When the Gladiator Class reaches Level 30 inFinal Fantasy 14, they can become thePaladin: sworn protectors of the weak and upholder of righteousness. Thanks to their immense defensive capabilities, Paladins as tanks can ensure the party’s survival and that they have the means to push back on enemy offense. While their offensive combat power isn’t on par with other heavy combat-oriented Jobs, their resilience more than makes up for their lack of aggression.
In the mid-game, Paladins who reach Level 50 can unlock Relic Weapons to further solidify their defensive prowess. When upgraded across their tiers, these Relic Weapons can change in both name and appearance, providing Paladins with much-needed aesthetic and stat boosts to ensure their progress as protectors also follow style. However, among Relic Weapons available in the game, just how do they compare with each other?
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Compared to other Relic Weapon families, thePaladin’s chosen weaponsin the Zodiac line boast evolving appearances instead of stark changes in specific upgrade tiers. This is noticeable inExcalibur Zeta, fittingly named after the strongest swords in mostFinal Fantasygames. While its overall stats could use some tweaking in terms of its status as a Level 50 weapon, its majestic appearance makes it worth acquiring for the Job.
At its core, Excalibur Zeta is an apparent upgrade to its Curtana predecessor, a name also reserved for powerful swords in the franchise. Whereas the Curtana has an ice-blue blade with decorative lines running at the center of its wide blade, Excalibur Zeta is more ornamental. At first glance, the base of the blade seems like a traditional broad-bladed longsword, but its special highlights appear in a red gem on the guard with swirling gold details running across the blade. When activated, the weapon releases a white-hot glow.
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The Paladin’s nature as a knight of holy lightsets them apart from their contemporaries inFinal Fantasy 14gameplay, with the Job emphasizing their capabilities of protecting their party from the gravest of dangers. While theSword of the Twin Thegnsis among the Paladin’s Relic Weapons, its middling STR and VIT stats at first glance doesn’t make it seem worthy of the acquisition. However, for weapon collectors, it’s also the Relic Weapon’s overall appearance that makes it worthy of the find.
When acquired, the Sword of the Twin Thegns is notable for its starburst-esque guard that sprouts silver wing-like details across several directions. This ends with a top piece that finishes the guard, this time with gold strips extending towards the rest of the blade. These strips follow a pattern of multiple stripes in a straight but rugged pattern, all converging at the center. While the blade of the sword implies a double-edged symmetrical shape, the abundance of details in the weapon left only the upper half of the sword’s steel blade visible to players.
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Contrary to the tradition of Paladin weapon upgrades evolving from traditional to fantastical,Aettir Luxof the Anima Relic Weapons line does the reverse. Stats-wise, the weapon’s customizable substats further improvethe Paladin’s capabilities as a protective tank, while its decent STR and VIT base bonuses enable players to capitalize on the Job’s melee nature. However, for weapon collectors, Aettir Lux stuns in its regal appearance.
Unlike its more heavenly-looking Animated and Base Anima predecessors that feature an emphasis on metallic wings, the Aettir Lux resembles a traditional longsword. Its simple hilt, pommel, and guard reveal a surprisingly ornate blade, complete with runes etched on the center. When activated, Aettir Lux emanates bright light on the side of its blade, releasing more light at the base to resemble wings while staying close to the edge near the tip.
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Tenacity
A holy warrior like thePaladin in Final Fantasy 14deserves a weapon worthy of their stature, with theGalatyn Pagos +1fitting their holy knight aesthetic despite its status as a mid-level Relic Weapon. Thanks to boosts in Critical Hit and Tenacity, the Paladin can get much-needed boosts to their overall combat performance. However, where the Galatyn Pagos shines is in its ornate design.
Taking design cues from a traditional longsword, the Galatyn Pagos boasts a steel guard with a cross-shaped pommel as well as a curved guard extending into two pommel-like points. The guard’s ornate black details extends to a portion of the blade’s base, which in itself has symmetrical two edges that end in a point. When activated, the blade glows with a slight silver tinge.
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TheHydatos Swordbeing classified as a Gladiator’s Arm makes sense given the Paladin’s origins from the Gladiator Job, withtheFinal Fantasy 14specialized Job improving upon the Gladiator’s capabilitiesin the vanguard with enhanced defenses. Thanks to the Hydatos Sword offering customizable substats with decent additions to STR and VIT, the weapon makes for a worthwhile addition to the player’s arsenal.
