In their rank 15 augmented form, they’re even capable of enhancing the already-incredible empyrean weapon skills too. They’re also the easiest ultimate weapons to obtain and upgrade, making them much more accessible to a wider player-base. But which of these beasts is the most effective for FFXI? Let’s find out:
10. Caladbolg
The Caladbolg will mostly be used by dark knights and not paladins, though they can occasionally benefit from it. The Caladbolg is a great weapon for dark knights because it gives them the highest damage potential in the game out of all their weapons, barring aeonics. Fully upgraded, Torcleaver will really hurt enemies thanks to its +10% Torcleaver damage bonus too. This can also allow dark knights to maximize their already hard-hitting auto attacks, often giving the ability to deal damage that’s the equivalent of a weapon skill, just in a few attack rounds. The massive vitality +50 on this weapon also gives dark knight some durability, and enables them to further boost Torcleaver’s damage, which relies on vitality as its modifier. But the Caladbolg is a little stuck in the mud. Torcleaver suffers greatly if players don’t have much accuracy, so it’s advised to be used in situations where that won’t be an issue.
9. Daurdabla
Bards can never escape needing an ultimate instrument from every single category, and this one is a must-have! This will be the next most-used instrument while players are in the process of obtaining their relic, Gjallarhorn. Interestingly enough, it actually gains value if players happen to possess Gjallarhorn, too. With Daurdabla’s unique ability to add an additional 2 songs in mind, players can cast 2 songs with Gjallarhorn, and then cast 2 more with Duardabla—most often songs that aren’t used a lot. Finally, bards can swap back to Gjallarhorn and overwrite those 2 unused songs, enabling the party to receive 4 fully-powered songs. This helps bards indefinitely overwrite any of those 4 songs with Gjallarhorn, as long as the song buff doesn’t disappear. Fantastic! If that wasn’t an attractive enough reason to aim for this empyrean, it also grants a massive song duration of +30%, which is second only to the aeonic instrument Marsyas.
8. Twashtar
Now this is often a thief’s best weapon, but is capable of being used by dancers and bards too. It’s arguably one of the strongest daggers in the game—only beaten by Aeneas, an aeonic. The Twashtar has incredible capabilities as a white damage weapon. Since this weapon is 1-handed, it can often be equipped alongside other powerful weapons for even more power. But at rank 15 augmented, it’ll often stay in the main hand for its massive boosts to dexterity, agility, and Rudra’s Storm, until the player obtains an Aeneas. Rudra’s Storm—supported by Twashtar’s +50 dexterity—is a devastating weapon skill, and will often be the best one to use combined with Sneak Attack or Trick Attack. Both abilities are capable of pushing this weapon skill’s damage to unfathomable heights. Like all empyrean weapon skills, Rudra’s Storm has amazing skillchain properties too, which only lends to its power.
7. Ukonvasara
The Ukonvasara gives warriors some serious firepower. And this isn’t to be trifled with! As far as auto attacks go, this weapon can achieve some of the highest in the game, giving warriors the ability to deal upwards 6,000 damage critical hits in a single attack! Unfortunately, it does require some pretty heavy buffs to see max potential. This makes it one of the trickier weapons to use due to the hit-or-miss weapon skill options coming from great axes. It’s best used with Ukko’s Fury when accuracy, attack, and critical hit rates are at their highest. This weapon is second only to Ragnarok, which often beats it in most scenarios – especially in zerg situations, or when a warrior is going to use Mighty Strikes. But it’s still worth obtaining simply because of how much power Ukko’s Fury has with Ukonvasara equipped.
