Final Fantasy 7 Remake weapons list and locations, plus abilities and best weapon recommendations explained

How to use and upgrade weapons in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Once you find an alternative weapon to equip, you can swap between them in the Materia and Equipment tab of the pause menu.

You can see what Materia slots they have and what level your weapon is, which will unlock further upgrades down the line through extended use in combat.

To upgrade your weapons, use the Upgrade Weapons tab in the pause menu.

You can pick specific upgrades from the rings to fine tune and focus your weapon's statistics, or tap Triangle in the equipment menu to automatically upgrade the weapons without your input, picking a balanced or attack/defence focus.

How to upgrade and unlock weapon abilities in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

The main reason players should seek out all of the weapons in Final Fantasy 7 Remake is to unlock their weapon abilities, a permanent benefit that stays with the character even if they unequip the accompanying weapon.

This means that you can significantly flesh out your skills by grinding out the proficiency meter across the game's arsenal, giving you access to a variety of interesting and useful skills that you can attune to your own personal build.

Once you pick up any given weapon, head into the Materia and Equipment tab in the pause menu, and you'll see the weapon ability appear in the top right corner in the form of a small video which displays how the controlled character would use it.

This also appears when buying it from a store.

At first, it will be locked to the weapon, but you can unlock it to be used across all weapons by repeatedly using the weapon ability in battle. This unlocks a proficiency bonus and lets you use the skill even when you don't have the corresponding weapon equipped.

You can easily grind this out over the course of the game - just make sure to swap out your equipment as soon as you get a new weapon so you can unlock the spells quickly and go back to your preferred build.

This is especially important for characters like Aerith who need a range of spells to be effective in battle. If you're stuck in an open-world section like the Wall Market, you could always head to Corneo's Coliseum in Chapter 9 to grind it out in the repeatable battles.

Some of the weapons in the below tables are found past the point of no return but know that you can still grind out the weapon abilities attached in the post-game, where you can use chapter selection to jump back into the action and grind to Level 50.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Cloud weapon list, including locations and abilities

Here is a list of all Cloud weapon locations and their respective abilities:

Cloud weapons	Weapon Ability	Weapon location
Buster Sword	Focused Thrust - Cloud lunges towards a single target with his sword, hitting multiple times and dealing significant stagger damage.	This is Cloud's starting weapon.
Iron Blade	Triple Slash - Cloud attacks three enemies in quick succession with a cleaving slash, the damage improving with each subsequent blow.	You'll get the Iron Blade during natural progression once you complete the neighbourhood watch quests in Chapter 3 and speak to the previously disgruntled Weapons Shop owner.
Hardedge	Infinity's End - A charged attack with a long preamble that results in a devastating overhead strike. Deals more damage to staggered enemies and drains 2 ATB.	You can purchase the Hardedge at the Wall Market Weapon Shop which is on the way up towards Don Corneo's Mansion in Chapter 9.
Nail Bat	Disorder - A focused strike delivered like a homerun baseball bat strike to the chosen enemies torso. Knocks enemies back and switches modes upon completion.	The Nail Bat is a reward for completing the "Kids on Patrol" sidequest in Chapter 8. Squeeze through the alley in the lower Sector 5 slums to find the quest giver.
Mythril Saber	Blade Burst - A charged attack that sees Cloud brace and then leap to fire a burst of Mako Energy that ripples across the floor towards multiple enemies.	You can buy the Mythril Saber during Chapter 14 at the Wall Market Weapon Shop.
Twin Stinger	Counterstance - Cloud will double back and prepare before unleashing a devastating counterattack on an enemy, dealing massive damage.	You can grab the Twin Stinger in Chapter 17 in the third level of The Drum. It's in a purple chest to the left of a set of stairs you must ascend to progress the objective.

Our Cloud best weapon recommendation in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Cloud starts out with the Buster Sword, which when upgraded will serve you well throughout the entire game. Arguably, his best weapon beyond that is Hardedge, which deals the most attack damage, sacrificing some magic power in the process.

Hardedge Stats: 57 Attack, 19 Magic
Hardedge Location: You can find Hardedge at the Weapon Shop in the Wall Market during Chapter 9. Purchase and equip it to increase your damage output.

The sword's special ability is Infinity's End, which is Cloud's only ability that requires 2 ATB. It deals massive damage and increases stagger by delivering an acrobatic overhead strike.

