Lion Heart (weapon)

The Lion Heart (also written as Lionheart) is a recurring weapon in the Final Fantasy series. It first appeared in Final Fantasy VIII and is widely known for being Squall Leonhart's strongest gunblade.
In its most iconic appearance as Squall's weapon, the Lion Heart is a gunblade whose blade is in a translucent gradient from dark blue at the edge to white near the middle of the blade. The frame of the gun portion is modeled with features incorporating the Revolver, Squall's starting weapon. These include a black gripped handle base, a breach, barrel, and magazine port similar to the M16 assault rifle, various grips to accentuate various positions of wielding—including an extended handle-like stock to a rifle-saber hybrid handguard near the magazine—and a design finish to incorporate the Griever emblem, a lion carved on the side and a wing protrusion emerging from the top. Squall's version of the Lion Heart appears to be able to switch between different fire settings. This can be seen most apparently in the Play Arts toy version of the weapon.
In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XIII, the Lionheart is gold colored.
==Appearances==
===Final Fantasy VIII===
Lion Heart is Squall's ultimate weapon, made from rare materials. It allows access to all of Squall's finishing moves during his Renzokuken Limit Break, and enables his strongest finisher, the Lion Heart.
Items required to remodel a gunblade to Lion Heart are an Adamantine, Dragon Fang x4 and Pulse Ammo rounds x12. The cost of the upgrade is 2000 gil. Adamantines are procured from Adamantoises and the Minotaur card. Dragon Fangs are available from various dragon-type enemies, though mostly at certain levels: Blue Dragons (all levels), Grendels (<Lv.30) and T-Rexaurs (mid level). Pulse Ammo is made with Ifrit's Ammo-RF ability from various rare items, Energy Crystals being among the most plentiful of them near endgame, obtained from Elnoyles fought in Esthar City.
Though time-consuming, the necessary ingredients and Guardian Force abilities can be amassed before the end of disc 1. Once the items are obtained, the Lion Heart can be made in any junk shop regardless of whether one has read Weapons Monthly, 1st Issue (found in a Laguna flashback at the Lunatic Pandora Laboratory late into the game).
===Final Fantasy X===
A customized version of the Variable Steel is available for Tidus; the Lionheart is a level 10 weapon that has the Double Overdrive ability.
===Final Fantasy XI===
Lionheart is a great sword in the class of powerful armaments known as aeonic weapons.
===Final Fantasy XIII===
The Lionheart is a model of gunblade obtainable by Lightning at the beginning of Chapter 12. It can also be bought at Plautus's Workshop for 28,000 gil. At max level it dismantles into Ceramic Armor (x7) and an Uraninite.
It has the trait Quick Stagger, which allows Lightning to immediately Stagger an enemy with any strike when the stagger gauge is at 90% full. It does not have the highest Strength and Magic stats among her weapons. Its upgraded version is the Ultima Weapon.
Level	Strength	Magic	Current Exp.	Exp. To Next Level	Exp. To ★
1 	8 	8 	0 	1,500 	63,060
2 	11 	11 	1,500 	1,674 	61,560
3 	14 	14 	3,174 	1,848 	59,886
4 	17 	17 	5,022 	2,022 	58,038
5 	20 	20 	7,044 	2,196 	56,016
6 	23 	23 	9,240 	2,370 	53,820
7 	26 	26 	11,610 	2,544 	51,450
8 	29 	29 	14,154 	2,718 	48,906
9 	32 	32 	16,872 	2,892 	46,188
10 	35 	35 	19,764 	3,066 	43,296
11 	38 	38 	22,830 	3,240 	40,230
12 	41 	41 	26,070 	3,414 	36,990
13 	44 	44 	29,484 	3,588 	33,576
14 	47 	47 	33,072 	3,762 	29,988
15 	50 	50 	36,834 	3,936 	26,226
16 	53 	53 	40,770 	4,110 	22,290
17 	56 	56 	44,880 	4,284 	18,180
18 	59 	59 	49,164 	4,458 	13,896
19 	62 	62 	53,622 	4,632 	9,438
20 	65 	65 	58,254 	4,806 	4,806
★ 	68 	68 	63,060 	Scarletite 	0
===Final Fantasy XIV===
Lion Heart was introduced in Shadowbringers as the 's level 80 artifact weapon obtained from Grenoldt in the Tempest after completing the role quest To Have Love and Lost. The weapon was originally known as the "Weathered Lion Heart", but this was changed in Endwalker to reflect its dyeable status.
