When Final Fantasy VII originally released in 1997, fans fell in love with the majority of the main cast in the game. This is especially so for its main spell caster Aerith or Aeris as she was known in the original game due to a mistranslation.
Other characters in the Final Fantasy universe have similar traits like Yuna from Final Fantasy X and even Lunafreya from Final Fantasy XV hold relatable characteristics but none are quite as iconic as Aerith.
With the first act of the Final Fantasy VII Remake finally available to play, a new generation of gamers could be set to fall in love with her all over again. Despite her sweet nature, Aerith is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to magic and even her normal attacks. Let’s rank all 6 of Aerith’s best weapons in the game.
6 Guard Stick
The Guard Staff, unlike Cloud, Barret, and Tifa’s starting weapon isn’t a particularly useful or balanced weapon when it comes to the stats beyond its magic. It does, however, have the Arcane Ward ability which is a special ability exclusively for Aerith.
The Arcane Ward weapon ability automatically allows Aerith to cast attack magic like Lightning, Ice, and Fire twice. While the Guard Staff is Aerith’s most simplistic weapon, it does have its uses as it plays to Aerith’s strengths as a magic-user on a basic level.
5 Bladed Staff
The Bladed Staff is a weapon that needs to be stolen from the boss Eligor at the end of Chapter 11 by making sure one of the characters has the Steal materia equipped. In terms of its stats, the Bladed Staff isn’t particularly special but it does gift Aerith with some decent physical attacks that can be chained together.
However, what makes the Bladed Staff worth stealing is its Lustrous Shield ability which forms a shield around her that is powerful enough to deflect and consume all forms of attacks which will help in more than a few difficult binds.
4 Silver Staff
The Silver Staff is one of Aerith’s most balanced and useful weapons in the game. It can be purchased from the Moogle kid at the cost of the 2 Moogle Medals. It’s a huge step up from the Guard Stick and is capable of making Aerith a formidable magic user quite early in the game.
The Silver Staff also allows Aerith to learn the Sorcerous Storm ability which launches a powerful area of attack (AOE) that damages all enemies within range.
3 Arcane Scepter
The Arcane Scepter is given to players as a reward for the side quest "A Dynamite Body" or the "Shears Counterattack" depending on the choices the player makes in Chapter 9. In terms of sheer spell attacking power, it’s the best in the game but lacks some of the advantages other staffs have for support magic.
The Arcane Scepter is a great weapon for players that want to make Aerith a powerful magic caster due to its magic attack boosts and upgrades. Furthermore, it comes with the Fleeting Familiar ability which summons a butterfly fairy to attack the party’s enemies on the battlefield.
2 Reinforced Staff
The Reinforced Staff is found in a chest in the room at the very start of Chapter 17. It’s in opposition to the Arcane Scepter in terms of its stats due to being focused on boosting Aerith’s defense.
Aerith isn’t as strong defensively as the other party members so the Reinforced Staff does a great job of keeping her strong as a healing support for the group in battle. Additionally, it comes with the ability called ATB Ward which casts a ward under one of the team's feet which boosts ATB recovery.
1 Mythril Rod
The Mythril Rod can be obtained from a chest near the beginning of the Train Graveyard in Chapter 11. After the first fight with the rats, players will need to walk through an abandoned carriage until they reach the area where the chest is located.
The Mythril Rod is worth seeking out because it’s Aerith’s best weapon in the game. It’s well balanced because it boosts Aerith’s magic attack and defense. Furthermore, it has a high capacity of materia slots and the Ray of Judgement ability. The Ray of Judgement is one of the most powerful attacks in the game because it hits enemies with a beam that causes stagger and magic damage for the duration of Aerith’s ATB gauge.