I’m going to go ahead and say that when it comes to combat in FFVII Rebirth, there are no best characters. Each person is well designed and balanced in such a way that they excel at serving certain roles in a team, and that means you’ll find times when each one’s contributions can be appreciated. But I think what I really love is how these roles complement personalities and set each one apart.
Cloud is the best all-rounder out of the FFVII Rebirth characters
You’re forced to have Cloud in your party in FFVII Rebirth about 90% of the time! The good news is, he’s a Jack of all trades. (Or should I say merc of all trades?) His Operator and Punisher modes are good for dealing with single enemies or groups. He has abilities like Firebolt Blade, Snow Flurry, and Wind Current that let you deal elemental damage like fire, ice, and wind to enemies without using MP. You can dish out AOE attacks with Triple Slash, or hit one with Focused Thrust. You could even consider Prime Mode to be something of a “berserk” mode while you hold down the attack button. Not to mention he can take some heavy hits without being immediately knocked out.
Given he’s a SOLDIER who is supposed to be versatile and capable, it all really ties in well together. We really get to appreciate the “training” he likely went through to get to where he is.
Aerith is there to heal and cast magic.
Yes, Aerith is your mage. She has plenty of abilities that deal AOE elemental damage like Cold Front, Rolling Thunder, and Sorcerous Storm. However, her Healing Wind Limit Break really comes in clutch when you’re under assault. Making sure she has Prayer is a good move for healing too. Plus many of her weapon abilities provide barriers that do things like let spells cast twice (Arcane Ward), freeze attacking enemies (Chrono Aegis), or stops interruptions from enemies while casting spells (Radiant Ward).
I can’t help but feel like this all prioritizes the fact that Aerith is the Ancient. She’s born being able to have this innate connection to the planet, and her moveset emphasizes that. It also emphasizes her empathic and self-sacrificing nature.
Cait Sith is there when you want to be strategic.
Cait Sith is the best party member to use when you want to experiment with tactics. He essentially has two forms. One is when you just control the small robot cat. The other is for when you summon his Moogle to unlock new abilities and act as a sentinel for extra bulk. Alone, the cat is very quick with some swift attacks and could be dealing magical damage. If you use Let’s Ride, the Moogle appears and options open up. Maybe you use Dodge ’n’ Dive to evade and counter. Perhaps you use Moogle Magic to use an ability your equipped summon knows. Moogle Kaboom sees the character dismount and become a bomb.
Also, I like the risk of trying Roll o’ the Dice and Fortune Telling and hoping it means big damage. Both tie into his initial “role” at Golden Saucer, back when he was waiting for the party to show up. It ties in with a mercurial agent.
Tifa is the best FFVII Rebirth character for both big damage and stagger gauge assaults.
I almost like to think of Tifa as almost being one of the all-rounder characters in FFVII Rebirth who is also one of the best for any situation. Her standard attacks hit so quickly that you can really quickly wear down an enemy’s stagger gauge. She’s not as frail as Aerith or Yuffie, so you don’t need to constantly watch her health. Once you break an enemy, she’s also great to use Unbridled Strength to start building up heavy hitting combos. Especially since moves like Overpower and Reverse Gale help set those up. Or you could use piecemeal attacks like Focused Strike or Divekick for single damage.
Seeing as how we see her master in Nibelheim and the game begins with Rashard Zangan explaining her potential, it all comes together.
Barret is your best ranged attacker and tank.
Barret is such a fantastic ally in FFVII Rebirth, and he’s one of the best characters for many types of parties. His range means he’s fantastic for hitting either those flying enemies or ones that like to quickly move around and not sit still. Especially since his major ranged attacks like Focus Shot and Bonus Round help with landing hard hits from far away. Also, he’s designed to be a tank naturally, and that’s supported by abilities like the defense-boosting Steelskin or the HP increasing and ire-drawing Lifesaver. (I also highly recommend trying a mage build for Barret too!)
And really, Barret is the dad. We expect him to protect us. So that’s what he’s doing. He’s being the classic type of character who can protect everyone.
Maybe consider Red XIII as a supporter?
So, I’m going to say right here that Red XIII can be a fantastic attacker. His Vengeance Mode is fierce, temporarily boosting his attack and speed so he can deal a lot of damage and demolish the stagger gauge. Plus he has a fantastic Stardust Ray AOE attack and can be self-sustaining with his Siphon Fang attack that deals damage and heals himself in the process.
But I think Red XIII is probably the best supporter character you can have in FFVII Rebirth, if you’re willing to sacrifice that Vengeance Mode gauge. Use Sentinel Stance to defend and build the Vengeance Mode gauge, countering when you can, since he can take a hit. Then sacrifice that to use Watcher’s Respite to heal the party or Watcher’s Spirit to immediately boost everyone else’s ATB so they can attack. Or if you do let Vengeance Mode happen, perform Supernal Fervor to cast Haste on everyone else.
Considering his backstory, both with what happened with Shinra and in Cosmo Canyon, Vengeance Mode feels so appropriate for him. But also, because he is trying to be the sort of person who watches over others, it makes sense to consider him as a supporter who is watching out for everyone else.
Use Yuffie to break defenses and exploit elemental weaknesses
I like to think of Yuffie as sometimes being Tifa without the extra oomph to her attacks. She’s fantastic! Her ranged hits and ability to throw her shuriken lend her the same sort of utility as Barret. However, I feel like her main goal is to help with elemental damage and staggering enemies.
Basically, cast Doppelganger as Yuffie to double up all her attacks with her clone. Use Art of War if there are no elemental weaknesses to exploit. If there are, use Fire, Ice, Lightning, or Wind Ninjutsu to gain the affinity, throw the weapon, and button mash the attack button. It’s incredibly effective.
It all feels like it supports her mischievous nature. She’s fast. She’s stealthy. She’s a ninja, so she’s going to act like it.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is available on the PS5, with the exclusivity arrangement ending on May 29, 2024.
