The Best Materia Set-Up For Each Party Member

Having the right Materia build for each character is important in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Each playable fighter has their own strengths and advantages, and having Materia that complements their ideal party role is essential to getting the most out of them. This guide will go over the ideal setup for each character and how that fits into the party’s overall strategy. There is always a little variance depending on the player’s preferred playstyle, but this is a solid foundation going forward for any player in Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

Materia played a huge role in Final Fantasy 7, and fans are glad to see that Square Enix gave this mechanic the love and adoration it deserved in the Remake. Classic Materia were present in the series once again, along with new additions that fit in perfectly with the real-time action-oriented combat system. It’s easy to see why players wanted the materia setup of their party to be as perfect as possible to ensure that players never faced any problems while tackling the many enemies that stood in their way.

Updated on February 11, 2026, by Mark Sammut: To make this article as exhaustive as possible, we have added Yuffie and Sonon, as I imagine most newcomers will play FF7 Remake Intergrade rather than the original version.

Cloud

A Close-Range Swordsman With Powerful Attacks

Cloud is the FF7 Remake’s main melee fighter. His job is to be on the front lines, slicing and dicing while his teammates provide aid and support. Because of this, Materia isn’t as crucial to his performance and is seen more as a bonus. That being said, there are still certain pieces of Materia that will benefit Cloud quite a bit.

Deadly Dodge

Deadly Dodge is probably Cloud’s strongest Materia option, as it enables him to deal area-of-effect damage immediately after performing a successful dodge. The player will likely spend the majority of the time controlling Cloud, making this a highly useful skill.

HP Up

HP Up is also handy for keeping health high and giving Cloud more room for error. Given that he’s pretty much always fighting in the thick of things, it’s always great to give Cloud greater vitality and allow him to absorb more damage before succumbing to these blows. While the game is manageable without equipping HP Up on Cloud, doing so will make the moment-to-moment combat infinitely better and more satisfying.

ATB Stagger

ATB makes the world go around in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, with players being able to access their strongest attacks only when they’re making the most of this gauge. So, it’s easy to see why party members would benefit from a materia that supercharges this meter when staggering an enemy. This is perfect for Cloud since players will spend the most time controlling this character and would love to use his best attacks against tough opponents who are being pushed against the ropes.

Steadfast Block

Steadfast Block is a great Materia for Cloud, as it reduces enemy damage and fills the ATB gauge faster when Cloud is on guard. While this Materia can be switched out for something a little more offensive like Time, this might work against the player. This is because while Time grants access to Haste to increase the ATB gauge refill rate, many believe that Steadfast Block seems to perform better in this context.

Elemental Materia + Lightning

The combination of Elemental Materia along with Lightning is a powerful combo and is considered essential on Cloud’s weapon. It increases damage output significantly and Lightning is guaranteed to hit. It also seems thematically appropriate for Cloud to strike with Lightning.

HP Absorb

Cloud hits like a truck with his melee attacks, but this also means that he’ll be in the heat of the action more often than not. This means he’ll be taking some damage in the process, and players will have to keep an eye on his health bar in every encounter. Thankfully, HP Absorb will allow him to replenish his health bar while dishing out damage. This can make it more manageable to get into the thick of battle and remain there without having to guard or heal all that often.

First Strike

The game auto-reverts to Cloud as the main character whenever he’s in the party, which happens more often than not. This means that players will be using him the most in battle, so First Strike should definitely be used to maximize his potential. After all, players can technically use an ATB charge from the get-go to deal damage before either continuing their usual barrage of sword strikes or switching over to another party member.

Ifrit

Finally, a good summon for Cloud is Ifrit, since it gives him access to Fire. This is obviously one of the more subjective aspects of these recommendations, and players don’t really have to stick to this particular Summon Materia for Cloud. However, there’s no denying just how useful this summon is in general. Having it on Cloud gives him access to another magic attack, which is never a bad thing.

Barret

A Long-Range Gunner Who Can Swoop In To Turn The Tide Of Battle

Barret is meant to function as a type of ranged Tank. He can draw enemies’ attention away from Cloud to give him breathing room and focus on crowd control. As a result, players should equip Materia on Barret which complements his play style and makes him a ranged behemoth in battle.

Assess

Assess is used to determine the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of opponents. Having this knowledge takes away a lot of guesswork and keeps the party efficient and effective in battle. After all, Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s combat isn’t all that easy, and players need to be on their toes at all times to get through most encounters with minimal damage.

First Strike

First Strike is a great addition to any combatant’s arsenal. However, given that Barret is the recommended character for Assess, it makes more sense to give him the First Strike Materia. It gives Barret enough ATB at the beginning of the fight to immediately use Assess, which can make the rest of the battle comparatively easier.

HP Up

Given Barret is meant to be the tank, it’s important to keep his health high with HP Up. Of course, it’s also true that Barret stays away from conflicts and keeps a decent amount of range between him and his enemies, so players can always replace this Materia with other recommendations instead.

