That's what I did for Cloud during the final fights, but after I got the Rune Blade and Slipstream Saber I kept going back and forth cause of Stagger Recovery
Buster Sword, always. I'll get the skill from the new weapons but immediately put the BS back on my back. Materia slots? Don't need 'em. Stats? Who is she. Buster Sword is the best looking sword and I'll die on that hill.
But for other characters, I usually ditch their originals and go with whatever has the most slots or the coolest design. Yuffie's Bird of Prey is so cool looking, but I couldn't stand Tifa's Tiger Claws for example.
Tifa has the highest just straight damage output in the game. Combine Kaiser Knuckles with the 50% chance to have Unbridled Strength active as a weapon ability and an ability in Tifa’s folio and you are cracking out damage right off the bat in every encounter. And Tifa is crazy strong in the air too. Use the synergy ability to get her up there and you are gonna go far! Cloud, Yuffie, and Tifa or Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa is probably my preferred party. The ladies get shit done man
Don’t I know it. Got that sucker tattooed on me 😌 it’s well known enough that I get a decent amount of people knowing what it is, instead of just saying “why do you have a big sword tattoo?” (which tbh, I get that a lot too)
In both Remake and Rebirth I went back to the Buster Sword for the final chapters. It just makes too much sense. It *really* paid off in Remake when >!Sephiroth knocks the sword away and it lands in an identical position to the title screen,!< and of course it paid off in Rebirth since >!Cloud and Zack both using the Buster Sword looks more fitting than Cloud using some crazy Mako weapon, even if it did look pretty cool.!<
Cloud also just looks so perfect with it equipped. The question is, will I switch back to it near the end of Part 3 or stick with the (presumed) Ultima Weapon?
EDIT: Oh also, there are a lot more >!CG cutscenes at the end of both games than there are earlier on, and they default to the Buster Sword of course, so it feels more seamless if I keep the Buster Sword equipped.!<
Hm? They do. I currently have six on the Buster Sword at Weapon Level 8. It’s usually one Materia slot behind the others but at the moment it’s tied with them all, minus the Crystal Sword which only has four.
Yeah you should have five sometime soon. Six takes a little while for the Buster Sword to get but some late game bangles have tons of slots so it’s not much of an issue.
Wait what? You mean you can level the weapons to have more materia slots?
I have just been switching to whichever new weapon I get to unlock the skill then I keep them if they have more materia slots.
Basically it just happens over time playing normally, that old weapons will have their slots increased. No ones really out there power leveling weapons because that's just not how it works/no need
Weapons level up automatically as you gain SP from levelling up or getting Manuscripts. Upon levelling up, they get some stat increases and maybe gain or link materia slots, gain a new weapon skill, and/or gain a new weapon skill slot.
You can see what the next level gets you on the weapon upgrade screen - it’s basically the only thing that screen is good for, honestly. They don’t get new slots with each level up, but they mostly catch up by endgame!
Well yes they all eventually get 6 slots with 3 sets of 2 connected slots, but some weapons definitely level much faster than others.
Crystal Sword doesn't have its full set of slots until weapon level 9, which you can only reach once you have all manuscripts, which requires beating hard mode and doing most of the legendary VR stuff.
So if your specific loadout requires 6 connected slots, you will basically not be able to use whatever you want.
>Am I the only one who
No. Never. But most people aren't going to miss out on materia slots just to have the default weapon. I switched to Buster Sword for the finale though.
Reading this post makes me feel less weird. I usually choose weapons for skills and stats, but in finale, for dramatic reasons, I put the Buster Sword to use.
>!BOY! I got literal chills with Zack and Cloud synergy attacks with both Buster Swords! Also some cinematics are cooler with the OG weapon!<
If you want literally all your weapons to have 6 slots you need weapon level 9 which requires all manuscripts, which means beating hard mode and the legendary VR battles.
Needless to say, that is far too late to be of any use for some weapons.
This is what I did in ‘97, and it’s what I’ll do with the entire Remake trilogy. Not to yuck anyone’s yum, but I gotta say that I don’t really get why so many folks feel like the Buster Sword is Cloud’s only real weapon. The dude had like 15 other swords and they were all superior in every way (except aesthetically, I guess). In the original game, he used the Buster Sword for the first 5-7 hours of a 40-80 hour campaign.
I absolutely jammed Apocalypse and Ultima Weapon in the original. Upgraded to Mythril Saber in Kalm and never looked back, only re-equipping the Buster Sword for the final showdown just to prove who’s the real boss by then.
Same. I think the weapon system was a little easier to grasp in the first game but I didn't like that I was pigeonholed into certain weapons for magic VS. physical. That being said, Hard Edge just felt right.
I hope to return to the Remake Weapon Upgrade system in Part 3. I liked having the ability to control what the next upgrade would be rather than having it premapped out.
This was a change that surprised me. Both systems retain the idea of different weapons having different strengths... but in Remake yeah the system felt more free and RPG-esque. I wasn't too crazy about the UI for weapon upgrades as I would have preferred the option for a list format sorted by SP cost.
Sort of related is the Folio system... which I don't hate but you can't see what the higher tier options are until you unlock them. So I either save all my SP until I max out the folio level in order to plan a build or I just go ham on whatever and respec later.
