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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthtakes the so-called kitchen sink approach to its combat (and honestly, to everything else as well). There’s alotto learn in this game, even though it’s essentially an expansion of the system introduced in Remake. One of the more confounding tidbits is a Greek alpha symbol beside some spells.
There’s a pretty simple explanation for this, so we won’t waste much time hopping to it. But if you’re stumped, you’re not alone - it can come across as suddenly popping up for certain characters, and knowing what it’ll do for you should factor into your choice of Materia.
What Are The Greek Alpha Symbols in FF7 Rebirth?
When you first gain access to elemental Materia:Fire, Ice, Thunder, and Aero- they will appear on theCommand Menuexactly as they did in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. At this point,only two things will factor into damage calculation:the character’sMagic statand thespell’s base power.
But soon enough, you may begin to seeGreek alpha symbols to the right of elemental spells, and the correlation here is thoseelemental abilities you’ve been unlocking via folios. The elemental abilities, once you’ve unlocked them,boost the power of elemental spells.
For instance,Wildfire will add a Greek alpha symbol beside Fire/Fira/Firaga, because you have spent the requisite amount of SP to grab Wildfire. The same applies toSnowstorm and Blizzard/Blizzara/Blizzaga.
In other words, spending SP onelemental abilities bolsters the mightof the traditional spell versions.
What Makes Elemental Spells Superior To Elemental Abilities?
So, setting aside the fact that spells are strengthened through abilities,why bother using the spellswhen you have the related abilities? This one says so right on the proverbial tin;the elemental abilities will always be weaker than the spells.
The spells, further enhanced with the symbols, are designed for when youdon’t just want to pressure an enemy via attacks like Wildfire, but deal extreme damageto their weaknesses as well.
You’ll have to use some of your precious pool ofMPfor spells, but they’re often worth it.
Why Should You Use Elemental Abilities At All, Then?
Maybe it’s beginning to sound like the only real use for elemental abilities is to give that nifty boost to spells. But there arethree solid reasons to use the abilitiesinstead.
First,you can give your party members weakness-targeting elementswithout equipping their related spell Materia to your limited number of equip slots.
It’s an excellent idea to eventually make it so thateveryone has the means to tap into Fire, Ice, Thunder, and Aero.
Better yet, you’re only usingATB chargesrather than MP.ATB charges are regained at regular intervals, whereas MP has far more limited methods of recovery -resting, using Ether-type items,and utilizing the rareMP-restoring abilities.
Last but not least,read the bonus effectsfor each of those elemental abilities. Once again relying upon our Wildfire example,this attack has a large AoE (area of effect), meaning you can strike several enemies at once.
You aren’t doing as much damage, but you’re pressuring a gaggle of foes that could easily overwhelm you by virtue of number if not power.