Provoke

Barret is a tank in battle, which is why it’s rather odd that he’s a ranged fighter who’s almost always out of harm’s way. This can make it frustrating for players who are being pounded by enemies and need his help to even the playing field. With the Provoke Materia on him, Barrett can direct all enemy attention towards him whenever the player is in a tight spot, giving them some much-needed breathing room without worrying about said party member biting the dust because of Barret’s high HP.

Auto-Cure

Auto-Cure is a handy Materia for Barret, as it enables him to heal other members of the team should the designated healer go down. Cleansing can also help keep teammates from being afflicted by status effects. However, Auto-Cure definitely has more utility in battles, since damage is a constant while status effects are more of a flip of the coin.

Wind

Wind is the ideal elemental Materia for Barret to wield, as it enables him to deal damage to enemies and draw them in towards him. This is handy for keeping other teammates from getting overwhelmed and draws the aggro to Barret instead. This, coupled with the range from which Barret attacks, means that his casting of Wind can be a source of great annoyance for enemies.

Leviathan

For the summon Materia, Leviathan seems to be a solid choice that complements Barret well. Of course, getting this summon can be quite a task, due to the challenge involved in defeating Leviathan. Thankfully, getting a few levels should be enough to let players defeat this imposing beast.

Aerith

The Best Mage In The Party By A Country Mile

Aerith is the designated healer of the party. Her primary concern is to keep everyone in the fight as long as possible and get them back up when they go down. This is why the majority of her Materia should be to support the party. However, her magical offense shouldn’t be ignored either.

Magnify + Healing

This combination is immensely powerful for keeping the entire party in the fight. Healing is obvious, as it enables Aerith to keep replenishing the HP of her teammates, which is her primary job. However, the addition of Magnify can allow her to use the same spell to heal the entire group in an appropriate area of effect zone at the same time when fully upgraded. It’s true that the effect is diminished, but being able to heal everyone at once saves a ton of MP and is efficient even with the loss. If the party is spread out too far, Pray can be used instead.

Revival

Revival is also critical for Aerith, as it allows her to get teammates back up when they’re knocked down. Not only does this save Phoenix Down feathers, but it is also essential on higher difficulties that don’t allow items like Phoenix Down. Without this ability, the player will be seeing the Game Over screen more often than not.

Refocus

Refocus lets Aerith break her ATB gauge into three parts for faster regeneration. This is an excellent ability that Aerith will definitely benefit from, due to her inclination towards healing magic. It will allow her to keep party members at high HP levels and safeguard their well-being in a particularly nasty battle.

Fire

Fire is a great element that Aerith can use to bring pain to enemies. Of course, given Aerith’s immense magical damage, pretty much any element is the perfect choice for her.

Wind

Wind is another great source of damage can use to bring pain to her enemies. Aerith’s decent MP pool means that players can easily use multiple casts in a fight without worrying too much.

Lightning

There are many robotic enemies that players will fight in Midgar. Having Lightning on Aerith means that battling against these mechanical constructs will be easier since their weaknesses can be exploited.

Ice

Finally, another great element that Aerith can use in battle is Ice. It’s a pretty cool technique to use, no pun intended. As players can see, most elements work great on Aerith.

MP Absorb

There’s no denying that Aerith has a massive MP pool, but using her magic too many times will lead to players facing issues in prolonged fights where even this caster will eventually run out of MP. This should ideally be avoided since she hits the hardest with her magic attacks. Giving Aerith the MP Absorb materia is a great way to ensure that she can make up at least some of the damage she incurs as MP, lessening the time period in between having to replenish her source of magic.

Magic Up

While there’s something to be said about equalizing every party member’s stats to make them useful in a bevy of situations, there’s no denying that min-maxing is the optimal way to ensure that party members unleash the highest levels of damage in battle. This is why the Magic Up Materia is perfect for Aerith since it bolsters a stat that is already as high as can be and brings it to new heights. Suffice it to say, most players who control Aerith and unleash a wealth of powerful magic on their enemies will be immensely surprised to see just how high the damage numbers will be.

Shiva

Giving Aerith the Shiva Summon just feels like the right thing to do. This icy Summon has been a mainstay of the series and is one of the coolest allies in the game, quite literally.

Tifa

A Fast Brawler With Amazing Close-Combat Capabilities

Tifa is a multi-use fighter, able to jump into the front lines or hang back and use spells as needed. This means she’s capable of being support, tank, melee fighter, healer, and more as the player sees fit. This recommended Materia build is based on the composition of the other teammates.

Parry

Tifa spends a lot of time up close and personal with her enemies. So. it’s easy to see why players would prefer to use Materia which accentuates her close-combat moves and helps turn the tide of battle against the opposition. The Parry materia is great in this regard, letting players dodge and assault enemies at the same time at the drop of a hat. Suffice it to say, a swift fighter like Tifa will benefit from a Materia that helps them turn defense into offense in a flash.

Time

Time Materia is Tifa’s bread and butter throughout the game. Haste, Slow, and Stop are especially useful spells that can give her options in battle to improve herself or control the crowd.