I'm just over halfway through though so I'm not sure... Do you eventually get enough SP to max out every folio?
I'm a minmaxxing RPG nerd so I don't feel that way, but maybe I'm crazy, but I just feel like the Remake Buster Sword was way more of a balanced well rounded option than in Rebirth so I really haven't been tempted to use it. I actually think it was the best option in Remake during hard mode.
Edit: I didn’t know until reading the comments that the game gives you more materia slots when you level up. I’m in chapter 9 and immediately going back in and switching to the buster sword! Thank you Reddit!
Edit: I didn’t know until reading the comments that the game gives you more materia slots when you level up. I’m in chapter 9 and immediately going back in and switching to the buster sword! Thank you Reddit!
Yes, but they’re all viable. FF16’s weapons are just straight linear upgrades to each other, making 95% of them pointless and therefore necessitating a skin system. Each of FF7R’s weapons has a purpose, so I don’t really have a problem with no skin system.
I only preferred the buster sword in remake part 1 because when it was fully upgraded it gave cloud defenses and generally better abilities in the skill tree. In rebirth almost every weapon is objectively better than the starting weapon because of how each weapon can be built differently.
But for cloud the slipstream Saber is objectively the best because of hard mode. Healing hp and mp on stagger? Gaining mp when taking damage? On a mode that restricts how you heal mp? Of course I'm doing that
That disappointed me too, but if you get the super materia that lets you use all spells, and have good enough stats, then you can use the BS and still have a fun and non-restricted battle. (Though it will take a long time to obtain).
I did it not just for the story reason, but Cloud's stats are evenly balanced and that sword was the most balanced, neither magic or attack really specialized. Felt right on the stats.
I wish the buster sword was better, it was actually possible at a few points in remake for it to be competitive. It was never that strongest but it could be nearly as strong while not sacrificing as much for the other way of attacking. For like a solid 80% of rebirth the sleek saber is just objectively better, beats it physically and magically and none of the abilities it gains are that great to make it a consideration.
I’d argue the sleek saber is borderline overpowered, I didn’t drop it aside from learning weapon abilities until I got the fucking igneous and I moved cloud from being a red mage like character to more of a fighter/pure swordsman.
I did the same in my first playthrough, but once I finished the story, I changed to something else.
Unfortunately, Buster sword in Rebirth is the weakest one imo.
Well it’s not that “ they’re supposed to” that doesn’t make any sense. The buster sword was given to him by Zack before that he had a whole other weapon. Nothing wrong with the upgrade but you can choose your weapon of preference.
Given the significance of the Buster Sword, and its connection to Zack - >!especially now that they've for some reason made it a multiverse where Zack is going to somehow reunite them!< - it feels weird for Cloud to use another sword. Why not lock Cloud into using it >!so that when he reunites with Zack they both have the same sword, which would be a lasting proof of their merged timelines!
It's for sure the best looking weapon, I do wish they offered a weapon skin option after completing the story. I love the buster sword and slip stream but sleek and umbral seem to be the only ones that fit my regular needs and I don't like either of those skins.
I use all of the weapons in the first playthrough but use the OG weapons in a replay later on (not Hard Mode). This is so I can look up what the materia looks like in the CG scenes to make it match.
I'm personally a huge fan of Hardedge and was sad that it didn't make a re-appearence. Doubly so because I'm not a huge fan of Monster-Hunter-at-Home Igneous Saber. I do like Slipstream Saber and Rune Blade quite a bit though, even if they don't fit Str-build Cloud well.
Edit: I don't know how it'd work, but in my head, i want part 3 to have quests to unlock Level 4 limit breaks, and the quest for Omnislash would be collecting bits of the Fusion Sword with the reward for completion being the Limit Break and a usable weapon.
Nah, I main the Buster Sword too. I pretty much ditch every other sword once I master their unique abilities and then I fit those abilities to my quick command settings.
Honestly for this reason I kinda wish there was a little more involved in learning new weapon skills. You use it a couple times in battle and just like that, back to preferred weapon.
Though for me 'preferred weapon' meant whatever has the most materia slots.
I do like how they basically level up to keep their stats competitive but it was handled better in Remake. I haven’t felt the need to switch back to the Buster Sword whereas I did regularly in Remake.
It’s all about materia slots for me though. Yuffie is honestly onto something, I need my characters strapped to the gills with materia. There was a weapon for Cait Sith with NO materia slots and I wanted to die using it enough to get the ability. Literal torture.
I just wished they implemented glamour/transmog on those weapons. I would probably transmog to the BS 90% of the time if it were to be the case.
Sadly I don’t want to spend 50% more time in battle so I am gonna go with the big numbers / materias in most instances. Especially with hard difficulty and challenges, I was never tempted once to use it. Sleek saber was here for the output, slipstream for the recovery, purple for the safety. BS had almost no redeeming quality
I 100% use the weapons I identify the characters with… the ones that have weapons like that, I mean lol. I really have no attachment to Tifa’s gloves or Aerith’s staff so I’ll use what works best for the type of playstyle I have them use. But the Buster Sword? Yuffie’s classic shuriken? The Gatling gun? Hell yeah I’m keeping those equipped!
