And in FFXII: The Zodiac Age, if your party has at least the slightest magical inclination (which it probably should) then you’ll be using rods. These arcane beatsticks are the signature weapon of the White Mage job, the game’s premiere healer. So investing into the extra magickal power of rods is a surefire way to help keep your frontline fighters in peak condition. But these weapons can leave a lot to be desired in their practical applications – so let’s take a look at some of the better rods in the game and how you can get your hands on them.
5. Rod
This weapon is as basic as the name implies. The starter rod might not be special in any particular way – but for those who want to wield the magic-amping weapon class right out of the gate, the basic Rod is easily obtainable and reliable. Best of all, its +2 to magick power isn’t superseded until much later in the game. So you can spend your hard-earned gil on more urgent upgrades until it’s easier to come by. How to Get: Can be purchased or found in Barheim Passage.
4. Power Rod
If magick power is what you desire then, the Power Rod is going to be the first upgrade you can get compared to all previously available rods. It might only be a +1 jump in power – but if you’ve come this far utilizing rods, you might as well go all in. Just like the previously mentioned basic Rod, this Power Rod will be your best in slot piece for a long, long time. How to Get: Look for this in the Paramina Rift – Karydine Glacier to get it early, or just buy it from Mt. Bur-Omisace’s shop after your trek to the Stilshrine of Miriam.
3. Healing Rod
But you could consider the Healing Rod if you’re up for tracking it down. This neat item acts much like a measure, by allowing you to bonk your party members for a quick application of Regen. Compared to the Power Rod, this one is available earlier on, it saves mana otherwise spent on healing, and it provides a very convenient way to utilize your White Mage’s attacks. The damage on this weapon is fixed, again similar to measures or guns. So it can be used as a low-risk way of countering confusion (since physical hits can cure it). All things considered, the pros earn it a higher ranking than the Power Rod, over the cons of the magick power being 1 point lower. How to Get: You can potentially find this weapon at the Ogir-Yensa Sandsea – East Junction, or barring that, buy it at the Nam-Yensa Sandsea from Dyce. You can also buy it at Rabanastre after the story advances past these areas.
2. Holy Rod
Acquiring the Holy Rod is when I feel your White Mage should make the full switch to rods, if they haven’t done so yet. Not only does this rod have the highest magick power outside of the ultimate rod, but it boosts holy damage inflicted by the wielder. This allows for big damage from the Holy spell – which should more than make up for any damage lost from the disuse of whichever secondary classes you’ve relied on. And the Holy Rod even boosts the holy-aspected physical power of the rod itself, if you ever don’t want to spend mana to put down some weaker enemies. How to Get: Track down the treasure chest that contains this rod in the Cerobi Steppe – Old Elanise Road, and hope to get lucky while opening it with a Diamond Armlet equipped.
1. Rod of Faith
The ultimate rod wins on its ability to boost magick power alone. Put simply: it has the highest magick power stat at 6, and can then significantly increases it further by acting like the Rod of Healing and applying Faith on hit. And while White Mages can do this naturally, the bonk method can apply it manalessly – where the actual spell is quite expensive. This can be a great boon in some of the lengthier fights you’ll be approaching where every drop of HP counts. How to Get: If you’re doing hunts, this can be acquired on Mt. Bur-Omisace after the King Behemoth hunt, or you can find it in the Cerobi Steppe – The Terraced Bank with a Diamond Armlet equipped.
