Choosing weapons

I understand that different weapons work in different ways. However, I still cannot see a reason to not just use the strongest weapon available for every party member. For me currently, this means running around with the latest Bow or Spear.

Even if I were to choose to use 1H weapons with shields, why not just use the same strongest 1H weapon for everyone? Beyond that, for certain battles, it seems that you are more likely to be hurt by using a variety of weapons.

For example:
(SPOILER)When fighting the bird before the tomb... it seems like using nothing but ranged weapons would be the the best option. Why even use any other weapon than the Killer Bow for everyone?

I don't know what you mean but I give the same weapon to everyone (well, not everyone, just three of my main character, I leave the other three unarmed). I use Axes/Hammers and IMO, Bows/Guns sucked.

(SPOILER)For Garuda in Tomb of Raithwall, use Dark (Arcane Magic), don't worry about Vossler, he uses Telekinesis. I don't even bother using bows and guns. When at the end of the game, I found guns and bows to be the weakest.

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Originally Posted by Dell

I don't know what you mean but I give the same weapon to everyone (well, not everyone, just three of my main character, I leave the other three unarmed). I use Axes/Hammers and IMO, Bows/Guns sucked.

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I mean, is there any reason to not equip everyone with the exact same weapon type?

Why give

Vaan a Dagger,
Basch a Sword,
Balthier a Gun...

...when you can just equip all 3 with the same high attack weapon? Most recently the most powerful weapon I could buy was a Javelin. Why wouldn't I just have all 3 members equip a Javelin instead of having each equip various weapons?

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Originally Posted by Yeargdribble

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Originally Posted by Dell

I don't know what you mean but I give the same weapon to everyone (well, not everyone, just three of my main character, I leave the other three unarmed). I use Axes/Hammers and IMO, Bows/Guns sucked.

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I mean, is there any reason to not equip everyone with the exact same weapon type?

Why give

Vaan a Dagger,
Basch a Sword,
Balthier a Gun...

...when you can just equip all 3 with the same high attack weapon? Most recently the most powerful weapon I could buy was a Javelin. Why wouldn't I just have all 3 members equip a Javelin instead of having each equip various weapons?

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Well, for me, no reason, I found it better with everyone using the same weapon.
Don't equip Javelin, because you can't equip Shields, without shield, you rarely even evade an attack/magic.

i think it'd be fun to play the game keeping the characters to specific job types. more interesting than having the same characters.

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Originally Posted by Paul

i think it'd be fun to play the game keeping the characters to specific job types. more interesting than having the same characters.

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Exactly. Adding variety to your party will make the game more fun

Well, the answer is sort of simple.

You should have at least 1 person standing on the outskirts of the battle using a ranged weapon. Why? Because this person will take the very least damage of the battle (in most cases), and will be able to throw buffs and cures as well as raise (if no more phoenix downs). I currently have Fran and Balthier using ranged weapons and curing/raising/buffing when needed so I dont have to have my main attackers (Basche, Vaan, etc.) take away from their swinging of their swords.

So far this has worked great for me. No complaints.

I like to keep job specific almost. ex
Vaan uses spears
Fran uses bows
Ashe uses poles
Thats usually my main party.

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Originally Posted by Crossblades

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Originally Posted by Paul

i think it'd be fun to play the game keeping the characters to specific job types. more interesting than having the same characters.

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Exactly. Adding variety to your party will make the game more fun

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Same. Plus different kinds of weapons have different capacities. If you look in your Clan Primer it tells you about the advantages of different types of weapons, like daggers (and bows) are based on speed thus if you have a higher speed you will do more damage (and probably more chance of multiple hits). Guns and the like are piercing weapons so their damage is not affected by your opponant's defense. Hammer and Axes are powerful but inconsistant in the damage they deal. Poles have something to do with magic (either resistance or defense), etc... You'd have to check in your Clan Primer under the Tips (It is something along the lines of "Arm yourself" or something to that effect). It gives a nice explaination between the different weapon types.

