Weapon upgrading primer.

[Tyche]

I'm on the 5th chapter (I know, LOL @ me. I'm beyond busy). Weapon upgrading just opened, but I've not pulled the trigger because I'm afraid to start the wrong weapon and what-not. I tend to do the first run-through of a game without a guide (ever since the fucking FFVII strat guide ruined lives with epic spoiling). Yet, I'd like to have some kind of guidance on weapon upgrading. Anyone know a good, largely spoiler free guide just for weapon upgrading? Sorry if this is posted somewhere, I searched, but couldn't find anything.

[Kenshiin]

There are a couple of links around that shows the upgrade paths for each characters weapons. There's also this experience calculator that can show you how much EXP you need to max out weapons or accessories.

http://1517dp.com/blog/ff-xiii-exp-calc

This walkthrough link will work pretty good also. It shows the different weapons and catalyst needed.

http://ff-13.info/


But just to let you know, I beat the game just fine without upgrading a single weapon or accessory untill after I was finished. So feel free to ignore upgrading until later.

[Eggroll]

I used ff-13.info as well. I wouldn't get too hung up on upgrading items though, equipment makes far less of a difference compared to other games. In general though, try to upgrade weapons with large stat bonuses in 1 area rather than weapons where str and magic are more evenly distributed (ex. mag+ weapons for Hope, str+ weapons for Fang). Try to stay away from weapons that enhance abilities and traits as well, most of the time the bonuses are pretty underwhelming and the weapons usually have a fairly large decrease in str / mag compared to other equipment.

[Sqwunk]

Try to stay away from weapons that enhance abilities and traits as well

I have to disagree with you on this. Sazh's Spica Defenders (Which give extra duration to his buffs) are great for helping out in longer fights. All those weapons like that are excellent.

Lightnings 2 best weapons, and the topic of many debates, Is the Axis Blade and Lionheart, neither has great stats, but has great weapon abilities.

One of Vanilles best weapons is the Belladonna Wand which has improved debuffing, an essential weapon if you plan on taking advantage of using Death, or if you plan on getting any of her debuffs to stick on bosses.

And if you plan on needing a Sentinel on your team like Snow, he has 2 weapons made for tanking, one for magic damage and one for physical damage.

[Plow]

Yeah I'm in love with the ones that extend stagger time, it's great for killing stuff you can barely manage.

[Eggroll]

I have to disagree with you on this. Sazh's Spica Defenders (Which give extra duration to his buffs) are great for helping out in longer fights. All those weapons like that are excellent.

Lightnings 2 best weapons, and the topic of many debates, Is the Axis Blade and Lionheart, neither has great stats, but has great weapon abilities.

One of Vanilles best weapons is the Belladonna Wand which has improved debuffing, an essential weapon if you plan on taking advantage of using Death, or if you plan on getting any of her debuffs to stick on bosses.

And if you plan on needing a Sentinel on your team like Snow, he has 2 weapons made for tanking, one for magic damage and one for physical damage.

Er.. should've been more clear. The stagger weapons are really good (Quick stagger and stagger duration up), but the weapons that improve traits on the crystarium (such as improved siphon abilities) really seem useless when you look at the sacrifice you have to make in stats. As for Belladonna wand, I never really noticed a increase in the chance of death landing, even using the Morbol wand. The improved debuffing skills really aren't very good from my own personal experience, I don't have problems landing enfeebles with Fang using Kain's lance (upgraded from Dragoon lance). Switching to Sabx3 will pretty much give the mob every enfeeble that it's vulnerable too. Depends on your preference though.

[Meresgi]

Er.. should've been more clear. The stagger weapons are really good (Quick stagger and stagger duration up), but the weapons that improve traits on the crystarium (such as improved siphon abilities) really seem useless when you look at the sacrifice you have to make in stats.

The amount of stats you get solely from the crystalarium more then out weigh the 200+/- on a weapon. And most weapons that have that large of a negative in stats have a worthless bonus too. But if its only like a +/- of 100ish and the bonus is decent, I always go for that weapon over just a pure stat one.

[Plow]

Anyone see any reason to get anything other than the stagger speed up and stagger maintenance ones on people that can use em?


edit: by "get" I mean "invest in upgrading"

[Sqwunk]

My Sazh has the chain bonus boost weapon but I dont really use it, I stick to his Synergist weapon because by the time i swap sazh from synergist to Rav or Com the fight is almost over. I can see them being useful in a boss fight but that means i would have to re-apply buffs more often.

[Plow]

edit: nvmdn I just noticed the "which weapons" thread

[Akiyama]

I'm actually leveling/plan on finishing Lightning's Ultima Weapon to it's cap to have for cases where I need to raise the stagger point a ton. She's using the Gladius/Omega Weapon right now. Fang has the Taming, and Hope has the wtfMAG+ one. His isn't even the omega yet because Turtles have been dicks with their Plat Ingots. It's close, though.

As far as Sazh/Vanille/Snow.. I may go Defender with Snow, and the one that keeps the stagger gauge longer on Sazh. Vanille = Malboro Wand.