ARME Weapons

I peruse reddit as often as FFXIAH pretty much, and someone asked which RMEA were viable these days. So, I decided to make a tier list...

God-Tier:
GEO: Idris

S-Tier:
WAR: Ragnarok, Ukonvasara
THF: Twashtar
WHM: Yagrush
PLD: Aegis > Burtgang
DRK: Ragnarok, Liberator
BST: Aymur
BRD: Gjallarhorn > Marsyas
RNG: Gastraphetes
SAM: Masamune
NIN: Heishi Shorinken > Kannagi
DRG: Ryunohige > Trishula
SMN: Nirvana
BLU: Almace > Tizona
COR: Death Penalty
PUP: Kenkonken
DNC: Terpsichore > Twashtar
RUN: Epeolatry

A-Tier:
WAR: Chango = Conqueror
THF: Vajra > Aeneas
MNK: Godhands > Verethragna
WHM: Gambanteinn
BLM: Laevatinn
PLD: Ochain
DRK: Apocalypse = Anguta
BRD: Carnwenhan > Daurdabla
RNG: Gandiva > Yoichi, Fomalhaut > Annihilator
SAM: Dojikiri Yasutsuna > Kogarasumaru
NIN: Kikoku
BLU: Sequence
COR: Armageddon = Fomalhaut
PUP: Godhands
DNC: Aeneas
SCH: Tupsimati
RUN: Lionheart

B-Tier:
WAR: Farsha
MNK: Spharai > Glanzfaust
RDM: Murgleis
BLM: Hvegelmir
PLD: Srivatsa
DRK: Caladbolg
RNG: Fail-Not
SAM: Amano
SMN: Claustrum
SCH: Hvegelmir

Everything else is pretty bleh... This list considers job usefulness in the current meta, along with how much the weapon contributes to the job itself. Idris is God-Tier because it affects literally the entire party and essentially delvls anything you're fighting. Anything that is S-Tier I would recommend having if you take the job seriously, anything A-Tier is situationally good, B-Tier will still beat out non-269 weapons in most cases, and anything else will lose to well augmented reisen weapon or is too situational to even matter.

If you disagree with the placement of anything, or think I forgot something I'm curious about other people's opinions of the weapons. Please avoid turning this thread into anything negative about other people or their individual weapon decisions, genuinely just curious what y'all think!

Things we don't need to consider: Difficulty of obtaining the weapon/price
Things we should consider: Overall usefulness of the weapon, if you have x weapon would you still aim to get something better?

All ARME Weapons Format:
WAR: Ukonvasara > Ragnarok > Chango = Conqueror > Farsha > Bravura
THF: Twashtar > Vajra = Aeneas > Mandau
MNK: Godhands > Verethragna > Spharai > Glanzfaust
WHM: Yagrush > Gambentinn > Tishtrya > Mjollnir
RDM: Almace > Murgleis = Sequence > Excalibur
BLM: Laevatinn > Hvergelmir > Khatvanga > Claustrum
PLD: Aegis > Burtgang > Ochain > Sequence > Almace = Srivatsa > Ragnarok > Caladbolg > Excalibur
DRK: Ragnarok = Liberator > Apocalypse > Caladbolg = Anguta > Redemption
BST: Aymur > Guttler > Farsha = Tri-Edge
BRD: Gjallarhorn > Marsyas > Carnwenhan > Daurdabla > Twashtar > Mandau
RNG: Gastrophedes > Gandiva > Fail-Not = Yoichinoyumi = Armageddon = Fomalhaut = Annihilator
SAM: Masamune > Dojikiri Yasutsuna > Kogarasumaru > Amanomurakumo
NIN: Heishi Shorinken > Kannagi = Kikoku > Nagi
DRG: Ryunohige = Trishula > Rhongomiant = Gungnir
SMN: Nirvana > Hvergelmir = Claustrum > Khatvanga
BLU: Almace > Tizona = Sequence
COR: Death Penalty > Armageddon = Fomalhaut
PUP: Kenkonken > Godhands > Verethragna
DNC: Terpsichore > Twashtar > Aeneas
SCH: Tupsimati > Hvergelmir > Khatvanga
RUN: Epeolatry > Lionheart
GEO: Idris > Tishtrya

Can't argue with the placings of the weapons I'm actually familiar with. I'd probably move Dojikiri down one, though. I've actually experienced better results 4-stepping with Masamune than Dojikiri, though that's just through eyeballing and FEELINGS.