Anyways my main party is Vaan (dagger w/ shield), Balthier (spears/poles/guns) and Fran (bow). I find it works nice with Fran having long range with the bow because I have her casting magic often and usually equiped with mystic type armour, this helps minimize damage towards her. I would use guns with Balthier more since I like long range weapons plus it ignores def, but they are rather weak for attack power so I go with the more dragoon-like weaponry.

hmm i like my set up i made it almost a job thing

i have Vaan using sword and shield and all white magick AKA paladin

Ashe- she is using a sword and shield and using all magic AKA a red mage type

Basche- i have him using the big weapons Hammers,Spears,etc kinda like a Warrior

Bartheir(SP?)-using guns and some buffs a ranged person

Penelo- i have her using a sheild and then some daggers and ninja swords u kno light weapons with some back up healing and stealing a Theif

Fran- using a bow and all magick kinda like a red mage type just with a bow

Vaan - One handed Swords/Daggers with Shield. Vaan's my frontman, and dabbles in a bit of everything.

Ashe - Hand Axes with Shield. Powerhouse.

Basch - One handed Swords/Daggers with Shield. Although unlike Vaan, Basch is my technick warehouse.

Penelo - Two handed Rods. She's my primary spell caster.

Balthier - Two handed Spears.

Fran - Bows. Also a primary spellcaster.

So far:

Vaan - One handed sword/dagger, shield, white/black magick.

Penelo - daggers and white magick.

Balthier - Guns and technicks.

Fran - Bows and black magick.

I think everyone missed the point of my question. I was asking if there was any statistical reason not to just use the best weapon all the time. While playing everyon as set jobs with set weapons might be fun for a future run through, that's irrelevant.

I did end up getting the answer elsewhere however. A friend that played the Japanese version explained to me that basically 2H swords are the best all around while using 1H swords+shields was a good idea for some situations. Bows suck because they have no chance of mutli-hitting.

So statistically, no, there is no reason to use a good majority of the weapons in the game. I'm glad they gave us so much free choice and variety, but a little more balance would be nice. The vast majority of weapons and even certain weapon types are apparently completely statistically pointless to use.

While I'll agree some of the weapons are just pure crap (measures and handbombs, wtf?), the balance in the game weapons-wise is pretty good. The statistical reason you want to limit what weapons you have for characters is that it costs license points for everyone to learn a certain weapon. If I just ignore a large part of the weapons grid and focus a character on particular weapons, it gives me tons more license points to spend on augmentations and accessories.

Additionally, it lets you be able to use accesories and armor that are most effective with your selected weapon. For instance, the genji gloves work great on any character, but if you put them with a katana/pole user, they become a comboing machine. Also the bubble belt with a tank character makes them nearly unstoppable and no mage is complete without a cat-ear hood or sage's ring..

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Originally Posted by El Bandito

The statistical reason you want to limit what weapons you have for characters is that it costs license points for everyone to learn a certain weapon. If I just ignore a large part of the weapons grid and focus a character on particular weapons, it gives me tons more license points to spend on augmentations and accessories.

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Why not use the same weapon for everyone till the end of the game rather than having everyone use different weapon? I gives Axes/Hammers to all my parties, and they complete their Augment, Magicks/Technicks and Accessories node before I even reach the end of the game.

I can see range playing some sort of factor at times. You don't want to give a main healer a short range weapon when you really need her back out of the way healing others so that person doesn't get trampled on like a midget.

With me i had bascht an vann with swords. They run up to the enemy an attack it with that an then i have fran posted up at the back of the battle casting support an curative magic an occasionally attackin with the siliver bow. Im only at (SPOILER)ester sandsea wen ur headed to that kings tomb to get ashe's proof of her birth right.

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Originally Posted by BustaMo

I can see range playing some sort of factor at times. You don't want to give a main healer a short range weapon when you really need her back out of the way healing others so that person doesn't get trampled on like a midget.

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Then, just heal your character from where your main healer are. It's the same, front or back, if enemy want to hit you, he/she can go and catch you. And that's why I prefer same (all) job to everyone, at least, when my healer is silenced/dead, I have another healer.

