Exploda (Final Fantasy IX)

Exploda is Zidane's third thief sword in Final Fantasy IX, and the strongest one available as soon as synthesis first becomes available in Lindblum. It has innate Trouble status, usable via Zidane's Soul Blade skill. Exploda teaches Sacrifice, which KO's Zidane but fully replenishes the rest of the party's HP and MP, and Lucky Seven, where Zidane can deal severe fixed damage to an enemy when his HP ends in a seven.
==Obtain==
The player can craft the Exploda in the synthesis shops in Lindblum (after Lindblum is attacked), Black Mage Village, Alexandria, and Treno (after the party returns from the Outer Continent). Exploda is also found in Madain Sari after visiting Iifa Tree as part of story progression.
==Mechanics==
The base damage dealt with normal attack is determined as follows everywhere but within Ipsen's Castle:
:Base = 31 - Enemy's Defense
:Bonus = [(Strength + Spirit) / 2] + Rnd MOD ([(Level + Strength) / 8] +1)
:Damage = Base * Bonus
Where Rnd means a random number, while MOD means modulus operation. "Rnd MOD x" can be read as a random number between 0 and x-1. 
The damage is then modified by variables like Zidane's equipped killer abilities or MP Attack, his row position, and the enemy's Protect. If Zidane is under Mini, his Bonus will be 1.
When in Ipsen's Castle, the stronger weapons do less damage than weaker weapons, and the Base part of the damage formula with the Exploda is altered to:
:Base = 29 - Enemy's Defense
Exploda has innate Trouble trait. When Zidane uses Soul Blade with the Exploda equipped, the enemy is inflicted unless they are immune. Thief swords' status abnormalities do not work with Add Status, and so it is pointless to equip the latter when Zidane wields a thief sword.
==Use==
Exploda is Zidane's strongest available weapon throughout Qu's Marsh, Fossil Roo, all throughout the Outer Continent until reaching the Black Mage Village where the player can craft the superior Rune Tooth. However, as the Gladius is stealable from the boss in Fossil Roo, the player may want to switch to that one to master its abilities.
Exploda's Trouble is not too useful, but is the superior status-infliction method over Zidane's Annoy skill, learned from the aforementioned Gladius.
The Sacrifice skill learned from Exploda is the closest the player can get to a "Megalixir" in Final Fantasy IX, though it sacrifices Zidane.
==Gallery==
Exploda FFIX Art.jpg|Artwork.
ExplodaFFIX.png|Strategy guide scan.
Category:Weapons in Final Fantasy IX