ArcheAge Chronicles Weapons

The class decides your identity and animation set. The weapon decides how you actually play. That distinction is the most important thing to understand before choosing a character, because two players of the same class can end up with different skill lists depending on the weapon tree they invest in.

All eight launch weapons

Every class gets a third weapon after launch. Warrior is first, receiving the Gladius in the December update.

How weapon trait trees work

Trait points come from Raeven's Coilstones, which are placed near powerful bosses, hidden in the world or spawned by quests. They are separate from leveling, so a player who explores can have a more developed weapon than a player who only follows the main path.

Each weapon tree has branches. The Greatsword is the clearest published example:

• The damage branch unlocks Armor Break and turns Sunder into Sweeping Slash, which hits twice with a wider cleave.
• The defensive branch adds Pummel Strike, usable while guarding, and grants a shield.

That is a skill-level change, not a percentage buff. It means the same Greatsword can produce a damage build and a defensive build.

Why the Longsword and Greatsword are separate

In the original ArcheAge, weapons were largely stat carriers. In ArcheAge Chronicles, the Longsword and Greatsword have separate trees and separate identities. Longsword is the parry route: Closing Clash, Bladeburst and a blood-price branch that spends health to deal damage and drains it back. Greatsword is the Resolve route: take hits, build Resolve, spend it on Final Cleave, Rampage or Warrior's Cry.

That separation is why "Warrior" is not a single build. It is two weapon fantasies sharing a class name.

The third-weapon roadmap

XLGAMES has confirmed that every class will receive a third weapon, added sequentially. The only dated release is the Warrior's Gladius in December 2026. The order after Warrior has not been published.

A third weapon is a meaningful content drop because it adds a new trait tree and new skill modifications. It does not replace your existing investment; it gives you a second progression lane to explore.

Which weapon should you pick?

• Want the safest solo kit? Longbow.
• Want parry duelling? Longsword.
• Want a sturdy group frontline? Axe and Shield.
• Want heavy area pressure? Greatsword or Warhammer.
• Want mobile melee? Hatchet.
• Want magic? Elemental Staff, with the Thundersword as the experimental option.

Pick one weapon for your first twenty hours. Splitting trait points across two trees slows the moment when either tree starts changing your skills.

The classes guide pairs each weapon with its class, and the class system page explains the stat layer.

Sources and further reading

• How Progression Works — trait points, Coilstones and weapon branches
• Warrior article — Longsword and Greatsword trees
• Early Access letter — Gladius roadmap
• Steam store page — weapon feature list

Official source: Steam progression post and official X class articles, checked 2026-11-01.

FAQ

How many weapons are in ArcheAge Chronicles?

Eight at launch: Longsword, Greatsword, Longbow, Hatchet, Elemental Staff, Thundersword, Axe and Shield, and Warhammer.

Do weapons have their own skill trees?

Yes. Every weapon type has a trait tree, and branches can change or add skills.

Which class gets the third weapon first?

Warrior, with the Gladius in the December 2026 update.

Can any class use any weapon?

No. Each class has a fixed weapon pool. Warrior uses Longsword and Greatsword at launch; the other classes have their own pairs.