Fairy Tale

Weapon Tier List – September 2023

Best Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis Weapons for each character and what to focus your build on.

By the end of this article we hope that you will be able to:

  • Know the best weapon for each character
  • Understand why we classify those best weapons as such based on our justification
  • Not waste resources building non-META weapons that might not be useful for your gaming account (especially if you’re a free-to-play player)

Overview

This tier list was made during the launch week of the game in September 2023. As we expected, there were some changes in the weapons post BETA testing and we’ve included those changes into our consideration while making this tier list. We would like to make it clear that this tier list:

  • Is NOT GUARANTEED TO BE FUTURE PROOF for the coming weeks or months since the featured banners that will have Stamp Sheets will rotate every now and then to introduce new weapons into the game that might be stronger that the S tier weapons listed in this article as of now
  • Will only take into consideration of the Main Weapon for each character only because building a character is a totally different ball game and will not be discussed thoroughly in this write-up
  • Is subjective; we understand that you the readers would have different biases towards certain characters and builds but we try to be as rational as possible our justifications when we highlight a certain weapon to be of a higher tier compared to your favorite weapon
  • Make sure to check out the Weapon System Guide for more information on how it all works:

Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis Weapon Tier List: Launch Week - September 2023

S Tier: Weapons that are considered to be the best of the best compared to other available weapons for the character. They have high stats, damage multipliers and useful C-abilities that are useful in battles. You can never go wrong when you dump your resources into these weapons

A Tier: Considered to be very good weapons, they may not be as powerful as S Tier weapons but are powerful enough to clear contents in the game. These weapons are worth to invest in albeit the limited in-game resources that we have to grind for

B Tier: Weapons that are still considered good but not as powerful as the weapons listed in S Tier and also A Tier. Investing into these weapons might be a waste of resources unless you’re doing so to make it as a sub-equipment weapon for its R-ability and raw stats (Please check our article about how the weapon system works to understand more)

Cloud Strife

Cloud
TierWeapons
S TierMurasame
Apocalypse
Crystal Sword
A TierHardedge
Buster Sword
B TierEverything else

Justifications:

  • Murasame and Apocalypse combined together turns Cloud into a living-killing-machine that destroy bosses.
  • Crystal Sword can make Cloud into a hybrid DPS-healer when you want to build a team of two (2) main DPS plus a support defense debuffer (for example: Cloud, Tifa & Barret) to take down enemies faster – Cloud with a Crystal Sword can act as a healer to increase the team’s survival rate while also dishing out a great amount of damage.
  • Hardedge – This weapon can make Cloud into a main DPS + debuffer
  • Buster Sword – Great free weapon we get, no complaints

Tifa Lockhart

Tifa
TierWeapons
S TierSonic Striker
A TierTiger Fangs
Leather Gloves
Motor Drive
B TierEverything else
Sonic Striker
Tifa’s Sonic Striker that was changed after BETA

Justifications:

  • Sonic Striker currently has the HIGHEST physical non-elemental damage multiplier at a whooping 990% - with the current situation where we are just scratching the surface about min-maxing character builds, this weapon will not insane damage in the future with the right combinations of sub-weapons and also materias
  • Tiger Fangs and Leather Gloves are good to make sure bosses don’t do lethal damage to the team rather it be physical or magic damage. But, the game design rewards players that can kill bosses faster and thus, it’s more better to debuff the boss’ physical or magic defense
  • Motor Drive is also a great DPS weapon for Tifa that grants her to do Wind elemental damage to enemies

Barret Wallace

Barret
TierWeapons
S TierW Machine
Enemy Launcher
Assault Gun
A TierFlame Projector
Microlaser
B TierEverything else
Special Note: Microlaser is not released in-game yet and was only available in the BETA
W Machine
Barret’s W Machine was nerfed post BETA

Justifications:

  • Despite W Machine being nerfed post BETA, it is still an important weapon for Barret to be a defense debuffer for a team that already has a main single-target DPS character
  • Enemy Launcher can deal a powerful AOE physical attack which helps clear those smaller mobs that comes along with the big boss so the single-target DPS can focus on the boss and ignore the small fries
  • Assault gun makes Barret a flexible character and gives him access to supporting skills that can boost defense and gives out a small AOE heal
  • Both Flame Projector and Microlaser deals elemental AOE attack, fire and ice respectively
  • Microlaser may undergo some changes when it releases in the future

Aerith Gainsborough

Aerith
TierWeapons
S TierFairy Tale
A TierEverything else
B Tier
Fairy Tale
The only weapon you need for Aerith

Justifications:

  • As explained in our re-roll guide, getting this weapon from the beginning of your gameplay will make your gaming experience in Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis a more pleasant one
  • Fairy Tale as a main primary weapon and combined with any of the staffs that can deal elemental AOE magic damage can make Aerith into a hybrid damage dealer with a primary role of being a healer
  • Combined with Mythril Rod, Aerith has access to a buffing C-ability that could help the party

Red XIII (Nanaki)

Red XIII
TierWeapons
S TierGold Collar
Sleek Collar
Rubber Collar
A TierPlatinum Collar
Junk Collar
B TierEverything else

Justifications:

