Final Fantasy Resonance gives each of its eight party members a fixed role, one weapon type and two armor types, so a good build starts with that role. Below are the gear, Vision and stat choices for every character, from the first shop weapons to the endgame.
Quick answer: Build each character around their role. Rain is the Sentinel tank with the Warrior of Light, Lasswell the Breaker with Tronn, Fina the Medic with Leah, and Sakura the magic Commando with Terra. Every character uses one weapon type, and their endgame weapons are Aileen’s Adamantite weapon from Chapter 6 and their Chamber of Arms “+” weapon. These are our recommended builds, not the only ones that work.
How these builds are put together
Every pick below follows three things the game shows you. First is the character’s role, which uses the game’s own labels:
- Sentinel protects allies
- Breaker staggers enemies
- Medic heals
- Commando deals damage
- Synergist buffs allies
- Saboteur disrupts enemies
Second is the kit: the skills each character learns, plus the effect text printed on gear and Visions. Third is the shown values, meaning Phys. Atk, Mag. Atk, Sanctity and shop prices. Weapon stats below are written as Phys. Atk / Mag. Atk.
Use the Vision tier list as the selection order, then assign Visions according to role when a matching one is available, following the best Visions for each character. Although any character may equip any Vision, a given Vision can be assigned to only one character at a time. Use these choices as a baseline; the game encourages you to experiment with setups suited to your playstyle.
Weapon and armor types for each character
Every character is limited to one weapon type, and each type belongs to just one character, meaning all weapons are character-specific. Each character can also use two armor types. Accessories aren’t restricted by type and can be equipped by anyone.
| Character | Role | Attack type | Weapon type | Armor types |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain | Sentinel | Physical | Greatsword | Heavy armor, Light armor |
| Lasswell | Breaker | Physical | Katana | Heavy armor, Light armor |
| Fina | Medic | Magic | Bow | Robe, Light armor |
| Lid | Commando | Physical | Hammer | Light armor, Heavy armor |
| Nichol | Synergist | Magic | Grimoire | Robe, Light armor |
| Archwitch Fina | Saboteur | Magic | Whip | Robe, Light armor |
| Jake | Commando | Physical | Gun | Light armor, Heavy armor |
| Sakura | Commando | Magic | Rod | Robe, Light armor |
Full lists of every piece are in the armor list and the accessories list. You change all of it on the Equipment & Abilities screen, where the equipment slots sit next to the Vision slot.
Rain build (Sentinel)
Rain is the party’s Sentinel, the greatsword tank who draws hits away from everyone else.
Our recommended Rain build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Start with the Longsword (Town of Felicitas, 650 Gil); next buy the Claymore (Grandport Harbor, 1,400 Gil), followed by the Knight’s Blade (Dilmagia, 1,800 Gil) | Shop upgrades in story order |
| Mid weapon | Begin this stretch with the Greatsword (Olderion, 5,500 Gil), move to the Icebrand (Town of Amore, 7,700 Gil), and finish with the Stagger Blade (Village of Sunioo, 27,500 Gil) | Icebrand: “Imbues non-elemental physical attacks with Ice.” Stagger Blade: “Increases stagger power by 10%.” |
| Endgame weapons | For Rain, keep Aileen’s Save the Vermillion (179 / 93) and the Chamber of Arms’ Ragnarok+ (202 / 104) | The Chamber of Arms’ Ragnarok+ deals more damage, while Save the Vermillion is better suited to Rain’s tank role. |
| Armor | Heavy armor; endgame Tatenashi Armor from the Chamber of Arms | “Prevents Instant Death.”; its upgraded version also says “Increases damage dealt by 20%.” |
| Accessory | Knight’s Medallion (substory A New Leaf) | “Fills the LB gauge by 10% upon receiving damage.” |
| Vision | Warrior of Light (S tier, Sentinel) | Vanguard Glaive, MR 3 Multi-Cover, MR 9 Grit |
| Stat choice | Stamina +3 | More staying power for the tank |
Save the Vermillion carries “Reduces damage taken from physical and magic attacks by 20%.” Ragnarok+ reads “Increases stagger power and damage dealt by non-elemental attacks by 25%.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.” Heavy armor lowers Speed, which matters less on a tank, and since Rain takes the most hits, the Knight’s Medallion fills his Limit Burst gauge often.
