Final Fantasy VII Remake battle system

File:FFVIIR wiki icon.png

 File:Cloud in Operator Mode from FFVII Remake.jpg
*Final Fantasy VII Remake* has a real-time **battle system** with strategic elements. The player controls one party member, and can switch to the others on-the-fly. Party members use normal attacks to build up their ATB (Active Time Battle) gauges. ATB charges can then be consumed for a wide variety of abilities and spells provided by weapons and materia fitted on weapons and armor, in addition to items. Once a party member's limit gauge is filled, they can unleash a powerful limit break ability, and in some battles, it is possible to summon a powerful ally.

Though *Final Fantasy VII Remake* has a real-time combat system, the ATB gauge, equipment, materia, summons, and limit breaks are all reminiscent of the original *Final Fantasy VII*. The battle system fuses mechanics from the original with mechanics introduced in later entries. These include learning abilities by mastering weapon proficiencies (from *Final Fantasy IX*), controlling one party member with the ability to issue commands to others (from *Final Fantasy XII*), a focus on staggering the enemies to leave them vulnerable to increased damage (from *Final Fantasy XIII*), and real-time combat system (from *Final Fantasy XV*). The combat also vaguely resembles *Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-*, which itself is a real-time combat system with emphasis on materia to unlock abilities.

The battle system remains largely the same across each difficulty mode, though it changes in Classic Mode where any actions in-between using command menu abilities are automated, though the player can still take over and control them if they wish. On Hard Mode, the player can't use items.

## Mechanics

### Overview

 File:Tifa in Tactical Mode from FFVII Remake.jpg
*Final Fantasy VII Remake* has real-time combat in which the player controls one of up to three party members. With their currently controlled character, the player can use normal attacks (File:Playstation Button S.png) and unique abilities (File:Playstation-Button-T.png) to build their ATB gauge, as well as guard (File:Playstation-Button-R1.png) to reduce damage, or dodge (File:Playstation-Button-C.png) to avoid it entirely. Opening the Commands Menu (File:Playstation-Button-X.png) enters Tactical Mode where time is greatly slowed down to select an ability, spell, or an item to use (items are locked for Hard Mode). If available, a monster can be summoned, or once the gauge is filled, a more powerful limit break can be used (at no ATB cost). These abilities can also be assigned to a character's shortcuts menu (File:Playstation-Button-L1.png).

While one party member is controlled, the others will be controlled by AI, and normally play defensively. Players are encouraged to switch between party members frequently. In addition to taking advantage of the wildly different playstyles and making use of their different combat strengths, this is often a more efficient way to optimize the use of party members, building their ATB gauges faster and allowing them to use different abilities.

Party members who are not being controlled will play defensively, and usually guard while inactive. Commands can still be issued to them from the Commands Menu if they have ATB charges available, and the File:Playstation-Button-L2.png and File:Playstation-Button-R2.png buttons can be used to open their menus directly, as they will never expend ATB on their own. Beyond this, File:Support Materia from FFVII Remake.png Synergy Materia, File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Auto-Cure Materia, and File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Provoke Materia can be used to control non-controlled party members' actions somewhat. Enemies normally favor attacking the player-controlled character, meaning switching party members can avoid the current leader being overwhelmed.

Party members are customized by selecting their weapon, armor, accessory, and materia. Though each character has different strengths and weaknesses, the equipment setup can drastically change their playstyle and role in combat. Beyond simply changing the attributes of characters, different weapons also give different weapon passives that can greatly affect playstyle.

 File:Aerith KO'd from FFVII Remake.jpg
When a party member reaches 0 HP, they are incapacitated until revived with either a spell or an item. If the incapacitated character is the player character, another party member becomes the controlled character. When all party members are incapacitated, it is Game Over, and the player has the option to return to a previous save file or to repeat the battle.

Enemies have various types, which determine their elemental weakness. Flying enemies are fought with aerial attacks from melee characters, if available, or must be targeted with ranged attacks. Another core aspect of combat is the stagger mechanic, in which players must attack an opponent to fill up their stagger gauge. Staggered enemies are vulnerable for a brief period and take increased damage, and select few abilities also boost the damage % further than the base 160%.