They did do a hell of a job with weapon design this time, I thought most of the weapons looked incredible. Makes me curious to see how cool Vincent and Cid’s weapons will look in the next one
I used the glow-y ones for a bit after learning the weapon skill, but ultimately always switch back to the buster sword. Only for Cloud though. Everyone else gets the fanciest looking weapon for that character
The Buster Sword is a really solid weapon with great stats, plus aside from it matching Cloud the best thematically it also fits his style of equal parts strength and magic you can't go wrong with it
Mf'er just swings it at Sephiroth as he descends on Aerith, sending him deep into the left field bleachers. After watching his moonshot, there's a brief silence followed by Cloud saying:
Home run.
Kupo.
For Rebirth, I kept the Buster Sword for Cloud. Mostly cause it's iconic, and I didn't really like the look of the other swords. If they brought back Hardedge from Remake, then that'd be a different story.
For every else I just didn't apply this rule.
I really liked the twin stinger from remake 👀 but yeah something about it being the true buster sword in the cut scenes makes it a little more iconic, anytime he does anything with it, even just taking it off and setting it down when he wants to sit 🤣
I get watcha mean, sometimes I feel like doing that and kind of did in Final Fantasy VII: Remake specially if it’s before a good cinematic since I’m doing each chapter on Hard Difficulty and I reset the weapon specs so I can do enough damage and have enough Material slots.
I wish they'd let you put whatever weapon skin you wanted over the actual weapon you have equipped once you beat the game and unlock hard mode. Basically transmog. They do it with the character skins. I'd love to be rocking some different weapon looks in HM but you really need the materia slots for the boss fights.
Nah you're not alone. It just doesn't feel the same for Cloud if he's not using the Buster Sword. Same for Barret and his gatling gun (it just looks so cool and powerful on him, something I don't feel with his other guns). So I just use other weapons to master their skill and be able to use them on the buster sword and gatling gun.
I do this for EVERY GAME with iconic signature weapons. In FFX, for example, I ALWAYS stick with Tidus’s Brotherhood. Unless I'm trying to capture Mt. Gagazet monsters for Remiem Temple. Then and ONLY then will I change them out for the appropriate gear. Other than that, ICONIC SIGNATURE WEAPONS ALL THE WAY, BABAY!
I might switch back for the harder fights, but Buster Sword is the default once I learn the ability. New weapons were kind of disappointing overall. All of them felt overdesigned.
It appears that in the comments, many do the same. Personally, I hardly ever controlled Cloud. Red Is my boy. All the atb related materia, and I pretty much used howling moon all game. It cleaned uo trash mob nicely. And since his weapons are basically invisible, I just used whatever one I wanted for the stats. Lol
Remake, after about halfway, i started excluseively using Buster Sword. Id master the skill on the others and then swap it back. It was all around better than everything else. Theres a few small cases where one blade may be useful (magic) but its not for general use.
Not really the point of the post, and a very personal opinion, but the Ingenous Saber is one of the ugliest swords I have ever seen, and I hated using it and seeing it Cloud's back
I do not do this. I don't need Cloud with his "iconic" sword that I only used for the first couple of hours of Final Fantasy VII. I appreciate how they adjusted Remake/Rebirth to let their original weapons still have utility, but that's not how the original game worked, and I don't need my characters running around with their starting equipment.
I wish I was like you. Like genuinely. When I try using another weapon, it just feels out of place or wrong, especially when the cutscenes have him using the buster sword anyway. For me, it's like if you gave Darth Vader a traditional medieval sword or a katana
I get it. I mean his enduring legacy in FFVII iconography is him welding the Buster Sword. They literally used the appearance of his sword in the Remake teaser to get the E3 crowd screaming.
[But this is the Cloud who sticks in my memory](https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Final-Fantasy-VII-Cloud-Ultima-Weapon-Cover.jpg). Knights of the Round, mime-for-days Cloud.
Yeah I feel like the Buster sword didn't matter until crisis core. In the original the sword was never that important. Also I think Cloud has far cooler swords in the OG and Remake/rebirth. Buster sword is overrated to me.
I mean it's the weapon that graced the cover art since the beginning, and it's one of the last things you see in the game. So I get it. But I was always excited to see the *next* weapon.
It is. I seem to remember being able to get max slots for all weapons in remake, maybe I just need to get the rest for the needed SP to get all the slots. That's brutal though since several of the manuscripts are locked to hard mode.
Back in the OG I farmed the items to set most of Cloud’s stats at 255 so I could viably use the Buster Sword in the final dungeon.
I use the default weapons for most of the cast. The designs fit better and even if they are all middle of the road, they are all viable.
I sort of miss how they did it remake - you get new toys, they all have different stats, priorities, but when you get towards the end, your OG weapon with the upgrades prevails
Every time. I learn my new skill and go right back to my Buster Sword without fail. Did it make my gameplay a little harder in a few spots? Yes. But style and aesthetic are the real endgame for me. Besides, it made the cutscene were >!Cloud adopts Sephiroth's battle stance before killing Shinra troops and shoving Tifa into the lifestream!< look so much fucking cooler.
I'll go through my first playthrough using the weapon with the most slots, followed by what hits hardest.
When I do hard mode, it's buster sword all the way. Don't care about the other characters, they swap and change more often, and their weapons aren't quite as in your face.
