Nail Bat (VII Remake)

The Nail Bat is a weapon in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Despite its appearance, it functions as a sword for Cloud Strife, and provides the Disorder ability. It is based on his joke weapon from the original Final Fantasy VII.
The Nail Bat appears to offer a low attribute boost, but greatly increases Cloud's critical hit rate, making it a strong physical damage dealer. Cloud gets an unique animation for the Strong Attack with this weapon while in Punisher Mode, where he swings it like a baseball bat, which is slow to use. It provides no benefit to spellcasting roles, and starts off with no materia slots, limiting its versatility.
==Obtained==
A nail bat is a reward for "Kids on Patrol" in Chapter 8, "Budding Bodyguard". One of the patrolling kids also has a miniature nail bat on his back, whereas the other kids have wooden swords that resemble the buster sword.
==Upgrades==
===Materia slots===
Materia slotspurchased	MinimumWeapon Level	Slots
0 	1 	
1 	3 	
2 	3 	
3 	3 	
4 	5 	
5 	5 	
6 	5 	
7 	6 	
8 	6 	
9 	6 	
===Skills===
Nail Bat Core - Weapon Level: 1 - Required SP: 8	Nail Bat Core - Weapon Level: 1 - Required SP: 8	Nail Bat Core - Weapon Level: 1 - Required SP: 8
Max HP Up 	Max HP +200 	Increases maximum HP.
Max HP Up 	Max HP +200 	Increases maximum HP.
Luck Up 	Luck +5 	Increases luck attribute.
Critical Hit Rate Up 	Critical Hit Rate 10% Boost 	Increases probability of landing a critical hit.
Critical Damage Up 	Critical Hit Damage 25% Boost 	Increases damage dealt by critical hits.
Nail Bat Sub-Core I - Weapon Level: 3 - Required SP: 10	Nail Bat Sub-Core I - Weapon Level: 3 - Required SP: 10	Nail Bat Sub-Core I - Weapon Level: 3 - Required SP: 10
Enhanced Attack 	Attack Damage 5% Boost 	Increases damage dealt by basic attacks.
Desperate Striker 	Critical Hit Rate 50% Boost with Low HP 	Significantly increases probability of landing a critical hit when HP is 25% or lower.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Nail Bat Sub-Core II - Weapon Level: 4 - Required SP: 12	Nail Bat Sub-Core II - Weapon Level: 4 - Required SP: 12	Nail Bat Sub-Core II - Weapon Level: 4 - Required SP: 12
Max HP Up 	Max HP +200 	Increases maximum HP.
Debuff Resistance Up 	Debuff Resistance +5 	Increases resistance to detrimental status effects.
Desperate Physical Defense 	Physical Defense +10 with Low HP 	Increases defense when HP is 25% or lower.
Desperate Magic Defense 	Magic Defense +10 with Low HP 	Increases magic defense when HP is 25% or lower.
Enemy Parts Damage Up 	Crippling Damage 10% Boost 	Increases damage dealt to discrete enemy parts.
Ability Critical Hit Rate Up 	Weapon Ability Critical Hit Rate 10% Boost 	Increases probability of landing a critical hit with an ability.
Nail Bat Sub-Core III - Weapon Level: 5 - Required SP: 14	Nail Bat Sub-Core III - Weapon Level: 5 - Required SP: 14	Nail Bat Sub-Core III - Weapon Level: 5 - Required SP: 14
Max HP Up 	Max HP +200 	Increases maximum HP.
Critical Damage Up 	Critical Hit Damage 25% Boost 	Increases damage dealt by critical hits.
Desperate Limit Breaks 	Limit Break 5% Boost with Low HP 	Increases the rate at which the limit gauge fills when HP is 25% or lower.
Desperate Striker 	Critical Hit Rate 50% Boost with Low HP 	Significantly increases probability of landing a critical hit when HP is 25% or lower.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Nail Bat Sub-Core IV - Weapon Level: 6 - Required SP: 16	Nail Bat Sub-Core IV - Weapon Level: 6 - Required SP: 16	Nail Bat Sub-Core IV - Weapon Level: 6 - Required SP: 16
Max HP Up 	Max HP +250 	Increases maximum HP.
Enhanced Limit Breaks 	Limit Break Damage 5% Boost 	Increases damage dealt by limit breaks.
Reprieve 	Avoid Incapacitation once per battle. 	Survive an otherwise fatal attack with 1 HP. Can only activate once per battle.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
Needs More Materia 	New Materia Slot 	Adds an additional materia slot or links two existing slots.
==Use==
The Nail Bat initially offers no materia slots, and what appear at first to be low stats, and few of its upgrades improve the attribute boosts. Its and are low and not upgraded even once, and the only attribute it excels in is . The Nail Bat's true strength comes in the form of greatly improving Cloud's critical hit rate, the bonus damage dealt by critical hits, as well in strong durability stats, including providing Reprieve at Weapon Level 6 to let Cloud survive otherwise fatal attacks at 1 HP. This is further boosted by the weapon's luck attribute boost. The weapon locks Cloud into a physical damage role, and despite seeming weak due to its low attribute boosts, its critical hit rate can make up for it.
The weapon plays differently to Cloud's other weapons. When in Punisher Mode, Cloud will swing more concentrated blows which, though much slower, also deal much greater burst damage. This is only useful against enemies that are either knocked back, pressured, or staggered, as they will otherwise be able to quickly dodge. One way to take advantage of this is to use the Disorder ability provided by the weapon to immediately strike an enemy, switching to Punisher Mode in doing so, and then follow up with one of its attacks. Another effective way to land the heavy strike is to equip Cloud with and cast any rank of wind magic; this will drag the opponent towards Cloud, leaving them vulnerable for the swing (it won't work against heavy enemies, though).
Equipping Nail Bat locks Cloud into a physical damage role, and before being upgraded, it does not give Cloud the opportunity to equip any materia. Significant SP must be spent just to give the Nail Bat basic materia compatibility. Once upgraded, it still does not allow materia to link until Weapon Level 6, and so it is best to use its limited slots for and focus Cloud on a physical damage role. Although the Nail Bat can be very good in its physical damage role, it is also much riskier to use due to the Punisher Mode difference, and is more limiting than , which provides the highest attack power increase.
Category:Weapons in Final Fantasy VII Remake