Worst Weapons Across All FE Games (In Your Opinion)

[MegaCowsamMan]

Just as the title says, name the worst weapon! But first:
Before you start naming any broken weapons from the SNES games, here’s a few rules:

• No Legendary Weapons:
• No Broken Weapons:
• No Unused Weapons:
• No Monster Weapons:

With that outta the way, I’d like to share my opinions on how I’d go about fixing them.
(Note I haven’t played all of the FE games though!)

FE5

Berserk Sword

It just feels rather redundant. It’s weapon rank is very high for a niche status effect, it’s might is that of a Short Sword, it’s STRANGLY heavy, it’s hit rate leaves much to be desired, its uses are around the lowest in the series (not including Siege Tomes), and you can only obtain it in TWO, count 'em TWO chapters in the game. And one of them is the final chapter!

How I’d fix it
Decrease the weight. Seriously. That alone would improve it by a wide margin. Increase the hit just a bit, make it like 65% or 60%. Lastly, make it a B rank weapon level weapon (not that it matters much since it’s so late in the game). I wouldn’t go that much further then that really.

FE6 (My Fav FE)

Hammer

Well, you kinda had this coming. We all know of the horrendous hit rates FE6 gives us. And that kinda sums up it’s problems really. I guess I’d point out the weight I guess too. Effective weapons were never FE6-8’s strongest points, but the Hammers downright useless.

How I’d fix it
Increase the hit rate. 'Nuff said. Maybe decrease the weight by 1, but thats kinda me spitballing here.

FE7

Silver Blade

I have plenty of experience with this one. To me, it just feels pointless. Enemy quality isn’t really that high to begin with, it’s hit rate is below-average, you only get one during the entire game (unless you count the Secret Shop, but there’s better item’s to get there in my opinion), and it’s uses are very low for a gba item. Not that outstanding.

How I’d fix it
I’d add 5 more uses to it personally, and maybe increase the hit rate to 65%, and maybe get it a chapter or two earlier? I find it a bit hard to salvage this one.

FE8

Elfire

Now hear me out, I know it’s the same in FE7 as it is in FE8, but what makes it worse in FE8 is that Sages get Light Tomes in this game! Adding a ton more better tomes to there roster. Why would you use Elfire over, say, a Thunder Tome? Or a Fimbulvetr Tome? It just feels to heavy to use in my opinion.

How I’d fix it
I’d increase the might and decrease the weight by 1. Thats it. Sure that would make it a bit powerful, but I feel like it just needs it so I can actually have a reason to use it over a Thunder Tome. But thats just me.

FE9

Bolt Axe

Maybe my opinion on this is a bit skewed because of the bad first impression I got from the boss that drops it (In my experience at least), but I just think it’s kinda useless. Most, if not ALL of the players axe users have TERRIBLE magic when you get the Bolt Axe. It’s might’s a bit low too, and you get it pretty late in the game. I just don’t see the novelty in this kind of weapon.

How I’d fix it
I can’t really think of a fix for this one. It’s almost useless without a good magic stat from any axe using unit. If you’ve got any ideas, drop 'em below!

FE10

Silver Greatlance

Now, as of writing this, I’m currently playing through FE10 for the first time right now, so I don’t exactly have the best opinion on it, but I feel like I’ve used it enough to get a good feeling about this weapon. In short, I don’t think it’s good at all. It’s extremely heavy, it’s hit rate is pretty awful in my opinion, and there’s also such a thing as a Steel Greatlance, which in my opinion is much better. So, pretty awful in my opinion.

How I’d fix it
Hm, if I could, I’d increase the hit rate to maybe 60% or 55%. Decrease the weight just a bit, and maybe add one point to it’s might perhaps. It doesn’t need too much to be truly great.

FE11

Wyrmslayer

It was pretty hard to find a truly BAD weapon in FE11 (Maybe because there’s not much weapons in there anyway), but I think my crosshairs land on the Wyrmslayer. It just feels like it had to be there for the sake of having the Sword-Lance-Axe effective weapon trio. But to me, I never really saw a reason to use it. Sword users in FE11’s might are generally on the lower side, so having the Wyrmslayer also have might on the lower side doesn’t really do much for our sword locked units. Plus there kinda rare to even get one, so there’s that.

How I’d fix it
Increase the might by maybe 2 points of damage. MAAAABYE decrease the weight by 1? Or give all it a 5% crit chance? Not much I can say really. It’s design is cool though.

