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Main Characters

These are the main characters in the game. Each character who is a member of your party has some strategies for each character as well as my personal take on their abilities.

Cloud Strife


JOB: Mercenary (Ex-SOLDIER)

AGE: 21

WEAPON: Swords

HEIGHT: 5'7"

BIRTHDATE: August 19

BIRTHPLACE: Nibelheim

BLOOD TYPE: AB

At age 21, Cloud leads the life of a mercenary-for-hire. As an ex-member of Shin-Ra's elite squad known as SOLDIER, his fighting skills are in high demdnd. Cloud joins the rebe; group Avalanche for their first strike against one of Shin-Ra's huge Mako Reactors that surround the city of Midgar, and eventually becomes their leader.

FF7's story revolves around Cloud, and you're required to have him in your party most of the time because he plays a key role in most of the game's events. Over time, he proves to be a great asset, because his powerful sword techniques are nearly unmatched. You'll want to keep him in your front line most of the time to take full advantage of his sword technique. His magic skills are solid, but try to avoid loading him down with Materia if you can.

My Take: You're forced to have Cloud in your party, except for a few rare occasions. So make the most of it. I give him an equal amount of Magic/Summon Materia and Command/Independant Materia.



Barret Wallace


JOB: Leader of Avalanche

AGE: 35

WEAPON: Gun-arm

HEIGHT: 6'4"

BIRTHDATE: December 15

BIRTHPLACE: Corel

BLOOD TYPE: O

Barret is the leader of the rebel team known as Avalanche. He leads the team in the quest to stop Shin-Ra's Mako Reactors and save the life of the planet. Although he is truly devoted to the team, Barret often regrets having to leave his young daughter, Marlene, alone or in the care of others. His motives are unclear, but most believe that Shin-Ra was somehow responsible for the death of his wife.

Although he may not look it, Barret is one of the most versatile characters in the game. Unlike most, he has weapons for close and long-range combat, allowing him to perform well in either rank. You'll want to keep him in the bank rank most of the time which enables him to cause heavy damage without taking an equal amount in return. Avoid loading him up with Materia that reduces his HP. You may want to use him as a damage magnet later, and he'll need to be as strong as possible.

My Take: Barret isn't as powerful as you might think. When it comes down to it, Aeris is actually a better character than him.


Tifa Lockhear


JOB: Bar Hostess, Avalanche member

AGE: 20

WEAPON: Gloves

HEIGHT: 5'4"

BIRTHDATE: May 3

BIRTHPLACE: Nibelheim

BLOOD TYPE: B

Tifa and Cloud were childhood friends, but parted ways when Cloud left Nibelheim to join SOLDIER. When her parents died, Tifa also left Nibelheim and headed for Midgar. Soon after opening her bar, Tifa's Seventh Heaven, she met Barret and joined his ragtag group of rebels known as Avalanche. It's her goal to make sure Cloud remains with Avalanche after his first mission with the team.

When fighting, Tifa lets her fist do the talking. Her attacks are generally weaker than Cloud and Barret's, but from early on, her chain of Limit Breaks is by far the best thing going. Instead of selecting a single Limit Break, each new attack adds to the chain for a total of seven devestating hits. If she can score "Yeah!" on the twirling slots, she causes extra damage. If she stops a slot on "Miss," she misses with that part of the combo. Tifa should always be a frontline fighter, but may have trouble pulling her weight during some boss fights.

My Take: Tifa's normal attacks are pretty useless, and so is she untill she has her full chain of Limits.



Aeris Gainsborough


JOB: Flower Mercant

AGE: 22

WEAPON: Staffs

HEIGHT: 5'3"

BIRTHDATE: February 7

BIRTHPLACE: Icicle Inn

BLOOD TYPE: O

Young, beautiful, and somewhat mysterious, Aeris is a bright spot in the middle of a dark and dreary town. While selling flowers near Avalanche's first target, Aeris' life was forever altered after a chance meeting with Cloud. Because she is the sole-surviving Ancient, Shin-Ra has pursued her for most of her life. Now she must fight against those who would enslave her and destroy what she holds most dear.

Aeris is the closest character FF7 has to a dedicated magic user. Her physical attacks are fairly weak, but she possesses great skill with Materia and its various forms. Due to this odd balance, you should put her in your back line and load her down with Materia. Let Aeris devote her energies to spell-casting while her teammates concentrate on inflicting physical damage. This also takes advantage of her defensive-based Limit Breaks.

