Atropos' Rod

Atropos' Rod
Visual effect of Life Shear
In-Game Description
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Trade Info
Weapon class	Staff
Buy value	18900
Sell value	14175
Statistic Boosts
Attack Boost	169
Unleash effect
Effect name	Life Shear
Extra damage	114
Side effect	May fell the target instantly
Acquisition
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An Atropos' Rod is a Staff found in Golden Sun: The Lost Age. It is dropped by Fire Dragons in Yampi Desert Cave, although the odds of receiving it are very slim. Being a Staff, it can be equipped by Jenna, Ivan, Sheba, and Mia. It can be bought for 18900 coins and sold for 14175 coins. It increases the wielder’s attack by 169, making it the second strongest Staff in the game, second only to Lachesis' Rule.

Atropos' Rod's Unleash effect is Life Shear, which activates at a rate of 40% (notable, since most Unleashes activate at a rate of 35%). It converts all damage to Mars damage and attacks with an additional 114 attack points, which is higher than almost all Unleashes in the game (it is still outdone by Lachesis' Rule). In addition, it occasionally kills the target instantly, an undeniably powerful effect.

Atropos' Rod is a powerful weapon, although it cannot be obtained until late into the game. This limits its usefulness, as many enemies would most likely be defeated within a few turns anyways. Also, many players may use this as a placeholder until they can obtain a Lachesis' Rule or Tisiphone Edge. However, for those who do not gain access to Anemos Sanctum, Atropos' Rod is the most powerful weapon available to Sheba and Mia.

Atropos' Rod vs. Lachesis' Rule

At first glance, it seems that Lachesis' Rule is the game's most powerful Staff, with Atropos' Rod coming in at a close second. However, upon closer inspection, it's possible to say that Atropos' Rod is the stronger of the two. The most obvious reason for this reversal of power is in their Unleashes: Atropos' Rod's Unleash, Life Shear, has a small chance of instantly killing the target, which is a huge advantage over the time-consuming Curse caused by Lachesis' Rule's Unleash, Apocalypse.

Also to be taken into consideration is when these two items can be obtained. Lachesis' Rule can only be found in Anemos Sanctum, which can't be entered without all 72 Djinn. This requires the player to collect all 28 Djinn in Golden Sun, transfer their data to Golden Sun: The Lost Age, and then locate the remaining 44 Djinn. Because of this, some players may not even reach Anemos Sanctum, let alone get a Lachesis' Rule. In comparison, Atropos' Rod is fairly easy to obtain, requiring little more than access to the interior of the Yampi Desert Cave.

This isn't to say that Lachesis' Rule doesn't have it's advantages over Atropos' Rod. The most notable advantage is that Lachesis' Rule has a higher attack rating, which can make a huge difference since the characters that can equip these weapons usually have low attack ratings. Also to be taken into consideration is the elements of their Unleashes. Life Shear is of the Mars element, while Apocalypse does Jupiter damage. This makes Atropos' Rod an excellent choice for Jenna, whose high Mars power would make Life Shear even stronger, while the same idea makes Lachesis' Rule ideal for Ivan and Sheba. However, Jenna and Ivan may find the attack multiplier of the Tisiphone Edge to be stronger than either of the Staffs (although it is worth mentioning that their Venus power does have an impact on the damage dealt), leaving only Sheba to take full advantage of the Unleashes.

In the end, which Staff is stronger is largely a matter of personal preference.

Cultural references

In Greek mythology, Atropos was the oldest of the the three Fates, sisters who maintain and shape the flow of each person's future in the form of a great tapestry. Atropos's role is to determine where, when, and how a life should end, cutting the thread to fit that chosen destiny.

Each of the Fates has a weapon named after it in The Lost Age: Clotho's Distaff, Lachesis' Rule, and Atropos' Rod.