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Final Fantasy VII: Remake – How to use Materia and Cast Spells
This guide will have you slinging fireballs in no time.
While Cloud Strife and his Buster Sword are arguably one of gaming’s most iconic duos, there’s only so far a comically oversized weapon will get you (words to live by).
As with the 1997 original, Final Fantasy 7: Remake offers players the chance to use ‘Materia’. These spells can be equipped to all party members, letting players build out their squad as they see fit – fancy Barret as a healer? Give him all of your healing Materia. Want Cloud to be able to unleash elemental damage? Equip him with fire, ice or lightning spells.
Here’s how to find Materia, how to equip it, and how to use it in the middle of a battle to increase your chances of success.
Where to find Materia
Materia
© Square Enix
You can find Materia all over the stunning new version of Midgar. While exploring, it can be found just waiting to be snatched up, and it’s colour-coded (more on that shortly).
You can also buy it from item shops, including the one in the slums near Seventh Heaven, while some is handed out through story progression.
Chadley
© Square Enix
You can also earn new Summon Materia from Chadley once you’ve progressed the main story. You’ll need to beat the summon in question, but if you can do so you’ll be rewarded with a powerful new ally. Wherever you find it, it’ll go into your inventory and can be accessed at any time.
How to equip Materia
Materia Slots
© Square Enix
Equipping Materia is achieved in a way that’s very similar to the original PlayStation 1 game. Materia can only be equipped in ‘slots’, and these slots are split between pieces of equipment.
As an example, Cloud’s initial Buster Sword has two Materia slots – meaning he can equip two spells, Fire and Cure (as an example). Meanwhile, his next weapon may offer a third slot, meaning players can slot another spell in.
It’s also worth noting that weapons can be upgraded, as we noted in our Combat guide. Every now and then, a ‘node’ in the weapon’s core can be upgraded to allow for an extra Materia slot to be added.
Alongside weapons, equipped accessories and gear also offer Materia slots so you can increase your magical repertoire with an Iron Bangle, or a Talisman that you find or purchase.
Types of Materia
Ifrit Materia
© Square Enix
Materia comes in a variety of colours. Here’s what we know so far:
Green Materia: These are spells that can be activated in battle, be that for offensive or support purposes. So your basic Fire spell or the standard healing spell are both Green in colour.
Blue Materia: These form ‘Support’ links with other spells to amplify their power, or change their properties. These can only be placed in ‘Linked Materia’ slots and will work with whatever is placed next to them.
Yellow Materia: These add new options to your character’s ‘Ability’ menu in combat, but don’t necessarily deal damage. Tifa’s Chakra Materia, for example, cures poison and heals her, while the Assess Materia will allow you to learn more about an enemy.
Purple Materia: These are known as ‘Independent’, and primarily offer stat bonuses. For example, the HP Up Materia will boost the holder’s HP, while Auto-Cure will help keep your squad alive without constantly spamming your Cure spell.
Red Materia: The big one, Red Materia is for Summons – powerful creatures that are able to be called for when the going gets tough.
How to Use Materia
Ifrit
© Square Enix
While Purple Materia is passive and doesn’t require a command to use, and Blue requires linking to another spell to make the most out of, Green Materia and Yellow Materia need to be used manually.
These commands can’t be thrown around all day, though. For one, you’ll need the right amount of MP, which you can refill with items like Ether.
Secondly, the character holding the Materia will need to build up some of their ATB gauge – denoted by the bars below that character’s HP. Most spells take one ATB bar to use, and you’ll need to build it by dealing damage with standard attacks (although if Barret’s ‘Overcharge’ ability is in play, he can fill an ATB bar instantly by hitting Triangle).
If a battle is challenging enough to require a Summon, a purple bar will be found above your party’s HP and MP meters. Fill it by dealing damage, and then select it from your menu to call in a monster to even the odds. The monster can only fight for a certain period of time, but you can issue specific commands to it at the cost of ATB bars – and these can come from any party member.
Levelling Materia
Materia Levels
© Square Enix
As if all of this wasn’t complex enough, there’s also the ability to level your Materia through using them and conquering enemies with the Materia equipped.
As an example, your basic Fire spell can evolve into Fira – a more powerful variation with a higher MP cost that deals considerably more damage. Other Materia can grow in level, too, meaning it’s worth experimenting with plenty of different combinations.
