged weapons about as often as you see multi-hits with melee ones. remember you can't multi hit with ranged, and can't crit with melee

[Scythiroth]

you should see criticals with ranged weapons about as often as you see multi-hits with melee ones. remember you can't multi hit with ranged, and can't crit with melee

Oh ok, that's what it is then. That makes sense.

[DeadLegend]

The crit I performed in the beginning of the game was Vaan with a dagger or a sword.