weap·on / n. 1. Thing designed, used, or usable for inflicting bodily harm. 2. Means for gaining the advantage in a conflict. [OE]

Sometimes it's tough to get all the weapon types straight: who can use them, what good they are, etc. Here's an index of the stuff for ya! Each weapon will have the games it's in, followed by who can equip/use it in that game. The "Crossover" weapons can be found in the Item list.

Axes

1: Warrior, Knight, Ninja
2: Everyone
3: Viking, Ninja
4: Cecil, Kain
5: Berserker
11: Warrior, Dark Knight, Ranger, Beastmaster
12: Everyone
MQ: Benjamin, Kaeli, Reuben
Tactics: Squire, Geomancer
TA: None
TA2: Viking, Chocobo Knight

Strong weapons which miss often and sometimes give random damage.
Crossovers: Battle Axe, Ogre Axe, Poison Axe, Rune Axe

Bare Hands

1: Monk, Master
2: Everyone
3: Monk, Karateka
4: Yang
5: Monk
7: Tifa
8: Edea, Zell
11: Warrior, Monk, Thief, Ninja
12: Everyone
Tactics: Monk
TA: None
TA2: None

For the really physical fighters, this does the trick!
Crossovers: None

Bells

3: Geomancer
5: Geomancer

Possibly the weirdest weapon in the game, keeping with the North Pole theme, Geomancers use bells to attack. How it damages the enemy is beyond me. In FFTA, it makes a bit more sense, as bells (along with other instruments) can be used to call animals. See also Instruments.
Crossovers: Earth Bell, Giyaman Bell, Rune Bell

Blitzballs

10: Wakka

These sports balls can hit flying enemies with the greatest of ease, and eventually pack quite the wallop!

Bombs

MQ: Benjamin

In MQ, a powerful weapon which can also blast open doors, but it comes in limited amounts.
Crossovers: None

Books

3: Scholar, Sage
Tactics: Mystic, Arithmetician
TA2: Chocobo Knight, Scholar, Seer

A really weird weapon, in FF3 people hit other people with it and in Tactics they read out of it. O_o I guess the enemy really didn't like what they were saying!
Crossovers: None

Boomerangs

3: Thief, Magic Knight, Knight, Ninja
4: Edge
5: Thief, Ninja, Mimic
6: Locke
7: Yuffie
8: Rinoa

A strong weapon which can attack from the back row.
Crossovers: Full Moon/Engetsu, Rising Sun

Bows

2: Everyone
3: OnionKid, Fighter, Red Wizard, Hunter, Ninja
4: Rosa, Rydia, Palom, Porom, Cid, FuSoYa, Cecil
5: Hunter
11: Warrior, Thief, Red Mage, Ranger, Samurai, Ninja
12: Everyone
12RW: Fran
MQ: Phoebe
Tactics: Archer
TA: Archer, Hunter, Assassin, Sniper
TA2: Archer, Hunter, Assassin, Ranger, Sniper

Long-range weapons with some nice effects. In TA and TA2 "bows" and "greatbows" are different, and Tactics also has crossbows, which Squires can also equip.
Crossovers: Artemis Bow, Killer Bow, Yoichi Bow

Brushes

6: Relm

Fairly useless weapons except for Relm's "Sketch" ability.
Crossovers: None

Claws

1: Knight, Ninja, Red Wizard, Black Wizard
3: Karateka, Ninja
4: Yang, Edge
6: Sabin
7: Tifa
8: Zell
9: Amarant
10: Rikku
11: ???
12: None
MQ: Benjamin, Phoebe
TA: White Monk, Gadgeteer
TA2: Tinker, White Monk, Chocobo Knight, Berserker

They're usually used by people who have great strength already, so they only raise accuracy or add effects.
Crossovers: Cat Claw, Dragon Claw, HellClaw, Kaiser Claw

Clubs

11: Everyone

Brute force gets 'em every time.

Dolls

10: Lulu

Lulu uses living Cait Sith, Moogle, Moomba, PuPu, Cactuar, and OnionKid dolls to help inflict magical damage on the enmey. Kawaii!

Forks

9: Quina

A cuisinary weapon! Maybe s/he should just make them eat his/her cooking...

Flails/Hammers/Maces

5: White Mage, Red Mage, Time Mage, Chemist, Mimic
6: Terra, Celes, Strago, Relm, Gogo
12: Everyone
Tactics: Ninja
TA: Alchemist, Sage
TA2: Alchemist, Sage, Green Mage, Chocobo Knight

AKA maces. This weapon can attack from the back row, but it's still fairly weak and has no special advantages. Sometimes gives random damage.
Crossovers: Morning Star, Scorpion Tail

Flutes

9: Eiko
TA: Animist, Beastmaster
Very weak weapon.
Crossovers: Lamia Flute = Lamia Harp?

Smack an enemy with a flute, woo! See also Instruments.