As a Gunbreaker, Thancred Waters wields the Lion Heart.
	Gunbreaker's ArmGNB Lv. 80Item Level 430	Physical Damage: 95 	Auto-attack: 88.66 	Delay: 2.8
	Gunbreaker's ArmGNB Lv. 80Item Level 430	Strength +164Vitality +168Skill Speed +116Tenacity +165	Strength +164Vitality +168Skill Speed +116Tenacity +165	Strength +164Vitality +168Skill Speed +116Tenacity +165
	Gunbreaker's ArmGNB Lv. 80Item Level 430	Repair/Melding/Desynthesis: 	Dyeable: Yes 	UniqueUntradeable
===Final Fantasy XV===
Lion Heart is a firearm obtained by completing Final Fantasy XV: Episode Prompto DLC scenario (it is added to every save file thereafter). It alludes to Squall's ultimate weapon from Final Fantasy VIII by having a similar design. It deals more damage when HP is low, which may also allude to Final Fantasy VIII, where Squall's Limit Break command is available in critical health, and his Lion Heart unlocks his ultimate Renzokuken finisher.
Lion Heart can be equipped by Prompto and Noctis. Prompto also has it in the episode's title screen after the player has completed it.
===Final Fantasy Tactics Advance===
The Lionheart appears as a knight sword for Paladins, Templars and Defenders. It has 34 Attack, 2 Defense, 1 Magic Resistance, and teaches Defense to Paladins and Defenders. It can be bought at the shop.
====Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift====
Lion Heart is a weapon usable by Paladins, Templar and Defenders. It has 38 Attack and increases Defense by 2 and Resistance by 1. It is the Rank E item of the "Battle-tested Swords" section of the Bazaar, and requires a Tarkov Crystal, a Zirconium and a Dragon Bone to unlock, and is then bought for 1220 Gil in the shop. It teaches Defend to Paladins and Defenders.
===Dissidia Final Fantasy (2008)===
Squall wields the Lion Heart in his EX Mode, gaining the "Lion Heart (RANGE)" and "Lion Heart (HIT)" abilities. These extend the range of Squall's melee attacks and boost the power of the trigger function when Squall lands a melee attack, doubling the power of each blast.
The Lionheart is also Squall's level 100 exclusive weapon obtained from the shop by trading the Punishment weapon, Unshelled Bullet x5, and Bless Orb x5. The Lion Heart increases the player's Attack by 68, increases EX Force Absorption by 30%, and gives Squall the Sneak Attack ability.
====Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy====
Squall wields the Lion Heart as his EX Mode weapon, with its effects unchanged. The Lion Heart is also his level 100 weapon.
===Pictlogica Final Fantasy===
====Pictlogica Final Fantasy ≒====
===Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade===
FFAB Lion Heart SSR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR) [FFVIII].
FFAB Lionheart FFXIII SSR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR) [FFXIII].
FFAB Lion Heart DFF SSR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR) [DFF].
FFAB Lion Heart SSR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR+) [FFVIII].
FFAB Lionheart FFXIII SSR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR+) [FFXIII].
FFAB Lion Heart DFF SSR+.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (SSR+) [DFF].
FFAB Lionheart UR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (UR) [FFVIII].
FFAB Lion Heart FFVIII CR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (CR) [FFVIII].
FFAB Lionheart DFF CR.png|Final Fantasy Airborne Brigade (CR) [DFF].
