You’re probably staring at a gap in your equipment menu and wondering where that last sword went. It happens. Square Enix didn't exactly make it easy to track down every piece of gear in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Some are sitting in plain sight, practically begging you to open the purple chest, while others are tucked away in mini-games that might make you want to throw your controller across the room. Cloud Strife has seven primary weapons in this game. Missing even one feels like a personal failure, especially when you realize each one carries a unique ability that you can permanently learn.
Cloud’s arsenal is more than just a stats stick. It's the core of his progression. If you aren't masterfully cycling through these blades to snag their weapon abilities, you're basically playing with one hand tied behind your back.
Tracking Down Cloud Weapons in FF7 Rebirth
Most players start with the Buster Sword. It's iconic. It’s huge. It also becomes obsolete pretty fast if you aren't paying attention to the upgrade system. Honestly, the "Focused Thrust" ability is the only reason to keep it equipped until you’ve mastered the move. Once you’ve filled that proficiency gauge, you should move on. Fast.
The first real upgrade most people stumble upon is the Sleek Saber. You’ll find this one in the Grasslands, specifically in the Abandoned Dock area during Chapter 2. It’s in a purple chest. If you missed it, don't panic—shops will eventually stock it, but why waste the Gil? The Sleek Saber gives you "Firework Blade," which is okay, but the real draw is the high Attack Speed and Magic Attack boost. It makes Cloud feel less like a heavy hitter and more like a spellblade hybrid.
The Mid-Game Scramble
Things get a bit more localized once you hit Junon. The Slayer's Bolt (sometimes referred to by its older translation variants, but officially the Sleek Saber's successor in utility) isn't what you're looking for next—it's the Rune Blade.
You’ll find the Rune Blade in Chapter 4. It’s right near the rest spot in the Starboard Terrace of Junon. This sword is a beast for "Disorder," an ability that lets you switch between Operator and Punisher modes while delivering a punishing blow. It refunds ATB if you land it right. Most people mess up the timing, but once it clicks, Cloud becomes a perpetual motion machine of destruction.
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Then comes the Umbral Blade. Chapter 7. Mount Corel. You’ll find it in the Solitude area. This is where the game starts demanding a bit more exploration. The Umbral Blade grants "Prime Mode," which is arguably Cloud’s best stance-based upgrade. It turns his Punisher Mode into a faster, harder-hitting version with a berserk-like finish. If you aren't using Prime Mode for boss fights, you're making life way harder than it needs to be.
The High-End Steel
Late-game weapons are where the "hidden" part of "hidden weapons" really starts to apply. Take the Crystal Sword. By the time you reach Chapter 9 and are poking around the Gongaga Reactor, you might be too distracted by the jungle's verticality to notice the purple chest in the Freight Corridor. It’s there. Go get it. "Infinity’s End" is the ability here. It costs two ATB bars, which feels expensive until you realize it deals massive damage to staggered enemies. It’s a literal boss-killer.
- Igneous Saber: This one is tucked away in the Northern Ridge of Mt. Nibel during Chapter 11. It looks like something pulled out of a volcano. The ability "Blade Burst" sends out waves of non-elemental magic. It’s great for crowd control when you’re being swarmed by those annoying flying enemies in the Nibel region.
- Slipstream Saber: This is the final piece of the puzzle. You’ll find it in Chapter 13 within the Temple of the Ancients. Specifically, it's in the Corridor of Treachery. The name is fitting. The ability is "Counterfire," a move that lets you negate projectile attacks and strike back. It’s niche, but in the right fight, it feels like cheating.
Why Your Materia Setup Changes Everything
You can't just slap a sword on and hope for the best. Each weapon has a different "materia slot" configuration. The Rune Blade eventually opens up to offer plenty of linked slots, which is vital if you're running Elemental-Fire pairings or Magnify-Healing.
I’ve seen a lot of players stick with the Buster Sword for "aesthetic reasons." Look, I get it. It looks cool. But the Slipstream Saber has significantly higher base stats and better slot growth. Rebirth is a game about synergy. If your weapon doesn't have the slots to support your Materia build, you're going to hit a wall when you tackle the Hard Mode difficulty or the brutal Combat Simulator challenges from Chadley.
What Most People Get Wrong About Weapon Skills
There’s a huge misconception that you need to keep a weapon equipped to keep its ability. That’s just not true. You see that little percentage bar next to the ability name? That’s your proficiency. Use the ability in battle—specifically, fulfill the "bonus" requirement mentioned in the menu—and that bar fills up. Once it hits 100%, you know the move forever.
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Basically, you should be swapping weapons the second you master a skill. Don't get comfortable.
The "Prime Mode" from the Umbral Blade is a perfect example. People get it, use it once, and then switch back to a high-strength sword before mastering it. Then they wonder why they can't find the move in their command menu later. Always, always max out the proficiency before you vault a sword.
The Role of the Weapon Level System
In Remake, you spent SP manually. In Rebirth, it’s automatic. Your "Weapon Level" increases as you gain party EXP and find manuscripts. This means all your weapons level up simultaneously. You don't have to worry about "wasting" points on a starter sword. This design choice by Square Enix actually encourages you to experiment. If you find a new sword, its stats will already be scaled to your current progress.
The nuance lies in the Weapon Upgrades menu. Here, you pick passive buffs. Do you want +5% physical damage or an extra 200 HP? These choices aren't permanent and can be swapped at any rest bench. If you’re using the Crystal Sword, you’ll likely want to stack physical damage nodes. If you're leaning into the Sleek Saber, focus on magic-enhancing nodes.
Finalizing Your Arsenal
If you’ve missed a weapon in a dungeon that you can no longer access, don't start a new save file. The game is somewhat forgiving. Most missed weapons eventually show up at the "Weapon Store" or the "Junk Shop" in the next town. They’ll cost a few thousand Gil, which is a bit of a tax for not being observant, but it beats missing out on a core ability.
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However, some manuscripts—which are required to hit the max weapon level—are locked behind side quests and hard-mode bosses. To truly "max out" Cloud’s potential, you’ll need to do more than just open chests. You’ll need to beat the "Galactic Saviors" mini-game and finish specific character-centric side missions like "A Rare Card Lost."
Real Expert Advice for Hard Mode
When you eventually transition to Hard Mode, the Slipstream Saber or the Buster Sword (if you've collected enough manuscripts) usually become the go-to choices. Why? Because survivability matters more than raw damage. You’ll want the extra HP nodes and the defense boosts.
The biggest tip I can give you is to stop treating Cloud like a one-dimensional attacker. With the right weapon—specifically the Rune Blade—he becomes a master of ATB management. Pair "Disorder" with the "ATB Boost" materia, and you will be able to cast high-level spells and use abilities twice as fast as the average player.
Don't ignore the weapon abilities. They are the difference between struggling through a 20-minute boss fight and ending it in five minutes with a well-timed stagger.
Go back to the Grasslands. Double-check your map for any unopened purple crates in the Junon Starboard area. Check the shops in the Gold Saucer. If your weapon list isn't seven items long by the time you enter the North Pole, you’ve got work to do.
The next step is simple: Open your menu, check your "Weapon Proficiency" for every sword currently in your inventory, and head to the nearest combat simulator to grind out any abilities that aren't at 100%. Mastery is the only way to survive what comes next in the Temple of the Ancients.