This is a guide on how the new weapon upgrade system works in Final Fantasy 7 Remake (FF7R) and the Intergrade PS5 Upgrade. If you are confused about weapon levels, how to use SP, or how to reset your weapon's skills, keep reading!

How to Upgrade Weapons

You Can Spend Skill Points to Power Up Weapons

New to the remake, you can spend skill points (SP) to unlock a variety of Upgrades on the Cores of each weapon. Depending on the weapon, the choices of Upgrades is different, so you can choose to go with Magic or Physical-centered Weapons based on your playstyle.

SP is obtained through Leveling Up, or via Manuscripts found through various means as you play the game. You'll need Manuscripts to reach Weapon Level 6, so be sure to hunt them down!

Locations of All Manuscripts

Each Weapon Has Its Own SP Pool

As SP is independent for each weapon, do not be afraid to spend as much as you can to increase their power.

Increasing Weapon Level Adds Sub-Cores

Every character has what's called a Weapon Level, and as it increases, you will unlock Sub-Cores containing more skills to unlock to keep powering up your weapons.

Weapon Level Increases Based on SP

As you get more SP from leveling or books, your Weapon Level will also increase. Each time a character levels up, they will gain 5 SP, however this will not be enough to reach the max Weapon Level of 6, so collecting Manuscripts is necessary.

Manuscript Guide | Manuscript List and Locations

How to Get Weapon Level 6

To unlock Weapon Level 6 for each of a character's weapons, you'll need that character's SP to hit 250. Each character can reach up to 216 SP by leveling up; after that, they'll need Manuscripts to gain more SP.

Only 3 Manuscripts per character are available on Classic, Easy, or Norrmal Mode – to unlock the other 11 Manuscripts for each character, you'll need to challenge Hard Mode, which is unlocked after finishing the main story once.

As 3 Manuscripts will yield a maximum of 246 SP, you must play Hard Mode at least to some extent to unlock Weapon Level 6. Be sure to check out our exhaustive Hard Mode Guide to learn everything you should know first before jumping in!

Hard Mode Guide

Increase Proficiency to Learn Abilities

Each weapon comes with its own weapon ability that can be used as long as the weapon is equipped. However, these weapon abilities can be learned permanently if you max out their proficiency. To earn proficiency, you must use the skill in battle. Each use will grant 10% to the proficiency bar.

Fulfill the Proficiency Bonus

Each weapon also has a proficiency bonus that, when fulfilled, gives a larger 30% boost to proficiency. Take advantage of these to quickly learn each weapon ability!

List of Weapon Abilities

Cloud's Abilities

Weapon	Ability	Ability Description	Proficiency Bonus
Buster Sword	Focused Thrust	Lunge toward an enemy with a piercing strike that hits multiple times. Significantly increases stagger.	---
Iron Blade	Triple Slash	Slash three enemies in quick succession, dealing more damage with each blow.	Strike three or more enemies.
Nail Bat	Disorder	Deliver a devastating attack and switch modes in one fluid motion.	Strike with Attack or Strong Attack after switching modes.
Hardedge	Infinity's End	Wind up and unleash an overhead strike. Increased damage on stagger. Costs 2 ATB.	Strike a staggered enemy.
Mythril Saber	Blade Burst	Unleash a wave of non-elemental mako energy at an enemy in front of you with a slash of your sword.	Finish off an enemy.
Twin Stinger	Counterstance	Brace for attacks and retaliate with a powerful slash.	Unleash a counterattack.

Barret's Abilities

Weapon	Ability	Ability Description	Proficiency Bonus
Gatling Gun	Focused Shot	Consume all ATB charges to unleash a concentrated burst of energy. Significantly increases stagger.	Stagger an enemy.
Light Machine Gun	Lifesaver	Take damage intended for other party members.	Restore an ally's HP (one time only during activation).
Big Bertha	Maximum Fury	Consume all ATB charges to fire a long stream of bullets at an enemy.	Finish off an enemy.
Steel Pincers	Charging Uppercut	Rush toward an enemy and launch them into the air with a furious blow. Increases Charge.	Top up energy reserve.
Wrecking Ball	Smackdown	Strike the ground and send nearby enemies flying.	Strike three or more enemies.
EKG Cannon	Point Blank	Consume all ATB charges to deliver a close-range attack and send enemies flying.	Finish off an enemy.