===Final Fantasy Record Keeper===
FFRK Lion Heart FFVII.png|FFVII version.
FFRK Lion Heart FFVIII.png|FFVIII version.
FFRK Lionheart FFXI.png|FFXI version.
FFRK Lionheart FFXIV.png|FFXIV version.
FFRK Lionheart FFT.png|FFT version.
FFRK Lion Heart KH.png|KH version.
===Final Fantasy Brave Exvius===
Lion Heart is a Great Sword obtained as Squall's Trust Master. It provides 150 ATK, requires both hands to wield, has a damage range of 100-160%, gives +50% Accuracy, and increases Limit Burst gauge by 2 every turn when equipped to Squall.
===Mobius Final Fantasy===
==Non-Final Fantasy guest appearances==
===Kingdom Hearts series===
A called the can be obtained by defeating Cloud and Leon (Squall) in the . It has high attack power, increases max MP, and increases his magic and powers. In Chain of Memories, the Lionheart Attack Card can be found in bonus boxes in Traverse Town during Sora's Story, which has high attack but performs poorly in combos. A similar weapon called the can be acquired in Kingdom Hearts II from Leon in before the second visit to . It has decent attack strength and magical abilities, and increases the amount of strikes Sora can deliver in a combo.
Both Keyblades, despite their names, look more like the Revolver, Squall's starting weapon in Final Fantasy VIII, and not the Lion Heart, and use Squall's leonine Griever emblem as the basis for their designs. The Sleeping Lion in particular has a bladed edge along its length unlike the majority of Keyblades, and a gun barrel set into the handle, making it appear similar to the Revolver. The Sleeping Lion also bears some resemblance to the Twin Lance weapon Squall can receive in Final Fantasy VIII, as it has a hollow gap running through the center of the blade.
When fought in the Colosseum cups, Leon will occasionally power up his gunblade, surrounding the blade with a bright blue and gold aura, which makes it appear similar to the Lion Heart.
Keyblade-Lionheart.png|The Lionheart Keyblade.
SleepingLion.png|The Sleeping Lion Keyblade.
Lionheart (Mobile).png|The Lionheart Keyblade in Kingdom Hearts Mobile.
Sleeping Lion (Mobile).png|The Sleeping Lion Keyblade from Kingdom Hearts Mobile.
===Blood of Bahamut===
Lionheart is a gun that can be equipped by Ryuma.
==Merchandise==
The Lion Heart is included in the Play Arts Arms set along with four other ultimate weapons. Its blade is not blue like in its other appearances, but metallic-gray like the Revolver.
==Gallery==
FF8-Lionheart.png|Image from Weapons Monthly in Final Fantasy VIII.
PAD Squall branding Lion Heart artwork.png|Squall brandishing the Lion Heart for Puzzle & Dragons.
MS Squall2.png|Squall brandishing the Lion Heart for Monster Strike.
==Similar weapons in the series==
The Ras Algethi gun in Final Fantasy XII appears to be based on the Final Fantasy VIII Lion Heart with aspects of the Revolver's design. Though classified as a gun and thus only being used in ranged combat, it bears a large blue blade running along the length of the barrel, a wing design on the hammer, and a handle similar to the Revolver with a chain and wing emblem attached to the end.
The Brotherhood sword that Wakka gifts to Tidus in Final Fantasy X bears some resemblance to Lionheart. Both blades are a fluorescent blue and have a unique design attached to the top of the blade (Lionheart bears a wing, Brotherhood has something stylized to match Spira's overall design sense, but looks like a bird).
==Etymology and symbolism==
The name in the Final Fantasy series comes from Squall, who has a lion theme to his character represented also in his ultimate weapon, the Lion Heart. The use of the color of blue in the weapon's depictions may stem from western symbolism, representing trust, security, peace, harmony, and the term of "true blue", meaning to be faithful and devoted.
it:Lion Heart
Category:Gunblades
Category:Final Fantasy VIII
Category:Signature weapons