Cloud Strife is the main playable character in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Wielding broadswords, Cloud is a balanced and versatile fighter who can switch fighting styles on the fly to deal with different types of threats. He has well-rounded attributes and is capable of counterattacking enemies with attacks of his own.
Cloud is the party leader on the world map and in the majority of the story, present for every Odd Job sidequest. As the main player character, he can form different relationships with other party members, based on player decisions.
If Cloud is transformed into a toad, he appears as a green toad with a miniature buster sword on his back regardless of the sword he currently has equipped.
Cloud's moveset changed from his Final Fantasy VII Remake gameplay, namely in adding projectiles to certain basic attacks and in changing his combat modes. Cloud also gains new moves based on his original Final Fantasy VII appearance.
Battle[]
Cloud is a primarily melee fighter with a new ability to shoot magic sword beams after dodging and attacking. His melee attacks have a wide area-of-effect and can hit multiple enemies at once. Cloud's skillset also includes many ways to counter opponent attacks, similar to Red XIII (albeit to a lesser extent). His main strength is his adaptability and versatility: his durability is similar to that of Red XIII and Barret, his physical attack is just below that of Cait Sith and Tifa, and his magic damage is just below Cait Sith and Aerith.
Cloud's unique ability and mechanic is switching mid-battle between Operator Mode and Punisher Mode. Punisher Mode (heavily altered from Remake) gives him stronger attacks more focused on single or clustered targets as well as the ability to counter melee attacks, but limits movement and renders him unable to guard against ranged attacks. Operator Mode gives him much more movement, and the ability to perform ranged attacks by attacking immediately after dodging (which will automatically cancel out of Punisher Mode).
Cloud's basic attacks are a combo of five hits, where the fourth upward slash can hit smaller enemies up into the air. Cloud also retains a different attack by holding the attack button depending on mode: in Punisher Mode, this is a stronger attack that causes him to temporarily enter 
Berserk, and in Operator Mode, this is a longer attack that causes Cloud to swoop in and hit in an area (which in Rebirth can group enemies together).
Another change in Rebirth is the incorporation of parry directly into Cloud's core moveset: when Cloud performs a dodge roll, it will deal minor damage to an enemy that passes him.[note 1] Pressing attack a fair distance from an enemy has Cloud dash to his target to start attacking. Dodging into holding attack will perform a slash that sends Cloud airborne. Repeatedly attacking in the air keeps the enemy airborne if it is light enough. Holding attack in the air will cause Cloud to close in on an enemy. Entering Punisher Mode while airborne will perform a slash towards the ground.
Attributes[]
Cloud's attributes are balanced, allowing him to fulfill multiple roles depending on need and player preference. He has the third-highest 
Strength below Tifa and Cait Sith, and the third-highest 
Magic below Aerith and Cait Sith (just above Yuffie on both counts, and just above Red XIII in strength). This means Cloud can be built toward attacking on either or both fronts depending on need.
Having the third-highest HP below Barret and Red XIII, the third-highest 
Vitality below Red XIII and Barret, and third-highest 
Spirit below Red XIII and Aerith, Cloud is also highly durable. This makes him a viable alternative for both tanking damage away or countering attacks, allowing him to fulfill a very defensive role if needed.
Equipment[]
Cloud wields large swords. His default weapon is the 
Buster Sword, a versatile weapon that increases his 
Attack Power and 
Magic Attack equally and has varied weapon skills. Most of Cloud's weapons allow him to specialize in one role or the other, with the exception of Umbral Blade, which is versatile like the buster sword, but has weapon skills based on Cloud's durability.
Of weapons that specialize Cloud as a physical attacker, Igneous Saber has the largest boost to Cloud's attack power, but a much smaller magic attack boost. Sleek Saber also does so but with less of a sacrifice to Cloud's magic attack, and with weapon skills that boost Cloud's ATB building. Because most of Cloud's abilities are physical attacks, specializing Cloud this way can be worthwhile, while his larger MP pool can be used to give Cloud supporting magic abilities rather than specifically attacks.