### ATB

See also: Active Time Battle
Each party member has two ATB gauges, which can be filled and expended to use an ability, a spell, an item, or summon a monster. The ATB gauge fills slowly on its own, but fills faster when characters use normal attacks or unique techniques on an enemy, or guard against damage. Abilities typically cost one ATB charge, though many abilities cost two. Much of the skill behind mastering the combat system involves learning how to build up ATB as quickly as possible with uninterrupted ability uses.

An ATB charge is expended when an ability is selected. If a character is interrupted while in the middle of charging an ability, such as the animation taken to cast a spell, they lose their ATB charge even if they do not perform the ability. This makes it crucial to either perform the ability in a safe position with no fear of interruption, to use abilities that grant armor that prevent a party member from being interrupted, or to use faster abilities to leave an enemy vulnerable and set them up for a stronger ability that takes longer to charge. This also makes paying attention to enemy attack patterns key to effectively using ATB without being retaliated.

 File:Barret with three ATB bars after using Refocus from FFVII Remake.jpg
Party members have two ATB gauges by default, and always start the battle with two. However, the File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Refocus Materia grants the Refocus limit break, which allows a party member to extend this to three ATB charges for the remainder of the battle. Doing so also increases the rate at which their ATB charges.

The File:Speed from FFVII Remake icon.png Speed attribute is typically used to determine the rate the ATB gauge builds. The File:Haste from FFVII Remake icon.png Haste buff boosts the rate the ATB gauge fills, while File:Slow from FFVII Remake icon.png Slow lowers it, and File:Stop from FFVII Remake icon.png Stop halts it entirely.

Many materia can be used to increase the rate that the ATB gauge fills. File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Steadfast Block Materia and File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Parry Materia allow one to increase their ATB gauges with defensive measures, File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png First Strike Materia allows one to begin the battle with ATB filled somewhat, File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Skill Master Materia allows one to fill ATB by cycling skills often, and File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png ATB Stagger Materia increases the rate that attacks build ATB against staggered enemies. Both File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png ATB Assist Materia and the ATB Ward abilities also grant ways for one character boost the ATB of allies. Lastly, the File:Command Materia from FFVII Remake.png ATB Boost Materia instantly grants one ATB bar, on a cooldown.

### Attributes

Main article: Final Fantasy VII Remake attributes
Each party member and enemy has a variety of attributes, or stats, that affect their performance in combat. These stats are improved by leveling up and boosted by equipment and some abilities. All units have an HP, determining how much damage they can take before being incapacitated, and an MP, determining how many spells they can cast.

The File:Attack Power from FFVII Remake icon.png Attack Power determines the amount of physical damage dealt by attacks and abilities. This attribute is determined by the core File:Strength from FFVII Remake icon.png Strength attribute, as well as the equipped weapon. The File:Magic Attack from FFVII Remake icon.png Magic Attack attribute works similarly, determining the amount of magic damage dealt by a user. This is derived from the weapon and the File:Magic attribute from FFVII Remake icon.png Magic attribute.

Much like the damaging attributes, defensive attributes work similarly, determining how much a character resists damage. File:Defense from FFVII Remake icon.png Defense determines the amount of resistance to physical damage, and is derived from the equipped armor and the File:Vitality from FFVII Remake icon.png Vitality attribute. Likewise,
File:Magic Defense from FFVII Remake icon.png Magic Defense determines resistance to magic damage, and is derived from the equipped armor and the File:Spirit from FFVII Remake icon.png Spirit attribute.

The File:Luck from FFVII Remake icon.png Luck attribute determines a characters' chance of dealing a critical hit, or successfully stealing from enemies. The File:Speed from FFVII Remake icon.png Speed determines how fast a characters' ATB gauge charges.

### Elements

Main article: Final Fantasy VII Remake elements
 File:Elemental Materia with Ice on a weapon from FFVII Remake.jpg
There are four elements in *Final Fantasy VII Remake*, each with an associated File:Magic Materia from FFVII Remake.png Magic Materia. Enemies can either be weak, resistant, or immune to an element, though different enemy types are generally weak to a particular element. It is important to know the traits of different enemies to exploit their weaknesses, which can be ascertained through File:Command Materia from FFVII Remake.png Assess Materia.