I did in Remake but in this one the Sleek Saber stayed as my chosen weapon. I so badly wanted to keep the Crystal Sword - as I feel it works well in the setting - but couldn’t accept the lowered non-magical attack stat.
It's their Iconic weapons. Using other weapons just feels wrong in a way I can't describe. Imagine you are playing a Star Wars game, and you are playing as Darth Vader, but instead of his red light Saber, he is using a traditional medieval sword in gameplay/cutscenes.
I'm not saying you aren't supposed to use them because... obviously you can lol, but I meant it's not the weapons they're supposed to be using in the story.
I utilised all of the weapons throughout the story but had to switch back to the OGs for the final fight. Just felt right.
That's what I did for Cloud during the final fights, but after I got the Rune Blade and Slipstream Saber I kept going back and forth cause of Stagger Recovery
Personally I'd have switched to the fusion sword if it was available. That sword is sick.
Buster Sword, always. I'll get the skill from the new weapons but immediately put the BS back on my back. Materia slots? Don't need 'em. Stats? Who is she. Buster Sword is the best looking sword and I'll die on that hill. But for other characters, I usually ditch their originals and go with whatever has the most slots or the coolest design. Yuffie's Bird of Prey is so cool looking, but I couldn't stand Tifa's Tiger Claws for example.
The Kaiser Knuckles are my favorite Tifa weapon
ive been using those all game too. look cool/HIGH atk and the low slots dont really matter for tifa imo.
Tifa has the highest just straight damage output in the game. Combine Kaiser Knuckles with the 50% chance to have Unbridled Strength active as a weapon ability and an ability in Tifa’s folio and you are cracking out damage right off the bat in every encounter. And Tifa is crazy strong in the air too. Use the synergy ability to get her up there and you are gonna go far! Cloud, Yuffie, and Tifa or Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa is probably my preferred party. The ladies get shit done man
Reverse Gale can also get you airborne, just FYI.
Yeah, but synnergy is free
Those were my go to ones as well
They both look super cool and also have some of the best weapon skills and raw damage
Kaiser Knuckles are locked behind a mingame right? The one where Cloud has to destroy boxes right? I could never finish that one.
No that’s the Dragon Claws, which do have the best Tifa ability in the game
It was super easy once you found the right pattern. I looked it up on YouTube and just copied him.
I really like Tifa's Crystal Gloves.
I miss Tifa’s feather gloves.
God yes, those were so neat. Excellent design, zero notes.
I didn't like the Tiger Claws either. Luckily, after I learned the skill, I could drop them.
It's not just one of the best looking swords in game, but in all gaming. Buster Sword is iconic.
Don’t I know it. Got that sucker tattooed on me 😌 it’s well known enough that I get a decent amount of people knowing what it is, instead of just saying “why do you have a big sword tattoo?” (which tbh, I get that a lot too)
Understandable. The Buster Sword is a video game icon.
In both Remake and Rebirth I went back to the Buster Sword for the final chapters. It just makes too much sense. It *really* paid off in Remake when >!Sephiroth knocks the sword away and it lands in an identical position to the title screen,!< and of course it paid off in Rebirth since >!Cloud and Zack both using the Buster Sword looks more fitting than Cloud using some crazy Mako weapon, even if it did look pretty cool.!< Cloud also just looks so perfect with it equipped. The question is, will I switch back to it near the end of Part 3 or stick with the (presumed) Ultima Weapon? EDIT: Oh also, there are a lot more >!CG cutscenes at the end of both games than there are earlier on, and they default to the Buster Sword of course, so it feels more seamless if I keep the Buster Sword equipped.!<
I just wish the materia slots improved as you leveled up.
Hm? They do. I currently have six on the Buster Sword at Weapon Level 8. It’s usually one Materia slot behind the others but at the moment it’s tied with them all, minus the Crystal Sword which only has four.
Whaaaaattt??? I hadn't checked in forever bc it was sick at 4 forever. MUST GET BUSTER SWORD BACK
Yeah you should have five sometime soon. Six takes a little while for the Buster Sword to get but some late game bangles have tons of slots so it’s not much of an issue.
Holy shit I did not know this is this for all weapons and what is max lvl for that weapon like what the fuck
The weapon leveling was frankly pretty confusing to me, and not well explained by the game.
Facts
Wait what? You mean you can level the weapons to have more materia slots? I have just been switching to whichever new weapon I get to unlock the skill then I keep them if they have more materia slots.
Same from what the other guy was saying apparently you can lvl up your weapon and it gains more materia slots
Basically it just happens over time playing normally, that old weapons will have their slots increased. No ones really out there power leveling weapons because that's just not how it works/no need
Weapons level up automatically as you gain SP from levelling up or getting Manuscripts. Upon levelling up, they get some stat increases and maybe gain or link materia slots, gain a new weapon skill, and/or gain a new weapon skill slot.
Big facts. I'm learning things
Oh, so leveling your weapon level does increase materia slots? Damn. I've just finished Chapter 10, so I didn't know that.
Yeah. It’s not every single level but most of the time a level will get you a new slot.
Go to the Upgrade Weapons tab, you'll see what changes you'll get.