The Warrior of Light comes from the Chapter 1 Sanctum of Light north-west of the Village of Kol. Its Vanguard Glaive reads “Deal Light physical damage to an enemy and inflict Provoke.” For Stamina +3, pick the line “We’re only here to check that everything is in order. Be ready to fall back if you sense danger.” The other lines are covered in the character choice answers.
Key skills: Provoke (Lv. 6), Protect (Lv. 9), Protectga (Lv. 22), Soul of Valiance (Lv. 26), Call to Action (Lv. 34), Banishing Raid (Lv. 37), and his Limit Burst Infinity Drive.
Lasswell build (Breaker)
Lasswell is the Breaker, a katana user whose job is to stagger enemies.
Our recommended Lasswell build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Start with Dodanuki (Town of Felicitas, 700 Gil), upgrade to Kogarasumaru (Grandport Harbor, 1,500 Gil), then Samurai’s Katana (Dilmagia, 2,200 Gil); obtain Iwakirimaru through The Weight of Mercy | Iwakirimaru: “Increases MP by 20.” |
| Mid weapon | Buy Hototogisu in Olderion for 5,250 Gil, then Shiranui in the Town of Amore for 7,350 Gil, and finally Hyosetsumaru in the Village of Sunioo for 26,500 Gil. | Hyosetsumaru suits his Blizzard line |
| Endgame weapons | For endgame weapons, choose Aileen’s Shisui (197 / 148) or Sasuke’s Blade+ (220 / 171) from the Chamber of Arms. | Start-of-battle buffs, then crits and evasion |
| Armor | Light armor; endgame Mirage Vest from the Chamber of Arms | It preserves his Speed, and its effect is “Nullifies damage received once per battle.” |
| Accessory | Crest of Criticality (The Twin Titleholders) | “Increases critical hit rate by 50% when attacking a staggered enemy.” |
| Vision | Tronn (S tier, Breaker); later Cloud or Clive | Stagger Power +30%, MR 1 Restore MP on Stagger, MR 9 Half MP Cost |
| Stat choice | Strength +3 | More physical damage |
Hyosetsumaru reads “Increases damage dealt by Ice attacks by 40%.” Shisui “Grants Hone Senses and Placidity for 5 turns at the start of battle.” Sasuke’s Blade+ “Increases critical hit rate and chance of evading physical attacks by 20%.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.”
Tronn is available in Chapter 1, in the Vision Crystal under Rain’s house in Mitra. Cloud and Clive are A tier Breakers from sanctums in the Kingdom of Grandshelt. For Strength +3, pick “That battle with Ignis was intense. I’m sure something like that’ll leave its mark on you.”
Key skills: Hone Senses (Lv. 5), Haste (Lv. 12), Placidity (Lv. 25), Hastega (Lv. 28), Blizzaga (Lv. 31), Absolving Hailstorm (Lv. 35).
Fina build (Medic)
Fina is the Medic, a bow user who keeps the party healed and standing.
Our recommended Fina build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Shortbow (Town of Felicitas, 600 Gil, Sanctity 27), Crescent Bow (Grandport Harbor, 1,600 Gil), Composite Bow (Dilmagia, 2,000 Gil, Sanctity 36) | Rising Sanctity |
| Mid weapon | For the middle stretch, buy the Elfin Bow in Olderion for 4,500 Gil (Sanctity 48), followed by the Loxley Bow in the Village of Sunioo for 23,500 Gil (Sanctity 83). | Rising Sanctity |
| Endgame weapons | For endgame, equip Aileen’s Elysium (114 / 162, Sanctity 141) or the Chamber of Arms’ Artemis Bow+ (142 / 184) | Both raise healing magic |
| Armor | Use a Robe. Keep the Leather Robe at first, then switch to Minerva Bustier from the airship shop for 50,000 Gil (Sanctity 70) in the late game. | Sanctity and Mag. Def |
| Accessory | Blessed Pendant (substory Shimmering Reflections); before that, Monk’s Prayer Beads | “Increases potency of healing magic by 20%.” |
| Vision | Leah (S tier, Medic, Chapter 1) | Healing Wind, Healing Magic +30%, MR 7 Pharmacology |
| Stat choice | MP +10 | More casts |
Bows carry Sanctity, which powers healing magic, so each bow upgrade raises Fina’s heals. Elysium reads “Increases potency of healing magic by 20%.” Artemis Bow+ reads “Restores MP by 2% of damage taken. Increases potency of healing magic by 10%.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.” Early on, her Leather Robe stays better than the shop armor.