There are swords like the Twin Stinger that appear later in the game, but when fully upgraded the Hardedge still wins out for most physical damage, which is what Cloud specialises in, given, you know... the whole gigantic sword thing!

Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Barret weapon list, including locations and abilities

Here is a list of all Barret weapon locations and their respective abilities:

Barret weapons	Weapon Ability	Weapon location
Gatling Gun	Focused Shot - Barret charges and then blasts an enemy with a single shot that deals incredible stagger damage to a single target.	This is Barret's starting weapon.
Light Machine Gun	Lifesaver - Once used, Barret will automatically take damage that should harm other players in his party.	You will receive the Light Machine Gun as a reward for completing Chapter 6, no prior steps required.
EKG Cannon	Point Blank - Consumes all ATB and sees Barret lunge towards an enemy and plant a timed explosive on their body, which later deals AOE damage.	When you meet Mayor Domino in Shinra Tower in Chapter 17, his assistant Hart will offer you a hint for 10,000 Gil. Take him up on the offer to receive the cannon.
Big Bertha	Maximum Fury - Barret sprays a devastating stream of ammo at an enemy, automatically switching to another target if they fall.	Purchase Big Bertha in Chapter 13 from the weapons vendor in the ruined playground after Sector 7 is evacuated.
Steel Pincers	Charging Uppercut - This close-range uppercut attack hooks and then launches a single enemy into the air after being charged.	You can buy the Steel Pincers from the Moogle Merchant in Chapter 14. Squeeze through the alley in the lower Sector 5 slums to find him.
Wrecking Ball	Smackdown - Barret wallops the floor in front of him, sending enemies flying and dealing massive damage when used against a group.	Complete the "Subterranean Menace" sidequest in Chapter 14, given by Wymer in the ruined playground post-evacuation.

Our Barret best weapon recommendation in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Barrett starts out with the Gatling Gun, but the breadth of weapons available to him throughout the game is impressive. Barrett can use melee weapons as well as light machine guns that fire shorter bursts.

Arguably, his best weapon is Big Bertha, a devastating turret with blistering attack speed.

Big Bertha Stats: 45 Attack, 30 Magic
Big Bertha Location: You can purchase this from the makeshift Weapon Shop in the playground of Sector 6 once Sector 7 is evacuated.

The best part about Big Bertha is the special attack attached to it, Maximum Fury. This lets out a sustained salvo of bullets that lasts as long as Barrett's ATB meter will carry him.

When paired with an Elemental Materia, this ability is devastating and will quickly stagger bosses and other formidable enemies.

Weapons like the Wrecking Ball are found later in the game and deal more damage but remove Barret's ranged capabilities, turning him into a melee fighter - something that is often too situational to be of any real use, so stick with a long-ranged weapon and unlock the abilities of weapons like the Steel Pincers and the Wrecking Ball to have a truly versatile build.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Tifa weapon list, including locations and abilities

Here is a list of all Tifa weapon locations and their respective abilities:

Tifa weapons	Weapon Ability	Weapon location
Leather Gloves	Divekick - Tifa leaps into the air and blasts a single target with a full-footed dive, dealing a great amount of damage.	This is Tifa's starting weapon.
Sonic Strikers	Focused Strike - Tifa will dash away from the immediate action, evading damage, before returning with a charged strike that quickly increases stagger.	Open a purple chest in Chapter 7 after a set of keycard terminals on the way to Airbuster.
Metal Knuckles	Overpower - An excellent means to pressure enemies, use this lunge attack in conjunction with basic combos to stagger foes quickly.	Beat the Crab Warden in Chapter 5 and they will be added to your inventory.
Feathered Gloves	Starshower - Tifa darts between and through an enemies body, delivering strikes at each hit point. Great for dealing with large groups and focusing damage when an enemy is staggered.	The Feathered Gloves are found in the sewers in Chapter 10. Once you drain the first water basin, head down into it before moving on to find a purple chest.
Mythril Claws	Chi Trap - Tifa summons an orb that deals damage over time to enemies that are caught in its wide orbit. Great for controlling and stunning groups.	You'll obtain the Mythril Claws after defeating the Failed Experiment in Chapter 13.
Purple Pain	True Strike - Tifa winds up before delivering a haymaker to the chosen target, filling their stagger bar with immediate effect.	In Chapter 16, Tifa falls whilst climbing a series of lights. When this happens, climb on top of a car ahead of you and head west, using monkey bars to get to this purple chest.