The rest of Cloud's weapons lean toward spellcasting. Rune Blade has the largest magic attack boost and several MP-boosting abilities, but sacrifices his physical damage heavily. Slipstream Saber also leans toward magic damage and grants MP-boosting abilities, but with a smaller magic attack boost and less of a sacrifice to attack power, allowing Cloud to remain versatile. Crystal Sword boosts Cloud's magic attack greatly, and still provides decent attack power, but its weapon skills are more based on critical hit damage boosts. Cloud's natural magic stat and MP pool make him a very strong candidate as a spellcaster, but may somewhat waste his mostly physical-based abilities in counterattacks if he is specialized too heavily this way.
For Cloud's accessories, he should equip whichever accessory boosts the stat of his playstyle. With how he uses weapon abilities often in battle, the 
Speed Demon Keychain helps boost his ATB building in doing so, as he does not build ATB as quickly as party members such as Tifa or Yuffie. In armor, Cloud should prioritize materia slots over defensive stats, due to his naturally high defensive stats and his reliance on materia for all playstyles.
Abilities[]
Braver.
Cloud's abilities are normally melee attacks from his sword, but have some variety. The vast majority of his abilities deal physical damage and are based on his attack power. His starting abilities are Braver and Triple Slash, both returning from Remake. Braver deals great damage to a single target or cluster of enemies, while Triple Slash spreads its damage across three enemies, also making Cloud mobile, but each slash deals less damage against one target.
Cloud has two other straightforward melee abilities, both returning from Remake. Focused Thrust, learned early, causes Cloud to forward thrust, and will deal minimal damage but will greatly increase an opponent's stagger gauge (particularly if pressured). Infinity's End however, is a slow ability that costs two ATB charges, but deals immense damage against a staggered opponent. This can be in the tens of thousands when Cloud has Genji Gloves equipped.
Disorder.
Many of CLoud's abilities fit his playstyle as a counterattacking party member with his Punisher Mode. Disorder is a melee attack that will instantly switch modes when used, allowing Cloud to shave some animation time if intending to switch. Counterstance causes Cloud to guard against an attack, and after receiving one, unleash a significant attack of his own. New to Rebirth, Prime Mode costs an ATB charge to grant Cloud a more powerful version of Punisher Mode.
Cloud's remaining abilities are different attacks. Blade Burst deals non-elemental magic damage in a medium range in front of him, which can be beneficial if Cloud is built toward magic damage. New to Rebirth are Firebolt Blade and Aerial Onslaught. The former is a melee attack that deals both 
Fire and 
Lightning in an attack. The latter is an ability Cloud unlocks from his folio, deals several powerful hits but is only usable while Cloud is airborne.
Synergy abilities[]
Cloud can perform various synergy abilities with each of his party members. Performing a synergy command with a party member for the first time improves the pair's relationship scores, used to determine Cloud's date for chapter 12, "A Golden Key". Cloud's versatility allows him to benefit from synergy abilities in a number of ways.
United Refocus allows Cloud to build and consume ATB much more quickly. This can benefit any of his roles, either as a supporting or attacking party member to allow him to perform abilities more quickly.
Cloud can increase stagger time of opponents with Relentless Rush or Halcyon Descent. His Infinity's End can take advantage of a staggered opponent, but otherwise he is not specifically geared to taking advantage of staggered foes anymore than any other party member.
Cloud's limit breaks are all physical damage abilities. If Cloud is built this way, using Partners in Pain, Savage Assault, Maelstrom Strike, or SOLDIER Moogle Class allows him to unlock stronger limit breaks, improving a great source of damage output for him.
Cloud's strong magic stats and MP make him an effective spellcaster, both in a supporting role or offensive role based on build. However, using Synchro Cyclone, Firework Blade, or Curiosity's End can grant temporary unlimited MP to allow him to use these spells even more freely.
Synergy skills[]
| Type | Name | Partners |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive | Bullet Batter |  Barret Wallace
|
| Howling Smash |  Red XIII
| |
| Power Cleave |  Tifa Lockhart,  Cait Sith
| |
| Spell Blade |  Aerith Gainsborough,  Yuffie Kisaragi
| |
| Defensive | Counterfire |  Sephiroth, Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, Red XIII, Yuffie Kisaragi, Cait Sith,  Zack Fair
|
Cloud has the largest number of different synergy skills he can perform with synergy partners. As with synergy abilities, using them will increase his relationship score with other party members.
