FF4: Drop-only items

Final Fantasy IV has a number of items that you can only obtain if an enemy drops them. Weapons, armor, and even four unique summons for Rydia. Of course, the issue with them often is that they're inexcusably difficult to obtain. I wrote this mini article as a guide on these drops, telling oyu what they can do for you and whether or not they're worth pursuing. This is different from whether or not they're good - a lot of these are, but may or may not be worth the effort.

Note that there are many other items that are limited-quantity but can be obtained in unlimited amounts as rare drops, such as the Avenger, the Ribbon, and the Protect Ring. I thought I might cover these, but after a bit of thought I figured that none of them are really worth it due to being stuck as 1/64s. It's often what breaks a lot of these being worthwhile - being only slightly stronger than what you can get in the base game yet significantly harder to obtain.

Remember that there is roughly a 5/98 chance that an enemy will drop an item in the first place, so apply that to all of these odds.
_____

- Lilith Rod
Stats: Atk+13, Hit=10%, Int+5. Use=Osmose.
Who can use: Y!Rydia, A!Rydia, Tellah, Palom, FuSoYa
Dropped by: Lilith (1/64), Lamia Queen (11/64)
Worth it?: Maybe

The Osmose spell cast by this weapon is significantly stronger than normal and is instantly cast. If you can get your hands on it early or easily it might come in handy for conserving Elixirs.

- Rune Staff
Stats: Atk+52, Hit=60%, Spr+10. Effective against mages. Status=Silence. Use=Silence.
Who can use: Y!Rydia, Tellah, Rosa, Porom, FuSoYa
Dropped by: Puppeteer (12/64). Sorceror (12/64), Summoner (12/64), Mist Summoner (12/64)
Worth it?: Yes

It's the strongest staff in the base game, gives a decent stat boost, and is obtainable relatively easily. Can't hurt to pick it up, but note that if you have Rosa equip it in the SNES version, she'll lose the ability to perform critical hits. It's not a concern in all other versions.

- Gorgon Blade
Stats: Atk+77, Hit=66%. Status = 2/3 Petrify.
Who can use: P!Cecil, Kain
Dropped by: Black Lizard (1/64), Medusa (1/64), Gorgon (1/64), Catoblepas (1/64)
Worth it?: No

Note that some guides say that it's a semi-common drop by the first three, this is not the case. It is indeed a "1/64". This is a weapon that might be interesting to have if you can land it early on, but good luck with that.

- Rune Axe
Stats: Atk+100, Hit=60%. Effective against mages. Two-handed.
Who can use: P!Cecil, Kain, Cid
Dropped by: Giant Soldier (1/64), Giant Warrior (1/64), Iron Giant (11/64)
Worth it?: No

It's only five points of Atk stronger than the Poison Axe, which is obtainable in the Feymarch. Even when you can more reasonably seek it out in the postgame against the Iron Giant, you may as well buy the 200 Atk Gigant Axe in the town there. If you're on EasyType then this might have merit, since it's boosted to 120 power there.

- Medusa Arrows
Stats: Atk+1. Status=Stone.
Who can use: P!Cecil, Y!Rydia, A!Rydia, Edward, Rosa, Palom, Porom, Cid, FuSoYa
Dropped by: Black Lizard (63*/64), Medusa (63*/64), Gorgon (63*/64), Stone Golem (12/64), Catoblepas (20/64)
Worth it?: Maybe

The weakest arrows in the game, though a chance to instantly petrify vulnerable non-boss targets they hit. Readily available from several enemies including by stealing, so they might be interesting to try out at least.

- Artemis Arrows
Stats: Atk+75. Effective against dragons.
Who can use: P!Cecil, Y!Rydia, A!Rydia, Edward, Rosa, Palom, Porom, Cid, FuSoYa
Dropped by: Gloomwing (1/64), Lunar Virus (1/64), Black Flan (1/64), Selene Guardian (32*/64)
Worth it?: Yes

They're the strongest arrows in the main game by 25 points. Due to being the common item from Selene Guardians, they're easily obtainable by having Edge steal them.

- Artemis' Bow
Stats: Atk+40, Hit=70%, Str+10, Agl+10, Sta+10, Int-10, Spr-10. Wind-elemental.
Who can use: P!Cecil, Y!Rydia, A!Rydia, Edward, Rosa, Palom, Porom, Cid, FuSoYa
Dropped by: Selene Guardian (1/64)
Worth it?: No

For all the effort it takes to get, this is a very underwhelming weapon. It weakens Rosa's healing. The Yoichi's Bow gives the same Str+10 and is only ten points of Atk weaker.

- Wyvern Lance
Stats: Atk+99, Hit=80%. Wind-elemental. Effective against dragons.
Who can use: Kain
Dropped by: Blue Dragon (1/64), Red Dragon (11/64). Crystal Dragon (11/64)
Worth it?: Maybe

It's a weaker weapon than the legendary Holy Lance (Atk+109) you can get with much more ease. The only reason to go after it is due to its effectiveness against dragon enemies. There's ripe enough targets in the GBA postgame, but otherwise there's no real purpose. It's the strongest weapon you can get multiples of for Edge to throw, but that's going pretty far.