6. Armageddon
Besides the aeonic gun Fomalhaut, this will be a corsair’s best ranged physical damage gun, making it a popular weapon carried by corsairs of all pedigrees. Behind its lovely agility +50 lies a gun that’s capable of being flexible in dealing both physical and magical damage. When it’s under aftermath level 3, Armageddon obtains phenomenal white damage capabilities too, most notably when combined with corsair’s Triple Shot job ability. This can sometimes be the strongest gun available for the duration of Triple Shot. In addition to this, Wildfire can do respectable amounts of damage, further enhanced after it attains rank 15. But Armageddon is most commonly used in conjunction with Last Stand, similarly to Fomalhaut. Armageddon is still the easiest way for corsairs to obtain a powerfully competitive physical ranged attack tool.
5. Verethragna
So these weapons have a straightforward but significant purpose: to hit as hard as possible! The Verethragna excel at physical damage in all forms. This enables monks to rip through anything with a weakness to blunt damage—especially against undead. This specific weapon has a massive STR +50, in addition to low delay. And these things will pack a massive punch to Victory Smite, no pun intended. Between insane auto attacks and damage coming from Victory Smite, Verethragna will see the demise of many enemies. And that’s a demise that comes even quicker if the weapon skill manages to critically hit often enough.
4. Masamune
Masamune has a massive +50 strength, letting everyone know it immediately means business. Tachi: Fudo is a samurai’s most used weapon skill in most scenarios, capable of doing incredible amounts of damage combined with its high fTP values, and a samurai’s incredible store TP and skillchain damage capabilities. So getting this to rank 15 is highly advised for a nice boost to the weapon skill. Its aftermath level 3 gives auto attacks some serious fire power, putting auto attack damage into the realm of warriors. Plus this weapon will only pale in comparison slightly to its mythic and aeonic great katana counterparts. But because of the Masamune’s considerably lower difficulty to obtain, most samurais will be using this until they actually get their mythic or aeonic weapon.
3. Ochain
Besides Aegis, this will be a paladin’s best friend. It’s built to reduce physical damage because of its ridiculously high 110% base block rate, and 60% reduction of damage on blocked attacks. The 110% block rate will go down as an enemy’s level increases, but it will remain at 110% up to level 138 monsters – so long as the paladin is under the effect of Reprisal. This weapon also has a unique afterglow effect compared to all other empyrean weapons (which grant an AoE +5% critical hit rate boost). The Ochain instead offers an AoE physical damage taken -7%, making it the perfect shield to bring to fights where physical damage is high. And it doesn’t stop there! After successfully blocking, Ochain will convert 35% of the damage taken to MP, giving paladins some serious control over their MP stores. It’s not uncommon to hear of them never running out!
2. Almace
Almace is one of the most unique empyreans because it’s great for any of the jobs that can use it. Chant Du Cygne is a very powerful weapon skill, too. It’s capable of critically hitting for bit numbers. And the +50 dexterity bonus from this sword has means that not only is accuracy going to be improved, but it plays right into Chant Du Cygne’s dexterity modifier, as well as its ability to dish out critical hits. It also has fantastic skillchain properties, perfect for racking up skillchain damage when necessary. On top of all this, the Almace is great for white damage. Being a 1-handed weapon means it can be used in tandem with lots other swords or shields available in FFXI. And the aftermath enables it to deal respectable amounts of damage with auto attacks, especially when combined with another weapon in multi-hit scenarios.
1. Kannagi
Ninjas are seeing lots of popularity these days, mostly due to their potential to deal incredible amounts of damage. And that’s across the board, whether physical, magical, or skillchain-based damage. As far as ultimate weapons go, the ninja’s mythic isn’t very popular at all. Therelic is situational. And their aeonic weapon can be a far-off goal, or even unattainable to some. This often leaves the Kannagi as the most viable ultimate weapon for ninjas. Luckily, it’s also fantastic! Kannagi’s power lies in its ability to enhance Blade: Hi, which continues to be one of a ninja’s hardest hitting attacks yet. The Kannagi’s aftermath level 3 also propels white damage to phenomenal levels, specifically when it’s combined with a ninja’s blindingly fast attack speeds. So getting this weapon to rank 15 should be any ninja’s top priority.
