God Arc

The God Arc  (神機 Jin-Ki, God Machine) is the main weapon of choice of the characters in the God Eater universe. Like the Aragami, these weapons play an important role in the story and in the gameplay.

Definition
God Arcs are mechanical weapons that are infused with Oracle Cells. In short, the God Arc is actually an Aragami itself, with an artificial man-made core called the Artificial CNS. It is currently the only weapon capable of eradicating the Aragami. The God Arc's strength can be temporarily boosted by devouring an Aragami.

The God Arc is a complex weapon. As it is an Aragami, it is made of Oracle cells, the only thing that can harm them. The first form of God Arc was in the form of a gun that shot converted Oracle Shots. At first, these guns were no bigger than a pistol, due to the cores being converted coming from Aragami the size of small mammals. However, with these pistols, the God Eaters were able to take down bigger Aragami such as Ogretails. In a process similar to natural evolution, the God Arcs then evolved to the size seen today. Next in development was a God Arc made in the shape of a blade. Typically, blades could not harm Aragami due to the bonds between cells being too strong to unbind. However, with God Arc blades, Oracle Cells are lined up along the blade's edge, which allow the blade to cut the bonds and harm the Aragami.

Development of New-Type God Arcs
Flaws were apparent in the two separate types of God Arc. The blade type Arc could collect Oracle cells for conversion, but could not fire them; conversely, the gun type Arcs could fire the shots, but had no means of collecting Oracle cells short of refills carried with the God Eater. This was fixed with the development of New-Type God Arcs. These weapons had the functions of both blade and gun, and could therefore fulfill a much more flexible role as melee and long-range platforms. However, the God Arcs with this function seem to have lower rates of compatibility than others, making Old-Type Arcs still feasible.

Dangers of the God Arc
Being an Aragami, the God Arc still has the urge to devour, and when it is in storage it will start to exhibit such behaviour. It is also completely linked to its compatible God Eater; if a God Arc is wielded by a non-compatible God Eater, its Oracle cells will begin to devour them. This is a fact that was, at first, without a single exception.

The Protagonist of God Eater learns this the hard way when fighting off a Vajratail in the Fenrir Far East Branch HQ; they recklessly decide to use Lindow's God Arc. This severely injures them, and renders them temporarily comatose. Later, when they use it again, their left arm shows signs of Aragami corruption similar to Lindow's, and they then dual-wield Lindow's God Arc and their own - a unique feat that has never occurred in the past.

There has been only one case where a God Eater has been found to be compatible with two God Arcs; while she is far from the first to wield someone else's God Arc (as of now, those honors go to Kota Fujiki, wielding Tsubaki's Mousy Blow, and Kanon Daiba, who uses the former 2nd Unit leader's God Arc), Livie Collete is the first God Eater who has been able to use another God Eater's God Arc alongside her own, seemingly without any visible consequences. She is capable of wielding the God Arc of Julius Visconti, as well as that of Romeo Leoni.

A human who suffers Aragami infection from their God Arc is quite hard to kill once they turn full Aragami. The Oracle Cells mutate to form a structure unique to them, and only them. This renders them invulnerable to all weapons except their own former Arc. This means that the Aragami is generally safe from threat, due to the details above. Only once has such an infection occurred, and it was defeated by a similarly improbable event.

Whilst a rare event, a God Arc can also be locked into 'idle' mode, in which it will not respond or activate and so cannot be wielded. This happens to Romeo's God Arc after he is killed; it is theorised that the awakening of his Blood Power just before his death caused this unique reaction.

God Arc Soul
It is an extremely rare phenomenon that a God Arc personifies their human forms, an example of this would be Ren. Ren personifies a human boy who oddly enough, knows common knowledge such as wearing clothes, which proves they have a natural understanding and are completely focused on the surroundings of their God Arc wielder.

Types of God Arcs
There are three types of God Arcs:

Old-Type God Arcs: The previous version of God Arcs, people who wield them are called Old-Type God Eaters. Shows an increased prevalence as compared to New-Types as it has been the staple until now. Unlike the New-Type God Arcs, these God Arcs are unable to transform between Blade Form and Gun form, and thus have less flexibility. In the past, these God Arcs were limited to the Gun form (e.g Pistols). With pioneering research from Fenrir and the success of the first prototype, Soma, the Blade form was later incorporated.

In God Eater 2: Rage Burst, Old-Type God Arcs are now referred to as First-Generation God Arcs. In contrast to the above information, First-Generation Blade Arcs' attacks siphon Oracle Cells, which are then sent to the First-Generation Gun Arcs, as observed by Ciel when she analyzed how the Defense Unit works as a team.

New-Type God Arcs: These are the newest type of God Arcs, and people who wield them are called New-Type God Eaters. People who are compatible with these God Arcs are quite rare. Unlike the Old-Type God Arcs, these God Arcs can freely transform between Blade Form and Gun form. New-Type God Arcs exhibit superior power as compared to Old-Type God Arcs. New Types also have the unique ability called "Resonance" which is a uncommon (but not rare) phenomenon where two New Types come into physical contact with one another, and share each others feelings or even memories, it usually activates when one of them has intense feelings like being extremely anxious or extremely happy.

In God Eater 2: Rage Burst, New-Type God Arcs are now referred to as Second-Generation God Arcs, and compatibility testing has become commonplace.

