The Most Powerful Materia Combinations In Final Fantasy 7, Ranked

The release of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake has sparked a renewed interest in the original game. The Materia system in Final Fantasy 7 is still one of the most loved equipment customization and magic systems in the entire series. It's as flexible as it is complex for those willing to experiment.

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Most players will be content with linking the All Materia to Magic and mastering the Summon Materia like Bahamut and, of course, The Knights of the Round. However, there is so much more to the system than simply mastering individual spells. Let’s take a look at some of the most powerful and destructive Materia combinations in FF7, which, if mastered, could make even the Ruby and Emerald Weapon super bosses a walk in the park.

Updated April 6, 2024, by Jon Eakin: With more Final Fantasy 7 on offer than ever before, thanks to Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, you're spoiled for choice, but nothing quite beats the original game. We've given this list a rejuvenating Mako bath to give it new life and better help you make the best Materia combinations available.

20 Restore/All

Health Is Wealth

It's easy to get excited about materia combos in the late game; however, many players, especially those new to the genre, seek out great combos in the early game. One of the best combinations is to mix the Restore materia with All. This allows you to restore HP to all party members.

This combination might seem elementary to seasoned veterans. But both spells and materia spots are limited in the early game, making this an optimal choice for surviving the harder boss fights.

19 4X Cut/Counter

Barret Can Go Full Auto

The 4X Cut materia is challenging to acquire since it involves grinding for AP and leveling up 2X Cut. Those who are patient enough to grind it out will be rewarded with a materia that allows them to attack four times. While this is useful enough alone - as it replaces the attack command - it can also be paired with the Counter materia.

4X Cut and Counter will allow you to counter-attack four times in a row. The main benefit in pairing it with Counter is that it frees up the equipped character's action and allows them to do other things while retaining the ability to strike an enemy four times.

18 Death Blow/Added Cut

Hedge Your Bets

Added Cut is one of the most vital pieces of materia in the game. Combining it with another materia adds a free attack after the initial materia is used. One powerful choice is to combine it with Death Blow, which will guarantee a hit, even if the critical from Death Blow misses.

This might not compete with more powerful spells in the end game, but it allows players to freely use Death Blow without wasting a turn. The best-case scenario is when you land two critical hits in a row, which can trounce most enemies and even bosses in the first half of the game.

17 Added Effect/Contain

Don't Sleep On Statuses

It is debatable whether or not the Added Effect materia and Contain are better or worse than Hades and Contain. It's true that Hades hits foes with more status effects, but Added Effect inflicts Confuse, Stop, and Petrify, which are three of the most powerful status effects in the game. Hades does not hit the enemies with Petrify or Stop. Furthermore, Hades can be used to buff your armor, making you immune to status effects.

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All in all, Added Effect is arguably better for offense and putting a stop to a tough foe. Then you can use Hades to avoid getting hit with obnoxious status effects. Win-win.

16 Choco/Mog And Added-Effect

Shortcut To Success

The Choco/Mog is the first Summon materia you receive in Final Fantasy 7, and it may be one of the most underrated spells in the game. It has many great combinations, but pairing it with the Added-Effect materia may be the most useful.

This pairing, when attached to a weapon, gives you a good chance of hitting the Stop Spell if the materia are sufficiently leveled. The Choco/Mog grants you the Stop Spell long before obtaining the Time materia, which is available much later.

15 Master Magic Materia/All Materia

The Ultimate Materia

The Master Magic materia is easily one of the most useful spells that can be equipped. It can be obtained by taking any fully leveled/mastered materia to the Huge Materia at Cosmo Canyon and combining them. You lose traded-in mastered materia but gain the Master Magic materia, which gives access to all 21 magic spells in the game.

It can also be obtained by trading the Earth Harp with the Kalm traveler in Kalm after defeating the Emerald Weapon. It’s a fantastic materia on its own, but combined with the Mega All materia, every magic spell will be capable of hitting all enemies at once on the battlefield.

14 Hades/Added Effect

The King Of Hell

The Hades materia is one of the coolest and most sinister-looking summon spells in Final Fantasy 7. It’s a non-elemental magic spell with a 100 percent chance of inflicting Poison, Sleep, Frog, Slow, Mini, Silence, and even Paralyze on enemies.

It’s already an effective summon without any enhancements, but when combined with the Added Effect materia in a weapon, it becomes one of the best material combos in FF7. It’s also very useful against many of the stronger non-boss enemies encountered on the field and a great way to grind for experience.

13 Magic Counter/Restore

Get Hit, Get Healed

The Magic Counter materia is one of the most effective and useful go-to support materia in Final Fantasy 7. It can be obtained as a prize after winning the Chocobo racing S Class or the Northern Cave later in the game.

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Getting the Magic Counter materia up to level four will increase its effectiveness to 100 percent, and combining it with the Restore materia will mean that every time you are hit, the characters will automatically heal themselves.

You can also pair Counter with more aggressive Materia options, but unless you plan ahead, this can run the risk of hitting a boss with an element they nullify. Or even worse, that they absorb. The last thing you want is to be offering free HP to the enemy. Better to keep it for yourself.

12 Sneak Attack/Slash-All

Great For Grinding

The Sneak Attack materia is a Support spell that allows the player’s characters to catch their enemies by surprise with the first attack. It’s a great way to get a drop on difficult enemies in the field and can make the many random battles in the game a much less tedious affair.

Combine the Sneak Attack materia with the Slash-All materia and you can end the battle in one hit. The Slash-All materia can be found in the Ancient Forest. When leveled up, the character it is equipped to will attempt Flash, which is capable of hitting enemies with Instant Death.

11 Sneak Attack/Ultima

Over Before It Starts

For those who prefer to start each battle with a spell instead of an attack, combining Sneak Attack with Ultima allows you to cast Ultima at the very start of the battle. This comes with the advantage of hitting all foes and makes for one of the best material combos in FF7.

Giving Ultima to a character focusing on magic also comes with significant stat boosts, such as plus ten percent MP and a magic stat increase. A potent magic-user will be able to wipe out most enemies before the battle even begins with this materia combo.