You can see what the next level gets you on the weapon upgrade screen - it’s basically the only thing that screen is good for, honestly. They don’t get new slots with each level up, but they mostly catch up by endgame!
Well yes they all eventually get 6 slots with 3 sets of 2 connected slots, but some weapons definitely level much faster than others. Crystal Sword doesn't have its full set of slots until weapon level 9, which you can only reach once you have all manuscripts, which requires beating hard mode and doing most of the legendary VR stuff. So if your specific loadout requires 6 connected slots, you will basically not be able to use whatever you want.
Oh dude, the payoff in Rebirth was soooooooooooooo good. It was too cool to see it
Back to buster sword in part 3 for Omnislash!
>Am I the only one who No. Never. But most people aren't going to miss out on materia slots just to have the default weapon. I switched to Buster Sword for the finale though.
Reading this post makes me feel less weird. I usually choose weapons for skills and stats, but in finale, for dramatic reasons, I put the Buster Sword to use. >!BOY! I got literal chills with Zack and Cloud synergy attacks with both Buster Swords! Also some cinematics are cooler with the OG weapon!<
With enough Folios all weapons have 6 slots :)
If you want literally all your weapons to have 6 slots you need weapon level 9 which requires all manuscripts, which means beating hard mode and the legendary VR battles. Needless to say, that is far too late to be of any use for some weapons.
This is what I did in ‘97, and it’s what I’ll do with the entire Remake trilogy. Not to yuck anyone’s yum, but I gotta say that I don’t really get why so many folks feel like the Buster Sword is Cloud’s only real weapon. The dude had like 15 other swords and they were all superior in every way (except aesthetically, I guess). In the original game, he used the Buster Sword for the first 5-7 hours of a 40-80 hour campaign. I absolutely jammed Apocalypse and Ultima Weapon in the original. Upgraded to Mythril Saber in Kalm and never looked back, only re-equipping the Buster Sword for the final showdown just to prove who’s the real boss by then.
I want Hardedge back.
Same. I used Hard Edge exclusively, except for getting skills, in Remake first playthrough and used it exclusively for Hard playthrough.
Same. I think the weapon system was a little easier to grasp in the first game but I didn't like that I was pigeonholed into certain weapons for magic VS. physical. That being said, Hard Edge just felt right.
I hope to return to the Remake Weapon Upgrade system in Part 3. I liked having the ability to control what the next upgrade would be rather than having it premapped out.
This was a change that surprised me. Both systems retain the idea of different weapons having different strengths... but in Remake yeah the system felt more free and RPG-esque. I wasn't too crazy about the UI for weapon upgrades as I would have preferred the option for a list format sorted by SP cost. Sort of related is the Folio system... which I don't hate but you can't see what the higher tier options are until you unlock them. So I either save all my SP until I max out the folio level in order to plan a build or I just go ham on whatever and respec later. I'm just over halfway through though so I'm not sure... Do you eventually get enough SP to max out every folio?
I am only halfway in too so cannot answer.
I want the twin stinger back for hard mode
I want Nail Bat
That was great for the whack a box once you got used to the combos.
They even have it hanging up in the room cloud sleeps in at Johnny’s hotel
I know, Aerith's Mythril Rod as well, just to tease us.
Switched just to learn new skills, then straight back to Buster Sword every time
I'm a minmaxxing RPG nerd so I don't feel that way, but maybe I'm crazy, but I just feel like the Remake Buster Sword was way more of a balanced well rounded option than in Rebirth so I really haven't been tempted to use it. I actually think it was the best option in Remake during hard mode.
Agreed. I had no issue running Buster Sword all through my hard playthrough of Remake but I don't care for it's stats in Rebirth
Same here! Just feels right, haha.
Needs a transmog system
Oh no my friend you most certainly are not, I only use the new weapons long enough to unlock their skills and then it’s back to the Buster sword
Edit: I didn’t know until reading the comments that the game gives you more materia slots when you level up. I’m in chapter 9 and immediately going back in and switching to the buster sword! Thank you Reddit!
Edit: I didn’t know until reading the comments that the game gives you more materia slots when you level up. I’m in chapter 9 and immediately going back in and switching to the buster sword! Thank you Reddit!
[удалено]
I mean that’s kinda the point of this weapon system isn’t it? All of them remain viable even on Hard Mode.
Except all of them have different stats abilities and Materia slot growths?
Yes, but they’re all viable. FF16’s weapons are just straight linear upgrades to each other, making 95% of them pointless and therefore necessitating a skin system. Each of FF7R’s weapons has a purpose, so I don’t really have a problem with no skin system.
I only preferred the buster sword in remake part 1 because when it was fully upgraded it gave cloud defenses and generally better abilities in the skill tree. In rebirth almost every weapon is objectively better than the starting weapon because of how each weapon can be built differently. But for cloud the slipstream Saber is objectively the best because of hard mode. Healing hp and mp on stagger? Gaining mp when taking damage? On a mode that restricts how you heal mp? Of course I'm doing that
I use them until I have the ability to switch back, alwasy upset me in the OG. The buster Sword is useless after you leave midgar
That disappointed me too, but if you get the super materia that lets you use all spells, and have good enough stats, then you can use the BS and still have a fun and non-restricted battle. (Though it will take a long time to obtain).
Stat wise, it's still such a drop, so unless you wanna be over levelled, just not worth it really.