Third-Generation God-Arcs: Refers to the God Arcs wielded by the Blood Special Forces Unit. They are similar to 2nd-gen Arcs but they use a different Bias Factor and have the potential for awakening Blood Powers which are unique to them only. Blood Arts are quite common for them, but these Blood Arts can also be passed on to "New Type" and "Old Type" Blade God Eaters, although it will take some time, the same goes for Gun Type God Eaters, but instead of Blood Arts, they used Blood Bullets, which are much more potent and powerful than ordinary oracle bullets.

Non-standard God Arcs
There is a type of Aragami growth that is technically not a God Arc, but looks very similar to one and is used in an almost identical way (for both close range and long ranged attacking). These are used by human-type Aragami and partially-corrupted humans, such as Shio and Lindow Amamiya after the corruption of his right arm.

Such weapons resemble a collection of Aragami strands originating from the right hand, in the vague shape of a blade - of note is the blade used by Lindow post-corruption, which has the same chainsaw-like structure as his old God Arc. After Lindow's rescue and outfitting with a special containment gauntlet, the blade he grows is likewise mostly covered in a golden casing, suggesting that these weapons can be altered or at least added to.

Shio also possesses the ability to 'grow' a blade from her hand; hers takes on the same white colouring as the rest of her, and looks like a smooth katana-like Long Blade.

Certain Aragami, like the Deusphage Susano'o or the Arc Aberrants, incorporate God Arc anatomy and parts into their Physiology. The Susano'o, for example, possesses claws that greatly resemble a God Arc's devouring jaws. These cannot be considered true God Arcs, however; only parts of Arcs that the Aragami have devoured and incorporated into their physiology.

Short Blade
A quick but weak weapon that allows for the user to be more versatile and mobile than any other weapon available. It also has the best aerial capabilities, thanks to the rise slash air step feature, which allows the user to potentially perform 2 mid-air combos in quick succession. Best suited for quick or aerial enemies.

Long Blade
The standard and most balanced weapon, type; moderate speed and strength are combined for a weapon suitable for any situation. It also has a quick-fire option to fire off a quick bullet while still in sword form.

Buster Blade
One of the most powerful, but undoubtedly the slowest out of all the weapons, this will apply huge amounts of damage with every successful hit, with a big emphasis on blocking rather than dodging as proven with its secondary attack, which is to parry, then to slash upwards with a powerful strike. Usually best to use for slower Aragami (ex. the Quadriga, Garm and Borg Camlann lines).

Charge Spear
Another weapon on the speedy side, this weapon has 2 secondary functions: the first being exactly as the name states; to charge. By holding down the attack button, you can charge your spear to thrust forward with and deal massive damage, while on top of that, increasing damage output for the next combo you perform. You can charge the spear while moving, and even sprinting. It can also allow a cancel by performing a backflip, which also functions as a dodge.

Boost Hammer
The other heavy weapon, its defining factor being the ability to continuously unleash an endless stream of attacks known as the Boost Drive. Befitting its name, the Boost Hammer has a built-in thruster, allowing the wielder to unleash hard hitting, but tiring swings.

Variant Scythe
The Variant Scythe is, as its name implies, a scythe shaped weapon. It is capable of quick combos and has the unique ability to extend and hit any given Aragami multiple times with each movement.

Biting Edge
A new type of God Arc blade introduced in God Eater 3, these blades are unique in that they split the Arc into two short, separate blades, enabling the use of faster attacks than even the Short Blade. Both blades can be combined together to form one weapon - this is called the Glaive Form. By landing a certain amount of attacks wihout exiting this form, the weapon extends, entering Extended Glaive Form. When in Glaive form, the wielder has the ability to perform an Aerial Bolt, leaping into the air and then diving down.

Heavy Moon
A new type of God Arc blade introduced in God Eater 3, the Heavy Moon is a blade in the shape of a crescent. It has the ability to transform into an axe-like shape, called the Moon Axe form. By holding down the attack button, you can charge up your attack, turning the blade into a saw-like shape. Repeatedly tapping the attack button will extend the duration of this attack.

Assault Gun
In God Eater Burst, the assault gun has an average damage overall, it is good to note that it does not provide the user to be able to shoot while moving, until later game versions.

In God Eater 3, it is one of the two firearms that has rounds which allow the user to move while shooting, though these rounds will be significantly weaker than regular bullets, as they apply minimal damage. The gun's bullets have a 'feedback' mechanism that allows recovery of Oracle Points.

Sniper Gun
A type of firearm designed for maximum long range efficiency and compatibility with laser-type Bullets, being capable of using scopes in order to shoot from afar. Sniper Criticals are possible with this weapon.

Blast Gun
Before it was replaced by Raygun in God Eater 3, Blast type firearms are best suited for causing impact damage to an Aragami. They are especially designed so that they are highly proficient at damaging several Aragami at once with their radial and bomb bullets.

Shotgun
The other of two firearms that allow the user to move and shoot. A firearm that is best used close up, as the shells created specifically created for this weapon have a wide spread, thus will be the most efficient at short range. Critical Hits will deal significantly higher damage.

Ray Gun
A ranged weapon replacing Blast Guns in God Eater 3. These guns fire a “radiation shot”, a constant stream which grows stronger the more it is fired. Its power resets after firing a shot, so knowing openings and taking advantage of them is a must in order to master this gun.