At its core, the Hydatos Sword boasts a rectangular pommel with an open center that extends to a twisting hilt, ending with an ornate cross-shaped guard. The blade proper takes the form of a symmetrical blade with a black center engraved with details, ending with a flat tip with golden details. The thicker nature of the Hydatos Sword seems to allude to the Paladin’s origins as a Gladiator, making the sword more of an offensive than a defensive tool.
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Substats
(Customizable)
Touting the aesthetic of a traditional knight, it makes sense for the Paladin’s Relic Weapons inFinal Fantasy 14to boast a more decorated than extravagant appearance. Such is the case of most of its Eurekan series of weapons, except for itsAntea Physeosfinal upgrade that stuns onlookers with its rather swirl-heavy motif. Like other weapons in the Eurekan series, the Antea Physeos has lackluster STR and VIT base bonuses but more than makes up for it with a massive Elemental Bonus.
In terms of overall appearance, the Antea Physeos strays away from the shortsword motif of its Antiquated and Elemental counterparts. Instead, the Antea Physeos is shaped like a scimitar or a shamshir with a prominent curved blade. The armament is notable for having smaller sword-like protrusions on the sides of its blade, with the end of the blade itself having a serrated opposite edge.
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Contrary to the usual trend of the Paladin in their gameplaywithin theFinal FantasyMMOhaving access to knightly ornamental swords, theAugmented Law’s Order Bastard Swordis a stark departure in terms of aesthetics. Stats-wise, the sword does boast decent STR and VIT boosts that allow players to make builds towards the Job’s role as a frontline defender. However, it’s in its visuals that make it an interesting addition to the Paladin’s arsenal.
Compared to ornately-decorated Relic Weapons, the Augmented Law’s Order Bastard Sword is more subdued in appearance. Its hilt and guard resemble older motorcycle brakes from afar. Its sword extends into a symmetrical two-sided blade with purple lining in the middle, with the blade itself shimmering in icy-blue light when activated.
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Players who enjoy being a Paladin inFinal Fantasy 14need to look the part, especially whenother tank Jobs8907op-i[ also boast imposing appearances. Thanks toBlade’s Honor, the Paladin ofFinal Fantasyhas a heavenly weapon that can make allies feel like the Paladin will summon the gods themselves to intervene in combat. Its above-average Physical Damage and Auto-Attack stats make the armament a decent Relic Weapon for Paladins, but its appearance makes it worth the acquisition.
While its Resistance and Law’s Order upgrade tiers have a decorated heirloom appeal, Blade’s Honor comes straight from the heavens. Although its hilt looks normal, a golden vine thorn swirls from the base onto the main guard, forming a knuckle guard. Two protruding spikes float around the hilt, covering a blade that glows purple with holy energy.
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Determination
Keeping in line with the nigh-heavenly aesthetic ofthe Paladin inFinal Fantasy 14gameplaywould be theAmazing Manderville Sword, which in terms of stats alone boasts decent bonuses to base Critical Hit and Determination that can aid the Paladin in their role as frontline tanks. However, where the Amazing Manderville Sword shines is its overall appearance.
Compared to the more sophisticated Majestic Manderville upgrade, the Amazing Manderville Sword boasts a more pristine and ornate appearance befitting a knightly blade. The longsword has quite a large blade with a darker overall appearance compared to the steel-heavy Manderville counterpart, this time boasting a red pommel and crystal with swirls of red-black energy.
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Being the epitome of holy protection,the Paladin ofFinal Fantasy 14has a gameplay comparable to the staunchest defenders of parties in MMOs. As such, it makes sense for their strongest Relic Weapon to have a straightforward appearance without damaging the Paladin’s nobility - something the cross-shaped Manderville Sword symbolizes. When upgraded fully, theMajestic Manderville Swordhas an aesthetic that crosses over to the divine.
Stats-wise, the Majestic Manderville Sword gives decent-enough bonuses to STR and VIT with additional customizable substats to boost the Paladin’s flexibility. This is further reflected with its appearance, as the Majestic Manderville Sword has a more ornamental stone guard with a symmetric slightly-curved blade that glows blue with protective energy.
