Mastering Materia: A Beginner’s Guide to Final Fantasy VII Remake

So, you’re diving into the world of Midgar for the first time in Final Fantasy VII Remake? Awesome choice! One of the most crucial aspects of becoming a true SOLDIER (or just surviving the Shinra Electric Power Company’s shenanigans) is understanding Materia. It’s the key to unlocking powerful magic, helpful skills, and stat boosts. But with so many options, where do you even begin? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back.

Understanding Materia Basics in FFVII Remake

Materia, in its simplest form, are crystallized energy orbs that you equip in your weapons and armor. Think of them like Pokémon badges, but instead of proving your Gym Leader prowess, they grant you spells, abilities, and stat enhancements. Each piece of equipment has a limited number of Materia slots, some even linked, so choosing the right combination is essential. The more you use Materia in battle, the more AP (Ability Points) it earns, eventually leveling up and unlocking new, more potent versions of the spell or ability it holds.

There are several types of Materia, each serving a distinct purpose. Magic Materia gives you access to elemental spells like Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Wind, alongside status effects like Poison and Sleep. Support Materia enhances other Materia, for instance, Magnify spreading a single-target spell to multiple enemies. Command Materia grants specific actions like Steal or Assess. Independent Materia provides passive benefits, such as increased HP or MP. Finally, Complete Materia offers unique advantages, such as revival magic, but is only available in the DLC.

Essential Materia Combinations for New Players

Let’s talk about some Materia combos that are basically training wheels for your journey through Midgar. These setups are designed to be effective, easy to understand, and available relatively early in the game, making them perfect for new players getting their bearings. Remember, experimentation is key, but these will give you a solid foundation to build upon.

Healing & Support Focus

One of the first things you will need is the ability to stay alive. A good combination of healing and support Materia is essential for any player. With healing magic, you are able to keep your party alive and at full health. Cure Materia is obvious. Link it to an HP Up Materia for more hitpoints and a boost to survivability. Link it to a Healing Materia to be able to cast Cure, Cura, and Curaga. Alternatively, you can link Cure to Magnify to heal your entire party with a single cast.

Offensive Powerhouse

No one wants to struggle to beat enemies. You need some offense to deal significant damage. For damage dealing, equip elemental magic such as Fire, Ice, Lightning, or Wind. Link it to an Elemental Materia in your weapon for added elemental damage with your melee attacks, or link it to your armor for elemental resistance. Deadly Dodge is also an effective way to do damage in FFVII Remake, as the player character can damage the enemy every time they dodge.

Understanding Linked Materia

Linked Materia slots are a game changer. Think of them as peanut butter and jelly – each is good on its own, but together they’re a masterpiece. Linking Materia amplifies their effects or combines their powers. Magnify Materia, for example, is almost useless on its own. But link it to Cure, and suddenly you’re healing the entire party instead of just one member. Same with Elemental Materia; link it to Fire in your weapon, and now your sword does fire damage, which is super effective against enemies weak to fire. Getting used to linked Materia slots will drastically improve your character’s prowess in battle.

Early Game Materia Recommendations

During the early hours of Final Fantasy VII Remake, you’re going to want to focus on acquiring a few key Materia to give yourself a leg up. These are relatively easy to find or purchase and will drastically improve your chances of survival against early enemies and bosses. Focus on building your foundations of healing, attacking, and support.

Cure Materia

Found early in the game, Cure Materia is your lifeline. It allows you to cast Cure, Cura, and Curaga, healing yourself and your party members. Get this leveled up quickly so you can access the more potent healing spells. This will allow you to keep your party alive, especially when paired with Magnify, as mentioned previously.

Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Wind

These elemental magic Materia are essential for exploiting enemy weaknesses. Early on, you’ll encounter enemies that are susceptible to specific elements. Having access to Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Wind allows you to deal massive damage and quickly dispatch foes. When in doubt, Assess to see which elements are most effective.

Assess Materia

Speaking of Assess, this Materia is invaluable for gathering information about enemies. Equip it, use it in battle, and you’ll uncover enemy weaknesses, resistances, and even the items they might drop. Knowing your enemy is half the battle, as they say, and Assess gives you that crucial knowledge. It’s especially useful for identifying elemental weaknesses.

Revival Materia

It is a life-saver, literally. It allows you to cast Raise and Arise, reviving fallen party members. While you might not need it constantly, having it equipped can save you from a game over in a tough boss fight. As the game progresses, this will become more and more crucial.

