Chapter 8: Budding Bodyguard

Guide to Final Fantasy VII Remake Chapter 8: Budding Bodyguard. Includes walkthrough steps, boss fight strategy against Reno, and tips for Aerith's abilities.

Boss Fight -- Reno

• Equip Cloud with the Titanium Bangle, Healing Materia, and HP Up Materia. On his Buster Sword, use the Elemental - Fire pair and Poison Materia in the last slot. Fire is effective against pre-Reno enemies.
• Utilize Cloud's Punisher Mode - Parry ability. Guard initially, then parry Reno's attacks to Pressure him. Unleash Punisher Mode attacks, finishing with Focused Thrust to increase Stagger. Return to guarding.
• When Reno prepares his EM Shot, dodge instead of guarding to avoid being stunned.
• With an ATB bar, cast Bio on Reno when he's between attacks. Lock on and cast quickly as he can dodge.
• Below 50% HP, Reno deploys EM Mines (Lightning damage, can Stun). Avoid them until you have ATB, then use Triple Slash to destroy them.
• Continue guarding, parrying, dodging, and attacking to defeat Reno.

Aerith's Combat Basics

• Aerith excels at Magic and can attack from a distance, compensating for her low Defense.
• Her basic combo is a 5-hit Magic string by pressing Square repeatedly or holding it.
• Triangle attack is Tempest, which can be charged or uncharged. Both regain ATB and increase enemy Stagger/Pressure.
• Uncharged Tempest: Tap Triangle 3 times for 3 Magic hits. Slower than Square attacks.
• Charged Tempest: Hold Triangle until a cloud forms, then release. Deals immediate damage and creates a "blast perimeter" that explodes after a delay, damaging enemies within. Best against low-mobility targets. Can restore up to 80% of an ATB bar if it connects.
• Aerith starts with Soul Drain (costs 1 ATB, damages enemy, restores MP: 3% for normal, 15% for staggered enemies, can interrupt casting) and Arcane Ward.
• Arcane Ward (costs 1 ATB): Creates a "Ward" area. Allies within the Ward casting attacking Magic spells will cast them twice automatically. The Ward lasts 3 minutes, only one can exist at a time, and it only works on Attack spells (Fire, etc.), not Healing or Status spells. The second casting costs MP (approx. 25% of original cost) and has half the power of the first. This provides a 20% bonus in power per MP or a 17% MP discount per damage unit. For example, Thundaga normally costs 22 MP.