I would argue that Burtgang has a larger impact on PLD than Ochain at this point in the game. At least to my understanding, Priwen with Reprisal up has superior blocking and the MP restoral has become less influential for Escha content. Whereas an extra 18 PDT II and 23 enmity is absolutely huge. I'm by no means a PLD expert, so if I'm mistaken I apologize, that was just the hierarchy of RMEA for PLD I last remember reading.

+1

i hope the other job's tier are better ^^;

"God-Tier" why ?

Aeneas is S-tier, or at least same tier as Vajra. I argue with others about it often, but it's at least as good as Vajra.

Is Doji that close to Koga? Eji had been talking about how for 4 stepping it wins pretty noticeably. Masa is definitely the best though because AM helps SAM tremendously.


I hadn't really considered it that much, it's just been drilled into me so heavily throughout the years that every PLD must have both shields lol. But I definitely use Aegis a lot more than Ochain these days, or I'm just on RUN tbh lol


Thought about calling it SSS Tier, but meh.

Not one single S nor A tier RDM weapon =( And Murgleis is the only REMA on the list q.q

PLD - Ochain is absolutely not S tier. It is B tier. The problem I have with this shield placement in B though is any Paladin who has time might as well get it though. I've taken things though ridiculously easy where Ochain would be considered the needed shield with priwen just fine and have never broken a sweat. Again, not saying Ochain should never be obtained. I just absolutely don't feel it is S tier.

Burt is definitely S tier. There is no weapon that compares to Burt for what Burt does. Can you tank without Burt? Absolutely, but for what Burt does any serious paladin should pursue it. Another part of my distaste for the time waste on Ochain. There is content I've done in aegis where people suggest Ochain which I would assume Burt has helped with. Granted since the vit changes and cocoon, those may be the bigger help.

I was keeping in mind the use of the job in the meta, and melee RDM is very very very uncommon. Don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna Almace + Sequence all of the things for funsies I just don't see RDM actually going to anything as a DD. Now, if it were on Herc set... It would be a different story.

Yes Aeneas should be S tier also. Mandeu should also be on at least B.

I would change those:

S-Tier:
THF: Aenas +, Twashtar
NIN: Heishi Shorinken or Kikoku
BLU: Sequence + Almace


A-Tier:

THF: Vajra
NIN: Kannagi
BLU: Tizona


B-Tier:
SMN: Claustrum


Cry-Tier:
SMN: Claustrum


Vajra isnt that great with thf having so much TA and getting tp very fast.
Sequence TP Bonus and high base dmg is very good for blu, tizona can be good for long/solo fights where you can run out of mp.
Kikoku 10% att bonus is very nice to have.

Priwen's bonus to Reprisal is just doubling the potency, taking it from a 1.5 multiplier to 3, so as your block rate drops on higher level monsters, Priwen is going to lose ground very fast.

On level 139 monsters, Martel parsed at 12% block rate, 34% with Reprisal up. Ochain with no reprisal was 55% at the same level. With Reprisal, that'd be 82.5%.

Further, Martel and I haven't posted the data we gathered yet, and I stopped testing out of frustration, but we've seen a lot of data wherein Reprisal does not give the full effect expected as you approach the first "cap", which based on the size of the shield and your total shield skill.

Martel has posted the first time he's noticed this in a test before. On level 109 monsters, Priwen parsed 56%, but only 98% with Reprisal up. That's 1.8 multiplier from Reprisal. Ochain without Reprisal would be approximately 99% at that same level.

Anyone saying Priwen is even close is just lazy.

Edit: Also, while +block gear would theoretically help Aegis and Priwen tremendously, we've tested that it is not added after block floor. So, if your unfloored block rate is negative, +block will actually do nothing.

AM3 isn't Vajra's selling point. Also Sequence has no business being in the same tier as Tiz/Almace.

I would honestly move Yagrush up to god tier. It doesn't break the game like Idris but guaranteed AoE status removal is amazing. It makes WHM a much better supporter since you can remove the entire party's status effects with a single cast.

I only put it in A-Tier because Mythic Main + Empy Offhand wins in a majority of situations for both THF and DNC. And if you have all 3, the number of times you would use Aeoneas is quite low. But then by that logic, I should've moved Doji down to A also.

You are only going to do good dmg on TA/SA other WSs will be lower dmg, and with aeneas and moonshade you get at least 1750 rudras spam.

