In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, successfully finding and upgrading equipment for your characters is crucial for enhancing their abilities and overall effectiveness in battles. Below is a structured guide detailing the methods for acquiring and upgrading both weapons and armor.

Finding Equipment

Weapons
1. Acquisition Method:
– Treasure Chests: Look for special treasure chests characterized by purple glowing lights scattered throughout the game’s main story path, which usually contain weapons.
– Odd Jobs and Mini-Games: Some weapons are rewards for completing specific Odd Jobs or achieving high scores in mini-games.
– Purchase with Gil: If you miss finding a weapon during your journey, you can eventually buy it from weapon vendors located in major settlements.

2. Automatic Upgrades: Unlike in FF7 Remake, weapon upgrades in FF7 Rebirth occur automatically as you gain Skill Points (SP) through character leveling and completing quests. Each weapon levels up uniformly for all characters, unlocking new skills and stat boosts as you progress.

Armor
1. Acquisition Methods:
– Shops and Vending Machines: Armor can be purchased at various shops and vending machines spread throughout the game’s regions.
– Completing Odd Jobs: Certain side quests provide armor as rewards upon completion.
– Mini-Games: You can acquire armor by achieving specific scores or milestones in mini-games.
– Treasure Chests: Explore the world to find certain armors hidden in treasure chests.
– Crafting with Item Transmuter: Use the Item Transmuter in combination with required materials to craft new armor pieces.

Upgrading Equipment

Weapons
1. Upgrading Process:
– Automatic Upgrades: Weapons upgrade automatically as you gain SP, requiring no manual intervention.
– View and Manage Upgrades: To view current weapon levels and to manage upgrades, access the “Upgrade Weapons” option in the game pause menu. This interface allows you to see unlocked skills and upcoming enhancements.

2. Proficiency and Abilities: Each character must achieve maximum proficiency with a specific weapon type to utilize its unique abilities across all weapons of that type. Proficiency is increased by actively using the weapon in battles.

Armor
1. Upgrading Process:
– Crafting Enhanced Versions: Certain armors have enhanced versions that can be crafted using the Item Transmuter alongside additional materials.
– Materials Needed: Gather specific materials from various regions or complete quests to enable armor enhancements.

2. Tips for Upgrading:
– Region-Specific Materials: Thorough exploration of each region is essential for collecting all necessary materials for crafting and upgrading armor.
– Craftsmanship Level: Boosting your craftsmanship level will grant access to better recipes and options for the Item Transmuter.

Summary

To effectively equip your party in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth:

– Explore Locations: Discover new weapons and armor by thoroughly exploring the vast game world and completing as many quests as possible.
– Automatic Weapon Upgrades: Accumulate SP seamlessly as you progress through the game to level up and enhance your weapons without direct effort.
– Crafting Armor: Utilize the Item Transmuter to craft and refine armor using collected materials, ensuring your characters are fortified for upcoming challenges.

Following this guide will help ensure that your team is well-equipped, enhancing your chances of success against the game’s formidable adversaries.