Final Fantasy I Anniversary Edition › Guides

Final Fantasy 1 Weapons: FF1 best weapons, weapon list & locations

by Alex Donaldson on 27 July, 2021

The first entry in the Final Fantasy series took many classic role-playing game tropes from pen-and-paper games and the limited video games of the time and turned them to its own ends - and one such system is that of the weapons. 

The range of weapons in FF1 is smaller than in subsequent entries, but there’s still more than enough to leave something of a question about the best weapons in the game, which in large part depends on your choices of character and job. This guide aims to help you to understand the weapons of FF1 and your best options with a comprehensive weapon list.

Be warned that other versions of the game on platforms like PS1, PSP, and Game Boy Advance have more weapons available, including references to later FF games and famous weapons from throughout the series. 

These weapons were available in post-game dungeons not available in this version - so they’re absent from the original NES and new HD Pixel Remaster versions of the game - and thus absent from this guide. These are all of the weapons in the core, original version of FF1.

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Best Weapons in Final Fantasy I

Because it’s a much more simple game than later entries in the series, the weapon system in FF1 is likewise much more simplistic. There are less weapons overall, and while they do fit into a few basic categories - Swords, Daggers, Axes, Hammers, Nunchaku, and Staves - the weapon types don’t have much of an effect. Each individual weapon can be equipped by certain character classes and jobs - though varies based on the weapon, not on the category. 

Among all this, is there a best weapon in FF1? Well… yes and no. There is absolutely a best, most powerful weapon in the game - but it’s very limited and difficult to access. With that said, we can also note some other weapons that are particularly useful and worth having in your inventory:

  • Masamune is hands-down the best weapon in FF1. It’s unique in that it’s not just a hugely powerful sword, but it can be used by any character, regardless of class. That means you can even turn a White Mage healer into a powerful physical attacker. The Masamune is found as loot, but only in the game’s final dungeon.
  • Excalibur is the second-best weapon in the game. Another sword, you can only obtain it if you get the rare Adamantite item from the Flying Fortress Dungeon, then trade it to the blacksmith in Mt. Duergar. 
  • The best sword you can simply buy over-the-counter in a store is the Long Sword, which can be had in Melmond for 1500 Gil. However, there’s plenty of better swords available as loot.
  • Generally speaking, you shouldn’t worry about weapons for your Black Belt/Master. There are a couple of Nunchaku they can equip, but the Monk classes don’t have the same weapon-based progression as the other jobs. Soon enough they'll do more damage bare-handed than they would with a weapon.
  • If you’re sticking to traditional Mage weapons for your Black Mage/Wizard, the best weapon is the Spellbinder, a powerful staff with a useful special effect.
  • There’s quite a lot of undead enemies in this game, including a couple of the more significant FF1 bosses. A few weapons, such as the Sunblade sword and Light Axe, are more effective against the Undead, and therefore particularly useful against several bosses and in several dungeons.

With these notes given, and keeping in mind that this weapon guide only covers the content in the NES original and HD Pixel Remaster (any extra weapons from PS1/PSP/GBA etc such as Ultima Weapon are not in those versions), you can chase those weapons as a priority - but honestly, you should always just buy the next best weapon available to you, on a treadmill. It isn’t really tenable in FF1 to target all the best weapons from early on.

In fact, getting the best weapons in FF1 is often about economy - you’ll also need money for spells, items, and armor - so it’s about budgeting for the best overall party setup.

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Final Fantasy Weapon list: all FF1 weapons

Below, we list every weapon in the base version of the first Final Fantasy - that is the NES original. The new HD Pixel Remaster version of FF1 is also based on the NES original - so this is also the weapon list for that game. The references to other FF games and other added weapons from later versions aren’t present.

There’s still good weapon choice in this version of the game, however. We’ve broken it down by category: Swords, Daggers, Axes, Hammers, Nunchaku, and Staff-type magic weapons.

Swords:

  • Broadsword
    • Damage: 7 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard, Black Mage/Wizard
    • Found as loot in Elfheim & Marsh Cave 2F
    • For sale in Pravoca for 175 Gil.
  • Rapier
    • Damage: 9 // Hit Rate: 5
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Warrior
    • For sale in Cornelia for 10 Gil.
  • Scimitar
    • Damage: 10 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard
    • For sale from Pravoca for 200 Gil.
  • Saber
    • Damage: 13 // Hit Rate: 5
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Magic users.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard
    • Found as loot in Cornelia.
    • For sale in Elfheim & Melmond for 450 Gil.
  • Falchion
    • Damage: 15 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard
    • Found as loot in the Western Keep.
    • For sale in Melmond for 450 Gil. 
  • Rune Blade
    • Damage: 18 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Warrior
    • Found as loot in the Temple of Chaos.
  • Werebane
    • Damage: 18 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Special Effect: Strong against were (werewolf-like) enemies.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Temple of Chaos
  • Wyrmkiller
    • Damage: 19 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Dragon enemies.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard
    • Found as loot in Mt. Duergar. 
  • Coral Sword
    • Damage: 19 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Water Enemies.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard
    • Found as loot in Terra Cavern
  • Claymore
    • Damage: 21 // Hit Rate: 20
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Giant Enemies
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Mt. Gulg 2F
  • Venom Blade
    • Damage: 22 // Hit Rate: 20
    • Special Effect: Casts Poison on all enemies.
    • Equippable by: Knight, Red Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Flying Fortress 1F
  • Mythril Sword
    • Damage: 23 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • For sale in Elfheim or Crescent Lake for 4000 Gil.
  • Vorpal Sword
    • Damage: 24 // Hit Rate: 25
    • Equippable by: Knight, Red Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Tower of Mirage 1F
  • Flame Sword
    • Damage: 26 // Hit Rate: 20
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Undead & Ice element.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in ice Cavern L2
  • Ice Brand 
    • Damage: 29 // Hit Rate: 25
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Fire Element.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Mt Gulg L4, Citadel of Trials L3
  • Long Sword
    • Damage: 29 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • For sale in Melmond for 1500 Gil
  • Defender
    • Damage: 30 // Hit Rate: 35
    • Special Effect: Casts White Magic Blink (evasion up) on the user.
    • Equippable by: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard
    • Found as loot in Waterfall Cavern
  • Sunblade
    • Damage: 32 // Hit Rate: 30
    • Special Effect: Strong vs Undead enemies.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Tower of Mirage 2F.
  • Sasuke
    • Damage: 33 // Hit Rate: 35
    • Equippable by: Ninja
    • Found as loot in Flying Fortress 3F & Temple of Chaos Fire Floor (with Marilith)
  • Excalibur
    • Damage: 45 // Hit Rate: 35
    • Special Effect: Strong vs All Monsters.
    • Equippable by: Knight
    • Found as loot in: Mt. Duergar, but only if you have Adamantite - get it from the Flying Fortress, then trade it with the Blacksmith there. 
  • Masamune
    • Damage: 56 // Hit Rate: 50
    • Equippable by: All Classes
    • Found as loot in the Temple of Chaos, Air/Wind Floor (with Tiamat)

Daggers:

  • Knife
    • Damage: 5 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard, Black Mage/Wizard
    • For sale in Cornelia for 5 Gil.
  • Mythril Knife
    • Damage: 10 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Thief/Ninja, Red Mage/Wizard, Black Mage/Wizard
    • Found as loot in Cornelia Castle & Marsh Cave 3F.
    • For sale in Crescent Lake for 800 Gil.
  • Dagger
    • Damage: 15 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Red Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Marsh Cave L2 and/or Pravoca. 
    • For sale in Elfheim for 550 Gil.
  • Cat Claws
    • Damage: 22 / Hit Rate: 35
    • Equippable by: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard, Black Wizard
    • For sale in Gaia for 65,000 Gil.

Axes:

  • Battle Axe
    • Damage: 16 // Hit Rate: 5
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Ninja
    • For sale in Pravoca for 550 Gil
  • Great Axe
    • Damage: 22 // Hit Rate: 5
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Titan’s Cave.
  • Mythril Axe
    • Damage: 25 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Mt. Gulg 2F.
    • For sale in Crescent Lake for 4500 Gil.
  • Light Axe
    • Damage: 28 // Hit Rate 15
    • Special Effect: Strong against Undead enemies. Casts Diara in battle.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Sunken Shrine, twice - on 2F and 4F.

Hammers:

  • Hammer
    • Damage: 9 // Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, White Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • For sale in Cornelia or Pravoca for 10 Gil.
  • Mythril Hammer
    • Damage: 12 // Hit Rate: 5
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, White Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Elven Castle.
    • For sale in Crescent Lake for 2500 Gil.
  • Thor’s Hammer
    • Damage: 18 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Special Effect: Casts Thundara on all enemies.
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, White Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Tower of Mirage 2F. 

Nunchaku:

  • Nunchaku
    • Damage: 12 // Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by: Ninja, Monk, Master
    • For sale in Cornelia for 10 Gil
  • Iron Nunchaku
    • Damage: 16 // Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by: Ninja, Monk, Master
    • For sale in Elfheim for 200 Gil

Staff / Staves:

  • Staff
    • Damage: 6 / Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by All Classes
    • Found as loot in My Gulg 4F & Terra Cavern 4F
    • For sale in Cornelia for 5 Gil.
  • Healing Staff
    • Damage: 6 // Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by: White Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Citadel of Trials 3F
  • Mage’s Staff
    • Damage: 12 // Hit Rate: 10
    • Equippable by: Black Mage/Wizard, Ninja
    • Found as loot in the Sunken Shrine 4F
  • Power Staff
    • Damage: 12 // Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by: All Classes
    • Found as loot in the Western Keep.
  • Crosier
    • Damage: 14 // Hit Rate: 0
    • Equippable by: Warrior/Knight, Monk/Master, Ninja
    • Found as loot in Cornelia Castle.
    • For sale in Elfheim & Melmond for 200 Gil.
  • Spellbinder
    • Damage: 15 // Hit Rate: 15
    • Special Effect: Casts Confuse/Muddle on all enemies.
    • Equippable by: Black Wizard
    • Found as loot in the Waterfall Cavernn