Monk’s Prayer Beads (“Prevents Charm.”) are worth wearing for Siren until the Blessed Pendant arrives. Leah’s Healing Wind reads “Heal all allies and cast Regen on them. Heal effect can exceed max HP.” For MP +10, pick “Right, we’ll need to rely on your strength now more than ever, Fina.”
Key skills: Cure (Lv. 3), Esuna (Lv. 5), Pray (Lv. 8), Raise (Lv. 23), Curaga (Lv. 35), Arise (Lv. 53), Reraise (Lv. 59), and her Limit Burst Holy Ray.
Lid build (Commando)
Lid is a physical Commando who deals damage with a hammer and her Mechabo skills.
Our recommended Lid build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Her early options are the Cross Pein Hammer (Olderion, 5,000 Gil) and the Warpick (Olderion, 5,500 Gil, Speed 20) | First hammers in shops |
| Mid weapon | Move to the Heroic Hammer (Mysidia, the Magiapolis, 20,000 Gil), then take the Nightbreaker (Village of Sunioo, 25,000 Gil) | Bravery at the start, then MP every turn |
| Endgame weapons | The endgame hammer choices are Aileen’s Mechabo Hammer SUPER (142 / 133) and Thor’s Hammer+ from the Chamber of Arms (159 / 150). | Act first, then crit-driven damage |
| Armor | Use Light armor, then switch later to the Diamond Chestplate (airship shop, 45,000 Gil) | Keeps Speed |
| Accessory | Chocobo Nitro (substory Beyond the Blue); Genji Gloves with Thor’s Hammer+ | Lid’s skills are Mechabo skills |
| Vision | Sephiroth (A tier Commando); before that, Noctis | Physical Attack +30% |
| Stat choice | Strength +3 | More physical damage |
Heroic Hammer “Grants Bravery for 3 turns at the start of battle.” and Nightbreaker “Restores 5 MP every turn.” Mechabo Hammer SUPER “Grants Overclock and allows the wielder to act first at the start of battle.” Thor’s Hammer+ reads “Increases stagger power and damage dealt by 30% upon dealing a physical critical hit.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.”
Chocobo Nitro “Inflicts a random debuff on target enemy when using Mechabo skills.” If you run Thor’s Hammer+, the Genji Gloves (“Increases critical hit rate by 50%.”) are the alternative. Sephiroth comes from the fight at Whirlpool Hollow later in the story; until then, Noctis from the Dirnado sanctum gives Physical Attack +20% and Magic Attack +20%. For Strength +3, pick “No matter what happens, we’ll have your back.”
Key skills: Mechabo Kick and Mechabo Escape (Lv. 1), Stone (Lv. 3), Stonera (Lv. 16), Reflect (Lv. 25), Stonega (Lv. 32), and March of the Machines.
Nichol build (Synergist)
Nichol is the Synergist, a grimoire user who buffs the rest of the party.
Our recommended Nichol build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | The first two options are Disciple’s Grimoire from the Town of Amore for 4,500 Gil, then Knightly Tactics, also in the Town of Amore, for 6,300 Gil. | First grimoires in shops |
| Mid weapon | In the mid game, get Master’s Grimoire in Mysidia, the Magiapolis, for 18,000 Gil, followed by Book of the Stars in the Town of Duggle for 38,500 Gil. | Crit rate, then magic damage |
| Endgame weapons | Codex Providentiae from Aileen (106 / 181, Sanctity 169) and Last Resort+ from the Chamber of Arms (118 / 204) | Acting first, and longer buffs |
| Armor | Wear a Robe; later, get Elegant Robe in the Town of Sian for 36,000 Gil (Speed 51). | He acts sooner |
| Accessory | Enchanted Ring (Nichol’s Duty) | “Increases the duration of buffs applied by the wielder by 1 turn.” |
| Vision | Shantotto (A tier) | Magic Attack +30%, Syphon, MR 9 Dualcast |
| Stat choice | Speed +3 | Buffs go out sooner |
Master’s Grimoire “Increases critical hit rate by 5%.” and Book of the Stars “Increases damage dealt by magic attacks by 10%.” Codex Providentiae “Grants Tactic: Fluid Warfare for 3 turns and allows the wielder to act first at the start of battle.” Last Resort+ reads “Fills the LB gauge by 10% when performing an action without dealing damage. Increases the duration of buffs applied by the wielder by 1 turn.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.” The Elegant Robe also “Grants constant Regen when at less than half of max HP.”
