If you got questions about FFVII Remake Materia System, this is the guide for you. We cover the basics here, as well as any other questions you might be wondering about.
FF7R Materia System Basics FAQ
Here’s a rundown of all the basic things you need to know about FF7 Remake’s Materia system. These tabs will cover most of what you NEED to know about it.
Materia and Slots
Materia in FF7 Remake is a character customization sub-system that revolves around placing different kinds of Materia into your weapons’ and armors’ materia slots. Each materia gives your character various effects depending on the materia(s) slotted.
Each weapon and armor has their own unique number and links on their slots, as well as possible upgrades on weapons for additional materia slots. While Weapon slots can usually be modified, Armor comes with a set number of slots from the get-go.
Materia can also be linked to combine certain effects. These linked effects are primarily from Blue materia and only in effect if both materias are in linked slots.
Some Materia also gives you a passive stat bonus when equipped. For example, Healing Materia passively gives you additional max MP.
All characters have one Summon materia slot, no matter what weapon or armor is equipped.
Improving and Leveling Materia
Most Materia have levels and leveling them up unlocks more varied or more powerful effects. Defeating monsters gives you AP, which is essentially the EXP for Materia. Materia can have different maximum levels and AP required to progress them. For example, Assess materia has two levels, and Chakra materia has five.
Some Materia comes to you at MAX level already. For example, Steal materia comes at max level by default – and they no longer gain AP nor provide any additional benefit aside from their defaults as they don’t level up.
Getting a Materia to max level DOES NOT give you a duplicate of it, unlike the original FF7.
Materia Types
There are different types of materia identified by their colors. There are currently four types with unique effects. Green (Magic), Blue (Support), Yellow (Command), Purple / Pink (Complete), and Red (Summon).
Each type, more or less, does similar things: all Green gives spells, all Yellow gives abilities. More on this later.
Obtaining Materia
Most Materia are available in shops and NPC’s. Of course, there are many that are awarded through quests, found in the world, and so on.
It goes without saying that there are powerful Materias hidden around the world or locked behind difficult encounters – look forward to discovering and challenging yourself to get them!
More info on Materia and other resources
Materia Types and Effects
Each color materia generally gives you a similar effect. Also, regardless of color some Materia gives you bonus stats when you equip them.
Green Materia (Magic) – These grant you access to more spells. Healing Materia gives you access to, you guessed it, restorative spells like Cure, Cura, Regen… Fire Materia gives you Fire magic and so on.
Yellow Materia (Command) – Grants you Abilities, which are basically spells but use no MP. Very similar to Green Materia. Examples are Assess and Prayer.
Blue Materia (Support) – Only affects the linked Materia. Most Blue Materia have limitations on what kind of materia they can support or link onto. Examples are HP Restoration Materia only working on some green Materia and Deadly Dodge.
Purple / Pink Materia (Complete) – I guess more popularly known as “Passive” Materia. These give you either stats (IE HP Up Materia – Passively increase your HP pool) or other unique passive effects (IE First Strike – Start the battle with more ATB). These are wildly varied and have quite the impact on your gameplay.
Red Materia (Summon) – Special Materia that allows you to Summon forth powerful allies into battle. Not all fights allow summons and summoning has its own special mechanics as well.
AP and Leveling Materia
Grinding for AP effectively is going to change depending on where you are in the game and how progressed you are, but here is some advice… Very light non-story spoilers ahead (game mechanics spoiler only)
A guide on specific methods to farm / grind for AP? Soon! But please, avoid excessive grinding on your first playthrough. Trust me.
Notable Materia or materia you can miss?
I don’t know if I want to list this here… but I guess here’s a spoiler warning…
Materia List?
I don’t know if I want to add it to this specific guide due to spoilers or whatnot, but I’ll be adding this in one way or another either here or on a separate page.
In Closing
While it’s very close to originals, the FF7 Remake Materia system is a refreshing homage to the old, while getting some very cool new effects to make combat much more customized, nuanced and exciting. In time you, too, will feel the pain of “I NEED MORE MATERIA SLOTS!”.
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