Gamblers

6: Setzer
X-2: Lady Luck
TA2: Trickster

This class of weapons includes darts, cards, and dice. Setzer uses them with deadly efficiency.
Crossovers: None

Gunblades

8: Squall, Seifer

This unique weapon resembles a sword with a trigger. If the trigger is pressed at the right moment, the damage is doubled.
Crossovers: None

Guns

7: Barret, Vincent
8: Irvine, Laguna
12: All
12RW: Balthier
Tactics: Chemist, Orator
TA: Gunner
TA2: Fusilier, Agent

The best long-range weapon in the series. Barret's guns are Gatling guns, Vincent's are handguns, Irvine's and the ones from Tactics are rifles, and Laguna's is a machinegun.
Crossovers: None

Hammers

1: Warrior, Knight, Ninja, White Mage, White Wizard
3: Viking, Ninja
4: Cid
5: Berserker
9: Cinna
12: Everyone
CC: Yuke
TA2: Viking, Green Mage, Chocobo Knight

Basically another type of axe. The Flails from Tactics are sometimes called Hammers.
Crossovers: Thor Hammer

Hand-Bombs

12: Everyone
12RW: Ashe

A long-range weapon that randomizes the damage dealt. In RW the randomness is gone, but it affects an area of enemies.

Hand-Cannons

TA2: Cannoneer, Flintlock

A heavier gun for special moves.

Handbags

Tactics: Any female

Strangely enough, these bags are the most expensive weapons in the game! They're powerful, can be equipped regardless of Job, and have some nice effects like Regen.
Crossovers: None

Harps

3: Bard
4: Gilbert
5: Bard
Tactics: Bard

A weird weapon, bards use this to attack the enemy, usually causing them to be confused or fall asleep. See also Instruments.
Crossovers: Dream Harp, Lamia Harp

Harpoon

8: Ward

This heavy weapon inflicts mucho damage on one unlucky enemy at a time.
Crossovers: None

Instruments

11: Bard
TA: Animist, Beastmaster
TA2: Animist, Beastmaster, Bard

This category includes bells, harps, flutes, and the deadly Fell Castanets!

Katal

8: Kiros

Kiros's blades are more like extensions of his hands. They can slice and dice with the best of them. I'm told that the real name of this weapon is Katar, an Indian punching dagger, but Engrish strikes again (actually one of the only occurences of it in FF8).
Crossovers: None

Katanas

3: Magic Knight, Ninja
4: Edge
5: Samurai
6: Cyan
7: Cloud, Sephiroth
10: Auron
11: Samurai, Ninja
12: Everyone
Tactics: Samurai
TA: Ninja, Assassin
TA2: Ninja, Assassin, Parivir, Chocobo Knight, Heritor

Powerful Oriental weapons with Japanese names. They can be held in two hands for greater damage. They're sometimes interchangable with Ninja Swords.
Crossovers: Ashura, Heaven's Cloud, Kikuichimoji, Kotetsu, Masamune, Murasame

Knives/Daggers

1: All but Monk and Master
2: Everyone
3: OnionKid, Fighter, Black Wizard, Red Wizard, Knight, Thief, Ninja
4: Cecil, Kain, Rydia, Edge
5: All but Monk and White Mage
6: All but Sabin, Cyan, Gau, and Umaro
9: Zidane
11: Everyone but Monk and White Mage
12: Everyone
Tactics: Squire, Chemist, Thief, Orator, Ninja, Dancer
TA: Thief, Juggler
TA2: Thief, Juggler, Hunter, Chocobo Knight, Ranger, Dancer, Heritor

A general-purpose weapon which sometimes has surprising effects.
Crossovers: Air Knife, Assassin Knife, Mage Masher, Main Gauche, Orichalcon

Measures

12: Everyone

A strange weapon, it causes positive status to whoever it hits!

Megaphones

7: Cait Sith

Cait Sith commands his Mog better with different colored megaphones.
Crossovers: None

Ninja Sword

5: Ninja
6: Shadow
7: Cloud
9: Zidane
12: Everyone
Tactics: Ninja

Special knives which only Ninjas can use; they cause status like Stop and Death.
Crossovers: See Katanas.

Nunchuck

1: Monk, Master, Ninja
3: Monk, Ninja
8: Selphie

One of the most useless weapons in the entire series, except in 8 where it's like any other weapon. 'Nuff said. Note that in TA2, several of the "pole" weapons can be considered nunchucks.
Crossovers: None

Poles

12: Everyone
Tactics: Mystic, Arithmetician
TA2: Chocobo Knight, Dancer, Master Monk, Geomancer, Heritor

Weapons with long range.

Rackets

9: Dagger, Eiko
CC: Selkies

The only long-distance weapon in the game, for magic users. Not bad.

