How to Obtain the Masamune and Genji Set in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles

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Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is packed with hidden secrets, references, and gameplay features that require players to utilize various systems and mechanics to come out on top or find rare, valuable items. The Masamune katana for the Samurai class and the powerful Genji Set are prime examples of items you can obtain if you’re willing to engage in stealth and theft.

If you’re aiming to complete your Samurai arsenal with all weapons and a top-tier armor set, these items are essential. Masamune’s ability is among the strongest in the game, providing Regen and Haste, while dual-wielding katanas allows for impressive damage output and quick attacks. It’s a build worth pursuing.

How To Get The Masamune

The Masamune is one of the best katanas in Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles. The earliest way to get it is by using the Thief’s Steal Weapon skill on Elmdore during the Limberry Castle Keep battle in Chapter 4. However, stealing it isn’t easy and can be frustrating if you’re unprepared.

We recommend bringing a Ninja, a Time Mage, and a Knight for this mission. Your goal is to lower Elmdore’s CT gauge while boosting your Ninja’s, so they can attempt stealing multiple times before he can act. The general plan is:

Knight: Use Rend Speed on Elmdore
Time Mage: Cast Haste on Ninja and Slow on Elmdore
Ninja: Attempt to Steal Weapon from Elmdore

Prioritize eliminating the two Assassins and their Ultima Demon forms first, as they can kill your units instantly and inflict harmful status effects. Once those are dealt with, focus on reducing Elmdore’s Speed and then attempt to steal his weapon.

Best Ninja Build for Stealing

For successful stealing, a Ninja should have:

Primary Job: Ninja
Secondary Job: Thief
Reaction Ability: Vanish (Thief)
Support Ability: Concentration (from Archer)
Movement Ability: Movement +3 (Thief)
Equipment:
- Weapon 1 & 2: Ninja Longblade
- Headgear: Thief’s Cap
- Body Armor: Ninja Gear
- Accessories: Hermes Boots or Japa Mala

This setup maximizes Ninja’s speed and movement, improving chances to successfully steal items. The high speed allows many attempts during the battle, increasing the likelihood of success.

Catching The Masamune

Another method involves catching a thrown Masamune from a high-level Ninja, usually around Level 95. You’ll need the Sticky Fingers reaction ability and the help of an opposing Ninja to toss one at you.

To do this, you must:

Ensure at least one party member is Level 95 or above to face tough enemies.
Continuously trigger encounters in Araguay Woods until you find a group of high-level Ninjas.
Equip your entire team with Sticky Fingers and bring Mustadio, who can disable Ninjas by using Leg Shot, preventing them from moving. This immobilizes them so they may throw weapons, including the Masamune, which has a high chance of being among those thrown.

Using this method, you can dual-wield Masamunes with the Ninja’s Dual Wield support, making your Samurai build extremely powerful. Even if the Samurai isn’t the strongest class overall, combining Dual Wield with the Masamune can make it highly effective—especially in late-game content.

How To Get The Genji Set

The Genji Set is obtained in a similar way, by stealing from Elmdore during the Limberry Castle Keep battle. There are four pieces to acquire—Helmet, Armor, Shield, and Gauntlet—and it takes time and patience, as you will need to steal all four.

Elmdore can be taken on during this specific encounter, unlike the one in Chapter 3’s Riovanes Castle. The process involves:

Using a Ninja, Knight, and Time Mage team to maximize chances of success.
Focusing on defeating the Assassins and their Ultima Demon forms first.
Employing the same strategy of Rend Speed to pin Elmdore and keep him from moving, while disabling his helpers.
Equipping everyone with the Japa Mala Ring to prevent transformations into Vampires from Elmdore’s Blood Drain.

This is the only chance to get the Genji Set in the game, making patience and preparation crucial. Once again, the approach is similar: weaken the enemies, control Elmdore, and steal the gear piece by piece.

Overall Strategy

Focus on taking out the Assassins and their Demon forms first, then weaken Elmdore with Rend Speed and Haste. Use your Knight to keep Elmdore immobilized for multiple turns, and prioritize eliminating threats before tackling him directly.

Equip your team with Japa Mala Rings to prevent transformation effects and keep your units safe. Constantly cast Haste on your Ninja and maintain Rend Speed and Slow on Elmdore to freeze him in place. After enough turns, your Ninja will get several back-to-back turns, allowing you to strip everything from Elmdore with ease.

All Items You Can Steal From Elmdore

Masamune (Katana)
Genji Helmet
Genji Armor
Genji Shield
Genji Gauntlet

Stats for Stealable Items

The Masamune and Genji gear are some of the best items available in the game, ideal for classes like Samurai, Dragoon, or Knight. While stronger options exist later on, these pieces remain extremely useful through much of the game.

Masamune: Unlocks the Samurai’s special ability, allowing fast, multiple attacks.
Genji Helmet, Armor, Shield, Gauntlet: Offer excellent defense and stat boosts, with the Gauntlet providing +2 Attack and +2 Magic Power.

Final Notes

Using the Masamune’s ability boosts attack speed and healing, making it essential for any Samurai player. Its Haste and Regen effects help you attack more frequently and stay healthy during combat, making it a top-tier skill for leveling up and high-end gameplay.