How to know when to switch weapons (and how to upgrade them)

With seven weapons per character (totalling 49 across all characters), it can be tricky to know when to switch weapons. While you may be tempted to switch to a new weapon the moment you find it, you’ll want to make sure you’ve unlocked your previous weapon’s ability before swapping.

Read More: FF7 Rebirth’s Character Folios, Explained

Each weapon comes with a Weapon Ability which you can spend ATB charges on to use during combat. Activate this ability enough times in combat and it will be permanently available regardless of what weapon you have equipped. To learn that ability more quickly, you can fulfill the conditions listed under the weapon’s Proficiency Bonus. Cloud’s “Disorder” ability, for example, can be learned more quickly by striking an enemy with either a basic or strong attack after switching between his Operator and Punisher modes while using the Rune Blade.

Upgrading weapons in Rebirth isn’t too dissimilar to equipping materia. While there is a dedicated Upgrade Weapons page of the main menu, unless you’re using the auto-upgrade feature in this menu, you can otherwise just manually equip a weapon’s upgrades in the Equipment & Materia menu.

Read More: FF7 Rebirth Materia Basics and Recommended Loadouts

If equipping another selection of buffs via weapon upgrades feels overwhelming, it’s fine to start with the auto-upgrade feature, which you can activate in the Upgrade Weapons page.

The fight against Shinra and Sephiroth won’t be easy, but these staves, guns, megaphones, swords, collars, gloves, and shurikens will make all the difference as you travel the Planet.

Updated: 3/11/2024, 10:00 a.m. ET: Added details about the Proficiency Bonus for Weapon Abilities.