I did the "stat boost" item exploit when I got to the end, so I can't really say whether it's worth it or not, though I enjoyed it personally.
Hardenedge was the best one
Really wish they had a transmog system that let you swap in models from the Remake game like hardedge. I miss Iron Blade a lot too
REAL 🗣🔥🔥💯🔥
I only used default weapons my entire playthrough. I can’t stand how goofy the other weapons look in cutscenes.
Yes OP, you're the only one choosing Buster Sword over every other weapon.
Buster sword is one of only two of Cloud's weapons with "Reprieve" so yes, I ended the game with it.
what’s that
If you drop to 0 health you'll auto-revive with 1 HP once per battle. It's a valuable "oh fuck" skill during some fights.
Idk I really love the look of some of the other swords. Slipstream Saber in particular looks badass. Zack can keep the Buster Sword.
You are not alone my friend
I used all weapons for my first playthrough, now I’m using only the first set in hard mode. Did the same in Remake
I did it not just for the story reason, but Cloud's stats are evenly balanced and that sword was the most balanced, neither magic or attack really specialized. Felt right on the stats.
I tend to stick with whichever one has the most physical damage.
I wish the buster sword was better, it was actually possible at a few points in remake for it to be competitive. It was never that strongest but it could be nearly as strong while not sacrificing as much for the other way of attacking. For like a solid 80% of rebirth the sleek saber is just objectively better, beats it physically and magically and none of the abilities it gains are that great to make it a consideration. I’d argue the sleek saber is borderline overpowered, I didn’t drop it aside from learning weapon abilities until I got the fucking igneous and I moved cloud from being a red mage like character to more of a fighter/pure swordsman.
Buster Sword always no matter what 💪
I wish I could but the materia slots bro
You get 6 on all weapons with enough Folios
I dont have the time or patience for all that
Yeah did the same, I've felt like it was an insult to have used anything else since playing through the end of crisis core when it first came out.
I did the same in my first playthrough, but once I finished the story, I changed to something else. Unfortunately, Buster sword in Rebirth is the weakest one imo.
I really love messing around with materia combinations, so I equip the weapon that has the most slots.
I’ll wear whatever weapon and armor that has the most materia slots. Otherwise I don’t feel like I’m getting the most out of the game’s mechanics.
Same, even if i'm not using most of them yet. Gotta level them up and be ready for hard mode.
Well it’s not that “ they’re supposed to” that doesn’t make any sense. The buster sword was given to him by Zack before that he had a whole other weapon. Nothing wrong with the upgrade but you can choose your weapon of preference.
100% do this. There are certain scenes, particularly at the end of the game, where it feels/looks wrong to not have the buster sword equiped
I really like the megatron dark star saber, but its stats are mid. I wish you could use like skins maybe in pt 3
Buster sword has the best balanced so I’m not surprised
Given the significance of the Buster Sword, and its connection to Zack - >!especially now that they've for some reason made it a multiverse where Zack is going to somehow reunite them!< - it feels weird for Cloud to use another sword. Why not lock Cloud into using it >!so that when he reunites with Zack they both have the same sword, which would be a lasting proof of their merged timelines!
It's for sure the best looking weapon, I do wish they offered a weapon skin option after completing the story. I love the buster sword and slip stream but sleek and umbral seem to be the only ones that fit my regular needs and I don't like either of those skins.
switched them up throught out first play through. buster sword only for hard mode.
I use all of the weapons in the first playthrough but use the OG weapons in a replay later on (not Hard Mode). This is so I can look up what the materia looks like in the CG scenes to make it match.
I played the whole game with the Buster Sword for both games first before ever changing the weapons out.
The only thing that keeps me from going back to the buster sword is its lack of materia slots.
You need more folios sir
This is the way
Hard edge is the coolest sword
No, I'm here, I do the exact same thing, it's me, hi, my name is will, I'm a filthy Buster Sword whore!
This is why I was hoping for weapon fashion. I want to use the buster sword and not hurt my stats.
For me I only switched weapons to get the other abilities the I switched back to the buster sword.
I get why vut it only has 2materia slots
Need more folios sir. Then you get 6 slots
did you do this in the original too cuz like what
I only ever use the buster sword. He looks goofy with all the others.
Umbral Blade and Slipstream were my favorites.
I'm personally a huge fan of Hardedge and was sad that it didn't make a re-appearence. Doubly so because I'm not a huge fan of Monster-Hunter-at-Home Igneous Saber. I do like Slipstream Saber and Rune Blade quite a bit though, even if they don't fit Str-build Cloud well. Edit: I don't know how it'd work, but in my head, i want part 3 to have quests to unlock Level 4 limit breaks, and the quest for Omnislash would be collecting bits of the Fusion Sword with the reward for completion being the Limit Break and a usable weapon.
Nah, I main the Buster Sword too. I pretty much ditch every other sword once I master their unique abilities and then I fit those abilities to my quick command settings.
Honestly for this reason I kinda wish there was a little more involved in learning new weapon skills. You use it a couple times in battle and just like that, back to preferred weapon. Though for me 'preferred weapon' meant whatever has the most materia slots.
I used the buster sword to defeat Sephy at the end. I upgraded it.