Steadfast Block

Steadfast Block is a good Materia to increase Tifa’s durability and fill the ATB gauge faster. Given her emphasis as a melee character, this Materia will be a perfect accompaniment to her in-your-face combat style.

Barrier

Barrier Materia lets Tifa focus more on defense and step in as a tank when needed. A Barrier spell like Manawall is also helpful for shrugging off strong magical boss attacks, which is especially useful in some of the more challenging battles.

Ice

The best element for Tifa is Ice, both for balancing and because it gives her strong offensive options if she needs to act as a ranged mage. These situations might be rare, but it’s always nice to have a backup magical attack on Tifa.

HP Absorb

Just like Cloud, Tifa is another fighter who loves to get down and dirty while fighting up close with enemies. This makes her a natural target who is bound to incur a decent amount of damage during any fight. With HP Absorb, Tifa can restore some HP with her punches, which is going to be a source of delight for players who love her energetic play style.

Deadly Dodge

Deadly Dodge is a great choice of Materia to have on any melee fighter, and Tifa definitely fits the bill. In her case, this Materia allows her to perform a series of roundhouse kicks that hit for decent damage after a successful dodge.

Fat Chocobo

Finally, Tifa can choose to summon Fat Chocobo to benefit the team and damage unsuspecting enemies. It’s a simple Summon choice, and can easily be replaced by any of the other great Summon Materia in the game.

Yuffie

A Well-Rounded ATB Machine

Playable via FF7‘s “INTERmission” expansion, Yuffie is the release’s main attraction, as she is a relatively beloved character. More importantly, the DLC further enhances the original game’s combat system, which is particularly evident in Yuffie’s gameplay. While all the characters are somewhat versatile, the Materia Hunter takes things a few steps further, being arguably the most balanced and well-rounded fighter in the game. Although she cannot hit as hard as Cloud or deliver devastating magic support like Aerith, Yuffie is competent in nearly every aspect, largely due to her weapon being perfect for both close and long-ranged combat.

Yuffie comes pre-installed with a couple of Materia, and you can complete most of the DLC campaign by building on these core options as they are relatively well-rounded. That said, let’s go through an optimized loadout for Yuffie.

Elemental

Even without a Materia, Yuffie is capable of elemental damage courtesy of her Ninjutsu. However, you should consider adding this Materia as it will imbue her physical attacks with elemental damage. As she has fairly decent Magic Attack Power, she is a solid option if you want an elemental-based fighter.

Magic Materia

This is really the player’s choice, as the most important thing is that Elemental is linked with Magic. You can go for either Fire, Ice, Wind, or Lightning, depending on what you prefer.

ATB Assist

Arguably, this is the only “must include” Materia, as it taps directly into Yuffie’s emphasis on ATB commands and picks up the slack for Sonon’s lackluster ATB build. Although they have their own strengths and weaknesses, Yuffie and Sonon function as a pair, and their loadouts should seek to maximize their functionality as a team.

ATB Boost

Building on the last entry, ATB Boost doubles the bar and lets players use two ATB abilities. It is widely complementary to the Yuffie and Sonon combo.

Magic Up

Although Yuffie is a capable magic user, her basic stats could use a boost to make her more viable before you get a chance to upgrade her shuriken. Magic Up gives a 5% boost per level, so it makes a substantial difference once it is upgraded a few times.

MP Up

Largely the same reasoning as Magic Up, as this materia just makes Yuffie a more reliable magic user.

HP Up

While not really required for standard difficulty, this is pretty much a must for hard.

First Strike

Immediate ATB at the start of the battle, allowing Yuffie to instantly apply pressure to enemies.

Skill Master

Another ATB-focused Materia that benefits characters who prioritize abilities and magic spells.

Healing

Really depends on whether you plan to run Yuffie as more of a healer and support character.

Sonon

A Support-Only Character Who Needs To Synergize With Yuffie

Technically, Sonon is not a playable character in FF7 Remake Intergrade or the “INTERmission” DLC, but he is effectively the yang to Yiffie’s yin. Players can issue commands to Sonon, but they cannot directly control them. While he isn’t a bad staff melee fighter by any stretch of the imagination, his mechanical role is to support his partner and bring out the best in her. The Materia build for Sonon should be designed with solely Yuffie in mind.

​​​​​​​Magnify & Healing

Use these as your linked Materia, as they will allow Sonon to heal Yuffie and themselves. Magnify, in general, is a must for Sonon, even if you opt not to use him as a healer.

​​​​​​​HP Up

Sonon will take a lot of hits as he often steps in as a tank. Consequently, more HP will never hurt.

ATB Assist

Boosts Yuffie’s ATB gain and helps keep her attack loop going.

Barrier

Not really necessary for basic fights, but can be a game-changer in boss encounters. If Sonon is struggling to stay alive against one of the harder enemies, give this one a try.

Revival

Again, primarily for the harder fights in the DLC.