Rods

3: Black Wizard, Red Wizard, Conjurer, Warlock, Summoner, Sage, Ninja
4: Rydia, Tellah, Palom, FuSoYa
5: Black Mage, Red Mage, Blue Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Mimic
6: Gogo, Relm, Strago
9: Dagger
10: Yuna
12: Everyone
12RW: Kytes
Tactics: Black Mage, Summoner, Mystic, Arithmetician
TA: Black Mage, Illusionist, Time Mage
TA2: Black Mage, Illusionist, Time Mage, Arcanist, Chocobo Knight, Dancer, Heritor

Stronger than Staffs but don't give as much magical help.
Crossovers: None

Rugs

Tactics: Dancer

Persian silks and gossamer threads do more damage than you'd think!
Crossovers: None

Scythes

11: Warrior, Dark Knight, Beastmaster

Time to "farm" them monsters!

Shuriken/Ninja Stars

3: Ninja
4: Edge
5: Ninja, anyone with the "!Throw" ability
6: Shadow, Gogo
7: Yuffie
9: Amarant
MQ: Tristam
Tactics: Ninja

Although these can't be equipped on anyone (except for Yuffie in 7), they are thrown for great damage during battle.
Crossovers: Shuriken, Pinwheel

Skybandits

12RW: Filo

Skybandits are floating skateboards; Filo rides on one and then uses it to smash enemies with!

Souls

TA: Morpher

Morphers can use the souls of captured enemies to attack other enemies with, brrr!

Spears/Polearms

2: Everyone
3: Dragoon, Ninja
4: Kain
5: Dragoon
6: Edgar, Mog
7: Cid
9: Freya
10: Kimahri
11: Warrior, Paladin, Samurai, Dragoon
12: Everyone
12RW: Llyud
Tactics: Dragoon
TA: Dragoon, Templar
TA2: Dragoon, Templar, Chocobo Knight
CC: Lilty

Often, all spears are Wind-elemental. The Dragoon's Jump command is most effective when using spears.
Crossovers: Blood Spear, Gungnir, Holy Spear, Partisan, Trident, Wind Spear

Staves

1: All (different ones)
2: Everyone
3: White Wizard, Red Wizard, Shaman, Sage, Ninja
4: Cecil, Tellah, Rosa, Porom, FuSoYa
5: White Mage, Time Mage, Red Mage, Chemist, Mimic
6: Strago, Relm, Gogo
7: Aeris
9: Vivi
10: Yuna
11: Warrior, Monk, White Mage, Black Mage, Paladin, Ranger, Dragoon, SMN (?)
12: Everyone
12RW: Penelo
Tactics: White Mage, Time Mage, Summoner, Mystic
TA: White Mage, Summoner, Bishop
TA2: White Mage, Summoner, Bishop, Chocobo Knight, Dancer, Heritor

Weak weapons which raise magic power.
Crossovers: Sage Staff

Swords

1: Warrior, Knight, Thief, Ninja, Red Mage, Red Wizard
2: Everyone
3: OnionKid, Fighter, Knight, Red Mage, Ninja
4: Cecil, Kain
5: Knight, Mystic Knight, Red Mage, Blue Mage
6: Celes, Edgar, Locke, Terra
7: Cloud
9: Steiner, Marcus, Blank, Beatrix
10: Tidus
11: Warrior, Thief, Red Mage, Paladin, Dark Knight, Ranger, Bard, Beastmaster, Samurai, Dragoon, Ninja
12: Everyone
12RW: Vaan, Basch
MQ: Benjamin
Tactics: Knight, Geomancer
TA:

• Swords: Soldier, Warrior, Dragoon
• Blades: Fighter, Gladiator, Mog Knight
• Sabers: Blue Mage
• Knightswords: Paladin, Defender, Templar
• Greatswords: Soldier, Paladin
• Broadswords: Warrior, Defender
• Rapiers: Fencer, Elementalist, Red Mage

TA2:

• Swords: Soldier, Warrior, Dragoon, Spellblade, Chocobo Knight, Sky Pirate, Heritor
• Blades: Fighter, Gladiator, Moogle Knight, Chocobo Knight, Sky Pirate, Heritor
• Sabers: Blue Mage, Sky Pirate, Chocobo Knight, Heritor
• Knightswords: Paladin, Defender, Templar, Chocobo Knight, Heritor
• Greatswords: Soldier, Paladin, Lanista, Ravager, Chocobo Knight, Heritor
• Broadswords: Warrior, Defender, Raptor, Chocobo Knight, Heritor
• Rapiers: Fencer, Elementalist, Red Mage, Chocobo Knight

CC: Clavat

Usually the most powerful weapons in the game. They can be used with two hands, or with one in each hand for great versatility. Often there are two types of swords, regular and Knight Swords.
Crossovers: Ancient Sword, Blood Sword, Coral Sword, Defender, Excalibur, Excalipur, Flame Sword, Ice Brand, Long Sword, Ogre Nix, Ragnarok, Rune Blade, Save The Queen, Sleep Sword, Ultima Weapon

Whips

4: Rydia
5: Mediator
8: Quistis

This weapon can attack from the back row and can inflict some nice damage. In 5 this was used to tame animals.
Crossovers: Chain Whip, Flame Bute, Save The Queen

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