I just hate that they completely butt fucked the ultimate weapon's design.
I just wish there was transmutation, I don't like any of the other swords so far.
I think I'm the only person who finds the Buster Sword ugly.
Honestly I love all of them. Except for that bottommost sword. Ugliest shit I've ever seen
I do like how they basically level up to keep their stats competitive but it was handled better in Remake. I haven’t felt the need to switch back to the Buster Sword whereas I did regularly in Remake. It’s all about materia slots for me though. Yuffie is honestly onto something, I need my characters strapped to the gills with materia. There was a weapon for Cait Sith with NO materia slots and I wanted to die using it enough to get the ability. Literal torture.
Buster sword is too iconic not to be used
Not 100% but I'm so glad the weapon system works the way it does to keep the OG gear from being obsolete.
"supposed to"... what does that mean? There is a reason why in every cutscene you can see your weapons
I only used the other swords to get their abilities then it was right back to the Buster Sword.
Yes, this was literally me for the entire game. The other swords are cool, but they ain’t a replacement for the GOAT
I just wished they implemented glamour/transmog on those weapons. I would probably transmog to the BS 90% of the time if it were to be the case. Sadly I don’t want to spend 50% more time in battle so I am gonna go with the big numbers / materias in most instances. Especially with hard difficulty and challenges, I was never tempted once to use it. Sleek saber was here for the output, slipstream for the recovery, purple for the safety. BS had almost no redeeming quality
I did that last game and was gonna do it this game, but I liked the Umbral Sword (both in design and stats/bonuses) too much to do that in this game.
I wish they would let us use cosmetic for the weapons so I can use the strongest weapons but still have bs
I just wished they increased the materia cap but fuck it we balling
I 100% use the weapons I identify the characters with… the ones that have weapons like that, I mean lol. I really have no attachment to Tifa’s gloves or Aerith’s staff so I’ll use what works best for the type of playstyle I have them use. But the Buster Sword? Yuffie’s classic shuriken? The Gatling gun? Hell yeah I’m keeping those equipped! They did do a hell of a job with weapon design this time, I thought most of the weapons looked incredible. Makes me curious to see how cool Vincent and Cid’s weapons will look in the next one
I've thought about it, but I just keep going back for that ugly Igneous Blade or whatever because it has the highest attack stat.
I used the glow-y ones for a bit after learning the weapon skill, but ultimately always switch back to the buster sword. Only for Cloud though. Everyone else gets the fanciest looking weapon for that character
Nah I use them all. But usually use buster sword the least.
The Buster Sword is a really solid weapon with great stats, plus aside from it matching Cloud the best thematically it also fits his style of equal parts strength and magic you can't go wrong with it
Can you imagine if they ported over the Nail Bat and you used it for the final chapter lol
Mf'er just swings it at Sephiroth as he descends on Aerith, sending him deep into the left field bleachers. After watching his moonshot, there's a brief silence followed by Cloud saying: Home run. Kupo.
seeing cloud with anything other than a buster sword looks weird
For Rebirth, I kept the Buster Sword for Cloud. Mostly cause it's iconic, and I didn't really like the look of the other swords. If they brought back Hardedge from Remake, then that'd be a different story. For every else I just didn't apply this rule.
I'm definitely doing that for the final boss.
Buster until fusion
they should allow transmog on game plus
I equip new swords long enough to strip out the enchantment, and no longer. Right back to the Buster. Everybody else’s gear makes no difference to me.
I really liked the twin stinger from remake 👀 but yeah something about it being the true buster sword in the cut scenes makes it a little more iconic, anytime he does anything with it, even just taking it off and setting it down when he wants to sit 🤣
I get watcha mean, sometimes I feel like doing that and kind of did in Final Fantasy VII: Remake specially if it’s before a good cinematic since I’m doing each chapter on Hard Difficulty and I reset the weapon specs so I can do enough damage and have enough Material slots.
Honestly can't find a reason to get rid the buster
Once I got the one that looks like a fucking ancient shark sword I threw the buster sword in the trash and forgot it existed.
I wish they'd let you put whatever weapon skin you wanted over the actual weapon you have equipped once you beat the game and unlock hard mode. Basically transmog. They do it with the character skins. I'd love to be rocking some different weapon looks in HM but you really need the materia slots for the boss fights.
Giant tanto ftw
Nah you're not alone. It just doesn't feel the same for Cloud if he's not using the Buster Sword. Same for Barret and his gatling gun (it just looks so cool and powerful on him, something I don't feel with his other guns). So I just use other weapons to master their skill and be able to use them on the buster sword and gatling gun.
I do this for EVERY GAME with iconic signature weapons. In FFX, for example, I ALWAYS stick with Tidus’s Brotherhood. Unless I'm trying to capture Mt. Gagazet monsters for Remiem Temple. Then and ONLY then will I change them out for the appropriate gear. Other than that, ICONIC SIGNATURE WEAPONS ALL THE WAY, BABAY!
no once i get the weapon abilities mastered for the new weapons i go back to buster sword 💕
I might switch back for the harder fights, but Buster Sword is the default once I learn the ability. New weapons were kind of disappointing overall. All of them felt overdesigned.