For Speed +3, pick “You be you, Nichol, and don’t hold back with the suggestions.”
Key skills: Libra (Lv. 2), Formation: Charge (Lv. 5), Faith (Lv. 13), Formation: Bulwark (Lv. 17), Tactic: Fluid Warfare (Lv. 19), Slowga (Lv. 25), God of Water’s Blessing (Lv. 40).
Archwitch Fina build (Saboteur)
Archwitch Fina is the Saboteur, a whip user who disrupts enemies with debuffs and status ailments.
Our recommended Archwitch Fina build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Leather Whip (Town of Amore, 7,000 Gil, Speed 10); Lunar Whip (102 / 150) from a chest in Fina’s Psyche, Chapter 5 | Lunar Whip has this effect: “Restores 3% of max MP upon defeating an enemy.” |
| Mid weapon | Death Adder is sold in the Town of Duggle for 36,000 Gil. | Adds an Instant Death chance |
| Endgame weapons | Abyss from Aileen (130 / 178) and Fire Birch+ from the Chamber of Arms (160 / 217) | Stack long debuffs, then cash them in |
| Armor | Wear a Robe; for late-game gear, use Gaia Gear from the airship shop for 45,000 Gil (Sanctity 50). | “Nullifies damage taken from Earth attacks.” |
| Accessory | Moonlight Ring (substory Last Respite) | “Increases damage dealt by magic attacks by 10%.” |
| Vision | Zidane (A tier, Saboteur) | Steal Strength, Steal Speed, Magic Attack +20% |
| Stat choice | Magic +3 | More magic damage |
The Lunar Whip chest in Fina’s Psyche can be missed, and so can the substory Last Respite; both are tracked with the other missables. Death Adder “Adds a chance to inflict Instant Death when using a standard attack or a battle skill.”
Abyss “Increases the duration of debuffs and status ailments inflicted by the wielder by 2 turns.” Fire Birch+ reads “Increases damage dealt, scaling with the number of debuffs and status ailments afflicting the target. Increases the duration of debuffs and status ailments inflicted by the wielder by 1 turn.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.” Zidane comes from the Dirnado sanctum; Amelia (C tier) is the only other Saboteur. For Magic +3, pick “Of course I’m worrying about you. Why wouldn’t I?”
Key skills: Drain (Lv. 3), Deshell (Lv. 10), Bio (Lv. 16), Gravity (Lv. 25), Death (Lv. 28), Graviga (Lv. 35), Meteor (Lv. 55), Ultima (Lv. 61).
Jake build (Commando)
Jake is a physical Commando who deals damage with guns and plays with luck through Coin Toss and Gamble Shot.
Our recommended Jake build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Musketoon (Mysidia, the Magiapolis, 22,000 Gil); Barrel Blazer (157 / 64) from a chest in Fina’s Psyche, Chapter 5 | Barrel Blazer: “Increases stagger power by 10%.” |
| Mid weapon | Get Firefly in the Village of Sunioo for 27,500 Gil, then the Silver-Round Rifle in the Town of Sian for 48,000 Gil. | Silver-Round Rifle: “Increases critical hit rate by 10%.” |
| Endgame weapons | Caelum Renatum from Aileen (222 / 88) and Arcturus+ from the Chamber of Arms (251 / 100) | Both raise luck |
| Armor | Use Light armor; for late-game gear, buy Shinobi Gear in the Town of Sian for 40,000 Gil (Speed 35). | Speed |
| Accessory | Trick Coin (substory Token Legacy) | “Guarantees heads on Coin Toss.” |
| Vision | Squall (A tier Commando) | Physical Attack +30%, MR 1 Improvement, MR 9 Double Action |
| Stat choice | Strength +3 | More physical damage |
The Musketoon “Restores 10% of max HP upon staggering an enemy.” Like the Lunar Whip, the Barrel Blazer chest can be missed. Caelum Renatum “Raises luck level by 8 at the start of battle. Restores 2% of max MP upon dealing damage with a standard attack.” Arcturus+ reads “Fills the LB gauge by 10% and raises luck level by 1 on the wielder’s turn.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.” Both feed his Coin Toss and Gamble Shot.