Tifa's Abilities

Weapon	Ability	Ability Description	Proficiency Bonus
Leather Gloves	Dive Kick	Leap into the air and unleash a powerful kick	Finish off an enemy.
Metal Knuckles	Overpower	Used in conjunction with basic attacks to effectively pressure enemies.	Follow up with a basic attack combo after using the weapon ability.
Sonic Strikers	Focused Strike	Evade, then unleash a charging attack. Moderately increases stagger.	Stagger an enemy.
Feathered Gloves	Starshower	Unleash a flurry of powerful strikes. Increases strength of command executed.	Follow up with offensive ability or magic after using the weapon ability.
Mythril Claws	Chi Trap	Create an orb of materialized chi that deals damage on contact.	Strike an enemy.
Purple Pain	True Strike	Deliver a tremendous blow at close range. Increased stagger damage bonus.	Strike a staggered enemy.

Aerith's Abilities

Weapon	Ability	Ability Description	Proficiency Bonus
Guard Stick	Arcane Wand	Conjure a ward. Attack spells cast within the ward will be automatically cast twice.	Conjure a ward (one time only during activation)
Silver Staff	Sorcerous Storm	Deal magic damage to nearby enemies.	Strike three or more enemies.
Arcane Scepter	Fleeting Familiar	Summon a fairy that attacks your enemies periodically as well as after you use abilities and spells.	Unleash a consecutive attack of an ability or spell (one time only during activation).
Mythril Rod	Ray of Judgement	Fire an energy burst that hits multiple times. Increased stagger damage bonus. Costs 2 ATB.	Strike a staggered enemy.
Bladed Staff	Lustrous Shield	Conjure a magical shield that keeps enemies at bay and stops projectiles.	Strike an enemy (one time only during activation).
Reinforced Staff	ATB Ward	Conjure a magical ward. Allies who use ATB within it regain partial ATB from your gauge. Costs 2 ATB.	Conjure a ward (one time only during activation)

Yuffie's Abilities (INTERmission DLC)

Weapon	Ability	Ability Description	Proficiency Bonus
4-Point Shuriken	Elemental Ninjutsu	Set an element to enhance and use for ninjutsu attacks.	Exploit an enemy's weakness with an elemental ninjutsu attack.
Boomerang	Brumal Form	Evade an attack. ATB increases when successful. Can use while airborne.	Evade an enemy attack.
Steel Reaper	Banishment	ATB spent on other commands increases damage dealt. Affinity changes with ninjutsu. Works in the air.	Strike an enemy with maximum strength while this weapon is at Lv. III.
Cacstar	Cactuar Caper	Let the shuriken run around, mowing down all enemies it touches. Can use while airborne.	Strike three or more enemies.

Sonon's Abilities (INTERmission DLC)

Weapon	Ability	Ability Description	Proficiency Bonus
Marshalist's Staff	Swirling Storm	Strike a foe myriad times, dealing a large amount of damage.	Finish off an enemy.
Indurate Staff	Fighting Spirit	Continue targeting a single enemy to deal increased damage.	Finish off an enemy while this ability is active.
Djinn Staff	Incite	Draw the attention of a weak foe until Yuffie deals it a certain amount of damage.	Draw an enemy's attention for three attacks while this ability is active.

Why Unlock Weapon Abilities?

Battle Intel Report Completion

Aside from their usefulness in battle, acquiring 16 weapon abilities will complete Battle Intel Report 17 and get you the Skill Master Materia.

Unlocks a Trophy

Those on the hunt for the Platinum and other completionist challenges will also want to acquire every weapon ability to earn the Weapons Expert trophy.

Trophy List and Guide

How to Reset Weapon Upgrades

Speak with Chadley

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If you speak to Chadley and select Reset Upgrades, you can spend 100 Gil to regain all of the SP for a weapon and redo your upgrades. This can be done repeatedly whenever Chadley is around, so don't be afraid to try out different upgrade combinations!

Related Links

All Tips & Strategies