Our Tifa best weapon recommendation in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Tifa is the warrior of the troupe and doesn't need any weapons to take down foes. Instead, she uses gloves and knuckles to do the job. Tifa starts out with Leather Gloves, which are admittedly strong but there is plenty of room for improvement.

Arguably, Tifa's best weapon is Purple Pain, a pair of violet gloves that you pick up in Chapter 16 when you're infiltrating Shinra Headquarters. These gloves deal a very impressive amount of damage and are great for quickly staggering enemies.

Purple Pain Stats: 51 Attack, 41 Magic
Purple Pain Location: You'll know it when it happens in Chapter 16, but when you're in control of Tifa, you'll fall to the floor after a platforming section. When that happens, climb the show cars in front of you and use the overhead bars to reach the chest on the far left side.

---

Looking for more help with Final Fantasy VII Remake? Learn how to get the Best Materia, which can be levelled with easy AP sources. There's also Summons to unlock, most of which you get from completing Intel Battle Reports. Once you've finished the game, it's worth unlocking the remaining Final Fantasy 7 Dresses by choosing the correct options during the Johnny, Heads or Tails and Madam M massage course choices, and finding any weapon locations or Music Discs you left behind. And if you've just started, then learn what to do during the timer choice and the Lost Friends quest.

---

Final Fantasy 7 Remake - Aerith weapon list, including locations and abilities

Here is a list of all Aerith weapon locations and their respective abilities:

Aerith weapons	Weapon Ability	Weapon location
Guard Stick	Arcane Ward - Aerith summons a ward below her feet or that of another party member which causes spells used inside its confines to cast twice.	This is Aerith's starting weapon.
Silver Staff	Sorcerous Storm - Aerith pulls back and releases a devastating AOE attack around her person, dealing massive magic damage to those nearby.	In Chapter 9, you can purchase this staff from The Moogle Emporium in the Sector 5 Slums for two Moogle Medals.
Arcane Scepter	Fleeting Familiar - Aerith summons a butterfly fairy which launches extra attacks at enemies around her when spells and other abilities are used.	Depending on the choices you make in Chapter 9 you'll either have the Shears' Counterattack or A Dynamite Body side quest. Complete either to receive this weapon.
Reinforced Staff	ATB Ward - Aerith summons a ward beneath her or a party member's feet that allows those who cast spells within its confines to regain a segment of the ATB used when casting.	In Hojo's lab as soon as Chapter 17 starts, open up the purple chest in the starting room.
Mythril Rod	Ray of Judgment - Aerith charges her rod and then delivers a hyper beam of pure damage towards an enemy target, dealing great stagger and magic damage.	In the Train Graveyard in Chapter 11, ignore the objective to climb a ladder and explore what remains of the train compartment to find a purple chest with this weapon inside.
Bladed Staff	Lustrous Shield - Aerith summons a magical shield around her that consumes projectiles and repels enemy attacks. Fantastic for surviving boss encounters.	Use the Steal Materia against Eligor, the chariot boss battle at the end of Chapter 11.

Our Aerith best weapon recommendation in Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Aerith is the caster of the group, but she can also deal tons of damage with her basic attacks if you're chaining them properly.

She starts out with the Guard Stick, which is fairly useless beyond the excellent Arcane Ward ability.

Aerith's best weapon is the Mythril Rod, which has great Materia capacity and offers players the Ray of Judgment ability, a laser of death that drains all of your ATB, sustaining massive damage on the targeted enemy.

Mythril Rod Stats: 24 Attack, 92 Magic
Mythril Rod Location: When you start Chapter 11 and enter the Train Graveyard, you should see a chest accessible through a train compartment in the starting Switchyard which is hued in purple. This box contains the Mythril Rod. Beyond that chapter, you can purchase it from any weapon shop.

Other weapons, such as the the Bladed Staff, do show up later in the game, but they still can't match the unbelievable magic damage of the Mythril Rod when it is fully upgraded.

Given magic is Aerith's main stat, this is the best choice if you want to get rid of enemies quickly with powerful spellcasting prowess.