So, thats pretty much my opinion.
Now, I’m doing this for research purposes. And for general interest! So lemme know what y’all think yourselves! And if I have good point on my takes! I’m really trying to understand weapon balancing for myself. I’d really like to know!
I’ll be sure to make a “Every FE Games Best Weapon” thread sometime!

Edit: I’m editing the title so that way yo don’t have to mention EVERY FE game. If you think I should switch it back, let me know!

Cheers!

[DrGreen3339]

FE4’s iron axe has the same hit and weight as the steel/silver versions but less might, so you really don’t wanna bother with an 18 weight weapon that’s just outclassed by other variants. Its only niche is its lower price and weapon rank.

Honestly any of FE6’s steel weapons could qualify except for like the steel sword because unlike the hammer you’re probably gonna be using steels fairly often, forcing you to rely more on their bad hitrates.

I never bother with daggers in Fates if I have the option, that +2 speed on shurikens is nice and the accuracy drop isn’t too bad because:
A. They’re still fine accuracy-wise
B. Many throwers tend to have good skill stats
C. There’s a lot of ways to boost hit in Fates (skills, supports, etc)

FE8 Luna just doesn’t have a real niche due to its awful hitrate and most other tomes giving you better damage output (especially because Luna is on the heavy side)

[MegaCowsamMan]

Good point on FE6’s steel weapons!

[Syndixel]

For the Bolt Axe to be better, they should go the SoV Levin Sword route and make it deal strong fixed damage. It would make it decent against high defense units like generals and wyvern lords.

[Enskyer]

oooh that’s an easy one lol. The wind tome in FE5.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good weapon to use but my problem with it is the Rank being at D. Some of your units can only use Fire and thunder since there at Rank E. while they can’t use Wind magic until they promote to Sage & Mage Knight.

I think that’s the only weapon I have that I have a problem with. and bothered me since playing Tharcia 776

[MegaCowsamMan]

Hm, thats a good point actually!
Never thought of it like that…

[UnitedStars111]

FE4 Fire tomes. Like… they’re just straight up worse than the other two magic types. >.< Azelle got screwed over HARD

Another kinda trashy weapon would be FE6 Devil Axe ( or axes in general in that game, yikes ). Too much risk in my opinion… and the hit rate. I do not care if it has a lot of might, I’m not risking it.

[Vesly]

javelins cause they overshadow everything and reduce the fun

bows because archers are bad

[FlamingZelda]

slim swords.

Hate them.

[MegaCowsamMan]

Ok, ok, all good information! Very interesting points.

[Obsidian_Daddy]

I would say the Short Bow in FE7 is the worst weapon for me
The effective damage is so low to the point it feels bad to use which is the worst part, and it’s a bow which is just a weak weapon type in FE7. I say the short bow over things like the slim sword/lance because they aren’t as disappointing as the short bow imo. Seeing the effective damage flash and then dealing relatively low damage is just sad.

[rdrouyn]

I don’t like how they designed Silver Weapons in Fates. Silver Weapons are generally balanced around lower durability and higher price, but that is not applicable to Fates. So they went with accumulating stat penalties for weapons. -2 str for a single use of a silver weapon means that it has essentially been downgraded to a forged steel weapon. In practice, I never bother with silvers and just stick with forged Iron and Steel weapons.

Even worse than those, there are weapons such as Aurgelmir that halve your strength stat after one use. Basically those weapons exist for finishing off bosses because the stat penalties are too harsh for regular use.

Having said all that, I’m not sure there is a better way of balancing powerful weapons with no durability. Maybe a set amount of uses per map?

[Freefall]

Bolting tomes because they just feel bad when the enemy has them I mean sure you have to consider the ranges and all that but if you forget about and let’s say do an iron man with Roy conveniently in range of said tome and happens to get on shot then we have a problem and also they don’t quite as powerful in th players hand form my experience

[Jack_G]

I think boltings can be used well if they are used properly. I think the best way is for them to be placed behind the player to encourage them to push toward the objective. The issue with siege tomes in vanilla fe is that they often encourage turtling and punish you for not being vigilant enough to put frail units outside of their range.

A prime example of this is chapter 16 of fe6 (the one with Douglas). There is a purge bishop to the north that forces you to turtle and slowly absorb all his uses before you progress. It also has a bolting mage in the east that can only be killed with a longbow and there is an ambush spawn bolting as well. The issue is not with bolting, just that it is often utilised incorrectly imo.