Vajra Is still amazing for thief. Stp sets are no laughing matter. The problem with it though I don't feel anyone should pursue it unless being serious into thief since they can perform so good getting Aenas instead. Also note anywhere you can't take advantage of AM3 on Vajra really hurts it.

The problem isn't priwen vs Ochain in which one is better, but the OP created a list to rate these weapons and considering the ease to obtain priwen vs Ocahin and how necessary Ochain isn't, it should not be rank S

Need to stop responding on a phone....... I hate you phone!

Don't make it sound like Vajra vs Aeneas WSs is a 750 TP difference; it's 500. Plus if you're holding TP often to close large skillchains, Vajra would be better in that scenario. I'm not really big on THF; only use it on Erinys, so I don't really care about the dagger rankings, but I felt I should point out that people make Vajra for the SA/TA bonus more than the AM3.

Part of a problem that will come up with ranking weapons is balancing theoretical and practical. Aeneas should pull ahead just as much as Vajra based on the scenario; where, how, and who you use THF with will change the answer. Obviously, as you said, same goes for Doji vs. Masamune.

But I do think Aeneas deserves just as much recognition as Vajra, if not more for the fact that it's easier to use and takes less time (if we convert gil to time) to acquire. In a technical way, I'd probably put Twashtar at the head of the list though: it's always used on at least one hand, and is sometimes the best main hand.

I would move down Ochain to A, and Doji to A, but I stand by my placement of the dagger.

you can put ochain to B ;)

If you're evaluating the ease of getting the alternatives, why wouldn't you consider the fact that a 90 Ochain is the easiest weapon to obtain of all RMEAs. As the testing shows, there is a rather significant difference in block rate, so I'm a bit bothered by how many people actually think Priwen is a close substitute.

List changed slightly, and implimented > sign for priority within a tier.

Why didn't anyone tell me I should be MH my Sequence this whole time?

Maybe actual experience? I'm one of the only Paladins I know in game though that doesn't use an Ochain. I've never had complaints though and have never heard the ones with Ochain complaining they wish they had Priwen. If you can successfully use it also it gives larger hp boost, meva, DT 9% which allows other gearing options, (more shield block anyone?) and phalanx, which granted can be just used as s swap piece. Again though. Not saying not to get Ochain, but I'm a bit bothered by how many people actually think it is needed.

Now I do have to say a good phalanx build and Burt and spell interruption set may cover the glaringly huge difference, but can also prove why the shield is unnecessary while you can literally get destroyed without a shield like Aegis.

Ok I just read the original question on Reddit and got whats the list for.

Theoretically, with community starting to use melee strat on T4 will DD rdm have a use? Since saboteur distract III is like 200 eva- that can be up full time it's extremely potent as melee buff to worth a spot? And if RDM isn't main healing(whm should) wouldn't it be more ideal to melee with everyone else too instead of sit there and do nothing?

Realistically melee is definitely viable in casual content like ambuscade, I do that all the time :D

I would rate DP one tier above arma and Fomalhaut as well, unless rng setup comes back.

Not sure I can agree with Carnwenhan and Daurdabla.
Carn doesn't add much to a non-mule BRD.
It's nice but in an era where monsters were dispelling songs left and right, (Incursion, Vagary etc) Carn wasn't really that useful.
It doesn't change the job nor it does add much other than QoL for the BRD who has to sing less often leaving him more time to do... other things.
But that "other things" often turns up into being "nothing" in many scenarios.

Daurdabla, before Terpander was added, was the most job changing item ever added in game, rivaling Idris, arguably stronger than Idris.

If we measure a support RMEA utility by how much it improves the job compared to the same job without it, then Daurdabla is insanely balanced.
Normally a BRD can sing 2 songs, with Daurdabla it can sing 4. That's double the amount.
Being in a party with a Daurdabla BRD was like being in a SEVEN man party, like being in pt with TWO bards instead of one.
If that's not insanely broken I dunno what is.


Things changed a bit since Terpander was added, as I mentioned, plus BRD is semiuseless these days, changing a lot the perception of how useful it is.
But in general Daurdabla is one of the most jobchanging RMEA in this game.

I see endgame ls recruit carn for T4 all the time, that being said I don't run endgame events so I have no idea why they need a carn for sleeps.

Max duration sleeps are exceptionally important, particularly for Albumen's adds.