The SoulCalibur series has been known for giving players different weapons since before it got the "Calibur" part of its name. In prior games, different weapons would have different stats baked into them. But in SoulCalibur 6, the weapons can only get different perks through modifiers placed on them in the Libra of Souls mode.
In this mode, players can use a created character to explore the world, meet new people, and shank them for a Soul Charge boost. But which weapons have the best moves to make getting those bonuses a breeze? And which ones look the most stylish in battle?
5 Cervantes: Long Sword & Pistol Sword
Cervantes has fallen quite a bit since his days as a final boss in Soul Blade. The character is considered low tier in SoulCalibur 6. So, why do his cutlass and 17th Century gun blade get on the list? Because they’re cheap enough to make the grind in Libra of Souls much smoother.
Players discovered that using the undead pirate’s weapons can cut through the AI competition, because the game's AI doesn’t know how to counter his Dark Geo Da Ray (Back+B+K) move. Hit enemies with this combo when they’re getting up to make getting those upgrades easy. Just be careful trying those moves online. They might turn the CPU into mush, but more astute human minds might find a way around them.
4 Azwel: Bipolar Pulse Enhancement Device
Getting through Libra of Souls mode will lead the player to its final boss, Azwel. The Soulcalibur series has never been a stranger to mixing sci-fi into its fantasy setting. But Azwel brings in secret organizations, artificial evil energy, and his bizarre weapon. Known as the "Palindrome" for short, this weapon takes the form of a pair of gauntlets. One has a fragment of Soul Edge, the other a chunk of SoulCalibur. Together, they can form a combination of weapons from dual swords to a spear and shield.
It’s similar to Necrid’s weapon back in SoulCalibur 2, which could also take the form of other character’s weapons. However, Azwel’s moves put up a better showing against the rest of the cast. He has particularly favorable matchups against nimble fighters like Xianghua, and even against the aforementioned Cervantes. So, if players end up struggling against that same Dark Geo Da Ray cheese online, mastering Azwel might help put their opponent back in their place.
3 2B: Virtuous Contract & Virtuous Treaty
Cheesing as Cervantes may be good enough for the computer, but using it in competitive play is another matter. To avoid becoming a PvP pariah, guest character 2B from NieR: Automata offers a dual sword style with high tier gameplay without being cheap — most of the time, anyway. There will always be that one opponent who’ll call foul if they can’t get around her.
2B hits that sweet spot in being easy to play, but tricky to master. Starter players can get good results with her from the beginning, enough to annoy certain opponents. She does particularly well against big bruisers like Astaroth or Zasalamel. Then, as they get better at the game, the player will learn new moves and techniques to handle quicker strikers like Taki and Maxi. The YoRHA Squadron’s top android offers a good, gradual amount of depth.
2 Ivy Valentine: Snake Sword
According to EventHubs, SoulCalibur’s resident dominatrix is top of the tree as far as tiers go. Her iconic Snake Sword allows her to switch between different modes to keep opponents at bay. The broadsword mode is good for getting up close and personal, while switching to whip mode will keep them away. Any opponent with bad intentions will soon be made to behave themselves, especially Mitsurugi users and, fittingly enough, SoulCalibur’s resident gimp Voldo.
However, Ivy is a hard character to get to grips with. The whip style comes with multiple stances, and a variety of ways to switch from one stance into another. Her command throws alone, Summon Suffering and Calamity Symphony, have had fans straining over their difficulty for nearly two decades now. So, while players can use her to dominate their foes, Ivy can end up making them kneel before her too.
1 Nightmare: Soul Edge
Originally the evil, possessed side of Siegfried, the Azure Knight was expunged from the man to become its own dark form. Nightmare uses the infamous Soul Edge, a giant Zweihander that can corrupt and possess its user. Unlike his goody-goody counterpart, he came ten places higher on the EventHubs tier list, second only to Ivy. While he also has different stances, his move set is easier to get to grips with than Ivy’s Snake Sword. It may too easy, as the character has been notorious for his overpowered moves and cheap tactics since his debut on the Dreamcast's top rated game.
Back then, players found ways to beat the game with him by using the Sega Bass Fishing controller or pressing the buttons with their feet. Thankfully, his worst moves have been nerfed since his breakup with Siegfried. Yet, that hasn’t stopped him being a strong contender in each game in the series. While Nightmare doesn't do so well fighting up close, his moves are excellent at keeping opponents away. If players can handle Soul Edge, they can make quick work of short-range characters like Talim or Taki. Everyone else's chances won't look so good either.