Weapons and armor are your primary means of boosting your party's offensive and defensive capabilities. Each vocation has specific proficiencies with certain weapon types (e.g., Warriors excel with Swords and Axes, Mages with Wands). Equipping a weapon your character is proficient with grants bonus stats and allows them to use weapon-specific abilities. Armor comes in various types: headgear, body armor, shields, gloves, legwear, and footwear. Different armor types offer varying defensive stats and resistances to status effects or elemental damage.
You can acquire weapons and armor from shops in towns, as drops from monsters, from treasure chests in dungeons, or most importantly, through alchemy. Always prioritize upgrading your party's equipment, especially their weapons, as higher attack power significantly speeds up battles. Pay attention to elemental resistances on armor, as they can be crucial for boss battles. Don't forget accessories, which can provide small but significant stat boosts or resistances. Regularly check shops for new inventory as you progress through the story.