The elements are as follows:

* File:Fire from FFVII Remake icon.png Fire, associated with the File:Magic Materia from FFVII Remake.png Fire Materia. Humanoids are normally weak to it.
* File:Ice from FFVII Remake icon.png Ice, associated with the File:Magic Materia from FFVII Remake.png Ice Materia. Biological enemies are normally weak to it.
* File:Lightning from FFVII Remake icon.png Lightning, associated with the File:Magic Materia from FFVII Remake.png Lightning Materia. Machines are normally weak to it.
* File:Wind from FFVII Remake icon.png Wind, associated with the File:Magic Materia from FFVII Remake.png Wind Materia. Flying enemies are normally weak to it.

The File:Support Materia from FFVII Remake.png Elemental Materia can also provide both durability against elemental attacks, or add elemental damage to normal attacks. Several weapon passives can increase the added damage dealt.

### Statuses

Main article: Final Fantasy VII Remake statuses
 File:Toad status from FFVII Remake gameplay.png
Status effects are typically referred to as either buffs, positive status effects providing many benefits, or debuffs, negative ailments that can cripple a party member in battle. Buffs and debuffs are often opposing: in these cases, applying one status will remove the other, but will not replace the other, and the status must be applied again to have an effect.

Status effects are as follows:

* File:Regen from FFVII Remake icon.png Regen, providing HP regeneration over time. Opposed to Poison.
* File:Barrier from FFVII Remake icon.png Barrier, halving physical damage taken.
* File:Manaward from FFVII Remake icon.png Manaward, halving magic damage taken.
* File:Shield from FFVII Remake icon.png Shield, granting immunity to physical damage.
* File:Reflect from FFVII Remake icon.png Reflect, causing spells to bounce off a target onto another.
* File:Haste from FFVII Remake icon.png Haste, increasing the rate the ATB gauge fills. Opposed to Slow and Stop.
* File:Resist from FFVII Remake icon.png Resist, granting immunity to debuffs.
* File:Poison from FFVII Remake icon.png Poison, providing HP damage over time. Opposed to Regen.
* File:Silence from FFVII Remake icon.png Silence, preventing spells from being cast.
* File:Sleep from FFVII Remake icon.png Sleep, preventing a unit from acting.
* File:Slow from FFVII Remake icon.png Slow, reducing the rate the ATB gauge fills. Opposed to Haste.
* File:Stop from FFVII Remake icon.png Stop, freezing a target in place. Opposed to Haste.
* File:Toad from FFVII Remake icon.png Toad, dramatically weakening a unit's damage and limiting their abilities.
* File:Berserk from FFVII Remake icon.png Berserk, increasing the physical damage they take, but also increasing physical damage they deal.
* File:Fury from FFVII Remake icon.png Fury, increasing the physical damage they take, but also increasing the rate the limit gauge builds. Opposed to Sedate.
* File:Sedate from FFVII Remake icon.png Sedate, reducing physical damage taken, but reducing the rate the limit gauge fills. Opposed to Fury.

Enemies may have resistances or immunities to several debuffs, though in cases where bosses are not immune to a debuff, exploiting this vulnerability can be critical to winning the battle. Resistance to debuffs among party members can be provided through accessories, through the File:Support Materia from FFVII Remake.png Warding Materia, as well as weapon passives.

### Battle rewards

 File:Ascension from FFVII Remake.jpg
After defeating all enemies in a battle, rewards are earned by the party. These include EXP, gil, any item drops, weapon proficiency, and AP. EXP is used for increasing the characters' level, and is shared across all party members, while AP is used for leveling up materia and is shared among the currently equipped materia of all characters in that battle. Weapon proficiency is used to permanently learn the weapon's ability.

For item drops, enemies have a chance for a normal item drop or a rare item drop. The rare item is more valuable, but has a lower drop rate, while the normal item has a chance to drop when an enemy is killed. Drop rates differ between enemies and between the items they hold. In addition to item drops when defeating an enemy, some items can be stolen using the Steal during battle, and the success rate depends on the File:Luck from FFVII Remake icon.png Luck of the character using the ability as well as the steal rate of the item.

