With the remake’s release date getting closer and closer, fans are replaying the original Final Fantasy VII and rediscovering (or discovering) what made the game so special. The reason behind its sustained popularity over the years isn’t all that hard to figure out. Despite the poorly aged graphics, the game is still incredibly fun to run through. It has a great soundtrack, engaging narrative, memorable characters and gameplay that still holds up.
One thing players will want to know is what the best weapons are, and where they are in the game. This can make those tough boss battles that much more manageable, depending on the weapon and its ability. Some of these are a little tough to find and obtain and, if you miss out on them, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to get a hold of them later on in the game. Here are the 10 most powerful weapons in Final Fantasy 7, ranked.
10 Princess Guard
Also referred to as the Crown Sceptor, the Princess Guard is something you’ll want to equip Aerith with, as it proves to be her best and strongest weapon throughout her limited time with the party. It is best used for beefing up magic users, and Aerith can definitely benefit from it.
It’s not the strongest weapon in terms of power, but the Princess Guard does wonders for Magic, Vitality and Spirit stats. One thing about it that can really help out in a pinch is its physical power multiplying depending on how many party members are KO’d. It’s not the absolute strongest we’ll see, but still very useful if used right – considering when it’s attained.
9 HP Shout
This incredibly useful weapon can actually be pretty easy to miss at first. It’s located in the Shinra HQ and can be found in a locker on the building’s 64th floor. Once found, it proves to be one of Cait Sith’s best weapons.
HP Shout has some pretty solid attack, but what’s most impressive is its eight Materia slots. That leaves players with a ton of different customization options. You can actually find it much earlier in the game, but you won’t be able to take it right away. One thing to keep in mind is that HP Shout does more damage depending on how much HP Cait Sith has. The more HP, the more damage.
8 Apocalypse
The Apocalypse is one of Cloud’s best weapons in the game, and definitely something players will want to equip at some point, as it can prove to be very useful. But in order to get it, players first have to solve the Ancient Forrest puzzle.
The Apocalypse is one of the best weapons for Materia leveling in the game, despite having just three Materia slots to work with. With a 110 hit rate, this thing isn’t likely to miss, then add in a 43 boost to magic and you can see why it’s so good.
7 Limited Moon
Limited Moon is Red XIII’s ultimate weapon, and can be acquired fairly soon after getting him in your party. All you have to do is have Red in your party and talk to Bugenhagen following the Raid on Midgar.
In terms of stats, Limited Moon is pretty solid all around the board. Its attack (93) is something that will certainly interest players, but the thing to keep your eye on is its ability. Limited Moon will deal more damage depending on how much MP Red XIII has. That can make it very useful when taking on some of the games tougher enemies.
6 Conformer
Conformer first appeared in the Final Fantasy series as Yuffie’s ultimate weapon in Final Fantasy VII. Players can find it in the Sunken Gelnika. Because this is an optional area in the game, players can very easily miss this great weapon.
Its stats are great, but the real thing to note here is its ability. Conformer is a great weapon for players who want to farm items in the game. If used with the Morph ability, it essentially ignores Morph’s damage penalty. That makes it one of the more unique weapons in the game.
5 Venus Gospel
Venus Gospel is another weapon that first appeared in Final Fantasy VII before becoming recurring in the series. In FF VIII, Venus Gospel is Cid’s ultimate weapon and can really do some great damage and come in handy.
Getting Venus Gospel can be a little tricky, but it’s not really a complicated procedure. Players need to go to Rocket Town – but only after the Huge Materia mission has been completed – and then find the old man in the village. Players just need to talk to him a few times and they’ll get the spear.
4 Missing Score
Missing Score is a great weapon that players can easily miss out on, and that would be a shame. Barret’s ultimate weapon, Missing Score can be found during the Raid on Midgar at the Sister Ray. This can only be done, of course, if Barret is in the party at the time.
So be mindful of that, as failing to get it here means that you won’t be able to get your hands on it during the rest of your playthrough. You’re really going to want to do everything you can to get your hands on it though, as it’s one of the best weapons in the game.
3 Premium Heart
Tifa’s ultimate weapon, Premium Heart can be tough to track down. But whatever effort you put into obtaining it will most definitely be worth it. You need to go to the Wall Market and look for an abandoned building with a sign that reads “Item”.
In order to obtain it, players must first get the key to Sector 5 found in Bone Village. Premium Heart deals more damage depending on how full Tifa’s Limit Break Meter is. It can deal some pretty nasty damage as a result and should be equipped if it’s in your inventory.
2 Ultima Weapon
Ultima Weapon is no stranger to the series, but, in Final Fantasy VII , it serves as Cloud’s ultimate weapon. You get it after defeating Ultimate Weapon (the superboss) and, despite the considerable amount of effort necessary in obtaining it, Ultima Weapon proves to be worth it.
It’s one of the strongest weapons in the game and has a pretty unique way of dealing damage. Ultima Weapon’s damage dealt depends on Cloud’s current and max HP. That means the higher Cloud’s HP is the more damage Ultima Weapon will deal. It can prove to be pretty busted at times.
1 Death Penalty
Death Penalty is Vincent’s Ultimate Weapon, and, boy, is it tough to obtain. It’s found in Lucrecia's Cave. The cave can only be accessed by submarine or even a colored chocobo. Be sure to have Vincent in your party before making your way there. A cutscene will play, and you’ll then have to face off against several waves of enemies. But after that’s done you’re good to go with both Death Penalty and Vincent’s Level 4 Limit Break.
Death Penalty stands out in that it gets boosted with every enemy Vincent takes out. There’s a damage overflow glitch that can be exploited and makes it possible for Death Penalty to kill certain enemies in a single shot. If that’s not overpowered then what is?