FINAL FANTASY VII（PlayStation）
Recruitment and Limits
Covers when nine characters join, optional recruitment of Yuffie and Vincent, Great Gospel's deadline and learning the main Limits.
Scope: Main scope: original standard Japanese PS version (January 31, 1997); International additions noted separately / Content checked: October 2, 2026
Nine characters: arrival and checks
| Character | First participation | Joining or returning condition | Control feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud | From the beginning | Returns in Mideel after temporarily leaving | Greatswords. Apocalypse is also useful for AP training. |
| Barret | Accompanies you at Mako Reactor No. 1 | Continues after the Sector 7 operation | Distinguish ranged guns from weapons treated as close-range. |
| Tifa | The operation at Mako Reactor No. 5 | Temporarily leaves the party in Mideel | Limits proceed through slots for learned techniques in order. |
| Aerith | Sector 5 church | Regroups at Shinra Building after the rescue | Does not return after the Temple of the Ancients. Training and rare-equipment checks have a deadline. |
| Red XIII | Shinra Building rescue | Joins the battle in Hojo's laboratory | Proceed through Cave of the Gi with him included. |
| Cait Sith | Gold Saucer | Meet him in Wonder Square | Main Limit commands are Dice and Slots. |
| Yuffie | The mysterious ninja in forests | Choose the correct post-battle responses | Optional. She is required for the Wutai side trip. |
| Vincent | Shinra Mansion basement | Safe→key→coffin conversation→turn back from the basement | Optional. Normal commands become unavailable after transforming. |
| Cid | Rocket Town | Palmer battle and obtaining Tiny Bronco | Cid leads for part of the story. Seiryuu Engetsutou is also useful for AP training. |
Yuffie: five consecutive post-victory answers
- Find the mysterious ninja in a forest after Mythril Mine and win the battle. She can also be encountered around Junon.
- Do not inspect the save point in the post-battle scene. Speak to her while she is lying down.
- Choose Not interested→...That's right→Wait a second→...That's right→Let's hurry onward. Do not choose to ask her name.
- If she flees, begin again with another forest encounter. Recruitment is not required for the normal story.
- Even if displayed ellipses differ between editions, choose according to the responses' meaning.
Vincent: safe, key and coffin
- Enter Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim and inspect the second-floor safe. Set right 36→left 10→right 59→right 97, confirming each number. Restart if you pass a target.
- Opening it starts the Lost Number battle. After winning, collect Odin and the safe's basement key.
- Use the basement passage to enter the locked room and discuss Sephiroth at the coffin. Inspect it again and ask who he is.
- Finishing the conversation alone does not recruit him. He follows when you try to return aboveground; confirm that he joins.
- Heal and save before entering the mansion. You cannot open the safe, postpone its boss battle and recruit him alone.
Great Gospel: learn it before entering the temple
- Use Aerith in battles, accumulating her kills and Limit uses. Check that she learns all six main Limits across levels 1–3.
- While riding the buggy, take the ship from Costa del Sol to the Junon side. Cross the river shallows to the old man's hut.
- Check the last two digits of the battle count the old man reports. Receive Mythril when they are 11, 33, 55, 77 or 99. If they do not match, fight nearby to adjust them.
- After obtaining Tiny Bronco, give Mythril to the weaponsmith at his cabin. Open the small safe upstairs for Great Gospel. Do not confuse it with the large box containing a Gold Armlet.
- Use the learning item on Aerith after she learns her other Limits, then check her Limit setting. Keep a save before entering the Temple of the Ancients.
- Merely possessing the item does not teach it. Advice to train her on Disc 2 or later is incorrect.
Distinguish learning main Limits from setting them
- The first Limit of the next level requires the character to kill enemies. Raising experience alone does not teach every Limit.
- Learn the second Limit of a level by repeatedly using that level's first Limit. Set the level you want to learn in the menu.
- Use the final-stage item on its corresponding character after learning their other main Limits. Cait Sith does not use the same type of level 4 item.
- The Fury caused by Stimulants speeds gauge filling but affects attack accuracy. Keep healing supplies and repeat uses against weak enemies.
- Kill and use counts differ between the standard version and International. Fixed counts are withheld because agreement between two source series for the edition-specific list has not been confirmed.
- There are 55 main Limits. The following table contains 54 with matched names. One source-name discrepancy, Ikari no Rakuin versus Ikari no Kokuin, is excluded from the numerical table.