## Party members

There are four party members in *Final Fantasy VII Remake*:

* **Cloud Strife**, a melee attacker who wields broadswords in battle. He focuses on dealing raw damage with his abilities, and his balanced attributes make him excellent both in a physical damage role and a spellcasting role. His unique ability allows him to switch between the balanced and mobile Operator Mode, or Punisher Mode in which he can attack harder and faster and counterattack melee attacks. His default ability is Braver, which deals strong damage to a single target.
* **Barret Wallace**, a ranged attacker who wields gun-arms in battle, with the option to equip melee weapons to change his playstyle. Most of Barret's attributes are below average, but his durability is the highest, making him excellent for drawing fire from enemies to himself to protect the party, especially with his Lifesaver ability. His special technique is Overcharge, allowing him to fire a burst of powerful bullets to quickly build his ATB gauge; with a melee weapon, this is replaced with Overrun, allowing him to charge forward and then slam the ground, dealing area-of-effect damage. His default ability is Steelskin, allowing him to reduce incoming damage and making him harder to interrupt.
* **Tifa Lockhart**, a melee brawler who fights with her fists and knuckles equipped. Her main strength is her high mobility, making her very evasive, and her ability to combo her abilities and techniques together to overwhelm enemies with fast single-target damage at close range. She also excels both at building up an enemy's stagger gauge, and is uniquely capable of increasing stagger bonus damage with her melee techniques, which can be cycled between using her unique ability, Unbridled Strength. Her attributes are balanced, but lean towards physical damage, and she has the highest speed attribute.
* **Aerith Gainsborough**, a ranged spellcaster who uses staves to fire homing magic projectiles from a distance. Aerith has the greatest magic attribute, and several supportive abilities that allow her to cast extremely potent spells that can burst down enemies, or buff and heal the party greatly. Unique to her, Aerith's limit breaks are supportive rather than damage dealing. Her unique ability is Soul Drain, allowing her to absorb MP from an enemy.

Each party member is available at different points in the story, and each is the main player-controlled character during a few quests. Cloud is the most frequently controlled, used by the player throughout most of the story.

Though not playable, Biggs, Wedge, and Red XIII appears as a guests periodically. Biggs and Wedge during the fifth chapter, "Mash Dash", and Red XIII throughout the final two chapters. In battle, the characters contribute simple attacks (a nomral attack and a magic attack) and cannot be damaged.

Cloud Strife from FFVII Remake promo render.png**Cloud Strife**Barret Wallace from FFVII Remake promo render.png**Barret Wallace****Tifa Lockhart**Aerith Gainsborough from FFVII Remake promo render.png**Aerith Gainsborough**
### Abilities

Main article: Final Fantasy VII Remake abilities
 File:Lustrous Shield from FFVII Remake.jpg
Characters have access to a variety of abilities from the "Abilities" menu. Each party member has a default ability available from the start, and additional abilities are provided by the weapon they equip. Once an ability is used in a certain way (depending on the weapon), and proficiency with it reaches 100%, the party member permanently learns the ability. Abilities range from a variety of combat techniques to supportive abilities. These abilities are core to the character's playstyle, and are often best bound to shortcuts.

In addition to character abilities, many abilities can also be provided by File:Command Materia from FFVII Remake.png Command Materia.

### Equipment

Main articles: Final Fantasy VII Remake weapons, Final Fantasy VII Remake armor, or Final Fantasy VII Remake accessories
 File:Buster Sword upgrade screen from FFVII Remake.jpg
Party members equip three pieces of equipment: a weapon, a piece of armor, and an accessory. Equipment pieces are found throughout the story by completing quests, or purchased from shops.

The weapon is the most important piece of equipment, and can alter a character's playstyle entirely, based on their attributes, passive abilities, and materia slots. Weapons are upgraded by spending SP (skill points), earned both from leveling up and from acquiring manuscripts. These upgrades grant various weapon passives that can alter how a weapon functions entirely.

Armor and accessories have different roles. Armor boost the defense or magic defense attributes, as well as providing several materia slots. Accessories provide unique effects. These may be simple attribute bonuses, but can also come in the form of immunities to debuffs, automatically granting some statuses, as well as providing enhancements to spellcasting or attacks.

### Materia

 File:FFVIIR Cloud and Jessie.png
The materia system is used to customize and tailor a party member's playstyle. They provide various improvements to a character, from granting them additional command abilities, to enhancing their attributes and strengths. Materia are equipped on materia slots provided either by their weapon or armor. Weapon slots expand as the weapons are advanced by upgrading them, though armor slots do not expand.

Materia are earned throughout the story by completing different quests, though some can be purchased from shops. Chadley also grants the ability to obtain more materia through completing Battle Intel reports.