  • Gold Collar (in the main weapon slot) combined with either Sleek Collar or Rubber Collar (in the secondary main weapon slot) turns Nanaki into a great defensive supporting character that has access to tools like Regen, AOE healing and Magic Defense Up to make sure the team’s survivability rate goes up when facing a boss with high magic attacks
  • Rubber Collar has a very strong single target healing ability and gives regen to another team member as well
  • The Gold Collar gives a C-ability that deals a powerful AOE magic non-elemental attack that also reduces the enemy’s magic defense
  • Junk Collar does a strong single-target attack that reduces the enemy’s magic attack (much like Tifa’s weapons – Tiger Fang)

Zack Fair

Zack
TierWeapons
S TierZweihander
Cutlass
Arc Sword
A TierFalchion
Enchance Swords
B TierEverything else

Justifications:

  • Zweihander is a free weapon we get from the pre-registration mile stone but it’s also Zack’s most powerful single-target non-elemental attack.
  • Cutlass combines well with any of Zack’s weapon that has physical attacks C-abilities because Cutlass is mainly used to reduce the enemy’s physical defense
  • Investing in both Zweihander and Cutlass earlier on is great if you’re aiming to make Zack as your main DPS carry for your team that you are building to clear the game’s content
  • Arc Sword dishes ut a powerful single target non-elemental magic attack that also reduces the enemy’s magic defense. This weapon works well will Red’s Platinum Collar if you’re thinking of running them both in the same team
  • Falchion and Enhance Sword are placed in the A Tier because it’s not everyday you‘ll be required to have specific elemental damages like wind or fire respectively
  • Compared to Zweihander and Arc Sword that can be used in a more general setup, we believe investing in Falchion and Enhance Sword would be less cost effective in the long run

Glenn Lodbrok

Glenn
TierWeapons
S TierApology in Hell
Personal Style
Rest in Peace
A TierPiece of Cake
Jiggy Fam
Shockbuster
B TierEverything else

Justifications:

  • Apology in Hell is Glenn’s best non-elemental single target physical attack weapon. You can’t go wrong investing in this weapon with your resources if you want to include Glenn in your team for the long run
  • Personal Style is also a great option for you to use on Glenn if you didn’t manage to get Apology in Hell for him.
  • Rest in Peace is placed in S Tier not because of the C-ability but because of it’s RAW STAT that it provides when equipped as a sub-equipment weapon (one in the three available slots)
  • Rest in Peace has the highest attack stat in the game as of now and investing in this weapon to use as a  sub-equipment weapon is a great investment indeed
  • Jiggy Fam and Shockbuster gives Glenn the flexibility to deal specific elemental damage (earth and lightning respectively)
  • There are better AOE damage dealers compared to Glenn such as Barret and these weapons should not be in your priority list to be upgraded

Matt Winsord

TierWeapons
S TierPrime Number
Killer Hornet
Broadway Axis
A TierStingray
Absolute Royal
B TierEverything else

Justifications:

  • Prime Number combined with either Killer Hornet or Broadsword Axis will make Matt as a hybrid DPS-healer that would enable a party that consists of three damage dealers that has a team member with access to a powerful AOE healing skill
  • Prime Number is S Tier – End of debate
  • Killer Hornet and Broadsword Axis are great single target physical attack options for Matt and these two (2) weapons are considered a level above the rest and therefore we deemed them to be in the S Tier for this very reason
  • Stingray is a great single-target magic attack option that also has the ability to reduce the enemy’s magic defense
  • If you’re not using Killer Hornet and/or Broadsword Axis, investing in Stingray to make Matt a DPS and also a mag defense debuffer is also a viable option in his build
  • Absolute royal gives Matt access to ice elemental attacks which is kind of niche and therefore not a priority compared to the other four (4) weapons to be built

Lucia Lin

Lucia
TierWeapons
S TierBlack Rifle
Mad Minute
A TierPulse Gun
V39
Serpent Eater
B TierEverything else

Justifications:

  • Black Rifle is in the S Tier because of one reason and one reason only: this is the only weapon that can inflict silence on the enemy target – A really broken ability when used in the right circumstances
  • Mad Minute provides a great non-elemental single-target physical attack that reduces the enemy’s target’s magic attack
  • Mad Minute also has a great R-ability that increase command stance physical and magic attack by 100%
  • Investing in Black Rifle and Mad Minute is absolutely worth every penny
  • Pulse Gun, V39 and also Serpent Eater is listed because these weapons can provide some flexibility in building your Lucia the way you want to
  • Pulse Gun gives her water elemental attack (single target)
  • V39 makes her do AOE physical non-elemental attacks
  • Serpent Eater makes Lucia do an AOE wind magic attack

Closing

  • Knowing the best weapons for each character, is important but it’s equally as important to know which weapon to equip when facing a certain enemy
  • Some enemies are weak to physical attacks while some are weak to magic attacks, this fact will also should be taken into consideration when you are investing your in-game resources to level up a weapon
  • Having the best weapons also does not guarantee you victory as it’s also important to have knowledge in knowing how to build a balance and effective team

In the next coming articles, we hope to share our knowledge in team-building, creating effective combos between characters and their weapons and many more; Thank you for visiting EverCrisis.gg and stay tuned for the next article!

A. P. Raphael
A. P. Raphael

Mr. Rapha has over 20 years of experience playing trading card games (TCGs), starting with Magic: The Gathering during the release of the Mercadian Masques expansion. A regular at his local MTG game store, he is often found competing in Friday Night Magic events or assisting friends in preparation for MTG APAC tournaments. In the digital space, he has reached Dad Legend in Hearthstone multiple times. Now, he brings his passion and expertise to Pokémon TCG Pocket, eager to share his knowledge with our readers.

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