Boss Beating

Final Fantasy VII boss beating tactics.

Guard Scorpion: In your first major battle, have Cloud use his Bolt Magic while Barett uses his standard attack. After sustaining a predetermined amount of damage, the Guard Scorpion will raise its tail. At this point, Cloud will tell Barett about the Gaurd Scorpion's tail laser. While the arthropod has its tail raised, do not attack. Use this opportunity to heal both Cloud and Barett. The Guard Scorpion will not attack with its tail laser unless provoked while it's tail is raised. Once the tail lowers, resume your attack. Upon the Guard Scorpion's defeat, do not forget to equip Barett with the Assault Gun.
Air Buster: Simply because the Air Buster is surrounded by your party dosen't mean this battle will be any easier for you. The Air Buster will turn and retaliate against anyone who tries to attack it. With this in mind, distract the Air Buster by attacking it with a healthy character; use this time to heal anyone low on health. Have Cloud use Bolt magic while Barret attacks with his normal and Limit Breaks. Have Tifa alternate between healing her cohorts and using regular attacks. This battle is easy if you know how to exploit the Air Buster's weakness.
Apse: As it turns out, the Wave Attack performed by this enemy is almost helpful to you. When attacking, Apse harms itself more than it harms your party. Keep your hit points up by using Aeris to heal your party in case Apse performs a Reverse Wave. The Reverse Wave is the only attack from Apse which inflicts more damage to members of your party than to itself. Unload lots of magic against this boss.
Reno: Beware! Reno may look like a wimp, but this foe has what it takes to beat you down like there's no tomorrow. When he uses his Pyramid Magic on one of your characters, use a free character to attack the pyramid; this releases the recipient. Use Ice Magic and use Limit Breaks as soon as they become available. Pay close attention to your health meter during this battle to make sure it doesn't dip too low.
Sample h0512 & Sample h0512-opt: Don't waste time on the smaller sample, h0512-opt. They are nothing more than a distraction. Concentrate on attacking the larger Sample, h0512. Have Cloud use Ice Magic while Red XIII uses the Fire Magic. Barett is the recommended third member of your party, since he causes serious damage with his Limit Break.
100 Gunner & Heli Gunner: Only long-range attacks work against these two bosses. Make sure that each member of your party has some type of offensive magic to use against them. When fighting the 100 Gunner, do not use Poison Magic-it will not affect it in any way. Instead, use Bolt Magic to attack and Heal magic to heal members of your party. If at all possible, save the Limit Break for the Heli Gunner, who will appear after the 100 Gunner goes down. Once the Heli Gunner appears, unload your stockload of Limit Breaks, then use Bolt Attacks in addition to healing your characters.
Rufus & Dark Nation: Cloud is all you need to defeat this not-so-dynamic duo. As long as Cloud has Heal and Poison Materia, everything will go well. Kill Dark Nation befor it gets the chance to use Magic Shield on Rufus. Use Poison Magic then finish the job with standard attacks (to conserve your Magic Points). Once Dark Nation is dead and gone, concentrate on Rufus. Use the Poison Magi ill it's depleted, then defend while letting your Limit gauge fill to maximum. Once it's filled, heal first, then unload with your Limit Break. After several turns, Rufus will run away.
Motor ball: This cowardly reject from The Transformers attacks from behind before the battle even starts! Aside from it's Flame-thrower and Rolling Fire attacks, Motor Ball is relatively weak. Have Cloud and Barett use Bolt and Ice Magic,respectively. As always, most of Aeris's turns should be used to heal the party.
Bottom Swell: The most efficient way to defeat Bottom Swell is to have Cloud use the Poison Magic first, then have Barett follow with Ice Magic. Have Aeris heal any character who needs it. Once the boss casts a Hit Point-reducing bubble over one of the characters, free that character by attacking the bubble with any offensive magic (The magic will not harm the character while they're inside the bubble). Near the end of the battle, make sure at least one of the party has a full Hit Point meter since the Bottom Swell will launch one last Wave Attack before it's demise.
Jenova-Birth: When fighting against Jenova-Birth, each member should have-at the very least-one offensive magic attack. Your first attack should be with all your Summon Materia. Follow through with either Fire or Earth Magic. Using Poison Magic is a waste since it has no effect. Remember to keep your Hit Points high; Jenova-Birth uses laser attacks twice in a row, which could add up to some serious damage. Keep in mind that Jenova-Birth is completely capable of stopping you dead in your tracks.
Dyne: Dyne is possibly the easiest boss in the game, next to Reno and Rude. Barett must have a Cure Materia. Use regular attacks. You may want to use the Summon Materia for additional damage, but it's not necessary. Keep attacking while healing until the Limit gauge fills up. When the Limit gauge has been filled, unload it on Dyne.
Gi natatak: There are two ways of defeating this boss. The first method is as follows: Use the Summon Materia at the begining of the battle. Then follow it with Bolt Magic, while healing. Once the Limit gauge is filled, use the Limit Break. The second method is much easier than the first. All you have to do is use an X-Potion one or two times on Gi natatak and you'll kill it almost immediately.
