Final Fantasy 16: How to Get Cloud’s Buster Sword

What it lacks in stagger it makes up for in swagger.

FF16 Cloud Buster Sword
Screenshot by Prima Games

Regardless of whether or not you’ve played Final Fantasy VII before, it is likely that you would recognize Cloud Strife’s iconic Buster Sword. This potentially overcompensating behemoth of a sword has been favored by fans since 1997, and now you can get it in Final Fantasy XVI in 2023.

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Where to Get Cloud’s Buster Sword in FFXVI

Thankfully, obtaining the Buster Sword is quite easy, as you can obtain said weapon in FF16 just by purchasing the newly released DLC for the game. You will be rewarded with the Buster Sword when you purchase either the Echoes of the Fallen DLC separately or the bundle with The Rising Tide DLC. Ultimately, it’s your choice which one you choose, as you’ll get the sword either way! But of course, the bundle saves you a little money if you plan on buying both.

Once you’ve purchased and installed the DLC, begin playing Final Fantasy XVI! When you’ve booted up your save, open up the main menu. Then, you will navigate to the System menu using R2 and R1 to find the Redeemable Items submenu. From here, you can redeem the Buster Sword and the Away (1987) Orchestrion Roll too.

By now, in FF16, you’re most likely wielding a weapon that is much better stat-wise than the Buster Sword. Unfortunately, it only offers 160 Attack and 160 Stagger. But it looks cool, and at the end of the day, looking cool is what matters the most in any JRPG. Especially when you’re Clive, who, let’s be honest, looks more like he should be wielding the Buster Sword more than Cloud does. Fortunately, you can use The Arete Stone in The Hideaway to change the appearance of your weapon to the Buster Sword if you want to look badass without taking the hit to your stats.

Now you can use the Buster Sword to take on all of your enemies in FF16. Just make sure that you are up to date on Joshua and Jill’s side quests before you attempt to take on the DLC story, as you won’t get very far without having them completed.

About the Author

Priscilla Wells

Priscilla is both the weekend editor and a freelance writer at Prima Games. She began working at Prima Games in early 2023. Prior to this, she spent nine years writing for both her own personal gaming blog, and other related websites. Priscilla has grown up playing video games, and most often plays her PS5 and Nintendo Switch consoles. You can find her playing Final Fantasy XIV, RuneScape, Pokemon GO, or lost in the latest RPG to release. She is an Australian living in the United States with her American husband, three children, and her Basset Hound. Before moving to the United States, Priscilla obtained a Bachelors of Secondary Education majoring in English and Japanese Language. This allowed her to teach English and Japanese in a high school setting. You can follow her on Twitter/X at @Cilllah