Best ATB Abilities For Each Character in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (FF7 Rebirth)

ATB in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth works quite differently compared to the 1997 original, but the new mechanic has opened the door for some of the best and most enjoyable ATB abilities and attacks to fill the gap.

Each Character’s Best ATB Abilities and Attacks in FF7 Rebirth

Every character in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth starts with a small selection of ATB attacks and abilities, and you gain more by collecting weapons and earning their keyed ability by using it in battle. There are seven weapons for each of the seven characters you’ll adventure with, leaving us with a grand total of 49 ATB abilities and attacks to choose from. I’ll be listing the two or three best options per character in this guide.

Spoiler alert: Some of the weapons and abilities in this guide are obtained in the mid to late stages of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Read on at your own risk.

Best ATB Abilities for Cloud

Cloud is a jack of all trades, just like he was in the original game, but he focuses more heavily on counters, parries, and burst damage than he does on pure utility. The abilities listed here reflect that rough specialization.

• Focused Thrust: A holdover from Remake, Focused Thrust is an up to three hit attack that deals increased Stagger meter buildup. It’s not too powerful outside of that effect, but if you want to push an enemy into Stagger, it provides.
• Prime Mode: Prime Mode enhances Cloud’s Punisher attack mode and, thus, his ability to counter attacks. It also grants a three-slam combo that deals massive Stagger buildup and straight damage, but it’s slow to execute, leaving you open to counterattack.
• Infinity’s End: This ability is essentially Limit Break-lite. It costs two ATB bars to use, but it can easily hit the 9999 damage cap on a Staggered enemy. Source: It happened more than a dozen times late-game for me.

Best ATB Abilities for Barret

Barret is a master of ranged combat, but more importantly, he’s one of the best characters to use for applying constant and consistent Stagger buildup. The two abilities I’ve listed here keep him at range, and he can deal with both groups and single-target fights.

• Bonus Round: Bonus Round does increase Barret’s gun damage by a little bit, but the main reason to use it is the increased Stagger buildup on a character who already specializes in it. Once you unlock Bonus Round, I think it should always be the first of Barret’s abilities you use.
• Maximum Fury: Maximum Fury is a massive damage output attack that costs up to two ATB charges, but as a hail of bullets, it can target multiple enemies or deal a chunk of damage to a Staggered enemy’s health bar.

Best ATB Abilities for Tifa

The calls to put Tifa in Tekken will be louder than ever when the true combo masters dig deep into Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, because there is so much more she can do. For button mashers like myself, the next two abilities are more than enough.

• Reverse Gale: This attack throws Tifa’s enemy up into the air before slamming them down. You can, I’m sure, work in a long aerial combo with both Tifa’s returning arsenal and the new options.
• Unfettered Fury: Where Unbridled Strength increases Tifa’s attack and opens up new combo opportunities, Unfettered Fury instead increases the Stagger buildup she deals. Oh, and it gives her another new set of combo opportunities.

Best ATB Abilities for Aerith

Aerith doesn’t have an ability that deals physical damage, so any ATB ability you use on her will either affect how her magic works or provide some sort of support to the team. The two abilities I’ve listed here are of the “selfish” type, in that they are Aerith self-buffs, but are tremendously powerful ones.

• Arcane Ward: Aerith is the resident mage in FF7 Rebirth, and Arcane Ward makes every spell cast from inside it duplicate. Two spells, one cast, one cost. Not bad, right?
• Radiant Ward: No, you will never actually make Aerith a physical attack DPS because the attacks she casts from inside a Radiant Ward are still magic damage, but they are much more consistent at doing damage and building up Stagger.

Best ATB Abilities for Red XIII

Red XIII’s kit revolves around his Vengeance Mode gimmick, but because he usually needs to take damage to get the mode to function, anything that augments the mode is beneficial. His defenses are also orders higher than his teammates to compensate for his tank-like gameplay, meaning he can stay in the fight longer with less support and apply party-wide buffs easier.

• Chilling Roar: Anything that improves Red XIII’s ability to build Vengeance Gauge is great in my book, and Chilling Roar also comes with an automatic counter-hit. There’s no real downside.
• Supernal Fervor: Haste for the whole team without spending a single MP? Yep, Supernal Fervor has you covered.

Best ATB Abilities for Yuffie

Yuffie’s kit is something of a catch-all, offering both short and long-range options, elemental augmentation, and support abilities. She doesn’t specialize in much but has such a versatile set of skills that she can fit into almost any team.

• Elemental Ninjutsu: Elemental Ninjutsu can completely change how you build Yuffie’s Materia loadout. Once used, her ranged attack with her throwing star automatically deals a small amount of a particular elemental damage type for as long as the ability is active. You won’t be doing tons of damage per attack, but there are several damage procs every second, allowing you to consistently apply pressure to elemental weak enemies.
• Doppelganger: Once Yuffie is strong. Use Doppelganger, and you get two Yuffies. That’s it. That’s the ability.

Best ATP Abilities for Cait Sith

Cait Sith’s whole gimmick is gambling. Every one of his ATB abilities has some element of chance to it, or at least puts you at risk of taking damage or dealing less than you’d like. There are still some top-tier abilities on offer, of course.

• Fortune Telling: The simplest ATB ability in Cait Sith’s arsenal besides the Moogle summon, Fortune Telling either deals massive damage or not much damage at all. That said, it’s still more consistent than many of his other options.
• Moogle Kaboom: With Moogle Kaboom, you trade your Moogle for a massive explosion. Beware that Cait can take damage if he’s on the Moogle when it explodes, but the damage you can deal with the right timing is something else.

And those are my picks for the best ATB abilities available to each character in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I made my choice based on their consistency and ease of use during my playthrough, and you may find you have favorites outside this list.

For more on Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, check out our guides hub to the game.