Summary
- Weiss wields two powerful Gunblades in Dirge of Cerberus but ends up defeated.
- Lightning's sword skills in FF13 are unmatched, showcasing speed and versatility.
- Beatrix's sword-based magic in FF9 makes her a terrifying villain and opponent.
Most Final Fantasy heroes are armed with a sword. Cloud might be the most iconic thanks to his Buster Sword, but Squall, Lightning, Squall, Cecil, and so many others are also skilled with the blade. Are they all the strongest in a lineup next to other heroes and villains across the multiverse of Final Fantasy games? Could they win in a fight without their swords?
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Probably, but let's focus more on the swordplay. In fact, let’s rank these Final Fantasy characters based on how well they handle the sword, including both their basic attacks and special skills. This isn't an overall strength contest for characters who happen to use swords. This list is a skill comparison between the best sword-wielding characters in Final Fantasy.
8 Weiss The Immaculate (Dirge Of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7)
Double Gunning Samurai Action
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- August 15, 2006
- ESRB
- Teen // Mild Language, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Action RPG
Weiss is the final boss in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7, the spinoff that starred Vincent as the hero. Final Fantasy 8 was the first game to feature a Gunblade-wielder via Squall, but Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 turned up the volume by giving Weiss two of the most powerful and coolest Gunblades in the series.
Weiss can zip past and counter Vincent like it's nothing, but he’s at the bottom of the list since he eventually does get defeated. Weiss reappears in the Yuffie DLC for Final Fantasy 7 Remake as a secret boss, and his blade work is just as devastating in that appearance.
7 Lightning (Final Fantasy 13)
Fast And Fluid
Final Fantasy 13
- Released
- March 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Lightning is the main character of Final Fantasy 13, and she also uses a Gunblade. Instead of firing a bullet after a strike of her blade, Lightning can transform the weapon into a rifle, giving her the best of both worlds for melee and ranged dominance.
While perhaps not physically the strongest in her game, her ability with the sword is unmatched, since she uses speed to get around her opponents. It should also be noted that throughout this trilogy, Lightning becomes a god. However, even when removed from that status, Lightning is a character villains should fear.
6 Beatrix (Final Fantasy 9)
A Terrifying Knight With One Eye
Final Fantasy 9
- Released
- July 7, 2000
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Violence, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Beatrix, on the other hand, is a villain that heroes and players alike should fear in Final Fantasy 9. She’s the highest-ranking knight in the kingdom of Alexandria, following Queen Brahne as she tries to conquer the world.
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She appears several times as a boss, and it’s one of those fights that is impossible to win. Thanks to her sword-based magic, Beatrix can destroy or weaken her opponents quickly, and players can get a small taste of her power when she becomes a temporary party member later on.
5 Jack Garland (Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin)
Using The Power Of Crystals
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
- Released
- March 18, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Jack is the main character of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and his pure strength is something to be admired. Jack, along with his party members, can transform into different Jobs thanks to the power of the Crystals.
Removed from that, Jack is also a gifted swordsman who values gigantic blades over slender ones, and after a round with an opponent, he can turn their blood into crystals and harvest them. It should come as no surprise, then, that these dark antics later transform Jack into the villain known as Garland, a powerful sword-wielding knight from the original game.
4 Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy 7)
Buster Swords Make Me Feel Good
Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- January 31, 1997
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- RPG
Cloud is from Final Fantasy 7, and he’s practically the poster boy of the entire series. He has that iconic anime-influenced spiky blonde hair and the gigantic Buster Sword on his back. It seems impossible for him to wield a blade that big with his skinny arms, but he does it in every game and multimedia expansion he appears in.
Cloud demonstrates a lot more skills with his blades in the remakes, but overall, he is certainly a powerful warrior in every iteration. Sephiroth, while a cool, iconic, and powerful villain and rival to Cloud in Final Fantasy 7, doesn’t show off too many reasons why he is good with his elongated Masamune blade. It just adds to his aesthetic.
3 Cidolfus Orlandeau (Final Fantasy Tactics)
A Holy Knight
Final Fantasy Tactics
- Released
- June 20, 1997
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Tactical, RPG
Cidolfus appears in Final Fantasy Tactics as the game's version of Cid. Among the many in the series, Cidolfus might be the strongest overall thanks to his sword magic. Cidolfus, by no mere coincidence, surely had to be influenced by Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars with his gray beard and brown cloak.
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Cidolfus shows a lot more power in Final Fantasy Tactics, though, and once he joins the party late-game, players will not want for anyone else. He’s almost too strong a character, but that makes him fun to use when players want to feel more powerful.
2 Clive Rosfield (Final Fantasy 16)
For Joshua
Final Fantasy 16
- Released
- June 22, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Clive is the protagonist of Final Fantasy 16, and he has one of the roughest lives of any hero in the series. Through all of his hardships, though, Clive’s ability with his sword never falters.
Players can perform a large number of combos with Clive's blade and even pull off elemental strikes once Clive gains more power from Eikons, Final Fantasy 16’s version of Summons. Clive can also turn into Ifrit, the legendary fire Summon who appears in most Final Fantasy games, but that is more like a bonus. Devoid of transformation, Clive is an unrelenting bladed force of nature on a quest for revenge.
1 Zack Fair (Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7)
A One-Man Army
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- March 24, 2008
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Zack is an important character in Final Fantasy 7, but he doesn’t get his due until his solo game, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7. Zack is the only playable character in that spinoff, showcasing just how powerful he is. Next to Zack, Cloud is a mere copy who can handle himself fine alone in a fight, but Cloud also has party members to aid him.
Zack doesn’t, and his quest for justice takes him through many hardships akin to Clive. Clive uses his pain to stay angry, while Zack turns that grief and anger into positivity, while still being able to cut through hundreds of foes on his own. Also, that final scene in the game shows how strong Zack’s will is, even beyond his skill with a blade.
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