Deals a large amount of damage to enemies in the surrounding area while incapacitating self.
Description
Self-Destruct is an enemy ability that can be used with 
Enemy Skill Materia in Final Fantasy VII Remake. It inflicts 
Instant Death on the user, dealing significant damage in the process. Varghidpolises, trypapolises, bombs, and smoggers all use the ability.
Though Self-Destruct is an enemy ability in the original Final Fantasy VII, it cannot be learned on the original's Enemy Skill Materia. However, Self-Destruct is a common Blue Magic throughout the Final Fantasy series.
Obtained[]
Self-Destruct has a chance to be learned after sustaining damage from an enemy's Self-Destruct with the Enemy Skill materia equipped. As this can deal significant damage, it is better used on Cloud or Barret, who are more likely to survive the damage, and should be used at high HP. Sustaining damage from Self-Destruct provides only a chance to learn it, meaning one may need to sustain multiple Self-Destructs.
Self-Destruct is learned from varghidpolises, trypapolises, bombs, and smoggers. Both chapter 8, "Budding Bodyguard", and chapter 14, "In Search of Hope", provide many opportunities to fight a smogger and learn the ability. Beyond this, the enemies can be fought in the Corneo Colosseum or the Shinra Combat Simulator.
Use[]
Self-Destruct can deal immense damage to nearby enemies based on the user's 
Magic. It inflicts both Instant Death and massive damage on the user, likely killing them even if they are immune to Instant Death, meaning that there will need to be ways to revive them, normally with 
Revival Materia. Self-Destruct can also immediately bring up the user's limit break.
One key technique with Self-Destruct is using it on a character with a mastered 
Warding Materia paired with Subversion Materia, and a weapon with Reprieve. This renders them immune to Instant Death and allows them to survive the self-inflicted damage, instantly activating their limit break and dealing significant damage. Pairing it with HP Absorption Materia will also heal the user immediately after inflicting and surviving Self-Destruct. Reprieve only activates once per battle, making this a single-use technique.
Self-Destruct can also be used to deliberately trigger a summon's final attack, as summons make their exit if their summoner is KO'd. It can also be used to stagger many enemies.
To optimize damage from Self-Destruct, multiple 
Magic Up Materia should be equipped. To optimize the ability to activate the limit break, however, HP Up Materia should not be equipped, as the rate a characters' limit gauge fills from taking damage is based on their max HP.