Masamune

Masamune
Visual effect of Rising Dragon
Trade values
Item class	Light Blade
Buy value	16400
Sell value	12300
Statistics boosts
Attack Boost	161
Unleash effect
Effect name	Rising Dragon
Unleash rate	40%
Extra damage	62
Side effect	May multiply the resulting damage by 2.

The Masamune is a Light Blade introduced in The Lost Age. It is found in a treasure chest in Yallam, but the Force Psynergy is required to reach the chest, meaning the Masamune will be unavailable until after Jupiter Lighthouse. In Dark Dawn, it is found in Uzume's tomb after Himi joins your party.

Basic Description

The Lost Age

It can be bought for 16,400 coins and sold for 12,300 coins. Being a Light Blade, it can be equipped by Isaac, Felix, Garet, Jenna, Ivan, and Piers. It increases the wielder's attack by 161.

The Masamune's Unleash attack is Rising Dragon, which activates at a rate of 40% (notable, since most Unleashes activate at a rate of 35%). Rising Dragon converts all damage to Mercury damage and attacks with an additional 62 damage points. Also, there is a chance of doing twice the normal amount of damage. Rising Dragon attacks with a giant, blue dragon cloud coming at the enemy from above. If Rising Dragon does double damage, a second, identical cloud follows, only this cloud strikes from below.

The Masamune is a powerful weapon that can be acquired easily and be equipped to almost anyone. However, it cannot be obtained until you clear Jupiter Lighthouse (you need the Orb of Force). Despite this, in terms of raw power, no weapon can outdo a two-strike Rising Dragon from the Masamune until the above mentioned weapons or the Sol Blade are acquired. Even then, it is worth considering that Masamune does water damage, not earth or wind.

Dark Dawn

Like every other weapon in Dark Dawn, the Masamune has two more unleashes: Double Attack, and Combat Dance. Rising Dragon even gets an upgrade, too: it can now hit enemies adjacent to the target. As for the other two, Double Attack is Jupiter-based, and multiplies damage by x1.6. Combat Dance is non-elemental unleash that multiplies damage by x1.5.

Rising Dragon as it appears in Dark Dawn

Analysis

The Lost Age

The Masamune is the most powerful Mercury based weapon Piers can equip in the game. Although it is a Light Blade, both its base attack and bonus Mercury damage from its unleash are higher than its nearest contender, the Mythril Blade. On top of this, the Masamune has a chance to do double damage, pushing it well in front of the Mythril Blade; although it has lower base power than the Tisiphone Edge, another Light Blade that can multiply damage, it is still an inevitably powerful weapon. Considering it is the most powerful Mercury-based weapon Piers can equip, if you keep Piers in one of his Mercury-based classes, the Masamune is a solid end-game choice for him.

Trivia

In the original Golden Sun, a weapon hidden in the game's code named "Masamune" can be seen and found either through or in the Debug Rooms. It is a Long Sword with a unique and different graphic not officially seen in either game, has 135 Atk, and has no Unleash effect. If transferred into The Lost Age, it becomes the Fire Brand. However, it is possible to transfer an actual Masamune with the use of a code generator, thus allowing the player to transfer over multiple copies of the weapon.

Etymology

Okazaki Masamune, who lived in the 13th and 14th centuries, is regarded as the greatest swordsmith of Japanese history. In addition to his extraordinary worksmanship, he is typically regarded as the exemplar of the true warrior who does not kill needlessly, in contrast to Muramasa's alleged bloodthirst.