It is the blue glow. Every FromSoftware fan knows it. Whether you are trekking through the toxic swamps of Elden Ring or dodging laser fire in the mechanical hellscape of Rubicon 3, that shimmering azure blade represents something deeper than just a high-damage stat stick. In Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, the Armored Core Moonlight Greatsword—officially designated as the IA-C01W2: MOONLIGHT—is more than a weapon. It is a piece of history. It’s also a massive pain to find if you aren’t looking in the right corner of a frozen lake.
Honestly, it’s kinda funny. People expected a laser blade, but FromSoftware gave us a Light Wave Blade. It’s a distinction that matters. When you swing this thing, you aren’t just hitting what’s in front of you; you’re sending out a literal crescent moon of energy that cuts through air and armor alike. It bridges the gap between melee aggression and ranged safety.
The Hunt for the IA-C01W2: MOONLIGHT
You don’t just buy this at the shop. The Armored Core Moonlight Greatsword is tucked away in Chapter 4, specifically during the mission "Reach the Coral Convergence." This is late-game stuff. You’ve likely already been through the ringer with Balteus and the Sea Spider by the time you even get a whiff of this blade.
The location is specific. Near the end of the mission, before you face off against the CEL 240 Ibis series boss (which is a nightmare, let’s be real), you’ll find a bridge. Underneath that bridge, in the middle of a shallow lake of toxic sludge, sits a chest guarded by four autonomous grinding wheels. Those wheels? They’re aggressive. They will ruin your day if you try to just "dash and grab."
I’ve seen players try to ignore the guards. Bad idea. You basically need to clear the area or be incredibly fast with your thrusters. Open the chest, and the "Moonlight" is yours. But getting it is only half the battle. Learning how to actually use a wave-motion sword in a game where everything moves at Mach 1 is where the real skill ceiling sits.
Why the Moonlight is Different This Time
In previous Armored Core games, the Moonlight was often the heaviest-hitting laser blade, period. It was a hunk of energy that drained your capacitor but deleted anything it touched. In AC6, the identity shifted. It became a hybrid.
Because it fires waves, you can use it like a mid-range projectile. If you charge it? The waves get wider and hit harder. It doesn't have the "lunge" that a standard laser blade like the HI-32: BU-TT/A (the starter blade everyone loves) has. That’s a trade-off. You lose the closing speed, but you gain the ability to punish enemies from twenty meters away.
Stat Breakdown and Performance
Let’s look at the numbers, though stats in Armored Core don’t tell the whole story without context. The MOONLIGHT has a high attack power, but its "Direct Hit Adjustment" is where things get interesting.
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- Attack Power: 615
- Impact: 495
- Chg. Attack Power: 2130
- Chg. Impact: 1250
Compare that to the Redshift version (the IA-C01W7), which you get later from Arena matches. The Redshift actually deals more raw damage because it uses Coral energy, which ignores most defenses. But the classic Armored Core Moonlight Greatsword has that iconic blue hue and a slightly more forgiving "reach" in its standard swings. It’s a aesthetic choice as much as a tactical one.
Most players pair this with a high-mobility lightweight build. Why? Because the Moonlight’s attack animation locks you in place for a fraction of a second. If you’re a heavy tank, you’re a sitting duck. If you’re a fast "reverse-joint" build, you can jump, fire the wave from the air, and be gone before the enemy AC can even lock on.
The Lore Connection
FromSoftware has been doing this since 1894. Okay, not really, but since King's Field in 1994. The Moonlight Greatsword has appeared in Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and even Demon's Souls. In the Armored Core universe, it is usually tied to "lost technology" or the most advanced corporations.
In AC6, the fact that it’s an Ibis-series part—developed by the Institute—tells you everything. It’s a relic of a civilization that was destroyed by the very energy (Coral) they were trying to harness. It’s a tragic weapon. Using it feels like wielding a piece of the apocalypse.
Mastering the Wave: Combat Tips
If you just mash the melee button, you’re going to die. The Armored Core Moonlight Greatsword requires timing.
- The Stagger Punish: Wait until the enemy's ACS strain bar is full. When they are staggered, the charged Moonlight attack deals massive damage. Since the wave is wide, even if they twitch slightly during the recovery, you’ll probably still clip them.
- Double Slashing: The standard attack is a two-hit combo. Don't always go for the second hit. Sometimes, firing one wave and then quick-boosting away is safer than committing to the full animation.
- The Vertical Advantage: Fire from above. The waves have a flat horizontal trajectory. If you are on the same level as the enemy, they can dodge left or right. If you are above them, the wave covers their entire horizontal plane of movement.
I’ve found that combining the Moonlight with a linear rifle or a missile swarm works best. You use the missiles to keep their impact bar high, then use the Moonlight waves to keep them from regenerating that impact. It’s a pressure game.
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Common Misconceptions
People think the Moonlight is the "best" melee weapon. It’s not. There is no "best" in Rubicon.
The Pile Bunker (PB-033M ASHMEAD) actually does significantly more damage on a staggered target. If you want to "one-shot" a boss, the Pile Bunker is your friend. The Moonlight is for people who want versatility. It’s for the player who wants to be dangerous at all times, not just when they are at point-blank range.
Another mistake? Ignoring the EN Output. This blade is hungry. If your generator is weak, your energy recharge will stall every time you swing. You need a generator with a high "Energy Weapon Spec" to really make this thing shine, though technically the Moonlight is a "Light Wave" blade and doesn't always scale the same way as pure laser weaponry.
Final Tactics for Rubicon Aces
To truly optimize the Armored Core Moonlight Greatsword, you have to stop thinking of it as a sword. Treat it like a shotgun that fires energy arcs.
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- Check your arms: Melee specialization stats on your AC's arms affect how much damage you do. If you're wearing thin, flimsy arms with low melee spec, the Moonlight will feel like a wet noodle.
- The OS Tuning Factor: Don't forget to invest in Melee Weapon damage in your OS Tuning menu back at the hangar. It’s a flat percentage buff that you’re crazy to ignore.
- The "Red" Variation: Once you finish the game and head into New Game++ (NG++), look out for the Coral version. It looks cooler to some, and the damage type is technically superior, but it lacks the "soul" of the blue glow.
If you’re struggling to find it, go back to Chapter 4. Look for the bridge near the city ruins. Watch out for the wheels. Grab the chest. Even if you don’t end up using it as your primary, having the Moonlight in your inventory is a rite of passage for any Pilot. It’s a link to the past and a very sharp tool for the future.
Build your AC around the weight and energy requirements. Test it in the Arena against some of the slower, tankier opponents to get a feel for the wave travel time. Once you can lead your shots and catch a fast-moving AC in the middle of a dodge, you’ll understand why this weapon has been in almost every FromSoftware game for thirty years. It just feels right.
Next Steps for Pilots:
Equip the IA-C01W2: MOONLIGHT and head into the Arena. Practice the timing of the charged shot against "King" or "Chartreuse." Focus specifically on firing the wave at the exact moment their ACS bar turns red. Once you can consistently land the charged hit on a staggered opponent, take the build into the CEL 240 boss fight to test your ability to time waves against high-speed targets. If the energy drain is too high, swap your generator to one with a higher Energy Output to maintain your mobility during the swing animations.