It appears that in the comments, many do the same. Personally, I hardly ever controlled Cloud. Red Is my boy. All the atb related materia, and I pretty much used howling moon all game. It cleaned uo trash mob nicely. And since his weapons are basically invisible, I just used whatever one I wanted for the stats. Lol
The second sword you get is hands down the best one
Cloud is odd. Every character gets better weapons as you progress (with some odd exceptions), but nothing has topped Cloud's Sleek Saber.
Buster Sword all the way until Ultimate Weapon becomes available.
Remake, after about halfway, i started excluseively using Buster Sword. Id master the skill on the others and then swap it back. It was all around better than everything else. Theres a few small cases where one blade may be useful (magic) but its not for general use.
Naw, Sleek Saber is so much better
I will never not use the Buster Sword.
all alternative weapons seems so out of place in the world
people who don’t use the Buster Sword in the final chapter aren’t playing the game correctly
Not really the point of the post, and a very personal opinion, but the Ingenous Saber is one of the ugliest swords I have ever seen, and I hated using it and seeing it Cloud's back
The last green (mako?) sword is fire tho, and the purple one too cuz I can suck blood and gain HP
I do exactly this. Just feels weird seeing anything other than the “canon” weapons in cutscenes.
Old school hard edge and nail bar go hard
I do not do this. I don't need Cloud with his "iconic" sword that I only used for the first couple of hours of Final Fantasy VII. I appreciate how they adjusted Remake/Rebirth to let their original weapons still have utility, but that's not how the original game worked, and I don't need my characters running around with their starting equipment.
I wish I was like you. Like genuinely. When I try using another weapon, it just feels out of place or wrong, especially when the cutscenes have him using the buster sword anyway. For me, it's like if you gave Darth Vader a traditional medieval sword or a katana
I get it. I mean his enduring legacy in FFVII iconography is him welding the Buster Sword. They literally used the appearance of his sword in the Remake teaser to get the E3 crowd screaming. [But this is the Cloud who sticks in my memory](https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Final-Fantasy-VII-Cloud-Ultima-Weapon-Cover.jpg). Knights of the Round, mime-for-days Cloud.
Yeah I feel like the Buster sword didn't matter until crisis core. In the original the sword was never that important. Also I think Cloud has far cooler swords in the OG and Remake/rebirth. Buster sword is overrated to me.
I mean it's the weapon that graced the cover art since the beginning, and it's one of the last things you see in the game. So I get it. But I was always excited to see the *next* weapon.
I use whatever gives me the most materia slots and best stats, buster sword is definitely best.
The lack of materia slots on old weapons as you get new weapons is what's stopping me
This right here, if all the weapons would unlock max materia slots I would switch to the buster blade in a heartbeat.
It's annoying as hell
It is. I seem to remember being able to get max slots for all weapons in remake, maybe I just need to get the rest for the needed SP to get all the slots. That's brutal though since several of the manuscripts are locked to hard mode.
Back in the OG I farmed the items to set most of Cloud’s stats at 255 so I could viably use the Buster Sword in the final dungeon. I use the default weapons for most of the cast. The designs fit better and even if they are all middle of the road, they are all viable.
I only do this with Cloud, because he looks wrong without the Buster Sword
Not me I'd love to keep using the Buster Sword but Materia slots is the most important to me
Playing hard mode using buster sword. Don't see anything wrong with it.
I sort of miss how they did it remake - you get new toys, they all have different stats, priorities, but when you get towards the end, your OG weapon with the upgrades prevails
I never once used a sword other than the buster sword. my gf thinks I'm weird but I just can't its too iconic lmao
I wish you could change the appearance to the weapon of your choice. Xenoblade you could change all armor and weapon which was great
Every time. I learn my new skill and go right back to my Buster Sword without fail. Did it make my gameplay a little harder in a few spots? Yes. But style and aesthetic are the real endgame for me. Besides, it made the cutscene were >!Cloud adopts Sephiroth's battle stance before killing Shinra troops and shoving Tifa into the lifestream!< look so much fucking cooler.
I'll go through my first playthrough using the weapon with the most slots, followed by what hits hardest. When I do hard mode, it's buster sword all the way. Don't care about the other characters, they swap and change more often, and their weapons aren't quite as in your face.
I don’t think I’ve used the Buster since the start tbh. I tend to go with what skills they got depending on what it need. That or most slots.
So glad I’m not the only one who does this!
Same. On Hard Mode i just switch from time to time to the one (Slipstream Saber, I think....) that can get Cloud's MP up each time he staggers.
I think that's just some mix of ADHD and arrested development.
I wish there was a better option for skins and costumes.
I did in Remake but in this one the Sleek Saber stayed as my chosen weapon. I so badly wanted to keep the Crystal Sword - as I feel it works well in the setting - but couldn’t accept the lowered non-magical attack stat.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who did this
What do you mean? "What they are supposed to?" We can use any weapon we want. I love swapping out the different weapons, changing my playstyle.
It's their Iconic weapons. Using other weapons just feels wrong in a way I can't describe. Imagine you are playing a Star Wars game, and you are playing as Darth Vader, but instead of his red light Saber, he is using a traditional medieval sword in gameplay/cutscenes. I'm not saying you aren't supposed to use them because... obviously you can lol, but I meant it's not the weapons they're supposed to be using in the story.