- Dragon's Whisker
Stats: Atk+55, Hit=75%, Str+5, Agl+5, Sta+5, Int-5, Spr-5. Effective against dragons. Status=Paralyze
Who can use: Y!Rydia, A!Rydia
Dropped by: Blue Dragon (11/64), Magic Dragon (20/64)
Worth it?: No

It's only five points of strength stronger than the Fire Whip, and much like it reduces Rydia's magical stats. She really shouldn't be physically attacking most of the time anyway,
_____

- Glass Mask
Stats: Def+30. Immunity flag (SNES only).
Who can use: All but D!Cecil
Dropped by: Phase (1/64), Proto Phase (1/64)
Worth it?: No

If you're playing the SNES version, this is an interesting item due to the bugged immunity flag providing the wearer with 99% evasion. However, by the time you can get it, you're only a few floors away from the final boss. It has no such property in the GBA/PSP version so it's pointless especially compared to a Ribbon.

- Power Sash
Stats: Def+15, Eva+10%, Str+15.
Who can use: All but D!Cecil
Dropped by: Behemoth (11/64), King Behemoth (20/64)
Worth it?: No

It's not a bad piece of equipment, it's just very outclassed compared to what you can get by the time you can obtain it.

- Adamant Armor (Pink Tail)
Stats: Def+100, Eva+10%, MDf+20, MEv+12%, +15 all stats. Immune to Fire, Ice, Lightning. Immune to Death, Petrify, Toad, Mini, Piggy, Silence, Darkness, Poison, Curse, Paralyze, Sleep Charm, Gradual Petrify
Who can use: All but D!Cecil
Dropped by: Flan Princess (1/64)
Worth it?: Yes

The most famous 1/64 and with good reason: its encounter is in itself very rare, and look at those ridiculous stats. Not everyone wants one of these on their torso, particularly those who have equipment with other benefits besides what it offers, but it will never disappoint if you go for it.

- Cursed Ring
Stats: -15 all stats. Absorb flag.
Dropped by: Spirit (1/64), Soul (1/64), Evil Dreamer (1/64), Belphegor (1/64), Bone Dragon (1/64), Dinozombie (1/64), Chimerageist (1/64)
Who can use: All including D!Cecil
Worth it?: Maybe

This unusual piece of equipment requires other pieces with elemental properties to function properly. Due to it being on the hand slot, this means it cannot be combined with the Protect Ring. Even in the GBA version where the Hero Shield exists, there's characters who prefer the Cursed Ring when it comes to gaining absorption. Note that while it's the only piece of equipment besides his own that he can equip, Dark Knight Cecil cannot benefit from it.

- Giant's Gloves
Stats: Def+10, Str+10, Sta+10. Resists giants. Immune to mini.
Who can use: P!Cecil, Kain, Yang, Cid, Edge, A!Rydia (SNES only)
Dropped by: Ogre (1/64), Mad Ogre (1/64), Steel Golem (32/64)
Worth it?: Yes

An interesting and relatively easy piece of equipment to acquire - note that while it's 32/64 off the Steel Golems, that's becuase it's the uncommon, rare, and super rare drops rather than the common one. Gives no magic or evasion benefits, but handy all the same for its stat increases.

- Crystal Ring
Stats: Def+20. Eva+15%, MDf+12, MEv+10%, Agl+5. Resists dragons. Immune to Charm, Sleep, Paralysis
Who can use: All but D!Cecil
Dropped by: Red Dragon (1/64), Crystal Dragon (1/64)
Worth it?: Not really

This piece of equipment gives some interesting benefits and is statistically the strongest. It even includes immunities that the Ribbon doesn't have on the SNES version. Still, coming so late (there, being a 1/64 drop, and the Adamant Armor existing makes it very questionable to pursue.
_____

- Goblin
Properties: 8 power. 1MP, casting time 0.
Dropped by: Goblin (1/64), L'il Murderer (1/64), Goblin Prince (1/64)
Worth it?: No

It's weaker than her Chocobo summon and has no special properties to make up for it. Pass.

- Cockatrice
Properties: Inflicts petrify, hit rate 50%. 15MP, casting time 2. Boss bit.
Dropped by: Helldiver (1/64), Cockatrice (1/64), Roc Baby (1/64), Mist Eagle (1/64)
Worth it?: No

This is a less accurate Break spell that can't be multitargetted. Even if you luck into it early on, it's questionable in its usefulness.

- Mind Flayer
Properties: 96 power, status=paralysis. 18MP, casting time 0. Boss bit.
Dropped by: Mind Flayer (1/64), Mist Kraken (1/64)
Worth it?: Maybe

Having the boss bit kind of ruins it. It is otherwise fairly cheap and outclasses the basic three elemental summons. Single target only, though.

- Bomb
Properties: Damage=Current HP. 10MP, casting time 0
Dropped by: Balloon (1/64), Grenade (1/64), King Bomb (1/64)
Worth it?: Maybe

This interesting summon deals damage to Rydia's current HP on a single target. The catch of course being that that Rydia has the lowest HP in the game. Can be useful if you must attack a single target though, such as against the CPU.

Index