My Take: Aeris is one of my favorite characters in the game. Out of all the members of Avalanche, she is by far my favorite. I usually equip her with the Long Range Materia and keep her in the back rank. This way, if need be, she can still cause some physical damage. Unfortunately, you lose her incredible Limits and Materia skill after she dies, so take advantage of them while you have the chance.



Red XIII


JOB: Beast

AGE: 48

WEAPON: Headdress

HEIGHT: 3'9"

BIRTHDATE: unknown

BIRTHPLACE: Cosmo Canyon

BLOOD TYPE: unknown

Although his diery red fur may make him look like a wild animal, Red XIII's intellect is well above that of most humans. He's a native of Cosmo Canyon, and his grandfather Bugenhagen is very in tune with the Planet. His father was the warrior Seto, and now he is the sole-survivor of his race. He was held captive in Shin-Ra's headquarters where he was forced to participate in Hojo's twisted experiments, before Avalanche freed him.

Red XIII is strong at both physical and magical combat. His sharp teeth and claws work well with his close-range fighting style, however, this limits his attack options to the front line. Red makes a solid magic user when loaded down with Materia, but performs best with a more balanced approach. It's best to always take advantage of his physical and magical strength.

My Take: After Aeris dies, Red is one of your best magic users. His Limit Breaks are also pretty powerful, which make him a great asset to boss fights.



Cid Highwind


JOB: Pilot

AGE: 32

WEAPON: Spears

HEIGHT: 5'8"

BIRTHDATE: February 22

BIRTHPLACE: unknown

BLOOD TYPE: B

Cid is an expert pilot and mechanic who dreams of one day becoming the first man in space. His dream would have been fulfilled, but he aborted a launch in order to save the life of one of his crew. Now he spends his time trying to repair his inoperable rocket in the hopes that Shin-Ra may one day reinstate the space program, giving him another chance at fulfilling his dreams.

With his spear in hand, Cid is always prepared for battle. His fighting skills are top-notch and come in handy throughout most of the game. His Limit Breaks are very helpful when fighting the evil hordes that threaten to consume the land. Cid's stats are pretty average all the way around, which can help or hinder his performance, depending on how he is equipped.

My Take: Cid's fighting skills in the game are second only to Cloud's. His Limit Breaks are powerful from early on, and he can make a good magic user as well. His gruff but loveable attitude will make him a favorite character of yours in no time.



Yuffie Kisaragi


JOB: Materia Hunter, Ninja, Thief

AGE: 16

WEAPON: Knife, boomerang, origami, shuriken

HEIGHT: 5'2"

BIRTHDATE: November 20

BIRTHPLACE: Wutai

BLOOD TYPE: A

This ninja spends most of her time preying on helpless travelers until she met up with the team. Although she is reluctant to join Avalanche, her ulterior motives give her reason to tag along, if only temporarily. Her clever wit and ninja skills coupled with her selfish ways will either make her a powerful ally or a serious pain in the ass.

Yuffie isn't one of the strongest team members, but her Limit Breaks are powerful. Her weapons enable her to attack from a distance without penalty. Keep her in the back rank and outfit her with plenty of Materia. Although this tactic will lower her HP, her position in the back rank should keep her safe.

My Take: At first, Yuffie's a pretty crappy character to have in your party. But once she gets her Level 2 Limit Break, she'll become a little more powerful. Her magic skills are pretty good, but she may not be your first choice to have in the party. Lord knows she's not mine.



Cait Sith


JOB: Toysaurus

AGE: unknown

WEAPON: Megaphones

HEIGHT: 3'2"

BIRTHDATE: unknown

BIRTHPLACE: unknown

BLOOD TYPE: unknown

Although Cait Sith's fortune telling ability may not impress you, his fighting skills are a sight to be witnessed. The party first bumps into this joker while wandering around the Gold Saucer. Cait eagerly joins the group to see if his predictions prove to be true. Later on, you discover that he's actually being controlled by Reeve of Shin-Ra, sent to spy on Avalanche. However, he has a change of heart and gives Avalanche Shin-Ra info.