Mid-Game Materia Strategies

As you progress through the story, the challenges will become greater. Now’s the time to start experimenting with more advanced Materia combinations and strategies. Remember to continually assess the monsters to exploit their weaknesses, and to change your strategies to suit the enemy.

Synergy Materia Combinations

Once you start accumulating more advanced Materia, think about combining them for synergistic effects. For example, Time Materia (Haste, Slow) can be linked with Magic Efficiency to reduce the MP cost of those spells, allowing you to cast them more often. Another powerful combo is linking Poison with Warding. This grants the party member resistance to poison, while the poison magic can be used for damage output.

Utilizing Enemy Skills Materia

The Enemy Skill Materia lets you learn special abilities from certain enemies. These skills can be incredibly powerful and offer unique tactical options. One of the first skills to learn is “Enemy Skill,” which allows you to use a variety of skills, not just a single one.

Command Materia Specialization

Don’t underestimate the power of Command Materia like Steal and Prayer. Steal allows you to acquire valuable items from enemies, while Prayer lets you heal the party without using MP. These skills can save you resources and provide a tactical advantage in certain situations. Level them up to unlock more advanced versions.

Optimizing Materia for Boss Battles

Boss battles are where your Materia knowledge truly gets put to the test. Before each major encounter, take some time to analyze the boss’s weaknesses and resistances and adjust your Materia setup accordingly. Bosses often have specific elemental weaknesses, status vulnerabilities, and attack patterns, all of which can be exploited with the right Materia.

Pre-Battle Preparation is Key

Before diving into a boss fight, use Assess to gather as much information as possible about the enemy. What are its weaknesses? What status effects is it vulnerable to? What kind of attacks does it use? Knowing these details will allow you to tailor your Materia setup for maximum effectiveness. For example, if a boss is weak to Ice, load up on Ice Materia and equip Elemental Materia in your weapon linked to Ice to deal massive damage.

Status Effect Exploitation

Many bosses are susceptible to status effects like Sleep, Poison, or Silence. Utilizing status effects can significantly weaken a boss and make the fight much easier. Experiment with different status effect Materia to see what works best against each boss. For example, Sleep can give you a crucial window to heal or buff your party, while Poison can slowly chip away at the boss’s health.

Managing Resources During the Fight

Boss battles are often endurance tests, so resource management is crucial. Use Command Materia like Prayer to heal the party without consuming MP. Equip Magic Efficiency Materia to reduce the MP cost of your spells. And don’t forget about items! Potions, Ethers, and other consumables can be lifesavers in a pinch.

Advanced Materia Tips and Tricks

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can start delving into more advanced Materia strategies to truly optimize your characters. This includes understanding stat bonuses, hidden Materia effects, and advanced synergy combinations.

Understanding Stat Bonuses

Each Materia provides stat bonuses when equipped, such as increased HP, MP, Strength, or Magic. Pay attention to these bonuses and choose Materia that complement your character’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, equip HP Up Materia on a character with low health or Magic Up Materia on a mage to amplify their spellcasting abilities. These bonuses can make a significant difference in battle.

Hidden Materia Effects

Some Materia have hidden effects that aren’t immediately apparent. For example, certain Materia can reduce the cast time of spells or increase the chance of inflicting status effects. Experiment with different Materia combinations to discover these hidden effects and unlock their full potential. Consult online guides and forums for more information on hidden Materia effects.

Advanced Synergy Combinations

The possibilities for Materia combinations are endless. Experiment with different combinations to find synergies that work best for your playstyle. Try linking Time Materia with Warding to create a character that is resistant to status effects and can quickly buff the party. Or link Poison with Elemental Materia to create a weapon that inflicts both elemental damage and poison.

FAQ

What is the best way to level up Materia quickly?

The best way to level up Materia quickly is to equip it on your characters and participate in battles. Look for battles with multiple enemies, as each enemy defeated grants AP to the equipped Materia. You can also use AP Up Materia to increase the amount of AP earned per battle.

What are some good Materia combinations for dealing with specific enemy types?

For enemies weak to fire, equip Fire Materia and Elemental Materia linked to Fire in your weapon. For enemies weak to ice, equip Ice Materia and Elemental Materia linked to Ice in your weapon. For enemies resistant to physical damage, focus on using magic attacks and status effects. Assess is your friend to find out the weaknesses of an enemy type.

How do I know which Materia to equip on each character?

Consider each character’s strengths and weaknesses. Equip Materia that complements their abilities and covers their weaknesses. For example, equip Healing Materia on a character with high magic stats and HP Up Materia on a character with low health. Experiment with different combinations to find what works best for your playstyle.