Yes but the enemy is most likely to hit your character who is front and center, say Basch with a sword hacking away at it, then say Fran who sits back about 10 meters shooting arrows from a distance. It'd be smarter to have Fran heal, than Basch who should be focusing on attacking and chiseling away at the enemies HP.

So you have variety. xD And what El Bandito and others said. Games don't always have to be about having the absolute best stuff at all times, you can have some variety too. Jeez.

I haven't read all of the posts in this thread so sorry if this has been said already but:

You've gotta think about what will work best in different situations.

For example, let's take the dagger, Chopper. Sure there are stronger daggers, but Chopper is the only dagger which can cause (very useful) status effect Sap on hit.

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Originally Posted by El Bandito

While I'll agree some of the weapons are just pure crap (measures and handbombs, wtf?)

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I remember the Hornito being excellent, its a handbomb and I equipped it for Balthier and he didnt have to change weapons for liek 15 levels.

Well I'd assume there will be some great weapons of different types you can't buy in shops, and therefore can't give to everybody, so there's that.

Is the License board set up so that you can easily give everyone whatever the 'best' weapon type at the time is? I just started so I don't know, but it seems to me that unlocking Spear 1 would lead to Spear 2, etc. and that would take you away from things like Gun 2, Axe 2. Of course if you just hardcore level you can unlock them for everybody, but that's tedious.

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Originally Posted by BustaMo

Yes but the enemy is most likely to hit your character who is front and center, say Basch with a sword hacking away at it, then say Fran who sits back about 10 meters shooting arrows from a distance. It'd be smarter to have Fran heal, than Basch who should be focusing on attacking and chiseling away at the enemies HP.

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Also I seem to notice the monsters liking to attack those who are doing more damage and are closer too. I remember once, (SPOILER)I summoned Belius (or w/e his name is) and the boss was targetting him, but Fran go too close so he switched to Fran, but as I had her move away, then belius attacked him, he immediately switched focus onto him. I've also have had monsters switch to Fran when she was closer in for she did high damage using magic.

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Originally Posted by Del Murder

Well I'd assume there will be some great weapons of different types you can't buy in shops, and therefore can't give to everybody, so there's that.

Is the License board set up so that you can easily give everyone whatever the 'best' weapon type at the time is? I just started so I don't know, but it seems to me that unlocking Spear 1 would lead to Spear 2, etc. and that would take you away from things like Gun 2, Axe 2. Of course if you just hardcore level you can unlock them for everybody, but that's tedious.

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actually, its only partially like that. Spears lead to spears, but if you only go the spear path, eventually it cuts off, and sips a block, so youll have to get the new weapon then go on.

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Originally Posted by Yeargdribble

I think everyone missed the point of my question. I was asking if there was any statistical reason not to just use the best weapon all the time.

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I believe someone addressed your request for statistics here. If I understand the post correctly, different weapons are better for different characters based on their stats, as well as the role they play in your party (e.g. giving a healer a ranged weapon so that monsters with close-range AoE don't hurt them).

I usually give Vaan a dagger. Specifically, Main Gauche. That thing gives him about 40 evade including the shield. I like the speed-based damage, too.

Right now, Balthier has a gun. Sirius with the Aqua Shot is doing about 500 damage at lvl 19, and it has range.

Fran has a bow, but she mostly casts/heals.

Basch has an axe/hammer. I feel lucky.

(SPOILER)Ashe has a rod/staff. I don't know why.

Penelo has whatever she needs at the time. Right now, it's a sword, because I like having the Shell Shield on her.

Well I'm only up to The end of Leviathan and I plan to make my characters as so

Vaan: Uses daggers, swords and blades with shields
Penelo: Uses Daggers, Bows & Arrows, and staves
Basch: Uses swords, and axes with shields
Fran: Uses staves, javelin, Bows and Arrows
Balthier: Just guns
Ashe: Swords with shields

I looked in my strategy guide and they sem to classify, poles, staves, and rods seperately, they must have their own differences.

Swords, ninja swords, and blades aare also seperated along with hammers, maces, and axes seperated what's the difference between all of them?