Obtaining eight final-Limit learning items
| Character | Item | Acquisition action |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud | Choukyuu Bushin Hazan | Exchange BP for the prize in Gold Saucer's Battle Square. |
| Barret | Catastrophe | Receive it from a North Corel woman after the Corel operation. |
| Tifa | Final Heaven | After Cloud returns, play the specified notes on Nibelheim's piano. |
| Aerith | Great Gospel | Give Mythril to the weaponsmith and open the small box. |
| Red XIII | Cosmo Memory | Defeat Lost Number in Shinra Mansion. |
| Yuffie | Shinra Banshou | Defeat Godo in the five-floor pagoda. |
| Vincent | Chaos | Visit Lucrecia's shrine with Vincent, then return later. |
| Cid | Highwind | A chest in the Shinra airship sunk on the seabed. |
- Piano notes: ①C→②D→③E→④B→⑤A→⑥C→⑦D→⑧E→⑨G→⑩F→⑪C→⑫D→⑬C. Confirm by the sounding notes even if editions or button settings differ.
Cloud's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braver | One enemy | Known initially |
| 1 | Kyougiri | One enemy | Use Braver repeatedly |
| 2 | Hakougeki | All enemies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 2 | Climb Hazard | One enemy | Use Hakougeki repeatedly |
| 3 | Meteor Rain | All enemies | Repeatedly use "Cloud's enemy kill count reaches a set threshold". The Japanese source wording is unclear here; the unlock condition has not been resolved. |
| 3 | Garyou Tensei | All enemies | Use Meteor Rain repeatedly |
| 4 | Choukyuu Bushin Hazan | All enemies | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
- The target label all also includes techniques whose individual hits strike different targets. It does not guarantee the same number of simultaneous hits on every enemy.
Barret's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heavy Shot | One enemy | Known initially |
| 1 | Mind Break | One enemy | Use Heavy Shot repeatedly |
| 2 | Grenade Bomb | All enemies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 2 | Hammer Blow | One enemy | Use Grenade Bomb repeatedly |
| 3 | Satellite Beam | All enemies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Anger Max | All enemies | Use Satellite Beam repeatedly |
| 4 | Catastrophe | All enemies | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
- The target label all also includes techniques whose individual hits strike different targets. It does not guarantee the same number of simultaneous hits on every enemy.
Tifa's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shouda Rush | One enemy | Known initially |
| 1 | Somersault | One enemy | Use Shouda Rush repeatedly |
| 2 | Suimen Geri | One enemy | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 2 | Meteor Drive | One enemy | Use Suimen Geri repeatedly |
| 3 | Dolphin Blow | One enemy | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Meteor Strike | One enemy | Use Dolphin Blow repeatedly |
| 4 | Final Heaven | One enemy | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
Aerith's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iyashi no Kaze | All allies | Known initially |
| 1 | Jaki Fuuin | All enemies | Use Iyashi no Kaze repeatedly |
| 2 | Daichi no Ibuki | All allies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Hoshi no Shugo | All allies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Seimei no Kodou | All allies | Use Hoshi no Shugo repeatedly |
| 4 | Great Gospel | All allies | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
Red XIII's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sled Fang | One enemy | Known initially |
| 1 | Lunatic High | All allies | Use Sled Fang repeatedly |
| 2 | Blood Fang | One enemy | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 2 | Stardust Ray | All enemies | Use Blood Fang repeatedly |
| 3 | Howling Moon | Self | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Earth Rave | All enemies | Use Howling Moon repeatedly |
| 4 | Cosmo Memory | All enemies | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
Yuffie's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shippuu Jinrai | One enemy | Known initially |
| 1 | Meikyou Shisui | All allies | Use Shippuu Jinrai repeatedly |
| 2 | Batsuzan Gaisei | All enemies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 2 | Chimatsuri | All enemies | Use Batsuzan Gaisei repeatedly |
| 3 | Gaishuu Isshoku | All enemies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Shouja Hitsumetsu | All enemies | Use Gaishuu Isshoku repeatedly |
| 4 | Shinra Banshou | All enemies | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
Cait Sith's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dice | One enemy | Known initially |
| 2 | Slots | Variable | Learned by the character killing enemies |
Vincent's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galian Beast | Variable | Known initially |
| 2 | Death Gigas | Variable | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 3 | Hellmasker | Variable | Repeatedly use "Vincent's enemy kill count reaches a set threshold". The Japanese source wording is unclear here; the unlock condition has not been resolved. |
| 4 | Chaos | Variable | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
Cid's main Limits
| Lv | Technique | Version | Learning type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boost Jump | One enemy | Known initially |
| 1 | Dynamite | All enemies | Use Boost Jump repeatedly |
| 2 | Hyper Jump | All enemies | Learned by the character killing enemies |
| 2 | Dragon Mod | All enemies | Use Hyper Jump repeatedly |
| 3 | Dragon Dive | All enemies | Repeatedly use "Cid's enemy kill count reaches a set threshold". The Japanese source wording is unclear here; the unlock condition has not been resolved. |
| 3 | Dairantou | All enemies | Use Dragon Dive repeatedly |
| 4 | Highwind | All enemies | Learn the other Limits, then use the identically named learning item on its character |
- The target label all also includes techniques whose individual hits strike different targets. It does not guarantee the same number of simultaneous hits on every enemy.