Lost Number: When fighting Lost Number, remember not to use any Fire Magic or attacks. If you do, you will raise Lost Number's total Hit Points. The proper method is to use the Ramuh Materia and Poison Magic to weaken his defenses. Then follow with normal attacks while healing characters who are in need of attention. Use a Limit Break whenever it becomes available. Also, if you've acquired the Haste Magic at this point, now's the time to use it. Stop magic also works.
Materia Keeper: Since this battle may be particularly difficult, it is recommended to use the save point in front of the boss before engaging in battle. The best way to approach this is to use Summon Materia first, then use normal attacks until your Limit gauge fills up. Keep your Hit Points up, since the Materia Keeper causes tons of damage. Also, keep the Enemy Skill Materia with your party to learn the Trine Attack.
Palmer: Palmer looks like a wuss, but his gun is able to dish out some big time damage. The best way to approach him is to use normal attacks untill the Limit gauge fills up. Don't forget to heal, since Palmer's attacks tend to surprise you with the damage they cause. The best partners in this situation are Red XIII and Vincent due to their power and Limit Breaks.
Lapse: In order to defeat this winged beast, defend while using X-Potions, since you don't have any Materia at this time. The best combination is Aeris and Vincent. Once Vincent's Limit fills up, use it immediately; he's much more useful in that form. Also use Aeris's Healing Limit to heal your party.
Enchanted Dragons: These dragons are up there with Dyne and Reno and Rude as the easiest bosses in the game. All you need to do is use Summon Materia to defeat them.
Red Dragon: When fighting the Red Dragon, you could use the Summon Materia, however this will drag the battle out far too long. Defend or use normal attacks untill the Limit gauge fills up. The best character to have in this battle is Red XIII, because of his Haste Limit and attack power. Don't forget to pick up the Bahamut Materia; you'll need it for the next battle.
Demon Gate: For best results, the first thing anyone should do here is use the Bahamut and Odin Materia. Then attack using normal attacks. Be extra cautious-most of Demons Gate's attacks deplete half of your Hit Points. At the same time, however, this means your Limit gauge will go up twice as fast. Don't forget to equip the Counter Materia on Cloud.
Jenova-Life: This Jenova looks alot like the last one on the Shinra boat, however this one is much more difficult. Start off by using the Bahamut Materia and follow it with the Comet Magic. Other magic does not work well against Jenova-Life, so focus by using the Comet Magic and normal attacks.
Shizo: When fighting this two-headed beast, remember not to use Fire or Ice Attacks. Concentrate by using Bolt Magic as well as Bahamut and Titan Materia. It is also wise to have Vincent with you. By now he should be able to use his Level 2 Limit Break. Keep in mind that Twin Head uses it's lightning-based attack after each head is defeated, so keep your hit points up at all times.
Jenova-Death: The best way to get this battle started is to use the Summon Materia first (especially Bahamut). Then follow it with Ice Magic, which works well. Do not use Poison Magic, though, since it does not affect it. Afterwards, use regular attacks, since Jenova-Death can Mute your characters. Just make sure you have enough healing items, especially X-Poitions.
Diamond Weapon: This is the easiest Weapon to beat. This one wanders around near Midgar. Just Use Summon Materia followed by Limit Breaks in order to defeat Diamond Weapon.
Godo: Since Yuffie is fighting this boss all by herself, equip her with the Time and Enemy Skill Materia, in addition to as much Summon Materia as you can get your hands on. Finally, equip the Ribbon to keep her from being handicapped. Start this battle off by using Haste Magic on yourself, then follow with Materia attacks. Once you've used up all your Materia, use Limit Breaks on Godo and say goodbye!
Commander Grand Horn: This is the boss you encounter if you fail to defend Condor Tower during the simulation part of the game. This boss is fairly easy; just use Haste Magic on everyone in your party, then use Comet and Ice Magic to destroy it. Most players will likely end up finishing the entire game without ever having to face Grand Horn.
Ultimate Weapon: A challenging enemy to defeat-or rather, scare away. The trick here is to use Haste on your characters, then use as much Summon Materia as possible...all while healing yourself. Lightning and Ice Magic work well, too. After a few rounds, Ultima Weapon will fly away. The bummer is that you gain nothing from this battle, however you can steal another cursed ring.
Carry Armor: This boss is composed of three parts: The body, a right arm, and a left arm. Since Carry Armor can grab your characters, immediately go after one of its arms. Any Bahamut Summon Materia works well here. Follow it up with a Fire/Ice Magic combination. Have your Phoenix Summon Materia ready in case you need to revive dead characters while attacking. Just remember not to use Poison Magic-it will not affect Carry Armor in the slightest.
Reno & Rude: Just like last time, attack Rude first, then follow it up with Summon Materia and Limit Breaks. Once Rude runs away, use regular attacks on Reno.