[theghostcreator]

GBA steel lances, they’re ungodly heavy and the only option for lance units other than the iron lance which quickly falls off in damage output and silvers which you only get copious amounts of later on.

light magic in general in GBA also feels bad, severely underpowered.

[Freefall]

That is true I have played hacks where siege tomes are used well im just very biased cause I lost my iron man

[MegaCowsamMan]

@Obsidian_Daddy

I would say the Short Bow in FE7 is the worst weapon for me

Yeah, I’m gonna have to agree with you on this. They just felt like worse Killer Bows in my opinion. (And being honest, I am kinda a fan of 1-2 range Short Bows, I’d just remove the crit chance).

@rdrouyn

I don’t like how they designed Silver Weapons in Fates.

Thats very interesting. I never played Fates, so I never heard weapons would debuff you’re stats. Thats pretty wild stuff!

@Freefall

Bolting tomes because they just feel bad when the enemy has them I mean sure you have to consider the ranges and all that but if you forget about and let’s say do an iron man with Roy conveniently in range of said tome and happens to get on shot then we have a problem

Hm, I’ve only done one FE7 Iron Man in my life so and can understand being destroyed by a Bolting Tome. (RIP Nino)

@Jack_G

I think boltings can be used well if they are used properly. I think the best way is for them to be placed behind the player to encourage them to push toward the objective. The issue with siege tomes in vanilla fe is that they often encourage turtling and punish you for not being vigilant enough to put frail units outside of their range.

Hey, that is a good point! Yeah, chapter 16, what an interesting chapter.

@theghostcreator

GBA steel lances, they’re ungodly heavy and the only option for lance units other than the iron lance which quickly falls off in damage output and silvers which you only get copious amounts of later on.

light magic in general in GBA also feels bad, severely underpowered.

I also agree with the GBA Steel Lances. I always try to brainstorm how to exactly fix those guys. Especially the Steel Lance. Geez!
Honestly, Light Magic was always too heavy for me. I never understood why Light Tomes weren’t, you know, lighter. Give it more crit and a little less weight and you’re set!

Whew! This is all very good bits of info!

[DATonDemand]

@MegaCowsamMan

Light Magic was always too heavy for me. I never understood why Light Tomes weren’t, you know, lighter

Light tomes be like: straight up worse dark tomes

[dancer_A]

@rdrouyn

Having said all that, I’m not sure there is a better way of balancing powerful weapons with no durability.

Some obscure weapon stat called weight probably.

[Knives]

@MegaCowsamMan

How I’d fix it
I’d add 5 more uses to it personally, and maybe increase the hit rate to 65%, and maybe get it a chapter or two earlier? I find it a bit hard to salvage this one.

That sounds reasonable. I would also decrease the Wt of all Blade weapons by 1.

@FlamingZelda

slim swords.
Hate them.

There’s a lot of bad weapons, but Slim Swords was what popped in my mind first as well when I saw the topic of this thread.

They’re weak, the reduced Wt is basically meaningless because every character can wield Iron Swords without penalty anyway, and yet they somehow cost more gold per use than Iron Swords, at least in the GBA games.

@Obsidian_Daddy

I would say the Short Bow in FE7 is the worst weapon for me

Slim sword is what popped in my head first, but Short Bow is a great candidate as well.

@rdrouyn

Having said all that, I’m not sure there is a better way of balancing powerful weapons with no durability. Maybe a set amount of uses per map?

Cooldowns is one solution and that’s what they already tried to do with the debuffs after use, both on the subtract static value debuffs (like the ones on Silvers) as well as the halving debuffs that stick around until after you use a different weapon (like the one on Aurgelmir). So they had the correct idea but the wrong implementation because the debuffs from weapons like Silvers are attached to the character and affect the combat you perform with other weapons, while the debuffs from weapons like Aurgelmir depend on whether you perform combat with a different weapon rather than cooling down regardless.

Set # of uses per chapter could work too, although that’s essentially going back to limited durability but rationing the uses for the player.

Both solutions above could be used in conjunction as well (they don’t conflict with each other).

@Jack_G

I think the best way is for them to be placed behind the player to encourage them to push toward the objective.

Good point. Awakening C21 is one of the few instances where I’ve seen it used this way with Mire-equipped enemies popping up every turn to push the player forward.

I think siege tomes placed between where playable units are and where they want to go isn’t necessarily incorrect though provided the player is given the tools to deal with them reliably (preferably before the enemies even get a chance to use their siege tome).