Rods and Staffs increase Magic Damage?

It said to do more damage with rods and staffs you have to have high magic stats correct? But does equipping a staff instead of a sword make your spells do more damage also? This would make sense to me but it’s not stated that way in the game.

Slick

It said to do more damage with rods and staffs you have to have high magic stats correct? But does equipping a staff instead of a sword make your spells do more damage also? This would make sense to me but it’s not stated that way in the game.

Slick

I think if you equip Ice Staffs/Fire Staffs etc, you do more damage with spells of those elements. But staffs and rods also raise magic attack power in general. So, yes.

I see. Another question. Why would I use a bow with 27 atk power instead of a sword with 29 and a shield in the other hand?

Slick

Bows give range and mean that if an enemy is casting status effects like the Malboro’s Bad Breath thing, an archer will be far enough removed to be safe. I think bows might also be able to disregard enemy’s armour stat, or maybe that’s just guns.

Bows do not ignore enemy defense.

Also, they can miss, and they miss more often in rainy/windy/blizzard weather (depending on which area you’re in.)

Toward the end of the game, many bosses (or maybe it’s the optional bosses?) ignore the evade stat, so having a 1H sword + shield is pointless.

But like the previous poster said, having a ranger/support character can come in very handy when fighting monsters that have status attacks. Bows are great for flyers, too.

Good to know, thanks guys.

EDIT: So there is no point in wearing shields then? So don’t bother getting the licenses?

Slick

No no, definitely use shields. Especially in the first half of the game! Not for everyone ofcourse, but it’s a handy piece of equipment for your tank.

And just for the record, (cross)bows do not always have their accuracy influenced by the weather. Only in windy (including sand/snowstorms) and rainy areas. Any weapon can miss, but it doesn’t always have to do with weather conditions.

ETA: for that matter, weather conditions also influence magic damage. Fire element spells, for example, do only 50-60% damage in rainy areas. Sunny/cloudy areas decrease water element damage. Etc.

How interesting. Not too shabby of a job Square.

Slick