Cait isn't much of a fighter, but his Mog relies on close-range physical attacks. His true strength lies in his various Limit Breaks. You'll notice he only has two: Dice and Slots. Dice frows with power over time and can prove useful even late in the game. Slots is actually seven seperate Limit Breaks. The outcome depends on the combination created when all three slots are stopped. Although these Limits may seem unpredictable, they can cause serious damage even at the lowest levels. Cait's stuffed body can take quite a bit of damage, so keep this hulk up front unless you decide to load him down with Materia.

My Take: My advice, DON'T use Cait!! He is the most worthless and annoying character in the game, and you'll begin to wish that you never met him in the Gold Saucer. You're never forced to have him in your party except for a few short battles, so don't bother using him much.



Vincent Valentine


JOB: Unemployed (former Turk)

AGE: 27

WEAPON: Guns

HEIGHT: 6'

BIRTHDATE: October 13

BIRTHPLACE: unknown

BLOOD TYPE: A

A mystical man, stern and upright, while at the same time dark and mysterious. Vincent's presence sends chills down the toughest person's spine. Although he may look evil at first glance, there is a good soul trapped beneath his dark exterior. Vincent was in love with Sephiroth's true mother, Lucrecia, but after her death, Vincent tried to steal Sephiroth away from Hojo. Vincent was killed for his interference and brought back to life through Shin-Ra's technology and Hojo's warped experimentation.

Vincent is a strong fighter, much like Barret. He's also quite competent with Materia and makes good use of it from the back row. His Limit Breaks are powerful, but sometimes unpredictable. Once he transforms, you'll no longer be able to control him. Make sure you're familiar with your enemy's strengths and weaknesses before Vincent transforms, or you may end up helping your enemy rather than hurting them.

My Take: Next to Aeris, Vincent is my favorite member of Avalanche. After Aeris dies, he becomes your strongest magic user. The only downside is his Limits. If he transforms, he's out of the battle and can't use any of the Materia he's been equipped with. Sometimes it may not be wise to use his Limit Breaks and just stick with magic attacks. I also keep him equipped with the Deathblow Materia so he can still perform physical attacks when his Limit gauge is full.



Sephiroth


JOB: Top-Ranking SOLDIER Officer

AGE: 30

WEAPON: Masamune

HEIGHT: 6'1"

BIRTHDATE: unknown

BIRTHPLACE: unknown

BLOOD TYPE: unknown

Even amongst the elite troops of SOLDIER, Sephiroth is known to be the best. He thinks that he was produced by Professor Gast and Hojo from Jenova cells and that Jenova is his true mother. That is false. Sephiroth's parents are Hojo and Lucrecia. Once Lucrecia became pregnant with Sephiroth, Hojo injected the unborn child with Jenova cells. Lucrecia died in childbirth and Sephiroth was raised in the Shin-Ra Building by various caretakers. He was never shown any love as a child, and because of that, he was quiet and kept to himself, always acting as if he were devoid of any true emotion. When he learned about the Jenova Project from reading reports in the Shin-Ra Mansion in Nibelheim, he began to think that he was produced. After burning down Nibelheim, he was defeated by Cloud and was presumed dead. In truth, he was alive. Five years later, he returned and killed President Shinra then began on a quest to find the Black Materia and summon Meteor. It is up to Avalanche to stop him.

Sephiroth is the main villian of FF7, however, there is a point in the game where he fights by your side. When Cloud tells the story of what happened five years ago in Nibelheim, there are battles. Sephiroth fights in these battles and is extremely powerful.

My Take: Sephiroth is my favorite character in the game, and with good reason. Even though he is the villian, in a way, he is the true victim. He has lived in a world of lies and never learns the truth about his parents or his past. I believe that he could have easily become a hero, as do a lot of other people. And like many fans, I also think he and Aeris would make a perfect couple. But he killed her and we'll never know for certain. There are fanfictions that have Sephiroth as a hero and an attraction between him and Aeris. There are two of these in the fanfiction section.



Rufus & The Turks


Rufus Shinra is President Shinra's son. He was originally the Vice-President, but was promoted to President after his father was killed by Sephiroth. He's every bit as ruthless as his father, using fear to keep the public in check.

The Turks:. The Turks are an orginization in Shin-Ra which scout for possible members of SOLDIER. However, they're involved in a lot of dirty stuff on the side, like kidnapping and murder. In a way, they're the Shin-Ra Secret Service. There are four main members of the Turks.



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