Counterfire is Cloud's defensive skill. Cloud cannot parry ranged attacks alone, but can do so via Counterfire, allowing him to reflect ranged attacks with the right timing.
Cloud's offensive synergy skills, are simpler. They allow him to team up with a party member to do damage and build ATB for both. Bullet Batter and Howling Smash both perform three-hit combos, while Power Cleave and Spell Blade require Cloud to charge up a synergy skill as a stronger attack before unleashed.
Materia[]
Just like in Remake, Cloud starts out with a 
Fire Materia to cast 
Fire spells. He also has an 
Assess Materia to find out the enemies affinities, as well the chocobo & moogle summon, which deals 
Wind damage with the chocobo and non elemental damage with moogle.
Given Cloud's balanced stats and weapon variety, he can be built as either a pure physical fighter or spellcaster, as well a mix of both, providing him exceptional versatility at any stage of the game.
Cloud is one of the best beneficiaries of the 
Elemental Materia in both senses. This is because his balanced stats make him strong as a spellcaster and fighter, where pairing elemental materia on a weapon can exploit opponents' elemental weaknesses. Similarly, as a durable party member who likes to counterattack, it can be paired with a materia on a piece of armor to make Cloud more durable.
As a physical fighter, a potent materia for Cloud is the Enemy Skill Materia due to the Plasma Discharge ability, which can be learned early. Once activated, this ability passively generates an area-of-effect Lightning blast around the user whenever they generate ATB. In normal battles and surrounded by various enemies, this allows Cloud to quickly trigger explosions, thanks to wide arc of his attacks. This build can be further improved with the Speed Demon keychain, which refunds ATB from abilities, as well the ATB Charge Up skill, which increases ATB generated from all actions. By equipping the Steal Materia and using Mug, which refunds a large portion of ATB whenever used, even if the player did not steal an item, Cloud can continuously use Mug while under the effects of Plasma Discharge, making it very effective for boss battles. The Darkside Materia and can be used to further increase the potency of this build, while the HP Absorption Materia can be linked to the enemy skill materia or steal materia to provide self-sustain, allowing Cloud to constantly heal himself from the Plasma Discharge bursts or from using Mug. While this build is effective during pretty much the entire game, the major downsides is that it will be ineffective against enemies that are immune to lightning, and Mug does not generate charges for synergy abilities.
As a spellcaster, a powerful combination is equipping the two available Petrify Materia, as well Poison and Petrify Materia, linked to Magic Focus Materia, Magnify Materia, and MP Absorption Materia; with this setup, plus the 
Magic Up Materia while wielding the Rune Blade, a single cast Quakera or Quaga will deal devastating damage. This build is highly effective for normal battles, excelling on Hard Mode, as well for post-game AP farming.
For durability, Cloud benefits from Steadfast Block Materia and Precision Defense Focus Materia due to how often he will be guarding and counterattacking, as both play into his Punisher Mode role well.
As with all party members, First Strike Materia can be useful to provide him a significant boost to ATB right at the start of the battle, which allows Cloud to open with Triple Slash for normal battles. Cloud can easily stagger enemies through Focused Thrust, which makes him a good candidate for the ATB Stagger Materia. The Skill Master Materia can also benefit him when using a variety of abilities in battle.
As Cloud is both a good spellcaster and a physical attacker, he can benefit from the 
Gilgamesh Materia, which gives a balanced buff to both physical and magical attack power, as well as a small buff to HP.
Limit breaks[]
Cloud has three Limit Breaks, the third of which is unlocked through the skill tree in his folio. His initial Limit Breaks are Cross-Slash and Ascension. Both function the same as they do in Remake. Late into the game, he can also learn Finishing Touch, where he spawns a tornado to deal immense damage to enemies in a wide area.
Quests[]
Cloud is the main playable character for most of the game, with a few portions where he is unavailable, such as when crossing the mountains in Corel where Yuffie takes over. The player does not need to use him in their battle line-up in battle arena battles, and when playing though chapter select, but Cloud is usually the one being controlled on the field.
Notes[]
- ↑ Cloud's new dodge attack is based on the
Deadly Dodge Materia from Final Fantasy VII Remake, with the added affect of launching homing projectiles by pressing the attack button after the dodge.