Reno, Rude, and Elena: Two easy victories over Reno and Rudo. Well, get ready; Elena has joined the team to make things real difficult. Although players can elect not to fight, most do under the assumption that it will be just another easy battle. The best method? Use Haste, then Poison on all three of them. Use Hades Materia, Leviathan and all Bahamut's at your disposal. Afterwards, use regular attacks on Rude, while keeping your character's HP up. Have the Phoenix Materia ready in case any of your characters die.
Proud Clod: This boss has 2 parts: A head and a body. Use Barrier Magic first, Haste Magic second, then unload with Summon Materia. Use Your Limit Breaks whenever possible. When the boss is on it's knees, heal before it unleases its cannon. Continue the attack and maintain a healthy party.
Hojo (1st form): This is the same person you've been seeing throughout the game, and now you have the opportunity to destroy him. As it turns out, Hojo is actually Sephiroth's father. When fighting him in his first form, use Haste, then use Summon Materia. Although you shouldn't have to heal, since he doesn't physically attack, he does conjure up a few monsters to fight for him. As long as you have Materia, he shouldn't be a problem.
Hojo (2nd form): In his second form, Hojo will begin to attack, but don't worry; simply use Summon Materia while implementing normal attacks. You may need to heal during this battle, though, so make sure all your characters have Healing Materia with them before this battle begins. Have Cloud hold onto the Phoenix Materia in the event someone dies.
Hojo (3rd form): This weird-looking thing is deceptively easy to beat. The only down side is that he will use a combo that will take about 500 HP. Overall, this formation is easier than the last one.
Ultimate Weapon (2nd+ battles): Focus on staying healthy, because you're going to have to chase this thing around quite a bit. Be aware that if you stop to heal, you may lose it. Have the Phoenix Materia ready, but use the other Summon Materia first. Ultima weapon will run away after the first few hits. Chase it with the Highwind and keep nailing it. You will get pushed back, but after a few hits, it will fly off and go back to a stationary position. Hit it again. Keep repeating this procedure until you finally corner it in Cosmo Canyon.
Emerald Weapon: You find this beast swimming around underwater. He is second only to Ruby Weapon, but don't think he's going to be easy. He can destroy you in one attack if your luck is bad. First thing to do is equiped Final attack and Phoenix Summon Materia on you're strongest character. Then have KotR prepared with W-Summon. Have all your strongest Summon Materia handy in case things get rough, and they will. A few mime materia's can work wonders especially if you use them after KotR. If it's powered up enough, you might defeat Emerald Weapon fairly quickly.
Ruby Weapon: The strongest (I think) and most feared weapon of them all. The best way to fight him is to equip a Knights of the Round Materia powered to max and linked to an HP Absorb Materia, a W-Summon, a mime materia, and Phoenix materia linked with final attack all on one person. Then you can use KotR on him and mime yourself over and over again. You might want to kill of the other two characters in your party so that Ruby can't use his whirlsand attack. Now just wait untill he puts his hands into the ground and us KotR on them once they spring up, then mime for as long as you can.
Jenova: SYNTHESIS A, B, C: First, use Haste and Barrier Magic on your party. Next, unload the Summon Materia. Follow through with Comet and Ultima Magic. Keep healing and use Limit Breaks as soon as they're availible. Once it starts counting down from five, you have exactly five rounds to kill it before it uses the Ultima Magic on your party. Depending on how quickly you defeat the enemies on the way to this Jenova as well as Jenova herself, will affect how many parties you will have to take on the next boss. If you defeat her quick enough you'll have two or three parties to fight with. If you drag it out, you might be left with only one.
Bizzaro Sephiroth: Prepare yourself because you can have anywhere from one to three parties attacking this enemy depending on how well you did on the previous boss. The best thing to do is equip all your powerful Summon Materia into one party, the transfer the Throw/Coin Toss Materia to another party. Also for some insurance, link Phoenix Summon Materia to Final Attack Materia and you should be safe. If you have more than one party you get a choice to switch over to another party when any of this boss's parts are killed. In my opinion, beef up one party and never switch over to any of the other ones. Whatever party defeats this boss has to face the next one.
Safer Sephiroth: This is the big one. First, be sure to use Haste and Barrier on your characters. Continue to keep up the Magic Barrier while fighting. If you don't, Safer could very well wipe you out with just a few hits. Use Materia while healing. If you have any significant amount of gold left, use the Coin Toss. Finally, make sure the strongest character is equiped with the Phoenix Materia linked to Final Attack just in case that fighter has to bring everyone else back to life. If you want to prevent any further status changes (good or bad) use a few vaccine's to counteract the effects of Sephiroth's devastating Supernova attack. If you survive it, that is.
**** The strategy I use is having a W-item materia equiped on at least two of your characters. Next, make sure you have at least 3 hero drink's, 3 vaccine's, and a few megalixers. Use W-item on one character to put 2 hero drinks on any 2 characters and have the next person use 1 more hero drink on the last character. If you want you can also use spells to protect your character before you finish by putting vaccine on everyone. Since vaccine protects you from any status changes, good or bad, it keeps any you already have on you. This way should make the battle a whole lot easier. I use it because I like to see at least one Supernova attack and survive it before finishing the battle.

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