collectible

Best Aerith weapon — how to get the Mythril Rod (missable)

Aerith's highest-magic-attack weapon is locked behind Hojo's secret laboratory in Mt Nibel. Here's the full chain.

“An amazing weapon for Aerith with the highest magical attack as well as giving her one of her better offensive moves — a returning favorite from the first remake, Ray of Judgment. In the Mt Nibel region you eventually get the side quest Lord of the Damned. This has you exploring the Mt Nibel Manor in search of strange noises. Several fights, a boss and cool lore about Hojo. Completing it unlocks Hojo's Exams — VR Missions. If you do all of them it unlocks the door to Hojo's Secret Laboratory. Inside is a purple chest with this powerful staff for Aerith — I've used it through all hard-mode VR Missions.”

Best Aerith weapon — Hojo's lab staff

Aerith's strongest magic-attack weapon — and the one that brings back Ray of Judgment from Remake — is locked in Hojo's Secret Laboratory in Mt Nibel. Easy to miss; almost no one finds it on a first run.

Step-by-step

  1. Reach the Mt Nibel region.
  2. Pick up the side quest Lord of the Damned. It triggers from a marker once you're exploring.
  3. Investigate Mt Nibel Manor. Several fights, a boss, and Hojo lore.
  4. Complete the quest to unlock Hojo's Exams — a set of VR Missions in the Combat Simulator.
  5. Complete EVERY one of Hojo's Exam VR Missions. Doing all of them unlocks the door to Hojo's Secret Laboratory at the end of the manor.
  6. Open the door, enter the lab. Multiple chests inside.
  7. The purple chest holds Aerith's staff with the highest magic attack stat in the game (and Ray of Judgment as the unique ability).

Why bother

  • Highest magic attack for Aerith → all her spells crit harder.
  • Ray of Judgment unique ability raises stagger bonus during stagger windows. Combo with Magnify + Element for absurd damage.
  • Carries Aerith through all hard-mode VR missions without an upgrade.

Heads up

  • Hojo's Exams aren't trivial — they're VR Missions. Bring a leveled materia loadout.
  • The lab door does not unlock if you skip even one Exam.

If stuck: if the lab door is sealed, you have an Exam left. Open the Combat Simulator → Hojo's Exams → check for any unticked missions.