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On the way up Mount Corel inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, our heroes are ambushed by yet another of Shinra’s latest and greatest mechanized horrors. This time, it’s the Custom Valkyrie. We’ve heard from more than a few of our fellow fans that Custom Valkyrie’s managed to get the best of them.
But, as is the case with everything in the second chapter in Square Enix’s landmark FF7 trilogy retelling, proper planning and a keen grasp of the fundamentals is all you’ll need to turn another Shinra weapon into scrap heap. Here’s how to beat Custom Valkyrie and continue your hike up scenic Mount Corel.
Custom Valkyrie Boss, First Phase
In an ideal world, we’d be fighting the Custom Valkyrie with a purely long-range team. Alas, we aren’t in that world.Custom Valkyrie is an airborne foethrough and through, soCloud’s physical attacks have limited viability and Red XIII’s just aren’t great.
This leaves Aerith for such antics, but she’s hardly suited to the role. Thankfully,Custom Valkyrie has two weaknesses: Lightning and Wind, which you can take advantage of with all three party members thanks to FF7 Rebirth’sSynergy Skills.
We didn’t have a ton of luck with Aerith’s Wards, asCustom Valkyrie’s most common attack, Flame Jet,tended to tear right through them. Instead,keep your actively-controlled party member ready to evade Flame Jetat a moment’s notice.
Thundara and/or Aeroraare going to be our heavy hitters,pressuring Custom Valkyriebit by bit. Custom Valkyrie will frequentlyfire bullets via Modified Mark 98 Rotary Canons. These are easilyblocked, and a prime candidate forCounterfire.
When the boss entersCooling Protocol, slam everything you’ve got into these weaknesses.It will hit a staggered state more swiftlywhile being a sitting duck in the meantime.
Custom Valkyrie Boss, Second Phase
Things take a turn for the worse whenCustom Valkyrie’s HP has been sliced off by around 55 percent. It’ll gain some new attacks; our least favorite of which beingParticle Cannon.
This features ahoming mechanicthat, at least for us, was a bit difficult to shake. When all else fails,swap to another character so that at least you aren’t personally bearing the knockdown from the blast.
Try to keep someone with an ATB gauge ready whenever you’re feeling the heat so thatan item or Cura spell can be tossed as needed.
Firewheelis another threat we didn’t see until the back half of the battle. Custom Valkyrierises higher into the air,shooting rotatingcolumns of flamearound it in a twisting circle.
Suffice it to say, stay back, butdon’t underestimate the range and speedof it all. It’s deceptively vast (and blatantly quick). Pile on more Thundara, Aerora, andcharacter abilities with matching elemental affinities, and you’ll scrap this bothersome thing in due time.