There are five types of materia:

* File:Magic Materia from FFVII Remake.png Magic Materia, used to grant magic spells, which require ATB and MP to be cast. These include curative spells such as File:Spell from FFVII Remake icon.png Cure, offensive spells, such as File:Spell from FFVII Remake icon.png Fire, and spells applying status effect, such as File:Spell from FFVII Remake icon.png Haste.
* File:Command Materia from FFVII Remake.png Command Materia, used to grant abilities that require ATB. These are typically supportive abilities, such as Pray or Steal.
* File:Support Materia from FFVII Remake.png Support Materia, paired with other materia in a linked slot to enhance the materia or take advantage of the materia's properties.
* File:Complete Materia from FFVII Remake.png Complete Materia, granting passive effects to the wielder, such as improving their attributes, or improving a basic ability.
* File:Summoning Materia from FFVII Remake.png Summoning Materia, granting the ability to summon a monster in certain battles. These are special materia that have a dedicated slot in the character's weapon, and only one can be equipped at said character at any given time.

## Enemies

Main article: Final Fantasy VII Remake enemies
 File:Security Officer enemy intel from FFVII Remake.jpg
A battle begins when a group of enemies found on the field first engage the party. At this point, the current party leader takes over, battle commands are available, and battle takes place until the party runs out of range of the enemies or all enemies are defeated.

Enemies have one of five types: human, mechanical, biological, artificial, or unreadable. Enemies of the same type have somewhat similar elemental affinities: human enemies are normally weak to fire, mechanical enemies are normally weak to lightning, and biological enemies are normally weak to ice. Though not a distinct enemy type, many enemies are flying, and are fought with ranged attacks or aerial attacks. These enemies are weak to wind.

Affinity to elements comes in the form of either a weakness, a lesser resistance (where they take less damage from an element), a greater resistance (where they take very little damage), an immunity (where they take no damage), or an absorption (where they are healed by an attack of that element). Similarly, enemies can be immune to some status effects entirely, but if not immune are vulnerable to being crippled by them. Players can use this to their advantage.

 File:Assess ability from FFVII Remake.jpg
Enemies that have been fought are listed in the Enemy Intel. If they are Assessed, information on them is permanently revealed. This allows a player to identify the weaknesses of an enemy and how to best exploit them.

## Behind the scenes

The battle system was conceptualized in early stages, but was not fully solidified until a year prior to the final game's release. The idea was to portray a modern evolution of the Active Time Battle system from the original game, and use real-time controls to achieve more immersive gameplay with higher-quality graphics. The team did not simply wish to have a hybrid of two systems, but rather for the action-battle elements to enhance and enable the ATB system to perform better. To achieve this, the developers used the rules of the original game's ATB system and included the ATB gauge, while incorporating action-battle elements that would enable the player to be more efficient in filling up the ATB gauge and create ideal moments to use the abilities. Much of development was spent exploring how the action-battle elements could complement the ATB system based on player technique.

The developers wished to preserve the high degree of customizability provided by materia system in the original game, but to also allow unique traits of the characters to be captured. To achieve this, the developers gave characters unique qualities and abilities as well as a distinctive feel and strategy in combat, while still allowing for the high degree of customization of these characters through materia setups. Co-director Naoki Hamaguchi considered the results his favorite part of the battle system, and felt the team were able to create a depth to surpass the original battle system.

For any mechanic in the original game's battle system that could be used freely, the developers had to ensure the battle system had been designed to incorporate pros and cons accompanying its usage. This would prevent said mechanic from simply being a sure-fire method for victory, thus leading to battles feeling repetitive. As a result, summons were made more limited. The goal with summons was also to make their use feel exciting, with the developers feeling they would be more memorable if experienced as a "fever time" where summons would stay and help the player. To make up for this limitation, the MP cost was reduced to 0.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Joe Juba (May 21, 2020). *Final Fantasy VII Remake Creators Answer Our Questions About Summons, Combat, And Dance Scenes*. *Game Informer*. Archived from the original on May 21, 2020.
2. ↑ Robert Ramsey (May 24, 2020). *Interview: Final Fantasy VII Remake Producer and Co-Director on Development, Launch, and Being Grateful for the Fans*. *Push Square*. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020.