Squall comes from the Olderion sanctum. For Strength +3, pick “Your rifles will definitely come in handy.”
Key skills: Coin Toss (Lv. 1), Bravery (Lv. 10), Gamble Shot (Lv. 19), Gentleman’s Gambit (Lv. 26), Aeroga (Lv. 30), Demolisher Rush (Lv. 40).
Sakura build (Commando)
Sakura is the magic Commando, a rod user who deals damage with spells like Thundaga, Flare and Meteor.
Our recommended Sakura build
| Slot | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Early weapon | Mythril Rod (Village of Sunioo, 22,500 Gil) | “Fills the LB gauge by 10% upon staggering an enemy.” |
| Mid weapon | First buy Unyielding Staff in the Town of Duggle for 38,800 Gil (Sanctity 51), then Silver Staff in the Town of Sian for 43,000 Gil. | Survive one lethal hit per battle |
| Endgame weapons | Choose between Roselia from Aileen (154 / 204) and Wizard’s Rod+ from the Chamber of Arms (171 / 227) for endgame. | Start-of-battle buffs, then weakness damage |
| Armor | Use a Robe, with Lordly Robes from the Chamber of Arms as the endgame option. | “Enables magic to hit targets under the effect of Reflect.” |
| Accessory | Amulet of Magic Absorption (substory Mysidia, Ever Blooming); endgame Gold Hairpin | Gold Hairpin: “Halves MP cost.” |
| Vision | Terra (S tier Commando) | Magic Attack +30%, MR 3 Magic Boost, MR 5 LB Double Charge |
| Stat choice | Magic +3 | More magic damage |
The Unyielding Staff “Grants the ability to survive with 1 HP upon receiving damage exceeding HP once per battle.” Roselia “Grants Concentrate for 3 turns and Sage’s Eye for 4 turns at the start of battle.” Wizard’s Rod+ reads “Increases damage dealt by 30% when using attacks of the target’s elemental weakness. Adds a 20% chance of evading magic attacks.” plus “Raises damage cap to 99999.” The + version of the Lordly Robes adds “Increases max MP by 30%.”
The Amulet of Magic Absorption reads “Restores 2% of max MP upon dealing damage with a standard attack.” and the Gold Hairpin comes from the Chamber of Arms. Terra is in a Kingdom of Grandshelt sanctum. For Magic +3, pick “And you’re a wise person, Sakura. You made me reflect on a lot of things. Thanks.”
Key skills: Sage’s Eye (Lv. 1), Thundara (Lv. 16), Eminent Casting (Lv. 22), Thundaga (Lv. 26), Concentrate (Lv. 39), Flare (Lv. 51), Meteor (Lv. 56).
Endgame weapons for every character
Every character has two endgame weapons. From Chapter 6, after her quest Forger of Wills, Aileen on the airship deck forges one weapon per character for 1 Adamantite each. The Chamber of Arms restores each Ancient weapon in a trial, and once the character reaches Lv. 70, an ultimate trial turns it into the “+” version, which adds “Raises damage cap to 99999.”
| Character | Aileen weapon | Chamber of Arms weapon |
|---|---|---|
| Rain | Save the Vermillion | Ragnarok+ |
| Lasswell | Shisui | Sasuke’s Blade+ |
| Fina | Elysium | Artemis Bow+ |
| Lid | Mechabo Hammer SUPER | Thor’s Hammer+ |
| Nichol | Codex Providentiae | Last Resort+ |
| Archwitch Fina | Abyss | Fire Birch+ |
| Jake | Caelum Renatum | Arcturus+ |
| Sakura | Roselia | Wizard’s Rod+ |
Each Aileen weapon costs one piece of Adamantite, so all eight need eight.
Weapon lists
Every weapon for each character, with stats, effects and where to find it:
