Tifa (Final Fantasy VII party member)

Tifa
ティファ (Tifa?)
Portraits
Gameplay details
Type	Party member
Ultimate Limit	Final Heaven
Weapon	Knuckles
Ultimate weapon	Premium Heart

Tifa is a playable party member in Final Fantasy VII. She fights with kicks and punches, and has a unique Limit Break input via slot reels, which deals multiple physical attacks. Her weaponry includes unique weapons whose power depends on how many status ailments she is afflicted with, and her ultimate weapon, the Premium Heart, deals damage based on the fullness of her Limit gauge. Tifa's high Strength and multi-hit Limit make her best built towards physical damage.

Tifa briefly acts as the party leader after the party leaves the North Crater the first time. A hidden affection mechanic with Cloud determines whether she can go on a date with him during a scene in "Secret Date", and which version of a scene plays toward the end of the game. Two of the Gold Saucer minigames can be played by Tifa in Cloud's stead if she is in the party.

Battle

Victory pose.

Tifa relies on her martial arts techniques and her stats are designed around the Monk character class from previous Final Fantasy games; thus her physical stats are better than her magic stats, and she equips claw and glove type weapons. She has lower HP growth than other characters, but her Strength growth gives her the third-highest potential Strength of any character (behind only Cloud and Barret). Her victory pose is to stretch her arms and back.

Stats

When joining the party, Tifa's starting level is given by the following formula:

$\frac{CloudLevel + BarretLevel}{2} - 2$

LV	Exp	HP	MP	Strength	Dexterity	Vitality	Magic	Spirit	Luck	+
1	0	219	16	11	7	11	11	10	14
2	6	228 - 239	17 - 22	11 - 13	7 - 9	11 - 13	11 - 13	10 - 12	14 - 16
3	33	243 - 258	26 - 28	11 - 15	7 - 11	11 - 15	11 - 15	10 - 14	14 - 17
4	94	260 - 277	32 - 34	12 - 17	8 - 13	12 - 17	12 - 17	11 - 16	14 - 18
5	202	279 - 296	38 - 40	13 - 18	9 - 14	13 - 18	13 - 18	12 - 17	14 - 19
6	372	296 - 315	43 - 46	14 - 19	9 - 15	14 - 19	14 - 19	13 - 18	14 - 20
7	616	315 - 334	49 - 52	15 - 20	10 - 16	15 - 20	15 - 20	14 - 19	14 - 20
8	949	332 - 353	55 - 58	16 - 21	11 - 17	16 - 21	16 - 22	15 - 20	14 - 20
9	1384	351 - 372	60 - 64	17 - 22	12 - 18	17 - 22	17 - 23	16 - 21	14 - 20
10	1934	368 - 391	66 - 70	18 - 24	13 - 19	18 - 23	18 - 24	17 - 23	14 - 21
11	2614	385 - 410	72 - 76	19 - 25	13 - 20	19 - 24	19 - 25	18 - 24	14 - 21
12	3588	430 - 455	79 - 84	20 - 26	14 - 21	20 - 25	20 - 26	19 - 25	14 - 21
13	4610	468 - 496	86 - 91	21 - 27	15 - 22	21 - 27	21 - 27	20 - 26	14 - 21
14	5809	502 - 534	92 - 98	22 - 29	16 - 23	22 - 28	22 - 28	21 - 27	14 - 21
15	7200	536 - 572	99 - 105	23 - 30	17 - 24	23 - 29	23 - 29	22 - 29	14 - 21
16	8797	574 - 610	106 - 112	24 - 31	18 - 25	24 - 30	24 - 30	23 - 30	14 - 21
17	10614	608 - 648	112 - 119	26 - 33	19 - 26	25 - 31	25 - 32	24 - 31	14 - 21
18	12665	646 - 686	119 - 126	27 - 34	20 - 27	26 - 32	26 - 33	25 - 32	14 - 21
19	14965	680 - 724	125 - 133	28 - 35	21 - 28	27 - 33	27 - 34	26 - 33	14 - 21
20	17528	718 - 762	132 - 140	30 - 37	22 - 29	28 - 34	28 - 35	28 - 35	15 - 22
21	20368	752 - 800	139 - 147	31 - 38	22 - 29	29 - 35	29 - 36	29 - 36	15 - 22
22	24161	835 - 896	147 - 155	32 - 39	23 - 30	30 - 37	31 - 38	30 - 37	15 - 22
23	27694	899 - 960	156 - 164	34 - 41	24 - 31	31 - 38	32 - 39	32 - 39	15 - 22
24	31555	956 - 1024	163 - 172	35 - 42	25 - 32	32 - 39	33 - 40	33 - 40	15 - 22
25	35759	1020 - 1088	172 - 181	37 - 44	26 - 33	33 - 40	34 - 41	34 - 41	15 - 22
26	40321	1077 - 1152	179 - 189	38 - 45	27 - 34	34 - 41	35 - 42	35 - 42	15 - 22
27	45255	1141 - 1216	187 - 197	40 - 47	28 - 35	36 - 43	36 - 43	36 - 43	15 - 22
28	50576	1198 - 1280	195 - 206	41 - 48	29 - 36	37 - 44	37 - 44	38 - 45	15 - 22
29	56299	1262 - 1344	203 - 214	43 - 50	30 - 37	38 - 45	39 - 46	39 - 46	15 - 22
30	62438	1319 - 1408	211 - 223	44 - 51	31 - 38	39 - 46	40 - 47	40 - 47	16 - 23
31	69008	1383 - 1472	219 - 231	45 - 52	32 - 39	40 - 47	41 - 48	41 - 48	16 - 23
32	77066	1469 - 1558	228 - 240	47 - 54	33 - 40	41 - 48	42 - 49	43 - 50	16 - 23
33	84643	1555 - 1654	238 - 251	49 - 56	34 - 41	42 - 49	43 - 50	44 - 51	16 - 23
34	92701	1641 - 1750	246 - 260	50 - 57	35 - 42	43 - 50	44 - 51	45 - 52	17 - 24
35	101255	1737 - 1846	256 - 271	51 - 58	36 - 43	44 - 51	45 - 52	47 - 54	17 - 24
36	110320	1823 - 1942	264 - 280	52 - 59	37 - 44	45 - 52	46 - 53	48 - 55	17 - 24
37	119910	1919 - 2038	273 - 289	53 - 60	38 - 45	46 - 53	47 - 54	49 - 56	17 - 24
38	130040	2005 - 2134	282 - 300	54 - 61	39 - 46	48 - 55	48 - 55	50 - 57	17 - 24
39	140725	2101 - 2230	291 - 309	55 - 62	40 - 47	49 - 56	49 - 56	51 - 58	17 - 24
40	151980	2187 - 2326	300 - 319	57 - 64	41 - 48	50 - 57	50 - 57	53 - 60	17 - 24
41	163820	2283 - 2422	309 - 328	58 - 65	42 - 49	51 - 58	51 - 58	54 - 61	17 - 24
42	178647	2404 - 2555	319 - 339	58 - 65	43 - 50	52 - 59	52 - 59	55 - 62	18 - 25
43	191877	2525 - 2688	328 - 350	58 - 65	44 - 51	53 - 60	53 - 60	56 - 63	18 - 25
44	205744	2646 - 2809	338 - 360	59 - 66	45 - 52	54 - 61	54 - 61	57 - 64	18 - 25
45	220264	2754 - 2930	349 - 371	60 - 67	46 - 53	55 - 62	55 - 62	58 - 65	19 - 26
46	235451	2875 - 3051	359 - 381	61 - 68	46 - 53	56 - 63	56 - 63	59 - 66	19 - 26
47	251321	2983 - 3172	368 - 391	62 - 69	47 - 54	57 - 64	57 - 64	60 - 67	19 - 26
48	267888	3104 - 3293	377 - 402	63 - 70	48 - 55	58 - 65	58 - 65	61 - 68	19 - 26
49	285168	3212 - 3414	387 - 412	64 - 71	49 - 56	59 - 66	59 - 66	62 - 69	19 - 26
50	303175	3333 - 3535	398 - 423	65 - 72	50 - 57	60 - 67	60 - 67	63 - 70	19 - 26
51	321925	3441 - 3656	408 - 433	66 - 73	50 - 57	61 - 68	61 - 68	64 - 71	19 - 26
52	341432	3572 - 3800	417 - 443	67 - 74	51 - 58	61 - 68	62 - 69	65 - 72	20 - 27
53	361712	3703 - 3944	426 - 454	67 - 74	51 - 58	62 - 69	63 - 70	66 - 73	20 - 27
54	382779	3834 - 4075	436 - 464	68 - 75	52 - 59	62 - 69	64 - 71	67 - 74	20 - 27
55	404649	3965 - 4206	447 - 475	69 - 76	53 - 60	63 - 70	65 - 72	68 - 75	20 - 27
56	427336	4096 - 4337	457 - 485	70 - 77	53 - 60	63 - 70	65 - 72	69 - 76	20 - 27
57	450856	4213 - 4468	466 - 495	70 - 77	54 - 61	64 - 71	66 - 73	69 - 76	20 - 27
58	475223	4344 - 4599	477 - 506	71 - 78	55 - 62	64 - 71	67 - 74	70 - 77	20 - 27
59	500453	4461 - 4730	486 - 516	72 - 79	55 - 62	65 - 72	67 - 74	71 - 78	20 - 27
60	526560	4592 - 4861	495 - 527	73 - 80	56 - 63	66 - 73	68 - 75	72 - 79	21 - 28
61	553560	4709 - 4992	505 - 537	73 - 80	57 - 64	66 - 73	69 - 76	72 - 79	21 - 28
62	581467	4814 - 5109	513 - 546	74 - 81	57 - 64	67 - 74	69 - 76	73 - 80	21 - 28
63	610297	4919 - 5226	522 - 555	75 - 82	57 - 64	68 - 75	70 - 77	74 - 81	21 - 28
64	640064	5024 - 5343	530 - 564	76 - 83	57 - 64	68 - 75	70 - 77	75 - 82	21 - 28
65	670784	5141 - 5460	540 - 574	76 - 83	57 - 64	69 - 76	71 - 78	75 - 82	21 - 28
66	702471	5246 - 5577	548 - 583	77 - 84	57 - 64	69 - 76	71 - 78	76 - 83	21 - 28
67	735141	5363 - 5694	557 - 592	77 - 84	58 - 65	69 - 76	71 - 78	76 - 83	21 - 28
68	768808	5468 - 5811	565 - 601	77 - 84	58 - 65	70 - 77	72 - 79	77 - 84	21 - 28
69	803488	5573 - 5928	574 - 610	78 - 85	58 - 65	70 - 77	72 - 79	77 - 84	21 - 28
70	839195	5690 - 6045	583 - 620	78 - 85	58 - 65	70 - 77	72 - 79	78 - 85	22 - 29
71	875945	5795 - 6162	592 - 629	79 - 86	59 - 66	71 - 78	73 - 80	79 - 86	22 - 29
72	913752	5912 - 6279	600 - 638	79 - 86	59 - 66	71 - 78	73 - 80	79 - 86	22 - 29
73	952632	6017 - 6396	609 - 647	80 - 87	59 - 66	71 - 78	74 - 81	80 - 87	22 - 29
74	992599	6134 - 6513	617 - 656	80 - 87	59 - 66	71 - 78	74 - 81	80 - 87	22 - 29
75	1033669	6239 - 6630	626 - 666	81 - 88	60 - 67	72 - 79	74 - 81	81 - 88	22 - 29
76	1075856	6356 - 6747	635 - 675	81 - 88	60 - 67	72 - 79	75 - 82	81 - 88	22 - 29
77	1119176	6461 - 6864	643 - 684	81 - 88	60 - 67	72 - 79	75 - 82	82 - 89	22 - 29
78	1163643	6578 - 6981	652 - 693	82 - 89	61 - 68	73 - 80	75 - 82	82 - 89	22 - 29
79	1209273	6683 - 7098	660 - 702	82 - 89	61 - 68	73 - 80	76 - 83	83 - 90	22 - 29
80	1256080	6788 - 7215	670 - 712	83 - 90	61 - 68	73 - 80	76 - 83	84 - 91	23 - 30
81	1304080	6905 - 7332	678 - 721	83 - 90	61 - 68	74 - 81	76 - 83	84 - 91	23 - 30
82	1371319	6997 - 7433	685 - 728	84 - 91	61 - 68	74 - 81	77 - 84	84 - 91	23 - 30
83	1422421	7089 - 7534	691 - 735	84 - 91	61 - 68	74 - 81	77 - 84	84 - 91	23 - 30
84	1474777	7181 - 7635	698 - 742	85 - 92	61 - 68	75 - 82	78 - 85	84 - 91	23 - 30
85	1528402	7273 - 7736	706 - 750	85 - 92	61 - 68	75 - 82	78 - 85	84 - 91	23 - 30
86	1583312	7365 - 7837	712 - 757	85 - 92	62 - 69	75 - 82	78 - 85	84 - 91	23 - 30
87	1639521	7457 - 7929	719 - 764	85 - 92	62 - 69	75 - 82	79 - 86	84 - 91	23 - 30
88	1697045	7549 - 8021	725 - 771	86 - 93	62 - 69	76 - 83	79 - 86	84 - 91	23 - 30
89	1755899	7641 - 8113	732 - 778	86 - 93	62 - 69	76 - 83	79 - 86	85 - 92	23 - 30
90	1816098	7733 - 8205	740 - 786	86 - 93	62 - 69	76 - 83	80 - 87	85 - 92	23 - 30
91	1877658	7825 - 8297	746 - 793	87 - 94	63 - 70	76 - 83	80 - 87	86 - 93	23 - 30
92	1940593	7907 - 8389	753 - 800	87 - 94	63 - 70	77 - 84	80 - 87	86 - 93	23 - 30
93	2004919	7999 - 8481	759 - 807	87 - 94	63 - 70	77 - 84	80 - 87	86 - 93	23 - 30
94	2070651	8081 - 8573	766 - 814	88 - 95	63 - 70	77 - 84	81 - 88	87 - 94	23 - 30
95	2137804	8173 - 8665	774 - 822	88 - 95	63 - 70	77 - 84	81 - 88	87 - 94	23 - 30
96	2206394	8255 - 8757	780 - 829	88 - 95	64 - 71	78 - 85	81 - 88	88 - 95	23 - 30
97	2276435	8347 - 8849	787 - 836	89 - 96	64 - 71	78 - 85	82 - 89	88 - 95	23 - 30
98	2347943	8429 - 8941	793 - 843	89 - 96	64 - 71	78 - 85	82 - 89	89 - 96	23 - 30
99	2420933	8521 - 9033	800 - 850	89 - 96	64 - 71	78 - 85	82 - 89	89 - 96	23 - 30

Equipment

Premium Heart, Tifa's ultimate weapon

Main article: Tifa's knuckles

Tifa joins the party with the Leather Glove and a Bronze Bangle equipped. The Leather Glove has minor stats, a single Materia slot, and like most of her weapons, provides a +2% critical hit rate. She can quickly replace this with the Metal Knuckle. Bronze Bangle has no Materia slots and only a minor boost to Defense.

Only a handful of Tifa's knuckles have higher-than-average stats, but those that do are exceptional. The God's Hand has 255% Accuracy, meaning Tifa will never miss. This is particularly useful when using the D.blow ability, as it largely negates the Accuracy penalty from D.blow, allowing a near-guaranteed critical hit. Another is her ultimate weapon, the Premium Heart, which grows stronger as Tifa's Limit gauge fills; though this is an unreliable mechanic as her damage is reduced when her Limit gauge is low, at max it can become very potent. Both weapons also boost her magic power significantly.

Two of Tifa's weapons do not provide above average strength by default, but have the potential to deal damage on par with an ultimate weapon due to mechanics that stack multiplicatively. The first of these is Master Fist, whose damage output doubles for each status ailment Tifa is under while it is equipped, and outclasses several final weapons if Tifa has numerous ailments afflicting her. One way to manipulate this is by giving her the Curse Ring to give her a Death-sentence at the start of battle to benefit from the attack boost, and applying other negative statuses will stack multiplicatively. Regular battles can usually be easily won under the timer, but the player can also equip her with Odin+Added Effect in armor to immunize her against the instant death effect. When stacked multiplicatively, Master Fist can raise her power up to a point of dealing 9999 damage even at low stats or a low level.

The second is Powersoul similarly doubles in power if Tifa is near death, and quadruples in power when she is under Death-sentence. Combined, she can deal eight times normal damage, exceeding many final weapons. The Powersoul is also one of her three weapons to provide double AP growth (along with the Motor Drive and Platinum Fist), making her one of the best characters for Materia grinding. Once again, equipping her with Curse Ring allows her to start with Death-sentence, though it has an even greater boost for Powersoul than it does for Master Fist. Using the Cover Materia with another party member helps to protect her from being hit when in critical health.

Tifa can equip the female-only armor, Minerva Band. In addition to having many Materia slots and providing high-end stat boosts, Minerva Band nullifies damage from Fire, Ice, Holy, and Gravity elements.

Limit Breaks

Tifa's Limit Break Somersault.

Main article: Tifa's Limits

Tifa's Limit Breaks are unlike most Final Fantasy VII characters': instead of selecting a move from a list, Tifa's Limit Breaks consist of consecutively hitting the opponent with each move adding on to the previous. The reels upgrade according to her Limit level. Each move deals physical damage to a random opponent. The Limits are selected through a slot process: Each time the reel stops at "Hit" the attack connects and does the normal damage of that attack. When the reels hit "Yeah!" damage is doubled, but each time it hits "Miss", the attack is not performed. The player stops the reel, and later skills have "Yeah!" harder to hit and surrounded by "Miss".

Her Limit allows hit to deal multiple physical hits, up to seven in a turn, all of which deal greater damage than a normal attack even after a "Hit". This makes her a capable physical attacker in the hands of a player who masters the slot mechanic, as hitting multiple "Yeah!"s can deal immense physical damage to a target. Because her ultimate weapon relies on her Limit gauge, Tifa should be performing her Limit often. The main drawback, aside from potential to miss, is that due to the 9999 damage limit, Tifa is only able to perform seven 9999 hits at best.

Tifa's Limit abilities are Beat Rush, Somersault, Waterkick, Meteodrive, Dolphin Blow, Meteor Strike, and Final Heaven. Meteodrive and Meteor Strike are based on the Meteor Strike ability from Final Fantasy VI usable by Sabin (another Monk), while the rest of her moves were originally used by her. The slot process through which her Limits are selected is similar to the Slot skill from Final Fantasy VI also. Tifa's abilities have made several appearances throughout the series beyond her appearance in Final Fantasy VII; for instance, she uses many of her Limits in Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children in the battle against Loz. Several of her moves have been used for her other appearances throughout the Final Fantasy series, while others have been replicated by other characters; notably, Dolphin Blow is an ability usable by Zell from Final Fantasy VIII (also a Monk).

Beat Rush.

Waterkick.

Meteodrive.

Dolphin Blow.

Meteor Strike.

Final Heaven.

Materia

Tifa using Deathblow.

When Tifa initially joins the party, she has no Materia equipped. At this stage, her damage is weaker than that of Cloud and Barret. Thus it is a good idea to equip her with offensive Magic Materia, such as Fire, Ice, or Lightning to compensate, allowing her to still keep up.

As Tifa gains a few levels, and once she gains her second Limit, Tifa is more built towards physical damage from that point onward. She is best off equipping Command Materia that relies on her Strength stat, as Magic Materia will only reduce Strength and relies on her less useful Magic stat. Tifa also benefits from Independent Materia, especially Counter Attack, which allows her to get in more attacks against an enemy. Among useful Command Materia for her are Deathblow, which allows her to use the D.blow ability, which works extremely well with one of her later weapons, God's Hand. As a melee attacker, Tifa can also benefit from Long Range, allowing her to remain in the back row, and hit otherwise out-of-reach targets.

Tifa using Slash-All.

Cover can be paired effectively with Counter Attack to allow her to counter more often and fill her Limit gauge, which is crucial to her damage. Tifa can also equip multiple Counter Attack Materia; these give her a chance to perform an attack for each Counter Attack equipped, and if mastered, this will be guaranteed and allows her to hit several times after receiving an attack. To sustain the damage, she can also make use of HP Plus, or pair the HP Absorb Support Materia with a Command Materia. Another effective Independent Materia for Tifa is Mega All, which allows her to hit all enemies with physical attacks of Command abilities.

Particularly useful Command Materia for her include Steal (which at level 2 grants the Mug for a physical attack), Deathblow, Slash-All, and Double Cut. Because she benefits from all Command Materia abilities, Tifa is a great candidate for the Master Command Materia.

Quests

As party member

Tifa joins the party in "To the No. 5 Reactor," alongside Barret and Cloud, as they travel to the No. 5 Reactor to destroy it. Following this chapter, she leaves the party until "Prevent the Fall of the Plate". From then on she remains in the party lineup until the battle with Sample:H0512 where the player can choose her or Barret for the battle. She is in the party after the battle until reaching floor 70. From the Motor Ball battle on, she is a permanent optional party member up until descending into North Crater where she will become a mandatory party member. At the start of Act 3, "Turmoil", she becomes the party leader briefly before exiting the party.

Tifa returns as a regular party member in Act 4, "Decisive Battle," and remains an optional party member until the rest of the game.

Tifa in her Wall Market outfit.

Tifa dressed in her guide outfit.

Tifa as a guide wielding the Masamune.

Young Tifa model.

Tifa wearing a parachute backpack.

As party leader

Tifa becomes the party leader in Act 3, "Turmoil", which occurs after Cloud temporarily leaves the party after the events at the Northern Cave. Tifa can do anything Cloud could as a party leader, but there are some dialogue changes. For example, Yuffie's dialogue changes if either Tifa or Cid are the party leaders when recruiting her in Final Fantasy VII. She calls Tifa "Boobs". Tifa can recruit Vincent or Yuffie, and do the sidequest "Homecoming of a Miserable Daughter". There are some unique lines if the player retrieves the Megalixir from a cupboard in Kalm as Tifa, or inspects the lights in the houses in Forgotten Capital.

Tifa has two unique sidequests: playing the piano in her old room in Nibelheim during the time she is leader will get an Elemental Materia, and she has a Condor War battle available during her time as leader. Due to Tifa being the first leader with control of the Highwind in "A Shocking Reunion", she is the first who can visit:

• The Cactus Island and morph the Cactuer for Tetra Elemental.
• The Goblin Islands and steal Zeio Nuts from the Goblin and receive their Goblin Punch enemy skill.
• Chocobo Sage's House for his shop and the final Enemy Skill Materia.
• Mideel, which has shops and sidequests for the Contain Materia, the Curse Ring, and an Elixir.

Various locations change at this point. Tifa has slightly different dialogue to Cloud, including different responses. Most of the options are the same, though in Fort Condor, Tifa will automatically help them and has no option to refuse. In addition:

• The Great Glacier cannot be entered, and the player cannot snowboard at the Icicle Inn.
• The Gold Saucer cannot be entered, and the Ropeway Station's save point disappears.
• Most of the shops in Lower Junon, Upper Junon, Fort Condor, Costa del Sol, and Rocket Town get new wares.
• The back of the Cosmo Canyon Item Store opens up access to the Full Cure Materia and a Magic Source.
• The Chocobo Farm Chocobo Lure Materia becomes available at the Chocobo Farm, and most significantly, the player gains the ability to buy stables at the Chocobo Farm. This allows the player to catch and breed Chocobos. Since the player cannot race Chocobos, breeding the better Chocobos requires luck with or manipulation of RNG.
• In Nibelheim, if Cloud "jammed on" the piano during "The Tragedy of Five Years Ago", Tifa can play the piano for an Elemental Materia.

With higher tier Chocobos, the player can also access the Materia Caves and the Ancient Forest. The player can access a secret waterfal cave, but the events there cannot trigger while Tifa (or Cid) is party leader.

Because the final Enemy Skill Materia can be first earned while Tifa is party leader, in an efficient playthrough this is also the earliest time to start collecting the skills to master all four Materia. If the player attempts this, they would have to have left the Wutai Pagoda sidequest incomplete to earn the missable Trine from Godo.

Minigames

Two of the Gold Saucer minigames can be played by Tifa in Cloud's stead if she is in the party: Snowboarding and Chocobo Racing. She will sometimes ask Cloud if she can have a go when the player chooses to play. If Tifa and Cid are both in the party, Tifa will take precedence. Tifa and Cid are the party leaders during the time Cloud is lost, but during this time Gold Saucer is closed and Tifa and Cid can only play the games by asking Cloud.

Snowboarding minigame.

Model for Chocobo Racing.

Interactions

Date mechanics

Tifa on a date with Cloud.

Main article: Date mechanics (Final Fantasy VII)

The party member who takes Cloud on a date during the party's second plot-related visit to Gold Saucer is decided by a hidden value in the game determined by the player's dialogue and party member choices. Depending on the player's choices, Cloud may go on a date with Aeris, Tifa, Yuffie, or even Barret.

How each character is chosen is based upon a hidden value in the game's code, which cannot be viewed without hacking. Tifa starts with the second-highest value, at 30, after Aeris, who starts with 50.

Near the end of the game, Tifa's affection value determines the scene under the Highwind; to get the more "romantic" scene, she requires a value of 50 or more.

Unique scenes

If the party Cloud chooses when exiting Midgar features Barret and Red XIII, Aeris and Tifa will comment on the unexpected combination.

When the party first enters Costa del Sol and goes to the beach, Tifa and Aeris are found there if they are not in the current party (if they are, they will join back up with Cloud). Two guys to the left are looking to pick up girls, and if both are not in the party they will discuss which of the two they want. If one or both are in the party, the guys will comment about making do with a girl in the active party, and the guy with them not being a problem.

When talking to the parents in Zack's Home in Gongaga, if Tifa is in the party they will ask if she was the girlfriend their son wrote to them about. She will deny it, leave, and then be found in town for an additional scene. If Aeris is also in the party the question will be posed to her, but Tifa will still leave. The scene in town has an additional dialogue if Tifa's affection value is over 120.

When the party first enters Nibelheim, one member will act confused at the town's presence, while a second will question Cloud's truthfulness. If Tifa is in the party the scene is choreographed differently where Tifa and Cloud will have a back-and-forth, before the other party members have dialogue of their general confusion at the situation.

If Tifa, Cloud, or Aeris are in the party during the Wutai stolen Materia sidequest, Corneo will react to their second meeting, otherwise he will be unsure of his pursuers' identities. When Corneo threatens to drop his captives, if Aeris or Tifa are in the party he will ask them to be handed over.

In the Temple of the Ancients, if Tifa is in the party, she will frustratedly look away when Aeris asks Cait Sith for her and Cloud's compatibility.

In Nibelheim, Final Heaven, the book for Tifa's ultimate Limit Break, is obtained while she is a party member from act "Turmoil" onwards (after Cloud returns to the party following events in Mideel). Tifa must play the correct tune on the piano in her house to obtain the item.

When returning to Midgar to obtain the Premium Heart from the Item Store in Wall Market, a unique scene occurs if Tifa and Cid are in the party where Cid fixes the broken machine, while Tifa expresses concern and scolds him.