Cloud is the driving force of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. He’s accompanied by a big cast of playable and non-playable characters but he is definitely the star. As such, he’s one of the most powerful characters in the game. He has Mako energy flowing through his body after he was experimented on through the SOLDIER program.
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His iconic Buster Sword is his weapon of choice in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but players can find other big swords for Cloud to equip. Every sword has an array of skills imbued inside that players can equip to Cloud much like the Materia system. Let’s go through some of the best skills and which swords are attached to them.
Updated on February 3rd, 2025 By Joshua Leeds: Cloud is a versatile party member who can be built in a few different ways depending on what role you want him to cover in your party. This article has been updated to include additional skills that are good in a range of builds, helping you to find the best ones that perfectly fit your play style. There are additional bullet points under each skill listing the weapons that have that skill so you can easily find the ones you want to use.
10
Altruistic Buff Up
Unlike most RPGs, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth only gives you a party of three while in combat. Because of this, you’ll need to take advantage of buffs and debuffs in order to turn the tide of battle in your favor, and this skill makes your buffs much more efficient.
With this skill equipped, applied buffs will last for 25% longer. One of the best buffs you can use on your party members is a damage increasing buff, and this skill will help by giving you a longer buff leading to more damage but for the same ATB and MP cost.
9
Defense +50
Buffing Cloud’s Resistance
Cloud is one of the rare party members that cannot be replaced in the party. There are a few instances where he gets removed for story reasons or if the team splits in two like in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s third chapter in the Mythril Mine. This means players will probably naturally want to gravitate toward controlling Cloud and this means he needs a good defense stat since he will be present in the action up close.
This Defense +50 skill is the strongest stat boost among any of Cloud’s swords in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It is attached to the Umbral Blade which can be found in Dustbowl in the Corel region. Enhanced Physical Guard is a good similar skill, which reduces damage by 5%, and it is attached to Cloud’s default Buster Sword.
8
Max HP +200
More Health For Battle
- Weapons: Buster Sword, Sleek Saber & Igneous Saber
If players do want to go with the iconic Buster Sword to boost defense via Enhanced Physical Guard then another skill would work well in a combo. Max HP +200 will boost Cloud’s HP to a small degree but it is good for early sections of the game before players acquire HP Up Materia. It can also be found on other swords later in the game, letting it be a common upgrade should you want it.
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This is a good Complete type of Materia to have equipped to the entire party in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Characters like Cloud can dish out a lot more damage if players don’t have to worry about constantly healing. It’s a simple but effective sword skill.
7
Bloodsucker
Cloud Goes Full Vampire
Bloodsucker is another sword skill attached to the Umbral Blade. It will restore 5% of HP to Cloud if he is the one who kills the enemy. Bloodsucker is like a retooled ability or weapon that appears in a lot of the Final Fantasy games.
For example, Steiner from Final Fantasy 9 can get the Blood Sword weapon which will heal HP just for doing damage. Bloodsucker in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth then is not as good as Final Fantasy 9’s Blood Sword as Bloodsucker requires a kill to activate. Still, Bloodsucker pairs well with the Defense +50 skill on the Umbral Blade.
6
Unrelenting Punisher
A Nonstop Barrage Of Slashes
- Weapons: Sleek Saber, Slipstream Saber & Igneous Saber
Despite this being one of the more common skills in the game, it greatly boosts Punisher Mode, which is useful with just about any sword. One of the best skills Cloud can equip is called the Unrelenting Punisher which will add more slashes for the combos used in Punisher Mode.
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Punisher Mode will make Cloud slower during combat, but his blade work will be faster and stronger. He can easily get knocked out of Punisher Mode during combat too. It’s tricky to master, but it is useful, especially during Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s many tough boss fights. Another good sword skill that will enhance Punisher Mode is called Improved Punisher which will increase damage done by 10% for the Buster Sword.
5
Improved Punisher
Fighting in Punisher Mode has you throwing away defense and avoiding damage and instead focusing purely on dealing damage. This skill greatly increases the damage from strong attacks in Punisher Mode, making it even more deadly.
Strong Attacks in Punisher Mode do move a bit slower, but the high damage output makes this an ideal setup if Cloud is the damage-dealer of your party. If you do take this skill, just be sure to bring a good healer with you to make sure he doesn’t go down too quickly.
4
Attack Damage +5%
A Basic But Useful Damage Power-up
- Weapons: Slipstream Saber & Buster Sword
Cloud is a great straightforward character who can output a lot of damage with just his basic attack if you want to play him that way. There are a few ways you can increase his damage, and this skill is yet another to stack on top.
The Slipstream Saber and Buster Sword have a decent sword skill called Attack Damage +5%. It will increase basic attacks by 5% if that title isn’t already clear. Players that equip Complete Materia like Strength Up in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that can improve Cloud’s attack power further.
3
Weapon Ability Damage +5%
- Weapons: Crystal Sword & Buster Sword
Most of Cloud’s abilities are hard-hitting sword attacks that deal great amounts of damage. While he isn’t the best damage dealer in the party, he is one of the better options, and this skill helps make his abilities just a bit stronger.
Triple Slash and Infinities Edge are some of the best he has available, and will greatly outpace his basic attack or any spells he can use, with this skill only making them stronger. This skill does rely on an ability-focused Cloud but is a noteworthy addition to that build.
2
ATB Charge Rate Up
Hastening Skills
- Weapons: Sleek Saber & Rune Blade
There are a lot of gameplay changes in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth over the original game. In Final Fantasy 7, players had to wait for the ATB bar to charge to do anything. In Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, players can attack freely but all other actions require ATB charges from casting spells to using items.
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The ATB gauge plays a vital part in battles, so sword skills like ATB Charge Rate Up can be beneficial. It’s attached to the Sleek Saber and Rune Blade, and the skill will increase how fast the ATB charges through actions taken. A good Complete Materia to combine with this sword skill is called First Strike which will fill the ATB bar as soon as a battle begins.
1
Reprieve
Laughing In The Face Of Death
- Weapons: Buster Sword & Umbral Blade
Reprieve is a god-tier sword skill and not many other characters in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth have this attached to their weapons. It’s on the Buster Sword and Umbral Blade for Cloud and it will revive him if he dies in battle. It only applies once per battle but players can cheat the system with this strategy.
There’s a cheap accessory in the game called the Revival Earrings. They will revive a character once per battle before shattering. Combined with Reprieve, Cloud could get two chances to defy death in battle not to mention if anyone in the party can cast Auto-Revive via the Reraise Magic Materia.
- Released
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February 29, 2024
- ESRB
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T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence