Below, you’ll find a complete tier list for the game that includes the strongest weapons, as well as their individual strength values, hit rates, and crafting recipes. We’ve chosen to only include the best weapons because once you get them, there’s no reason to use anything else on the game’s bosses and minions. 

Lionheart

Type: Gunblade Strength: 30 Hit Rate: 255

Squall’s best weapon has always been the Lionheart gunblade. After it appeared in Final Fantasy 8, it became so popular that developers included it in myriad FF games, including Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy XV, and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Lionheart has earned the status of the best weapon in the game not only for its cool looks but because of the Lionheart ability, which allows players to perform an ultimate finishing attack as a part of the Renzokuken limit break.

This weapon is hard to get, but it’s not impossible. Here is the crafting recipe for Lionheart:

1x Adamantine 4x Dragon Fang 12x Pulse Ammo

Shooting Star

 

Type: Blaster Edge Strength: 28 Hit Rate: 107

This weapon may not look terribly dangerous because of its feathery edges, but this is Rinoa’s best projectile weapon.

Getting this weapon is just as hard as getting Lionheart, and you will need to go through a number of dangerous battles against Thrustavis, Torama, and Elnoyle before you get all of the necessary crafting components.

Here is the crafting recipe for Shooting Star:

2x Windmill 1x Regen Ring 1x Force Armlet 2x Energy Crystal

Strange Vision

Type: Nunchakus Strength: 25 Hit Rate: 255

This is the rarest and strongest melee weapon in Final Fantasy 8. It’s got an incredibly high hit rate, which means it can deal heavy damage.

Some of its components can only be obtained by playing card games, such as Triple Triad, and winning Star Fragment cards (e.g. Iron Giant). If you have played these card games, then you will know why it’s so hard to actually get this weapon.

In any case, here’s the crafting recipe for Strange Vision:

1x Adamantine 3x Star Fragment 2x Curse Spike

Punishment

Type: Gunblade Strength: 24 Hit Rate: 255

In case Lion Heart turns out to be too difficult to craft, you can opt for another highly powerful gunbalde: Punishment.

It is also possible to get this weapon very early in the game by defeating Ifrit and Fastitocalon monsters on Balamb Beachside, which will give you a good amount of AP. Then, learn Quetzacoltl’s card abilities and win every card mini-game.

After that, you can craft Punishment with the following recipe:

1x Chef’s Knife 2x Star Fragment 1x Turtle Shell 8x Screw

Exeter

Type: Shotgun Strength: 25 Hit Rate: 115

The only really worthwhile firearm in FF8 is Exeter..

In order to get his weapon, you must first learn the Mug ability, which will allow you to steal Dino Bones from T-Rexaur in the Balamb Garden. After getting the bones, head to Esthar City and fight Elnoyle. Then play some more card games.

Eventually, you will have all the necessary items for crafting Exeter:

2x Dino Bone 1x Moon Stone 2x Star Fragment 3x Screw

Save the Queen

Type: Whip Strength: 25 Hit Rate: 107

This whip made of tentacles can do just as much damage as any other top-tier weapon in Final Fantasy 8. It’s also the only weapon that can be obtained via Triple Triad and Card Mod without leaving Balamb Garden. 

It has an alternative title and is sometimes called the Gold Snake, but in either case, the crafting recipe is the same:

2x Malboro Tentacle 4x Sharp Spike 4x Energy Crystal

Ehrgeiz

Type: Gloves Strength: 25 Hit Rate: 103

Lastly, Zell’s ultimate fighting gloves need to be mentioned. These can only be crafted using a very rare material; Dragon Skin.

To get the required number of the dragon scales, you will need to fight Anacondaur in Dollet.

Here is the crafting recipe for these powerful gloves:

1x Adamantine 4x Dragon Skin 1x Fury Fragment

These were the strongest weapons in Final Fantasy 8 available through junk shop crafting. If you’re looking for a way to get more screws in FF8 Remastered, then head over to this guide to find out more. 

For even more on the digital only remaster that launched on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam for PC (sorry, Mac, iOS, and Android), be sure to head over to our review of FF8 to read about our comparisons to the PS1 original and how the game holds up today.